UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

December 22, 2015

 

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

Delaware

 

0-20574

 

51-0340466

(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification
No.)

 

26901 Malibu Hills Road

Calabasas Hills, California 91301

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(818) 871-3000

 

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

o  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14.d-2(b))

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


 


 

ITEM 1.01  ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT

 

On December 22, 2015, The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (the “Company”) entered into a Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of December 22, 2015 (the “Credit Facility”), with JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (“JPMCB”), as administrative agent, Bank of America, N.A. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as syndication agents, MUFG Union Bank, N.A., as documentation agent, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as sole bookrunner and sole lead arranger.  The Credit Agreement amends and restates in its entirety the Company’s prior Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of October 16, 2013. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this report have the meanings given to them in the Credit Facility.

 

The Credit Facility provides the Company with revolving loan commitments that total $200 million (of which $50 million may be used for the issuances of letters of credit) and it matures on December 22, 2020. The Credit Facility contains a commitment increase feature that could provide for an additional $100 million in available credit upon the Company’s request and the satisfaction of certain conditions.

 

The Credit Facility includes customary representations, warranties, negative and affirmative covenants (including  two financial covenants: relating to the ratio of net adjusted debt to EBITDAR and the ratio of EBITDAR to interest and rent expense), as well as customary events of default that, if triggered, could result in acceleration of the maturity of the Credit Facility. Borrowings under the Credit Facility bear interest, at the Company’s option, at a rate equal to either: (i) the Adjusted LIBO Rate plus a margin that is based on the Company’s Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio, or (ii)  the sum of (a) the highest of (1) the rate of interest publicly announced by JPMCB as its prime rate in effect, (2) the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Overnight Bank Funding Rate, in either case plus 0.5%, and (3) the one-month Adjusted LIBO Rate plus 1.0%, plus (b) a margin that is based on the Company’s Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio.  Letters of credit issued under the Credit Facility bear fees that are equivalent to the interest rate margin that is applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans plus other customary fees charged by the issuing bank.  Under the Credit Facility, the Company paid certain customary loan origination fees and will pay  an unused fee on the unused portion of the Credit Facility that is also based on the Company’s Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio.

 

The Company’s obligations under the Credit Facility are unsecured. Certain material subsidiaries of the Company have guaranteed the Company’s obligations under the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility will be used for the Company’s general corporate purposes, including to support standby letters of credit for the Company’s self-insurance programs.

 

ITEM 2.03  CREATION OF A DIRECT FINANCIAL OBLIGATION OR AN OBLIGATION UNDER AN OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENT OF A REGISTRANT

 

On December 22, 2015, the Company became obligated under the five-year, $200 million, unsecured revolving credit facility attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and described in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, which description is incorporated by reference herein.

 

ITEM 9.01     FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

(d)         Exhibits

 

99.1

 

Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association dated as of December 22, 2015.

 

2



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date:   December 22, 2015

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY

INCORPORATED

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ David Overton

 

 

David Overton

 

 

Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

 

3



 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

 

Description

99.1

 

Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association dated as of December 22, 2015.

 

4




Exhibit 99.1

 

 

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN AGREEMENT

 

dated as of

 

December 22, 2015

 

among

 

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED,

 

The Lenders Party Hereto

 

and

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Administrative Agent,

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

and

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Syndication Agents

 

and

 

MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.,
as Documentation Agent

 


 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC,
as Sole Bookrunner and Sole Lead Arranger

 

 



 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1.01.

 

Defined Terms

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1.02.

 

Classification of Loans and Borrowings

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1.03.

 

Terms Generally

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1.04.

 

Accounting Terms; GAAP

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1.05.

 

Currency Translation

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

THE CREDITS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.01.

 

Commitments

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.02.

 

Loans and Borrowings

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.03.

 

Requests for Revolving Borrowings

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.04.

 

Swingline Loans

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.05.

 

Letters of Credit

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.06.

 

Funding of Borrowings

 

28

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.07.

 

Interest Elections

 

29

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.08.

 

Termination and Reduction of Commitments

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.09.

 

Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt

 

31

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.10.

 

Prepayment of Loans

 

31

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.11.

 

Fees

 

32

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.12.

 

Interest

 

33

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.13.

 

Alternate Rate of Interest

 

34

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.14.

 

Increased Costs

 

34

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.15.

 

Break Funding Payments

 

35

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.16.

 

Taxes

 

36

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.17.

 

Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs

 

40

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.18.

 

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

 

42

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.19.

 

Defaulting Lenders

 

42

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.20.

 

Increase in Commitments

 

44

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.01.

 

Organization; Powers

 

45

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.02.

 

Authorization; Enforceability

 

45

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.03.

 

Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts

 

45

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.04.

 

Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change

 

46

 

i



 

SECTION 3.05.

 

Properties; Liens

 

46

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.06.

 

Litigation and Environmental Matters

 

46

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.07.

 

Compliance with Laws and Agreements

 

47

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.08.

 

Margin Regulations; Investment Company Status

 

47

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.09.

 

Taxes

 

47

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.10.

 

ERISA

 

47

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.11.

 

Subsidiaries; Equity Interests

 

47

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.12.

 

Labor Matters

 

48

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.13.

 

Disclosure

 

48

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.14.

 

Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions

 

48

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 4.01.

 

Effective Date

 

48

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 4.02.

 

Each Credit Event

 

50

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.01.

 

Financial Statements and Other Information

 

50

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.02.

 

Notices of Material Events

 

51

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.03.

 

Existence; Conduct of Business

 

52

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.04.

 

Payment of Obligations

 

52

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.05.

 

Maintenance of Properties; Insurance

 

52

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.06.

 

Books and Records; Inspection Rights

 

52

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.07.

 

Compliance with Laws

 

52

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.08.

 

Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit

 

53

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.09.

 

Additional Guarantors

 

53

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.01.

 

Indebtedness

 

53

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.02.

 

Liens

 

54

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.03.

 

Fundamental Changes

 

55

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.04.

 

Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions

 

56

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.05.

 

Hedge Agreements

 

57

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.06.

 

Restricted Payments

 

57

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.07.

 

Transactions with Affiliates

 

57

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.08.

 

Restrictive Agreements

 

57

 

ii



 

SECTION 6.09.

 

Financial Covenants

 

58

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.10.

 

Sale and Leaseback

 

58

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.11.

 

Sale of Assets

 

58

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.01.

 

Notices

 

63

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.02.

 

Waivers; Amendments

 

65

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.03.

 

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

 

66

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.04.

 

Successors and Assigns

 

68

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.05.

 

Survival

 

72

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.06.

 

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

 

72

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.07.

 

Severability

 

72

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.08.

 

Right of Setoff

 

73

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.09.

 

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

 

73

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.10.

 

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

 

74

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.11.

 

Headings

 

74

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.12.

 

Confidentiality

 

74

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.13.

 

Interest Rate Limitation

 

75

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.14.

 

USA PATRIOT Act

 

75

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.15.

 

California Judicial Reference

 

75

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 9.16.

 

Judgment Currency

 

76

 

iii



 

SCHEDULES:

 

Schedule 2.01 — Commitments

Schedule 2.05 — Existing Letters of Credit

Schedule 3.06 — Disclosed Matters

Schedule 3.11 — Subsidiaries and Equity Interests

Schedule 6.01 — Existing Indebtedness

Schedule 6.02 — Existing Liens

Schedule 6.08 — Existing Restrictions

 

EXHIBITS:

 

Exhibit A — Form of Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit B — Form of Opinion of Borrower’s Counsel

Exhibit C — Form of Guaranty

Exhibit D — Form of Compliance Certificate

Exhibit E — Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates

 

iv



 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN AGREEMENT dated as of December 22, 2015, among THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED, the LENDERS party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent.

 

The Borrower, certain lenders and the Administrative Agent are parties to that certain Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of October 16, 2013 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Existing Loan Agreement”). The parties hereto agree that the Existing Loan Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions

 

SECTION 1.01.  Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

 

ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

 

Acquisition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the date of this Agreement, by which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (a) acquires any ongoing business or all or substantially all of the assets of any Person, or division thereof, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise or (b) directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (in number of votes) of the securities of a corporation which have ordinary voting power for the election of directors (other than securities having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority (by percentage of voting power) of the outstanding ownership interests of a partnership or limited liability company.

 

Act” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.14.

 

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

 

Administrative Agent” means JPMCB in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.

 

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

 

1



 

Agency Site” means the Electronic System established by the Administrative Agent to administer this Agreement.

 

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

 

Agreement” means this Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, as it may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the FRBNY Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%, provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Rate at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day, subject to the interest rate floor set forth herein.  Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the FRBNY Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the FRBNY Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively.

 

Alternative Currency” means any currency other than dollars which is freely transferable and convertible into dollars.

 

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

 

Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment; provided that in the case of Section 2.19 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Applicable Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the total Commitments (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Commitment.  If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.

 

Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Revolving Loan, or with respect to the Unused Fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, (i) from the Closing Date to the date on which the Administrative Agent receives a certificate pursuant to Section 5.01(c) for the fiscal quarter ending December 29, 2015, 0.125% per annum for any ABR Loan, 1.125% per annum for Eurodollar Revolving Loans and 0.15% for the Unused Fee and (ii) thereafter, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “ABR Spread”, “Eurodollar Spread” or “Unused Fee”, as the case may be, based upon the Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.01(c):

 

2



 

APPLICABLE RATE

 

Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio

 

Eurodollar Spread

 

ABR Spread

 

Unused Fee

 

< 2.50 to 1.0

 

1.00

%

0.00

%

0.125

%

2.50 to 1.0 < x < 3.00 to 1.0

 

1.125

%

0.125

%

0.15

%

3.00 to 1.0 < x < 3.50 to 1.0

 

1.375

%

0.375

%

0.20

%

> 3.50 to 1.0

 

1.75

%

0.75

%

0.25

%

 

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

 

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.

 

Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person

 

Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.

 

Borrower” means The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, a Delaware corporation.

 

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

 

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

 

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

 

3



 

Canadian Dollar” means lawful money of Canada.

 

Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Cash Equivalents” means any of:

 

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

 

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

 

(c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 1 year from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

 

(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above; or

 

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

 

Cash Interest Expense” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, Interest Expense, minus the portion thereof which is not payable in cash.

 

Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of Equity Interests representing more than 33.3% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower; (b) occupation at any time of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were not (i) directors of the Borrower on the Effective Date, (ii) nominated or appointed by the board of directors of the Borrower or (iii)

 

4



 

approved (which approval may or may not include an endorsement) by a majority of the board of directors of the Borrower as director candidates prior to their election; (c) the Borrower consolidates with or merges into another Person or conveys, transfers or leases all or substantially all of its property to any Person, or any Person consolidates with or merges into the Borrower, in either event pursuant to a transaction in which the outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower are reclassified or changed into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property; or (d) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Borrower by any Person or group.

 

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, 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 an Governmental Authority; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,  (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) 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 be deemed to be a “Change in “Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

Charges” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.13.

 

Class”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans.

 

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

 

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08, (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.20 and (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04.  The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable.  The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments is $200,000,000.

 

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

 

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 Total Assets” means at any time the total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis as of such time.

 

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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.

 

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

 

Debt” means the outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries of the nature referred to in clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h) of the definition of “Indebtedness”.  The Debt of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.  For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood and agreed that any amounts classified as Deemed Landlord Financing Liabilities shall not be deemed to be Debt for purposes hereof.

 

Deemed Landlord Financing Liabilities” means any deemed landlord financing liabilities as determined in accordance with GAAP so long as such liabilities are not evidenced by a note or similar instrument and are repayable solely through the payment of Rental Expense (or the Borrower is not required to repay such liability).

 

Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

 

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

 

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Denomination Date” means each of the following:  (i) each date of issuance of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, (ii) each date of an amendment of any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency having the effect of increasing the amount thereof, (iii) each date of any LC Disbursement with respect to any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, and (iv) such additional dates as the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank shall determine.

 

Designated Alternative Currency” means Canadian Dollars and any other Alternative Currency that has been designated by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank as a Designated Alternative Currency at the request of the Company.

 

Disclosed Matters” means the actions, suits and proceedings and the environmental matters disclosed by the Borrower in its periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission prior to the Effective Date or such matters that have occurred prior to the Effective Date and are expected to be disclosed in such a report to be filed after the Effective Date, which are described in Schedule 3.06.

 

dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

 

EBITDA” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Net Income for such period plus (a) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Net Income, without duplication: (i) Interest Expense for such period, (ii) the net provision for Federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, (iii) depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) the amount of noncash stock option expense for such period, (v) other non-recurring expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries reducing such Net Income for such period which do not represent a cash item in such period or any future period and (vi) reasonable and documented costs and expenses incurred in connection with any Permitted Acquisition consummated during such period and supported by documentation provided to the Administrative Agent and minus (b) to the extent included in calculating such Net Income, without duplication, (i) all noncash items increasing Net Income for such period and (ii) all EBITDA of any joint venture or other non-wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower for such period, except to the extent of any amounts distributed to the Borrower in cash.

 

EBITDAR” means, for any period, EBITDA for such period plus, to the extent deducted from Net Income, the Rental Expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period.

 

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

 

EITF” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.10.

 

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

 

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

 

Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.

 

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

Equity Interests “ means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest.

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

 

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

 

ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30 day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

 

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

 

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

 

Exchange Rate” means on any day, for purposes of determining the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of any other currency, the rate at which such currency may be exchanged into dollars at the time of determination on such day as set forth on the Reuters WRLD Page for such currency.  In the event that such rate does not appear on any Reuters WRLD Page, the Exchange Rate shall be determined by reference to such other publicly available service for displaying exchange rates as may be agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, or, in the absence of such an agreement, such Exchange Rate shall instead be the arithmetic average of the spot rates of exchange of the Administrative Agent in the market where its foreign currency exchange operations in respect of such currency are then being conducted, at or about such time as the Administrative Agent shall elect after determining that such rates shall be the basis for determining the Exchange Rate, on such date for the purchase of dollars for delivery two Business Days later; provided that if at the time of any such determination, for any reason, no such spot rate is being quoted, the Administrative Agent may use any reasonable method it deems appropriate to determine such rate, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.19(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.16, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.16(f) and (d) any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

Existing Loan Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

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Existing Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit listed on Schedule 2.05 that were issued by the Issuing Bank (as defined in the Existing Loan Agreement) for the account of the Borrower.

 

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code.

 

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the FRBNY based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depository institutions (as determined in such manner as the New York Fed shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the FRBNY as the federal funds effective rate.

 

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

 

Foreign Lender” means each Lender that is not a U.S. Person.

 

FRBNY” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

 

FRBNY Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day; provided that if both such rates are not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “FRBNY Rate” means the rate quoted for such day for a federal funds transaction at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a Federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.

 

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

 

Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the

 

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payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

 

Guarantors” means, collectively, The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Incorporated, TCF Co. LLC (formerly known as The Cheesecake Factory Assets Co. LLC), Grand Lux Cafe, LLC and any other Subsidiary that executes a joinder to the Guaranty pursuant to Section 5.09.

 

Guaranty” means the Amended and Restated Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

 

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 Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Hedge Agreement.

 

Holdout Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(c).

 

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

 

Increase Effective Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.20(c).

 

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has

 

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been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances.  The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.

 

Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a) above, Other Taxes.

 

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

 

Information Memorandum” means the Confidential Information Memorandum dated December 2015 relating to the Borrower and the Transactions.

 

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.07.

 

Interest Expense” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection with borrowed money or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest expense in accordance with GAAP.

 

Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and December, (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid.

 

Interest Period” means with respect to the initial Interest Period hereunder, the period commencing on the date of the initial Borrowing and continuing for such number of days as the Borrower and Administrative Agent may agree and with respect to any subsequent Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding date in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no

 

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numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period.  For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

 

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

 

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

Issuing Bank” means JPMCB in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.05(i).  The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

 

JPMCB” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association.

 

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

 

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

 

LC Sublimit” means $50,000,000.

 

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

 

Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.  Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank.

 

Letter of Credit” means the Existing Letters of Credit and any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any applicable currency and for any Interest Period, the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for U.S. Dollars/the relevant currency) for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen that displays such rate (or, in the event such rate does not appear on such pages, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as is selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion; in each case the “LIBO Screen Rate”) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that if the LIBO Screen Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement; provided further that if the Screen Rate shall not be available at such time for such Interest Period (an “Impacted Interest Period”) then the LIBO Rate shall be the Interpolated  Rate; provided that if any Interpolated Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

LIBO Screen Rate” has the meaning assigned to it in the definition of “LIBO Rate.”

 

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.

 

Loan Documents” means, collectively, (a) this Agreement, (b) the Guaranty and (c) any other agreement or certificate executed by a Loan Party from time to time in connection with this Agreement.

 

Loan Party” means the Borrower and each Guarantor.

 

Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, property or financial condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or (c) any of the material rights of or remedies available to the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents.

 

Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit) or obligations in respect of one or more Hedge Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $20,000,000.  For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Hedge Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Hedge Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

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Maturity Date” means December 22, 2020.

 

Maximum Rate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.13.

 

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

 

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

 

Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of (a) the sum of (i) Debt as of such measurement date plus (ii) the product of eight times Rental Expense for the four fiscal quarter period ending on such measurement date minus (iii) unrestricted domestic cash and Cash Equivalents of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in excess of $25,000,000 as of the measurement date to (b) EBITDAR for the four fiscal quarter period ending on such measurement date.

 

Net Income” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the net income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (in accordance with GAAP but excluding extraordinary gains and extraordinary losses) for that period.

 

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 2.18).

 

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

 

Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.

 

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

 

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

 

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Permitted Acquisition” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.04(e).

 

Permitted Encumbrances” means:

 

(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 30 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;

 

(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII; and

 

(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

 

Permitted Investments” means any of:

 

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

 

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

 

(c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 1 year from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

 

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(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above;

 

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

 

(f) other Investments to the extent permitted under the Borrower’s Investment Policy dated May 31, 2006 (without giving effect to any amendments thereto).

 

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

 

Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

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

 

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association as its prime rate in effect at its office located at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.

 

Property” of a Person means any and all property, whether real, personal, tangible, intangible, or mixed, of such Person, or other assets owned, leased or operated by such Person.

 

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

 

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.

 

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

 

Rental Expense” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, total rental expense as calculated in accordance with GAAP.

 

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing at least 50.1% of the sum of the total

 

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Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time (but subject to Section 2.19(b) with respect to Defaulting Lenders).

 

Replacement Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(c).

 

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower.

 

Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.

 

Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03.

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s.

 

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

 

Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b).

 

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

 

Significant Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary (including such Subsidiary’s interest in its direct and indirect Subsidiaries) of the Borrower that

 

(a) accounted for at least 5% of consolidated revenues of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or 5% of EBITDA of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, in each case for the four fiscal quarters of the Borrower ending on the last day of the last fiscal quarter of the Borrower immediately preceding the date as of which any such determination is made; or

 

(b) has total assets which represent at least 5% of the consolidated assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the last day of the last fiscal quarter of the Borrower immediately preceding the date as of which any such determination is made.

 

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Specified Currency” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.16.

 

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

 

subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

 

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

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

 

Swingline Lender” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.

 

Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.

 

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.

 

Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower and the Guarantors of the Loan Documents, the borrowing of Loans and the use of the proceeds thereof, and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.

 

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Unused Fee” means the fee payable by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.11(a).

 

U.S. Dollar Equivalent” means, on any Denomination Date, (a) with respect to any amount in dollars, such amount and (b) with respect to any amount in any currency other than dollars, the equivalent in dollars of such amount, determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 1.05 using the Exchange Rate with respect to such currency at the time in effect under the provisions of such Section.

 

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

 

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.16(f)(ii)(B)(3).

 

Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

 

SECTION 1.02.  Classification of Loans and Borrowings.  For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Loan”).  Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”), or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing”).

 

SECTION 1.03.  Terms Generally.  The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”.  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”.  Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

SECTION 1.04.  Accounting Terms; GAAP.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application

 

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thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, it is understood and agreed that the computation of Capital Lease Obligations shall be made in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the Effective Date, notwithstanding any subsequent changes in GAAP, and that Interest Expense and Rental Expense shall be calculated without giving any effect to any change in the treatment of Capital Lease Obligations under GAAP after the Effective Date.

 

SECTION 1.05.  Currency Translation.  The Administrative Agent shall determine the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of any Letter of Credit or LC Disbursement denominated in any Alternative Currency using the Exchange Rate for such currency in relation to dollars in effect on each Denomination Date therefor, and each such amount shall be the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of such Letter of Credit or LC Disbursement until the next required calculation thereof pursuant to this sentence.  Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time.

 

ARTICLE II

 

The Credits

 

SECTION 2.01.  Commitments.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (b) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

 

SECTION 2.02.  Loans and Borrowings.  (a) Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

 

(b)           Subject to Section 2.13, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith.  Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan.  Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

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(c)           At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $2,500,000 and not less than $5,000,000.  At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(e).  Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $2,000,000.  Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of five Eurodollar Revolving Borrowings outstanding.

 

(d)           Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.

 

SECTION 2.03.  Requests for Revolving Borrowings.  To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(e) may be given not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing.  Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.  Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

(i)            the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;

 

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

 

(iii)          whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;

 

(iv)          in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”; and

 

(v)           the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.06.

 

If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing.  If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.  Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request

 

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in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

 

SECTION 2.04.  Swingline Loans.  (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $20,000,000 or (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.

 

(b)           To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by telecopy), not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan.  The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from the Borrower.  The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a wire transfer to the account designated by the Borrower on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

 

(c)           The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Business Day require the Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding.  Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will participate.  Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans.  Each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans.  Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.  Each Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Lenders.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender.  Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrower (or other party on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the

 

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Administrative Agent to the Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason.  The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof.

 

SECTION 2.05.  Letters of Credit.  (a)  General.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit for its own account denominated in dollars or, to the extent the Issuing Bank then issues letters of credit in any Designated Alternative Currency, in such Designated Alternative Currency, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period.  In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Issuing Bank shall have no obligation hereunder to issue, and shall not issue, any Letter of Credit the proceeds of which would be made available to any Person (i) to fund any activity or business of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country or (ii) in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by any party to this Agreement.  All Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Effective Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

 

(b)           Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions.  To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, but in any event no less than three Business Days) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof, the currency thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit.  If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit.  A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed the LC Sublimit and (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments.

 

(c)           Expiration Date.  Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination by notice from the Issuing Bank to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of

 

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Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) unless such Letter of Credit is cash collateralized as provided in subsection (j) hereof, the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.

 

(d)           Participations.  By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit.  In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason.  Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

 

(e)           Reimbursement.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that, if such LC Disbursement is not less than $1,000,000, the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.04 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan.  In the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in any Alternative Currency, the Borrower shall reimburse the Issuing Bank in such currency, unless (A) the Issuing Bank (at its option) shall have specified in the notice of such LC Disbursement that it will require reimbursement in dollars, (B) in the absence of any such requirement for reimbursement in dollars, the Borrower shall have notified the Issuing Bank promptly following receipt of the notice of drawing that the Borrower will reimburse the Issuing Bank in dollars or (C) the Borrower shall have requested that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan.  In the case of any such reimbursement in dollars of a drawing under a Letter of Credit denominated in any Alternative Currency, the Issuing Bank shall notify the Borrower of the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of the amount of the drawing promptly following the determination thereof.  If the Borrower fails to make any such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the

 

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 applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof (which in the case of any payment in any Alternative Currency shall be the U.S. Dollar Equivalent thereof) and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.  Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower (which in the case of any payment in any Alternative Currency shall be the U.S. Dollar Equivalent thereof), in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders.  Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear.  Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.  In the event that (A) a drawing denominated in any Alternative Currency is to be reimbursed in dollars and (B) the dollar amount paid by the Borrower, including pursuant to an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan, shall not be adequate on the date of that payment to purchase in accordance with normal banking procedures a sum denominated in such Alternative Currency equal to the drawing, the Borrower agrees, as a separate and independent obligation, to indemnify the Issuing Bank for the loss resulting from its inability on that date to purchase such Alternative Currency in the full amount of the drawing.

 

(f)            Obligations Absolute.  The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, (iv) any adverse change in the relevant exchange rates or in the availability of any Alternative Currency to the Borrower or in the relevant currency markets generally or (v) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.  Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of

 

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which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof.  The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination.  In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

 

(g)           Disbursement Procedures.  The Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit.  The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

 

(h)           Interim Interest.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans; provided that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.12(c) shall apply.  Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

 

(i)            Replacement of the Issuing Bank.  The Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank.  At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.11(b).  From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require.  After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

 

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(j)            Cash Collateralization.  If (i) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50.1% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph or (ii) the Borrower shall request the issuance of a Letter of Credit with an expiry date subsequent to the fifth Business Day prior to the Maturity Date, the Borrower shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to the LC Exposure as of such date (or, in the case of clause (ii), in the face amount of such Letter of Credit) plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII.  Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement.  The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account.  Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest.  Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account.  Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50.1% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement.  If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.

 

SECTION 2.06.  Funding of Borrowings.  (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.04.  The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by wire transfer to the account designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.

 

(b)           Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with

 

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paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans.  If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

 

SECTION 2.07.  Interest Elections.  (a) Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request.  Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section.  The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.

 

(b)           To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election.  Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.  This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

 

(c)           Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

(i)            the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

 

(ii)           the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

 

(iii)          whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

SECTION 2.08.  Termination and Reduction of Commitments.  (a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.

 

(b)           The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.10, the Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments.

 

(c)           The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof.  Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.  Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied.  Any termination or reduction of the Commitments shall be permanent.  Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.

 

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SECTION 2.09.  Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.  (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Maturity Date, and (ii) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or last day of a calendar month and is at least two Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding.

 

(b)           Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

 

(c)           The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.

 

(d)           The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(e)           Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note.  In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent.  Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).

 

SECTION 2.10.  Prepayment of Loans.  (a) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section.

 

(b)           The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment, or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 12:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date

 

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of prepayment.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.08, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.08.  Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.  Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02.  Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing.  Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.12.

 

(c)           If the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower at any time that the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceed an amount equal to 105% of the total Commitments then in effect, then, within two Business Days after receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the LC Exposure in an aggregate amount sufficient to cause the total Revolving Credit Exposures to be less than or equal to the total Commitments then in effect.  The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of such Cash Collateral, request that additional Cash Collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of exchange rate fluctuations.

 

(d)           If the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower at any time that the LC Exposure exceeds an amount equal to 105% of the LC Sublimit, then, within two Business Days after receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the LC Exposure in an aggregate amount sufficient to cause the LC Exposure to be less than or equal to the LC Sublimit.  The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of such Cash Collateral, request that additional Cash Collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of exchange rate fluctuations

 

SECTION 2.11.  Fees.  (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender an Unused Fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily unused amount of the Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates.  Accrued Unused Fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof.  All Unused Fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

(b)           The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per

 

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annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder.  Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand.  Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 10 days after demand.  All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

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

 

(d)           All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of Unused Fees, to the Lenders.  Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

 

SECTION 2.12.  Interest.  (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

 

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

 

(c)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section.

 

(d)           Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Revolving Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

 

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(e)           All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).  The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

SECTION 2.13.  Alternate Rate of Interest.  If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:

 

(a)           the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or

 

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

 

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.

 

SECTION 2.14.  Increased Costs.  (a) 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 by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing Bank;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(c)           A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or the Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

(d)           Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 270 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 270-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

SECTION 2.15.  Break Funding Payments.  In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable

 

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thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.10(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.18, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event.  In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market.  A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

SECTION 2.16.  Taxes.  (a) Payments Free of Taxes.  Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law.  If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable withholding agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a withholding agent, then the applicable withholding agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.16) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

 

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

 

(c)           Evidence of Payments.  As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.16, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent

 

(d)           Indemnification by the Borrower.  The Borrower shall indemnify each Recipient, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes

 

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(including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to 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.

 

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

 

(f)            Status of Lenders.

 

(i)            Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower 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 2.16(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

 

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

 

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(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 originals 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 originals of IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

 

(2)           in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming that its extension of credit will generate U.S. effectively connected income, executed originals 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 Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN; or

 

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

 

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Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

 

(C)          any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower 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 originals of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. Federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the 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 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 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 date of this Agreement.

 

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

 

(g)           Treatment of Certain Refunds.  If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.16 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.16), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.16 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund).  Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay

 

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such refund to such Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g)  the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid.  This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

 

(h)           Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.16 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

 

(i)            FATCA.  For purposes of determining withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA, from and after the Effective Date the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall treat (and the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to treat) this Agreement as not qualifying as a “grandfathered obligation” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.1471-2(b)(2)(i).

 

(j)            Defined Terms.  For purposes of this Section 2.16, the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

 

SECTION 2.17.  Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.  (a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.14, 2.15 or 2.16, or otherwise) prior to 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set off or counterclaim.  Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon.  All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto.  The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof.  If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension.  All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.

 

(b)           If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment

 

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of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements, then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements, then due to such parties.

 

(c)           If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Revolving Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply).  The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

 

(d)           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 or the Issuing Bank 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 or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due.  In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

(e)           If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.04(c), 2.05(d), 2.06(b), 2.17(d) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender and for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank to satisfy such

 

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Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid, and/or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account over which the Administrative Agent has exclusive control as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under such Sections; in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, in any order as determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.

 

SECTION 2.18.  Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.  (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.14 or 2.16, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender.  The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

(b)           If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.14, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, or if any Lender becomes a Defaulting 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 Section 9.04), all its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 2.14 or 2.16) and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and if a Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Bank), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.14 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.16, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments.  A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

SECTION 2.19.  Defaulting Lenders.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

 

(a)           fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.11(a);

 

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(b)           the Commitment and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether all Lenders or the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment or waiver pursuant to Section 9.02), provided that any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender which affects such Defaulting Lender differently than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender;

 

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

 

(i)            all or any part of such Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent (x) the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures plus such Defaulting Lender’s Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Commitments and (y) the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied at such time; and

 

(ii)           if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (x) first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y) second, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Bank only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.05(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

 

(iii)          if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to Section 2.19(c), the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.11(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;

 

(iv)          if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to Section 2.19(c), then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.11(a) and Section 2.11(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; or

 

(v)           if any Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither cash collateralized nor reallocated pursuant to Section 2.19(c), then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Bank or any Lender hereunder, all Unused Fees that otherwise would have been payable to such Defaulting Lender under Section 2.11(a) (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment that was utilized by such LC Exposure) and letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.11(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Bank until such LC Exposure is cash collateralized and/or reallocated; and

 

(d)           so long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue,

 

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amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.19(c), and participating interests in any such newly issued or increased Letter of Credit or newly made Swingline Loan shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.19(c)(i) (and Defaulting Lenders shall not participate therein).

 

If a Bankruptcy Event with respect to a Lender Parent shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender, satisfactory to the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

 

In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender each agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall (i) purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage and (ii) reimburse the other Lenders for any amounts that would be owing to such Lenders under Section 2.15 if such purchase were a repayment by the Borrower.

 

SECTION 2.20.  Increase in Commitments.  (a) Increase.  Provided there exists no Default, the Borrower may from time to time request an increase in the Commitments by an amount (for all such increases) not exceeding $100,000,000; provided that (i) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $10,000,000, (ii) the Borrower may make a maximum of three such requests and (iii) the consent of the Lenders shall not be required for such an increase.

 

(b)           Additional Lenders.  Subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender (which approvals shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Borrower may (i) invite existing Lenders to increase the amount of their Commitments and/or (ii) invite additional proposed lenders to become Lenders pursuant to a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Lender shall have any obligation to increase its Commitment and no Lender’s Commitment shall be increased without its consent thereto, and each Lender may at its option, unconditionally and without cause, decline to increase its Commitment.

 

(c)           Effective Date and Allocations.  If the Commitments are increased in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the effective date (the “Increase Effective Date”) and the Borrower shall (subject to clause (b) above) determine final allocation of such increase.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.

 

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(d)           Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase.  As a condition precedent to such increase, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the Increase Effective Date signed by an authorized officer of such Loan Party (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase, and (ii) in the case of the Borrower, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, the representations and warranties contained in Article V and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Increase Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date.  The Borrower shall prepay any Loans outstanding on the Increase Effective Date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 2.15) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages arising from any nonratable increase in the Commitments under this Section.

 

(e)           Conflicting Provisions.  This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 9.02 to the contrary.

 

ARTICLE III

 

Representations and Warranties

 

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 3.01.  Organization; Powers.  Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

 

SECTION 3.02.  Authorization; Enforceability.  The Transactions are within the Borrower’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action.  This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

SECTION 3.03.  Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts.  The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

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SECTION 3.04.  Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.  (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2014, reported on by Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP, independent public accountants and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended September 29, 2015, certified by its chief financial officer.  Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.

 

(b)           Since December 30, 2014, there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, property, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

SECTION 3.05.  Properties; Liens.  (a) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes.

 

(b)           Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)           The property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is subject to no Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 6.02.

 

SECTION 3.06.  Litigation and Environmental Matters.  (a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters) or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.

 

(b)           Except for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.

 

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

 

SECTION 3.07.  Compliance with Laws and Agreements.  Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  No Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

SECTION 3.08.  Margin Regulations; Investment Company Status.  (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.

 

(b)           Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

SECTION 3.09.  Taxes.  Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.10.  ERISA.  No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $10,000,000 the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $10,000,000 the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans.

 

SECTION 3.11.  Subsidiaries; Equity Interests.  As of the Effective Date, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Part (a) of Schedule 3.11, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in such Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by a Loan Party in the amounts specified on Part (a) of Schedule 3.11 free and clear of all Liens.  As of the Effective Date, the Borrower has no equity investments in any other corporation or entity other than those specifically disclosed in Part(b) of Schedule 3.11.

 

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SECTION 3.12.  Labor Matters.  There are no collective bargaining agreements or Multiemployer Plans covering the employees of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as of the Effective Date and neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has suffered any strikes, walkouts, work stoppages or other material labor difficulty within the last five years.

 

SECTION 3.13.  Disclosure.  Except as set forth in the financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and the Disclosed Matters, there are no agreements, restrictions or liabilities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries of any kind which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The Information Memorandum and the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other information (other than projected financial information) furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), taken as a whole, do not contain any material misstatement of fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading as of the date such information was dated or certified; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions and estimates believed to be reasonable at the time made (it being understood that any such projected financial information is subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Borrower’s control, and that actual results may differ from any such projected financial information and such differences may be material).

 

SECTION 3.14.  Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions.  The Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and employees and to the knowledge of the Borrower its directors and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects.  None of (a) the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of the Borrower, any agent of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person.  No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement will violate any Anti-Corruption Law or applicable Sanctions.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Conditions

 

SECTION 4.01.  Effective Date.  The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):

 

(a)           The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.

 

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(b)           The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party thereto either (i) a counterpart of the Guaranty signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that such party has signed a counterpart of the Guaranty.

 

(c)           The Administrative Agent shall have received a written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, counsel for the Loan Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit B, and covering such other matters relating to the Loan Parties, this Agreement or the Transactions as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request.  The Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinion.

 

(d)           The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the Loan Parties, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Loan Parties, this Agreement or the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

 

(e)           All governmental and third party approvals necessary or, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, advisable in connection with the financing contemplated hereby and the continuing operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect.

 

(f)            The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) satisfactory audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the three most recent fiscal years ended prior to the Effective Date as to which such financial statements are available and (ii) satisfactory unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for each quarterly period ended subsequent to the date of the latest financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available.

 

(g)           The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02.

 

(h)           The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out of pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.

 

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., Los Angeles time, on January 31, 2016 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

 

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SECTION 4.02.  Each Credit Event.  The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

 

(a)           The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal, extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable (other than the representations and warranties that specifically refer to an earlier date).

 

(b)           At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.

 

ARTICLE V

 

Affirmative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated or been cash collateralized pursuant to Section 2.05(j) and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 5.01.  Financial Statements and Other Information.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

 

(a)           within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;

 

(b)           within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly

 

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in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

 

(c)           concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a compliance certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower substantially in the form of Exhibit D (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Sections 6.01, 6.04, 6.06 and 6.09 and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;

 

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

 

(e)           as soon as available but not less than 60 days after the beginning of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the projected consolidated and consolidating balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement of the Borrower for such fiscal year; and

 

(f)            promptly following any request therefor, 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 Borrower by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any audit thereof, and any other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

SECTION 5.02.  Notices of Material Events.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:

 

(a)           the occurrence of any Default;

 

(b)           the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(c)           the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $10,000,000; and

 

(d)           any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

 

SECTION 5.03.  Existence; Conduct of Business.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.

 

SECTION 5.04.  Payment of Obligations.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, that, if not paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest will not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.05.  Maintenance of Properties; Insurance.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.

 

SECTION 5.06.  Books and Records; Inspection Rights.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested; provided, however, that unless a Default shall have occurred and be continuing the Administrative Agent may not exercise its inspection rights more than two times in any year.

 

SECTION 5.07.  Compliance with Laws.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property (including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws), except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  The Borrower will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

 

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SECTION 5.08.  Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit.  The proceeds of the Loans will be used (i) to refinance existing Indebtedness and (ii) for the general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, including, without limitation, the repurchase or redemption of the Borrower’s Equity Interests and the funding of Permitted Acquisitions and other investments and Restricted Payments permitted hereunder.  No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X.  Letters of Credit will be issued only to support the general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business.  The Borrower will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit directly or indirectly (A) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (B) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, to the extent such activities, businesses or transaction would be prohibited by Sanctions if conducted by a corporation incorporated in the United States, or (C) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

 

SECTION 5.09.  Additional Guarantors.  The Borrower will notify the Administrative Agent at the time that any domestic Subsidiary becomes a Significant Subsidiary, and promptly thereafter (and in any event within 30 days), cause such Person to (a) become a Guarantor by executing and delivering to the Administrative Agent a counterpart of the Guaranty or such other document as the Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate for such purpose and (b) deliver to the Administrative Agent documents of the types referred to in Section 4.01(d) and favorable opinions of counsel to such Person (which shall cover, among other things, the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability of the documentation referred to in clause (a)), all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Negative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated or been cash collateralized pursuant to Section 2.05(j) and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 6.01.  Indebtedness.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

 

(a)           Indebtedness created hereunder;

 

(b)           Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01, and any extensions, renewals or replacements of any such Indebtedness;

 

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(c)           Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Guarantor and of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any Guarantor;

 

(d)           Guarantees by the Borrower of Indebtedness of any Guarantor and by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Guarantor;

 

(e)           Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) shall not exceed $50,000,000 at any time outstanding; and

 

(f)            secured Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (in addition to that permitted under clause (e) above) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $15,000,000;

 

(g)           Deemed Landlord Financing Liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

 

(h)           Indebtedness of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any Guarantor as a result of an investment permitted under Section 6.04(f); and

 

(i)            other unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower (including, without limitation, unsecured Indebtedness that is convertible into equity) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $300,000,000 at any time outstanding so long as (i) the Borrower is in compliance with Section 6.09 as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent, adjusted to give pro forma effect to the actual amount of Debt outstanding after the incurrence of such Indebtedness, (ii) such Indebtedness does not restrict the right of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to grant Liens on their assets to the Credit Parties, (iii) such Indebtedness does not require any repayment of the principal thereof prior to the date that is six months after the Maturity Date and (iv) such Indebtedness has covenants, if any, that are no more restrictive than those included in this Agreement as in effect at the time of incurrence thereof.

 

SECTION 6.02.  Liens.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

 

(a)           Permitted Encumbrances;

 

(b)           any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof;

 

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(c)           any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be;

 

(d)           Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 90% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and (iv) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and

 

(e)           Liens securing Indebtedness permitted by clause (f) of Section 6.01.

 

SECTION 6.03.  Fundamental Changes.  (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or any substantial part of its assets, or all or substantially all of the stock of any of its Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any Subsidiary may merge into or consolidate with any other Person and any other Person may merge into or consolidate with the Borrower or any Subsidiary if such merger or consolidation is consummated as part of a Permitted Acquisition, (ii) any Subsidiary may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (iii) any Subsidiary may merge into any other Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary, (iv) any Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary and (v) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04.

 

(b)           The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related thereto.

 

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SECTION 6.04.  Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit, except:

 

(a)           Permitted Investments;

 

(b)           investments by the Borrower existing on the date hereof in the capital stock of its Subsidiaries;

 

(c)           loans or advances made by the Borrower to any Guarantor and made by any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any Guarantor;

 

(d)           Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01;

 

(e)           Acquisitions meeting the following requirements or otherwise approved by the Required Lenders (each such Acquisition constituting a “Permitted Acquisition”):

 

(i)            as of the date of the consummation of such Acquisition, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such Acquisition, and the representation and warranty contained in Section 5.08 shall be true both before and after giving effect to such Acquisition;

 

(ii)           such Acquisition is consummated on a non-hostile basis pursuant to a negotiated acquisition agreement approved by the board of directors or other applicable governing body of the seller or entity to be acquired, and no material and credible challenge to such Acquisition (excluding the exercise of appraisal rights) by any shareholder or director of the seller or entity to be acquired shall be pending;

 

(iii)          the business to be acquired in such Acquisition is similar or related to one or more of the lines of business in which the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are engaged on the Effective Date;

 

(iv)          as of the date of the consummation of such Acquisition, all material approvals required in connection therewith shall have been obtained; and

 

(v)           after giving pro forma effect to such Acquisition, the Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 3.75 to 1.0.

 

(f)            investments by the Borrower or any Guarantor in any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, investments in joint ventures and other Investments in any other Persons, provided that (i) the aggregate amount of investments made pursuant to this clause (f) after the Effective Date shall not exceed $175,000,000 and (ii) after giving pro forma affect to such investment, the Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 3.75 to 1.0.

 

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SECTION 6.05.  Hedge Agreements.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any Hedge Agreement, except (a) Hedge Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) Hedge Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 6.06.  Restricted Payments.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except (a) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of the same class of Equity Interests, (b) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (c) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (d) the Borrower may declare and make Restricted Payments in the form of dividends or other distributions (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or in the form of redemptions or repurchases of Equity Interests in the Borrower, so long as at the time of such making or declaration (i) no Default shall be then continuing and (ii) after giving pro forma effect thereto, the Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 3.75 to 1.0.

 

SECTION 6.07.  Transactions with Affiliates.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its wholly owned Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate and (c)  any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.06.

 

SECTION 6.08.  Restrictive Agreements.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets in favor of the Credit Parties, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by this Agreement, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.08 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or

 

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conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases restricting the assignment thereof.

 

SECTION 6.09.  Financial Covenants.  (a)  Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio.  The Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 4.00 to 1.0 as of the last day of any fiscal quarter.

 

(b)           EBITDAR to Interest and Rental Expense.  The ratio of EBITDAR for the four fiscal quarter period ending on the applicable measurement date to the sum of (i) Cash Interest Expense for the four fiscal quarter period ending on such measurement date plus (ii) Rental Expense for the four fiscal quarter period ending on such measurement date shall not be less than 1.90 to 1.0 as of the last day of any fiscal quarter.

 

SECTION 6.10.  Sale and Leaseback.  Except for leases that, upon completion of construction by the Borrower, meet the criteria of Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) 97-10 and that qualify for sale-leaseback treatment in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 98, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any agreement or arrangement with any other Person providing for the leasing by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of real or personal property which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to such other Person or to any other Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such Person on the security of such property or rental obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

SECTION 6.11.  Sale of Assets.  The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, lease, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of its Property to any other Person, except:

 

(a)           sales of inventory and obsolete or excess assets in the ordinary course of business;

 

(b)           sales, leases and transfers of Property (a) from the Borrower to any Guarantor, and (b) from any Subsidiary of the Borrower to the Borrower or any Guarantor;

 

(c)           (i) one or more transfers to a wholly-owned Subsidiary or wholly-owned Subsidiaries organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States, any state or territory thereof or the District of Columbia, of the right to license or use certain intellectual property assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries exclusively outside of the United States and (ii) the subsequent licensing by such Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of such intellectual property assets to third Persons that have contracted with the Borrower or its Subsidiaries to develop and operate restaurants and related businesses under the trademarks of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries outside of the United States;

 

(d)           terminations of real property leases in connection with closing underperforming restaurants; and

 

(e)           other sales, assignments, transfers, leases, conveyances or other dispositions of its Property, provided that (i) such disposition is for consideration consisting of

 

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cash or a combination of cash and notes, the principal amount of which notes shall not exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate, (ii) such disposition is for not less than fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Borrower’s board of directors if the total consideration for such disposition is equal to or greater than $20,000,000), (iii) after giving effect to such disposition, no Default shall exist, and (iv) such Property, together with all other Property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries previously leased, sold or disposed of (other than Property leased, sold or disposed of under clauses (a), (b) or (c) above) calculated at book value (A) during the immediately preceding twelve-month period, represents the disposition of not greater than 5% of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets at the end of the fiscal year immediately preceding that in which such transaction is proposed to be entered into, and (B) during the period from the Closing Date to the date of such proposed transaction, represents the disposition of not greater than 15% of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets at the end of the fiscal year immediately preceding that in which such transaction is proposed to be entered into.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Events of Default

 

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

 

(a)           the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

 

(b)           the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three Business Days;

 

(c)           any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver hereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver hereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect when made or deemed made;

 

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

 

(e)           any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article) or in any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after written notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to such Person (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);

 

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(f)            the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable;

 

(g)           any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;

 

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

 

(i)            the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

 

(j)            the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

 

(k)           one or more judgments for the payment of money not paid or fully covered by insurance (subject to any applicable deductible) as to which the insurer has not disputed or otherwise contested coverage in writing in an aggregate amount in excess of $25,000,000 shall be rendered against the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed (by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise), or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;

 

(l)            an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding (i) $10,000,000 in any year or (ii) $20,000,000 for all periods; or

 

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(m)          a Change in Control shall occur;

 

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower or a Significant Subsidiary described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times:  (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become  due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any event with respect to the Borrower or a Significant Subsidiary described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

The Administrative Agent

 

Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.

 

The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any

 

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duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.  The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), 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.

 

The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

 

Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower.  Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor.  If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank.  Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights,

 

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powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder.  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 Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.

 

Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that the extensions of credit made hereunder are commercial loans and letters of credit and not investments in a business enterprise or securities.  Each Lender further represents that it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Loans hereunder.  Each Lender shall, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Borrower and its Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder and in deciding whether or to the extent to which it will continue as a lender or assign or otherwise transfer its rights, interests and obligations hereunder.

 

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no Sole Bookrunner, Sole Lead Arranger, Syndication Agent or Documentation Agent shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or an Issuing Bank hereunder.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 9.01.  Notices.  (a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

 

(i)            if to the Borrower, to it at 26901 Malibu Hills Road, Calabasas Hills, CA 91301, Attention of Matthew Clark (Telecopy No. (866) 788-8849);  with a copy of any notice of the occurrence of a Default to be also delivered to 26901 Malibu Hills Road, Calabasas Hills, CA 91301, Attention of General Counsel (Telecopy No. (818) 871-3110);

 

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(ii)           if to the Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender, to JPMorgan Loan Services, JPMorgan Chase Bank, 10 South Dearborn, 19th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60603, Attention of Sabana Johnson (Facsimile No. (888) 292-9533), with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, 2029 Century Park East, 38th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90067, Attention of Tim Martin;

 

(iii)          if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient).  Notices delivered through Electronic Systems, to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said paragraph (b).

 

(b)           Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by using Electronic Systems pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender.  The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.  Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address in accordance with this Section 9.02 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 in accordance with this Section 9.02 shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

 

(c)           Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

(d)           (i)            The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make Communications (as defined below) available to the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar or a substantially similar Electronic System.

 

(ii)           Any Electronic System used by the Administrative Agent is provided “as is” and “as available.”  The Agent Parties (as defined below) do not warrant the adequacy of such Electronic Systems and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications.  No warranty of any kind, express, implied or

 

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statutory, including, without limitation, any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by any Agent Party in connection with the Communications or any Electronic System.  In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any other Loan Party, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind, including, without limitation, direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s, any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of communications through an Electronic System.  “Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through an Electronic System

 

SECTION 9.02.  Waivers; Amendments.  (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power.  The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have.  No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

 

(b)           Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.17(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, or (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender;

 

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provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder (including any amendments or modifications to Section 2.19) without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be.

 

(c)           If the Administrative Agent and the Borrower acting together identify any ambiguity, omission, mistake, typographical error or other defect in any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall be permitted to amend, modify or supplement such provision to cure such ambiguity, omission, mistake, typographical error or other defect, and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement.

 

(d)           If any action to be taken by the Lenders or the Administrative Agent hereunder requires the unanimous consent, authorization, or agreement of all Lenders and if such action has received the consent, authorization, or agreement of the Required Lenders but not all of the Lenders, then Agent (after receipt of a request from the Borrower), upon at least 5 Business Days prior irrevocable notice, may permanently replace any Lender (a “Holdout Lender”) that failed to give its consent, authorization, or agreement with one or more other Lenders willing to provide such consent, authorization or agreement (each, a “Replacement Lender”) reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, and the Holdout Lender shall have no right to refuse to be replaced hereunder.  Such notice to replace the Holdout Lender shall specify an effective date for such replacement, which date shall not be later than 10 Business Days after the date such notice is given and no more than 60 days after the date such consent, authorization or agreement was sought.  Prior to the effective date of such replacement, the Holdout Lender and each Replacement Lender shall execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption, subject only to the Holdout Lender being repaid the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder without any premium or penalty of any kind whatsoever.  If the Holdout Lender shall refuse or fail to execute and deliver any such Assignment and Assumption prior to the effective date of such replacement, the Holdout Lender shall be deemed to have executed and delivered such Assignment and Assumption.  The replacement of any Holdout Lender shall be made in accordance with the terms of Section 9.04.

 

SECTION 9.03.  Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.  (a) The Borrower 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 and administration of this Agreement or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, including the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any one counsel retained on behalf of the Lenders, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its or their rights in connection with this Agreement, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

 

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(b)           The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether or not such claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding is brought by the Borrower or its equity holders, Affiliates, creditors or any other third Person and whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.  This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.

 

(c)           To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such.

 

(d)           To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided that nothing in this clause (d) shall relieve the Borrower of any obligation it may have to indemnify an Indemnitee against special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.

 

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(e)           All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten days after written demand therefor.

 

SECTION 9.04.  Successors and Assigns.  (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section.  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)           (i)            Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees (other than any Ineligible Institution) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:

 

(A)          the Borrower; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to an assignment unless it shall have objected thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof; provided further that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee;

 

(B)          the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of any Commitment to an assignee that is a Lender with a Commitment immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment;

 

(C)          the Issuing Bank; and

 

(D)          the Swingline Lender.

 

(ii)           Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

 

(A)          except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than

 

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$5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

(B)          each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement;

 

(C)          the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (x) an Assignment and Assumption or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to a Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and

 

(D)          the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more Credit Contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower, the Loan Parties and their related parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.

 

For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the terms “Approved Fund” and “Ineligible Institution” have the following meanings:

 

Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

Ineligible Institution” means (a) a natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender, (c) the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or (d) a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof; provided that, such holding company, investment vehicle or trust shall not constitute an Ineligible Assignee if it (x) has not been established for the primary purpose of acquiring any Loans or Commitments, (y) is managed by a professional advisor, who is not such natural person or a relative thereof, having significant experience in the business of making or purchasing commercial loans, and (z) has assets greater than $25,000,000 and a significant part of its activities consist of making or purchasing commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

 

(iii)          Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the

 

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interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03).  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section.

 

(iv)          The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount (and stated interest) of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(v)           Upon its receipt of (x) a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to a Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.06(b), 2.17(d) or 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon.  No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.

 

(c)           (i)            Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”), other than an Ineligible Institution, in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the

 

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Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant.  Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.14, 2.15 and 2.16 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under 2.16(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.16(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender and the information and documentation required under Section 2.16(g) will be delivered to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.17(c) and 2.18 as though it were a Lender.

 

(ii)           A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.14 or 2.16 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent.  A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.16 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 2.16(e) as though it were a Lender.

 

(iii)          Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as an 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

 

(d)           Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and

 

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this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

SECTION 9.05.  Survival.  All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated.  The provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

 

SECTION 9.06.  Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.  Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.  The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

 

SECTION 9.07.  Severability.  Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to

 

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the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

SECTION 9.08.  Right of Setoff.  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured.  The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.

 

SECTION 9.09.  Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.  (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

 

(b)           The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, and of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court.  Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(c)           The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section.  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

(d)           Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01.  Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

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SECTION 9.10.  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

SECTION 9.11.  Headings.  Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.12.  Confidentiality.  (a)  Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii)  any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.  For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower and other than information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

(b)           EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN SECTION 9.12(a) FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION

 

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CONCERNING THE BORROWER AND ITS RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

 

(c)           ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWER OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES.  ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWER AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW.

 

SECTION 9.13.  Interest Rate Limitation.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

 

SECTION 9.14.  USA PATRIOT Act.  Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.

 

SECTION 9.15.  California Judicial Reference.  If any action or proceeding is filed in a court of the State of California by or against any party hereto in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (a) the parties agree, and hereby agree to advise the applicable court, that the adjudication of any such action or proceeding (and all related claims) shall be made pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 638 by a referee (who shall be a single active or retired judge) who shall hear and

 

75



 

determine all of the issues in such action or proceeding (whether of fact or of law) and report a statement of decision, provided that at the option of any party to such proceeding, any such issues pertaining to a “provisional remedy” as defined in California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1281.8 shall be heard and determined by the court, and (b) without limiting the generality of Section 9.03, the Borrower shall be solely responsible to pay all fees and expenses of any referee appointed in such action or proceeding.

 

SECTION 9.16.  Judgment Currency.  If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due from the Borrower hereunder in the currency expressed to be payable herein (the “Specified Currency”) into another currency, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they may effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the Specified Currency with such other currency at the Administrative Agent’s New York office on the Business Day preceding that on which final judgment is given.  The obligations of the Borrower in respect of any sum due to any Lender, the Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than the Specified Currency, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by such Lender, the Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the Specified Currency with such other currency; if the amount of the Specified Currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, in the Specified Currency, the Borrower agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Lender, the Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, against such loss.

 

76



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY
INCORPORATED

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ David Overton

 

 

 

Name:

David Overton

 

 

 

Title:

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 



 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, individually and as
Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and Swingline
Lender

 

 

 

By

/s/ Anna C. Araya

 

 

Name:

Anna C. Araya

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 



 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

 

 

 

By

/s/ Anna C. Araya

 

 

Name:

Anna C. Araya

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 



 

 

BANK OF THE WEST, as a Lender

 

 

 

By

/s/ M. Scott Nicholson

 

Name:

M. Scott Nicholson

 

Title:

Vice President

 



 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender

 

 

 

By

/s/ Joshua Gross

 

Name:

Joshua Gross

 

Title:

Senior Vice President

 



 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

 

 

 

By

/s/ Andrea Anast Tunks

 

Name:

Andrea Anast Tunks

 

Title:

SVP/Loan Team Manager

 



 

 

MUFG UNION BANK, N.A., f/k/a UNION
BANK, N.A., as a Lender

 

 

 

By

/s/ Lauren Hom

 

Name:

Lauren Hom

 

Title:

Director

 



 

SCHEDULE 2.01

Commitments and Applicable Percentages

 

Revolving Lenders

 

Commitment

 

Applicable Percentage

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association

 

$

 50,000,000

 

25.0

%

Bank of America, N.A.

 

$

 40,000,000

 

20.0

%

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

 

$

 40,000,000

 

20.0

%

MUFG Union Bank, N.A. f/k/a Union Bank, N.A.

 

$

 40,000,000

 

20.0

%

Bank of the West

 

$

 30,000,000

 

15.0

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

 200,000,000

 

100.0

%

 



 

Schedule 2.05

Existing Letters of Credit

 

JPM
Reference
Number

 

Currency

 

L/C
Available
Amount

 

Release
Date

 

Expiry /
Maturity
Date

 

Beneficiary
Name

 

Notification
Date

 

Auto
Extension
Period

 

Final
Expiry
Date

L5LS-343099

 

USD

 

4,500,000

 

JUL 11, 2007

 

JUL 06,
2016

 

ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY

 

30 Days

 

12 Months

 

L5LS-343101

 

USD

 

275,000

 

JUL 11, 2007

 

JUL 06,
2016

 

UNITED STATES FIDELITY AND GUARANTY

 

30 Days

 

12 Months

 

L5LS-944157

 

USD

 

15,263,778

 

JUN 02,
2011

 

MAY 28,
2016

 

ACE AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY

 

60 Days

 

12 Months

 

 



 

Schedule 3.06

 

On April 11, 2013, a current restaurant hourly employee filed a class action lawsuit in the California Superior Court, Placer County, alleging that the Company violated the California Labor Code and California Business and Professions Code, by requiring employees to purchase uniforms for work (Sikora v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., et al; Case No SCV0032820).  A similar lawsuit covering a different time period was also filed in Placer County (Reed v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc. et al; Case No. SCV27073).  By stipulation the parties agreed to transfer the Reed and Sikora cases to Los Angeles County.  Both cases (Case Nos. SCV0032820 and SCV27073) were subsequently coordinated together in Los Angeles County by order of the Judicial Council.  The parties participated in voluntary mediation on June 25, 2015 and have executed a memorandum of understanding with respect to the terms of settlement, which is subject to Court approval and is intended to be a full and final resolution of the actions.  Based on the current status of this matter, we have reserved an immaterial amount in anticipation of settlement.

 

On November 26, 2014, a former restaurant hourly employee filed a class action lawsuit in the San Diego County Superior Court alleging that the Company violated the California Labor Code and California Business and Professions Code, by failing to pay overtime, failing to permit required rest breaks, and failing to provide accurate wage statements, in addition to other claims. (Masters v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., et al; Case No 37-2014-00040278).  On March 2, 2015, Case NO. 37-2014-00040278 was transferred and assigned a new Case No. 30-2015-00775529 in the Orange County Superior Court.  The lawsuit seeks unspecified amounts of fees, penalties and other monetary payments on behalf of the plaintiff and other purported class members. We intend to vigorously defend this action.  Based on the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments.

 

On January 14, 2015, a former restaurant hourly employee filed a class action lawsuit in the San Diego County Superior Court alleging that the Company violated the California Labor Code and California Business and Professions Code, by failing to permit required meal and rest breaks, and failing to provide accurate wage statements, in addition to other claims. (Garcia v. The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, et al; Case No 37-2015-00001408).   The lawsuit seeks unspecified amounts of fees, penalties and other monetary payments on behalf of the plaintiff and other purported class members.  We intend to vigorously defend this action.  Based on the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments.

 



 

On May 28, 2015, a group of current and former restaurant hourly employees filed a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleging that the Company violated the Fair Labor Standards Act and New York Labor Code, by requiring employees to purchase uniforms for work, and for allegedly violating the State of New York’s minimum wage and overtime provisions. (Guglielmo v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., et al; Case No 2:15-CV-03117).  The Plaintiffs are seeking unspecified amounts of penalties and other monetary payments. We intend to vigorously defend against this action.  Based upon the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments.

 

On December 10, 2015 a former restaurant management employee filed a class action lawsuit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging that the Company improperly classified its managerial employees, failed to pay overtime, and failed to provide accurate wage statements, in addition to other claims.  The lawsuit seeks unspecified penalties under the California Private Attorneys General Act in addition to other monetary payments. (Tagalogon v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., Case No. BC603620).  We intend to vigorously defend against this action.  Based upon the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments.

 

On November 10, 2015, a current restaurant hourly employee filed a notice with the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency asking the agency to investigate the Company’s wage statement practices. (Brown v. The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc.)  The claimant seeks unspecified amounts of penalties and other monetary payments for the alleged violations.  It is too early to determine if the claimant will be able to file a PAGA representative action against the Company.  Based upon the current status of this matter, we have not reserved for any potential future payments.

 



 

Schedule 3.11

 

(a) List of subsidiaries

 

The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., a California Corporation

 

·                  Grand Lux Café LLC, a Nevada limited liability company

·                  C.F.I. Promotions Co., LLC, a Colorado limited liability company

·                  Cheesecake Factory Restaurants of Kansas LLC, a Kansas limited liability company

·                  The Cheesecake Factory of Howard County LLC, a Maryland limited liability company (restaurants is 90% Managing Member)

·                  Middle East T.C.F. Corporation, a California corporation

·                  CCF Latin America Corporation, a California corporation

·                  Cherry Hill One, LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company

·                  CCF Asia Operating Corporation, a California corporation

·                  CCF China Operating Corporation, a California corporation

·                  CCF Mexico Operating Corporation, a Nevada corporation

 

The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Incorporated, a California corporation

 

TCF Co. LLC, a Nevada limited liability company (formerly The Cheesecake Factory Assets Co. LLC)

 

·                  Middle East IP Corporation, a California corporation

·                  CCF Latin America IP Corporation, a California corporation

·                  CCF Asia IP Corporation, a California corporation

 

Hawaii Cheesecake Factory Restaurants Inc., a Hawaii corporation

 

Rock Sugar Incorporation, a California corporation

 

The Houston Cheesecake Factory Corporation, a Texas corporation

 

(b) Equity Investments in Other Corporations or Entities

 

·                  None

 



 

Schedule 6.01

Existing Indebtedness

 

1.                                      Promissory Note in the original principal amount of $1,000,000 dated September 12, 2007, issued by The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., to the order of Raceway Two, LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company.

 

2.                                      Promissory Note in the original principal amount of $600,000 dated August 21, 2012, issued by The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., to the order of Lawrence Associates, a New Jersey limited partnership.

 

3.                                      Promissory Note in the original principal amount of $500,000 dated 2010, issued by The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc. to the order of BC Mall Restaurant, Inc., a Maryland corporation.

 



 

Schedule 6.02

Existing Liens

 

Filing Office

 

Financing Statement 
Filing No.

 

Filing Date

 

Debtor

 

Secured Party

Delaware Secty of State

 

2010 0747240

 

03/05/2010

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

United Rentals Northwest, Inc.

Delaware Secty of State

 

2011 3956573

 

10/14/2011

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

United Rentals (North America), Inc.

Delaware Secty of State

 

2011 4021336

 

10/19/2011

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

United Rentals (North America), Inc.

Delaware Secty of State

 

2011 4438407

 

11/18/2011

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

United Rentals (North America), Inc.

Delaware Secty of State

 

2011 4438415

 

11/18/2011

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

United Rentals (North America), Inc.

Delaware Secty of State

 

2013 4163904

 

10/23/2013

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

Delaware Secty of State

 

2013 4182862

 

10/24/2013

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

Delaware Secty of State

 

2013 4182870

 

10/24/2013

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

Delaware Secty of State

 

2013 4237278

 

10/29/2013

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

Delaware Secty of State

 

2014 1611896

 

4/24/2014

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

Delaware Secty of State

 

2014 2958916

 

7/24/2014

 

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

California Secty of State

 

07-7101267829

 

02/02/2007

 

The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc.

 

CIT Technologies Corporation

California Secty of State

 

07-7110328978

 

04/16/2007

 

The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc.

 

CIT Technologies Corporation

California Secty of State

 

07-7122565873

 

07/24/2007

 

The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc.

 

CIT Technologies Corporation

California Secty of State

 

09-7206488478

 

08/25/2009

 

The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc.

 

Macquarie Equipment Finance LLC

California Secty of State

 

10-7225261975

 

03/11/2010

 

The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc.

 

Macquarie Equipment Finance LLC

California Secty of State

 

11-7269849532

 

05/16/2011

 

The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Incorporated

 

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

California Secty of State

 

11-7272259824

 

06/07/2011

 

The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Incorporated

 

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

California Secty of State

 

12-7330332024

 

09/25/2012

 

The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Incorporated

 

U.S. Bank Equipment Finance

California Secty of State

 

13-7348087899

 

02/11/2013

 

The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Incorporated

 

U.S. Bank Equipment Finance, a division of U.S. Bank National Association

California Secty of State

 

15-7485084426

 

09/16/2015

 

The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Incorporated

 

U.S. Bank Equipment Finance, a division of U.S. Bank National Association

 



 

Schedule 6.08

Existing Restrictions

None

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”).  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Loan Agreement identified below  (as amended, the “Loan Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee.  The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

 

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Loan Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Loan Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including any letters of credit, guarantees, and swingline loans included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Loan Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as the “Assigned Interest”).  Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

1.                                      Assignor:                                                                                                                                            

 

2.                                      Assignee:                                                                                                                                           
[and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender](1)]

 

3.                                      Borrower(s):                                                                                             The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

4.                                      Administrative Agent:                                         JPMorgan Bank, National Association, as the administrative agent under the Loan Agreement

 

5.                                      Loan Agreement:                                                                 The $200,000,000 Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of December 22, 2015 among The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, the Lenders parties thereto,

 


(1)  Select as applicable

 

A-1



 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto

 

6.                                      Assigned Interest:

 

Facility Assigned

 

Aggregate Amount of
Commitment/Loans
for all Lenders

 

Amount of
Commitment/Loans
Assigned

 

Percentage Assigned of
Commitment/Loans(2)

 

Revolving Commitment

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

 

%

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

 

%

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

 

%

 

Effective Date:                    , 20    [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

 

The Assignee agrees to deliver to the Administrative Agent a completed Administrative Questionnaire in which the Assignee designates one or more Credit Contacts to whom all syndicate-level information  (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower, the Loan Parties and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the Assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.

 

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

 

ASSIGNOR

 

 

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

ASSIGNEE

 

 

 

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 


(2)  Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

 

A-2



 

[Consented to and](3) Accepted:

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent

 

 

By                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
  Title:

 

 

[Consented to:](4)

 

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED

 

 

By                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
  Title:

 


(3)  To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Loan Agreement.

(4)  To be added only if the consent of the Borrower is required by the terms of the Loan Agreement.

 

A-3



 

ANNEX 1

 

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED

 

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

1.  Representations and Warranties.

 

1.1   Assignor.  The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Loan Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

 

1.2.  Assignee.  The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Loan Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Loan Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Loan Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Loan Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

 

2.  Payments.  From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

 



 

3.  General Provisions.  This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption.  This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 



 

EXHIBIT B

 

December 22, 2015

 

Our File Number:  20GN-161234

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association

as Administrative Agent

10 South Dearborn, 19th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60603

 

Each of the Lenders party to the Loan Agreement described below as of the date hereof

 

Re:                             The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated — Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of December 22, 2015

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of December 22, 2015 (the “Loan Agreement”), among the Company, the lenders party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders”), and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender.  The Company, The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc., a California corporation (“Restaurants”), The Cheesecake Factory Bakery Incorporated, a California corporation (“Bakery”), TCF Co. LLC (formerly known as The Cheesecake Factory Assets Co. LLC), a Nevada limited liability company (“TCF”) and Grand Lux Cafe LLC, a Nevada limited liability Company (“Grand Lux”) (other than the Company, the foregoing are referred to below as, collectively, the “Guarantors”) are from time to time referred to below as, collectively, the “Loan Parties”.  This opinion is delivered at the request of the Company pursuant to Section 4.01(c) of the Loan Agreement.  Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in the Loan Agreement.

 

In rendering this opinion, we have examined copies of the following:

 

(a)                                 the Loan Agreement;

 

(b)                                 the Second Amended and Restated Guaranty dated as of December 22, 2015 (the “Guaranty”), executed by Restaurants, Bakery, TCF and Grand Lux in favor of the Administrative Agent and Lenders;

 

(c)                                  a certified copy of the certificate of incorporation, as amended, of the Company (the “Company Articles”), and the bylaws, as amended, of the Company (the “Company Bylaws”);

 

B-1



 

(d)                                 copies of the articles of incorporation, as amended, of each of Restaurants and Bakery (each a “California Entity” and collectively, the “California Entities”) (the “California Entity Articles”), and the bylaws, as amended, of each of the California Entities (the “California Entity Bylaws”);

 

(e)                                  certified copies of the articles of organization, as amended, of each of TCF and Grand Lux (each a “Nevada Entity” and collectively, the “Nevada Entities”) (the “Nevada Entity Articles”, and together with the Company Articles and the California Entity Articles, collectively, the “Loan Party Articles”), and the operating agreement, as amended, of TCF (the “Nevada Entity Operating Agreement”, and together with the Company Bylaws and the California Entity Bylaws, collectively, the “Loan Party Operating Documents”);

 

(f)                                   resolutions of (i) the Board of Directors of each of the Company, Bakery and Restaurants, (ii) the sole member of TCF and (iii) the Board of Directors of the sole managing member of Grand Lux, in each case with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is party, certified by the Secretary of the applicable Loan Party or its managing member or sole member, as applicable; and

 

(g)                                  good standing certificates from (i) the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware dated December 8, 2015, with respect to the Company, to the effect that the Company is in good standing in the State of Delaware, (ii) the Secretary of State of the State of California dated December 9, 2015, with respect to each of the California Entities, to the effect that each of the California Entities is in good standing in the State of California, (iii) the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada dated December 8, 2015, with respect to TCF, to the effect that TCF is in good standing in the State of Nevada, and (iv) the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada dated December 8, 2015, with respect to Grand Lux, to the effect that Grand Lux is in good standing in the State of Nevada.

 

The documents described in clauses (a) and (b) above are referred to herein collectively as the “Loan Documents.”  We have also reviewed such other documents and made such other investigations as we have deemed appropriate.

 

As to various questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties contained in the Loan Agreement and the other Loan Documents and upon the statements, representations, and certificates of officers or representatives of the Loan Parties, public officials, and others.  We have not independently verified the facts so relied on.

 

We have assumed that:

 

B-2



 

a.                                      Each party to the Loan Documents (other than the Loan Parties) is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and all relevant jurisdictions and each party to the Loan Documents (other than the Loan Parties) has the power to execute, deliver, and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents.

 

b.                                      The Loan Documents have been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by each party thereto (other than the Loan Parties).

 

c.                                       There are no other documents or agreements between the Lenders, any Lender or the Administrative Agent and any Loan Party which would expand or otherwise modify the obligations of the respective parties or would have an effect on the opinions rendered herein.

 

d.                                      The execution and delivery by the Loan Parties of the Loan Documents do not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby do not: (i) result in the violation of any laws other than Applicable Law (as hereinafter defined); (ii) breach or result in a default under any agreement, instrument or other document to which any Loan Party is a party, or result in the acceleration of (or entitle any party to accelerate) any obligation of such Loan Party thereunder; or (iii) result in any violation of any court order binding on any Loan Party or its property.

 

In addition, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures (including the signatures of persons signing the Loan Documents on behalf of the Loan Parties), the legal capacity of all natural persons executing documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity with originals of all documents submitted to us as copies.

 

Our opinions below are based upon our consideration of only those statutes, rules, and regulations which, in our experience, are normally applicable to borrowers and guarantors in syndicated loan transactions, provided that no opinion is expressed as to securities laws, tax laws, antitrust or trade regulation laws, insolvency or fraudulent transfer, fraudulent conveyance or voidable transactions laws, antifraud laws, margin regulations, pension or employee benefit laws, compliance with fiduciary duty requirements, environmental laws, or other laws excluded by customary practice.  We express no opinion as to the effect of non-compliance by you with any state or federal laws or regulations applicable to the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents because of the nature or extent of your business.

 

On the basis of such examination, our reliance upon the assumptions in this opinion, and our consideration of those questions of law we considered relevant, and subject to the limitations and qualifications in this opinion, we are of the opinion that:

 

1.                                      The Company is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

2.                                      Each California Entity is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of California.

 

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3.                                      Each Nevada Entity is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada.

 

4.                                      The Company has the power and authority to execute and deliver each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party.  The Loan Documents to which the Company is a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company.

 

5.                                      Each California Entity has the power and authority to execute and deliver each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party.  The Loan Documents to which the California Entities are a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the applicable California Entity.

 

6.                                      Each Nevada Entity has the power and authority to execute and deliver each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party.  The Loan Documents to which the Nevada Entities are a party have been duly authorized by all necessary limited liability company action of the applicable Nevada Entity.

 

7.                                      The Company has duly executed and delivered each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party.

 

8.                                      Each California Entity has duly executed and delivered each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party.

 

9.                                      Each Nevada Entity has duly executed and delivered each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party.

 

10.                               The execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents will not (a) violate any present federal law of the United States or any present law of the State of New York that we have, in the exercise of customary professional diligence, recognized as applicable to the Loan Parties in transactions of the type contemplated by the Loan Documents, (b) violate the Loan Party Articles or Loan Party Operating Documents, or (c) require the consent or approval of, or any filing or registration with, any U.S. federal or New York state governmental authority under any U.S. federal or New York state law that, in our experience, is normally required to be complied with in connection with transactions of the type contemplated by the Loan Agreement, except for such which have been obtained or made.

 

11.                               The Loan Documents to which each Loan Party is a party constitute the valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its terms.

 

12.                               None of the Loan Parties is required to be registered as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

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In rendering the opinion set forth in (a) paragraph 1 above as to the good standing of the Company, we have relied exclusively on a certificate of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, (b) paragraph 2 above as to the good standing of each of the California Entities, we have relied exclusively on certificates of the Secretary of State of the State of California, and (c) paragraph 3 above as to the good standing of each of the Nevada Entities, we have relied exclusively on certificates of the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada.

 

The foregoing opinions are subject to the following assumptions, qualifications, limitations, and exceptions:

 

(a)                                 Our opinions are qualified by the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other similar laws relating to or affecting the relief of debtors or the rights and remedies of creditors generally, including without limitation the effect of statutory or other law regarding fraudulent transfers, fraudulent conveyances, voidable transactions, preferential transfers and distributions, and equitable subordination.

 

(b)                                 Our opinions are subject to limitations imposed by general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of  specific performance or injunctive relief), concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is brought.  We express no opinion regarding the availability of the remedies of specific performance or injunction or other forms of equitable relief, each of which is subject to any available defenses and the discretion of the court or other tribunal before which enforcement is sought.

 

(c)                                  Our opinions in paragraph 11 as to the enforceability of the Loan Documents are subject to:

 

(i)                                     public policy considerations, statutes, or court decisions that may limit the rights of a party to obtain indemnification against its own gross negligence, willful misconduct, or unlawful conduct;

 

(ii)                                  the unenforceability under certain circumstances of broadly or vaguely stated waivers, waivers of unknown future rights or defenses or waivers of rights granted by law where the waivers are against public policy or prohibited by law;

 

(iii)                               the unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions waiving the right to a jury trial;

 

(iv)                              the unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions imposing penalties, liquidated damages, acceleration of future amounts due (other than principal) without appropriate discount to present value, late charges, prepayment charges, and increased interest rate upon default;

 

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(v)                                 the unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions relating to consent to jurisdiction, choice of forum, and choice of law to the extent not covered by Sections 5-1401 and 5-1402 of the New York General Obligations Law, provisions that exclude conflict of laws principles, or provisions that establish particular courts as the forum for the adjudication of any controversy; and

 

(vi)                              the unenforceability under certain circumstances of waivers of rights customarily available to a surety or guarantor.

 

(d)                                 We do not express any opinion as to any provision of the Loan Documents requiring written amendments or waivers of the Loan Documents insofar as it suggests that oral or other modifications, amendments, or waivers could not be effectively agreed upon by the parties or that the doctrine of promissory estoppel might not apply.

 

(e)                                  We advise you that, to the extent sections of the Loan Documents provide for jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and federal courts sitting in the State of New York, such sections may not be binding on the courts in the forums selected or excluded.

 

(f)                                   We do not express any opinion as to provisions that attempt to change or waive rules of evidence or fix the method or quantum of proof to be applied in litigation or similar proceedings or to the effect that every right or remedy is cumulative and may be exercised in addition to any other right or remedy or that the election of some particular remedy does not preclude recourse to one or more others.

 

(g)                                  With respect to the opinion set forth in paragraph 10(a) above, relating to violations of any present federal law of the United States or any present law of the State of New York, we have not conducted any investigation into the types of businesses and activities in which the Loan Parties or their subsidiaries engage or the manner in which the Loan Parties or their subsidiaries conduct their businesses.  We have not conducted any special investigation of laws, statutes, rules or regulations, and our investigation and our opinion is limited to such laws and statutes that in our experience are typically directly applicable to a transaction of the type contemplated by the Loan Documents.

 

(h)                                 In rendering our opinions in paragraph 10, we do not express any opinion with respect to orders, consents, permits, or approvals that may be necessary in connection with the business or operations of the Loan Parties.

 

(i)                                     We express no opinion with respect to provisions, known as fraudulent transfer savings clauses, in any Loan Document, to the extent that such provisions limit the obligation of parties under, or any right of contribution of any other party with respect to, a joint and several or secondary obligation, or the effect of any such provisions on the enforceability of any Loan Document.  In this connection, we call your attention to the

 

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                                                decision of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida in Official Comm. of Unsecured Creditors of TOUSA, Inc. v. Citicorp N. Am., Inc. (In re TOUSA, Inc.), 422 B.R. 783, 865 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2009), order quashed sub nom. 3V Capital Master Fund Ltd. v. Official Comm. of Unsecured Creditors of TOUSA, Inc. (In re TOUSA, Inc.), 444 B.R. 613 (S.D. Fla. 2011), rev’d sub nom. Senior Transeastern Lenders v. Official Comm. of Unsecured Creditors (In re TOUSA, Inc.), 680 F.3d 1298 (11th Cir. 2012).

 

(j)                                    We express no opinion with respect to any guarantee of a swap obligation given by a guarantor that is not an eligible contract participant under the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transactions only of the present federal laws of the United States as applied in the State of New York, the present laws of the State of New York, and, (i) with respect to our opinions set forth in paragraphs 1, 4 and 7 our review of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Corporation Law”), (ii) with respect to our opinions set forth in paragraphs 2, 5 and 8 our review of the general corporate laws of the State of California (the “California Corporation Law”) and (iii) with respect to our opinions set forth in paragraphs 3, 6 and 9 our review of Chapter 86 of the Nevada Revised Statutes (the “Nevada LLC Law”) (without regard to judicial interpretations of the Delaware Corporation Law, the California Corporation Law or the Nevada LLC Law or any regulations promulgated thereunder or any other laws of the State of Delaware, the State of California or the State of Nevada, respectively).  The foregoing law is referred to in this letter collectively as the “Applicable Law”.  We express no opinion on any other laws of the State of New York, the State of Delaware, the State of California or the State of Nevada and we call to your attention that we are not licensed to practice law in the State of Delaware or the State of Nevada.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, we express no opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction or any opinion regarding the statutes, administrative decisions, rules, regulations, or requirements of any county, municipality, subdivision, or local authority of any jurisdiction.  The opinions expressed above are based upon the laws and interpretations in effect on the date of this opinion letter, and the facts and circumstances in existence on the date of this opinion letter, and we assume no obligation to review or supplement this opinion letter should any such law be changed by legislative action, judicial decision, or otherwise or should there be any change in such facts or circumstances.

 

This opinion is qualified to the extent, and is rendered and delivered on the express condition and assumption, that no counsel for the addressees has expressed or reached opinions which are contrary to the opinions set forth herein.

 

This opinion is rendered as of the date first written above solely for your benefit in connection with the Loan Documents and may not be quoted to, relied on by, nor may copies be delivered to, any other person without our prior written consent.  At your request, we hereby consent to reliance hereon by any successor and future assignee of your interest in the loans under the Loan Agreement pursuant to an assignment that is made and consented to in accordance with

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the express provisions of subsection 9.04 of the Loan Agreement, on the condition and understanding that:  (i) this letter speaks only as of the date hereof; (ii) we have no responsibility or obligation to update this letter, to consider its applicability or correctness to other than its addressees, or to take into account changes in law, facts or any other developments of which we may later become aware; and (iii) any such reliance by a future assignee must be actual and reasonable under the circumstances existing at the time of assignment, including any changes in law, facts or any other developments known to or reasonably knowable by the assignee at such time.  This opinion letter may not be relied upon for any other purpose, or furnished to, assigned to, quoted to, or relied upon by any other person, firm, or entity for any purpose, without our prior written consent, which may be granted or withheld in our discretion.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

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EXHIBIT C

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED GUARANTY

 

THIS SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED GUARANTY (as it may hereafter be amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time, the “Guaranty”), dated as of December 22, 2015, is executed and delivered by each Person that is a signatory hereto and any future Person that executes and delivers a Joinder hereto (each a “Guarantor” and, collectively, the “Guarantors”), in favor of the commercial lending institutions (the “Lenders”) from time to time party to the Loan Agreement (as hereinafter defined) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (“JPMorgan”), as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, together with any successor appointed pursuant to Article VIII of the Loan Agreement, the “Administrative Agent”) for the Lenders.

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent are parties to a Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of even date herewith (said Agreement, as it may hereafter be amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time, being the “Loan Agreement”; the terms defined therein and not otherwise defined herein being used herein as therein defined) with The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”);

 

WHEREAS, the Guarantors are party to that certain Guaranty, dated as of October 16, 2013 (as amended prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Guaranty”), in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.

 

WHEREAS, each of the Guarantors will derive substantial direct and indirect benefit from the transactions contemplated by the Loan Agreement;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and in order to induce the Lenders to make the credit extensions contemplated under the Loan Agreement, the Guarantors hereby agree, jointly and severally, that the Existing Guaranty is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

1.                                      Definitions and Construction.

 

(a)                                 Definitions.  The following terms, as used in this Guaranty, shall have the following meanings:

 

Bankruptcy Code” shall mean The Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 (11 U.S.C. §§101-1330), as amended or supplemented from time to time, and any successor statute, and any and all rules issued or promulgated in connection therewith.

 

Beneficiaries” shall mean Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Hedge Counterparty.

 

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

 

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Excluded Swap Obligation” shall mean, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guarantee of such Guarantor, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) (a) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder at the time the Guarantee of such Guarantor or the grant of such security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or (b) in the case of a Swap Obligation subject to a clearing requirement pursuant to Section 2(h) of the Commodity Exchange Act (or any successor provision thereto), because such Guarantor is a “financial entity,” as defined in Section 2(h)(7)(C)(i) the Commodity Exchange Act (or any successor provision thereto), at the time the Guarantee of such Guarantor becomes or would become effective with respect to such related Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such Guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal.

 

Guarantied Obligations” shall mean the due and punctual payment of all Indebtedness owing by Borrower.

 

Hedge Counterparty” shall mean, with respect to any Hedge Agreement, any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender (or any Person that was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Hedge Agreement was executed) party thereto.

 

Indebtedness” shall mean any and all obligations, indebtedness, or liabilities of any kind or character owed to Beneficiaries by Borrower and arising directly or indirectly out of or in connection with the Loan Agreement, the Notes, or the other Loan Documents (in each case as amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time) plus all of the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under any and all Hedge Agreements between the Borrower and any Hedge Counterparty, including all such obligations, indebtedness, or liabilities, whether for principal, interest (including any and all interest which, but for the application of the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, would have accrued on such amounts), premium, reimbursement obligations, fees, costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), or indemnity obligations, whether heretofore, now, or hereafter made, incurred, or created, whether voluntarily or involuntarily made, incurred, or created, whether secured or unsecured (and if secured, regardless of the nature or extent of the security), whether absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, or determined or indeterminate, whether Borrower is liable individually or jointly with others, and whether recovery is or hereafter becomes barred by any statute of limitations or otherwise becomes unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, including any act or failure to act by Beneficiaries; provided, however, that the definition of “Indebtedness” shall not create any Guarantee by any Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Guarantor.

 

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Notes” shall mean any promissory notes made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender at the request of such Lender.

 

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

 

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.

 

(b)                                 Construction.  Unless the context of this Guaranty clearly requires otherwise, references to the plural include the singular, references to the singular include the plural, the part includes the whole, the term “including” is not limiting, and the term “or” has the inclusive meaning represented by the phrase “and/or.” The words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereunder,” and other similar terms refer to this Guaranty as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Guaranty.  Any reference in this Guaranty to any of the following documents includes any and all alterations, amendments, extensions, modifications, renewals, supplements or restatements thereto or thereof, as applicable: the Loan Documents; the Loan Agreement; this Guaranty; and the Notes.  Neither this Guaranty nor any uncertainty or ambiguity herein shall be construed or resolved against Beneficiaries or any Guarantor, whether under any rule of construction or otherwise.  On the contrary, this Guaranty has been reviewed by Guarantors, Beneficiaries, and their respective counsel, and shall be construed and interpreted according to the ordinary meaning of the words used so as to fairly accomplish the purposes and intentions of Beneficiaries and Guarantors.

 

2.                                      Guarantied Obligations.  Each Guarantor, jointly and severally, hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guaranties to Beneficiaries, as and for its own debt, until final and indefeasible payment thereof has been made, the due and punctual payment of the Guarantied Obligations, in each case when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, or otherwise; it being the intent of each Guarantor that the guaranty set forth herein shall be a guaranty of payment and not a guaranty of collection; provided, however, that each Guarantor shall be liable under this Guaranty for the maximum amount of such liability that can be incurred without rendering this Guaranty, as it relates to such Guarantor, voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount.

 

Each Guarantor represents and warrants to Beneficiaries that (i) this Guaranty has not been given with an intent to hinder, delay or defraud any creditor of such Guarantor; (ii) such Guarantor is not engaged, or about to engage, in any business or transaction for which its assets (other than those necessary to satisfy its obligations under this Guaranty) are unreasonably small in relation to the business or transaction, nor does such Guarantor intend to incur, or believe or

 

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reasonably should believe that it will incur, debts beyond its ability to pay as they become due; and (iii) such Guarantor is not insolvent at the time it gives this Guaranty, and the giving of this Guaranty will not result in such Guarantor’s becoming insolvent.  Each Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, as long as this Guaranty remains in effect, such Guarantor (i) shall incur no indebtedness beyond its ability to repay the same in full in accordance with the terms thereof; and (ii) shall not take any action, or suffer to occur any omission, which could give rise to a claim by any third party to set aside this Guaranty, or in any manner impair Beneficiaries’ rights and privileges hereunder or thereunder.

 

3.                                      Continuing Guaranty.  This Guaranty includes Guarantied Obligations arising under successive transactions continuing, compromising, extending, increasing, modifying, releasing, or renewing the Guarantied Obligations, changing the interest rate, payment terms, or other terms and conditions thereof, or creating new or additional Guarantied Obligations after prior Guarantied Obligations have been satisfied in whole or in part.  To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Guarantor hereby waives any right to revoke this Guaranty as to future Indebtedness.  If such a revocation is effective notwithstanding the foregoing waiver, each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that (a) no such revocation shall be effective until written notice thereof has been received by Beneficiaries, (b) no such revocation shall apply to any Guarantied Obligations in existence on such date (including any subsequent continuation, extension, or renewal thereof, or change in the interest rate, payment terms, or other terms and conditions thereof), (c) no such revocation shall apply to any Guarantied Obligations made or created after such date to the extent made or created pursuant to a legally binding commitment of Beneficiaries in existence on the date of such revocation, (d) no payment by any Guarantor, Borrower, or from any other source, prior to the date of such revocation, shall reduce the maximum obligation of such Guarantor hereunder, and (e) any payment by Borrower or from any source other than such Guarantor subsequent to the date of such revocation shall first be applied to that portion of the Guarantied Obligations as to which the revocation is effective and which are not, therefore, guarantied hereunder, and to the extent so applied shall not reduce the maximum obligations of such Guarantor hereunder.

 

4.                                      Performance under this Guaranty.  In the event that Borrower fails to make any payment of any Guarantied Obligations on or before the due date thereof, each Guarantor immediately shall cause such payment to be made.

 

5.                                      Primary Obligations.  This Guaranty is a primary and original obligation of each Guarantor, is not merely the creation of a surety relationship, and is an absolute, unconditional, and continuing guaranty of payment and performance which shall remain in full force and effect without respect to future changes in conditions, including any change of law or any invalidity or irregularity with respect to the issuance of the Notes.  Each Guarantor agrees that it is directly, jointly and severally with each other Guarantor, liable to Beneficiaries, that the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder are independent of the obligations of Borrower or any other Guarantor, and that a separate action may be brought against such Guarantor, whether such action is brought against Borrower or another Guarantor or whether Borrower or any such other Guarantor is joined in such action.  Each Guarantor agrees that its liability hereunder shall be immediate and shall not be contingent upon the exercise or enforcement by Beneficiaries of whatever remedies they may have against Borrower or any other Guarantor, or the enforcement of any lien or realization upon any security Beneficiaries may at any time possess.  Each

 

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Guarantor agrees that any release which may be given by Beneficiaries to Borrower or any other Guarantor shall not release such Guarantor.  Each Guarantor consents and agrees that Beneficiaries shall be under no obligation to marshal any property or assets of Borrower or any other Guarantor in favor of such Guarantor, or against or in payment of any or all of the Guarantied Obligations.

 

6.                                      Waivers.

 

(a)                                 To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor hereby waives: (i) notice of acceptance hereof; (ii) notice of any loans or other financial accommodations made or extended under the Loan Agreement, or the creation or existence of any Guarantied Obligations; (iii) notice of the amount of the Guarantied Obligations, subject, however, to such Guarantor’s right to make inquiry of Administrative Agent to ascertain the amount of the Guarantied Obligations at any reasonable time; (iv) notice of any adverse change in the financial condition of Borrower or of any other fact that might increase such Guarantor’s risk hereunder; (v) notice of presentment for payment, demand, protest, and notice thereof as to the Notes or any other instrument; (vi) notice of any Default or Event of Default under the Loan Agreement; and (vii) all other notices (except if such notice is specifically required to be given to a Guarantor under this Guaranty or any other Loan Document to which such Guarantor is party) and demands to which such Guarantor might otherwise be entitled.

 

(b)                                 To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives the right by statute or otherwise to require Beneficiaries to institute suit against Borrower or to exhaust any rights and remedies which Beneficiaries have or may have against Borrower.  In this regard, each Guarantor agrees that it is bound to the payment of each and all Guarantied Obligations, whether now existing or hereafter accruing, as fully as if such Guarantied Obligations were directly owing to Beneficiaries by such Guarantor.  Each Guarantor further waives any defense arising by reason of any disability or other defense (other than the defense that the Guarantied Obligations shall have been fully and finally performed and indefeasibly paid) of Borrower or by reason of the cessation from any cause whatsoever of the liability of Borrower in respect thereof.

 

(c)                                  To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Guarantor hereby waives: (i) any rights to assert against Beneficiaries any defense (legal or equitable), set-off, counterclaim, or claim which such Guarantor may now or at any time hereafter have against Borrower or any other party liable to Beneficiaries; (ii) any defense, set-off, counterclaim, or claim, of any kind or nature, arising directly or indirectly from the present or future lack of sufficiency, validity, or enforceability of the Guarantied Obligations, other than the defense that the Guarantied Obligations have been fully and finally performed and indefeasibly paid; (iii) any defense arising by reason of any claim or defense based upon an election of remedies by Beneficiaries; (iv) the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting such Guarantor’s liability hereunder or the enforcement thereof, and any act which shall defer or delay the operation of any statute of limitations applicable to the Guarantied Obligations shall similarly operate to defer or delay the operation of such statute of limitations applicable to such Guarantor’s liability hereunder; and (vii) all other rights and defenses the assertion or exercise of which would in any way diminish the liability of Guarantor hereunder, other than the defense that the Guarantied Obligations have been fully and finally performed and indefeasibly paid.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 6(c) shall not be deemed to waive any portion of any right of subrogation,

 

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reimbursement, contribution or indemnification or similar right that would not be waived pursuant to the provisions of Section 6(e).

 

WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF ANY OTHER WAIVER OR OTHER PROVISION SET FORTH IN THIS GUARANTY, GUARANTOR HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE MAXIMUM PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY AND ALL BENEFITS OR DEFENSES THAT MAY BE DERIVED FROM OR AFFORDED BY LAW WHICH LIMITS THE LIABILITY OF OR EXONERATES GUARANTIES OR SURETIES OR REQUIRES BENEFICIARIES TO EXHAUST REMEDIES AGAINST THE BORROWER PRIOR TO COMMENCING ANY ACTION OR FORECLOSURE AGAINST SUCH GUARANTOR OR ITS PROPERTIES INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE BENEFITS OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE §§2787 THROUGH AND INCLUDING §2855, CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE §§2899 AND 3433, CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE §§580A, 580B, 580C, 580D, AND 726, AND CHAPTER 2 OF TITLE 14 OF THE CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE, AND ANY SUCCESSOR PROVISIONS OF SUCH SECTIONS, OR ANY SIMILAR LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OR OF ANY OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION.

 

WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF ANY OTHER WAIVER OR OTHER PROVISION SET FORTH IN THIS GUARANTY, GUARANTOR WAIVES ALL RIGHTS AND DEFENSES ARISING OUT OF AN ELECTION OF REMEDIES BY ANY BENEFICIARY, EVEN THOUGH SUCH ELECTION OF REMEDIES, SUCH AS A NONJUDICIAL FORECLOSURE WITH RESPECT TO SECURITY FOR THE GUARANTIED OBLIGATIONS, HAS DESTROYED GUARANTOR’S RIGHTS OF SUBROGATION AND REIMBURSEMENT AGAINST BORROWER BY THE OPERATION OF APPLICABLE LAW INCLUDING §580D OF THE CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE OR ANY SIMILAR LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OR OF ANY OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION.

 

(e)                                  (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary elsewhere contained herein or in any other Loan Document, until full and final payment of the Guaranteed Obligations, each Guarantor hereby waives with respect to Borrower and its respective successors and assigns (including any surety) and any other party any and all rights at law or in equity, to subrogation, to reimbursement, to exoneration, to contribution, to setoff or to any other rights that could accrue to a surety against a principal, to a guarantor against a maker or obligor, to an accommodation party against the party accommodated, or to a holder or transferee against a maker and which such Guarantor may have or hereafter acquire against Borrower or any other party in connection with or as a result of Borrower’s execution, delivery and/or performance of the Loan Agreement or any other Loan Document.  Each Guarantor agrees that it shall not have or assert any such rights against Borrower or Borrower’s successors and assigns or any other Person (including any surety), either directly or as an attempted setoff to any action commenced against such Guarantor by Borrower (as borrower or in any other capacity) or any other Person until the Guaranteed Obligations have been fully and finally repaid to the Beneficiaries.  Each Guarantor hereby acknowledges and agrees that this waiver is intended to benefit the Beneficiaries and shall not limit or otherwise affect any of the Borrower’s liability hereunder, under any other Loan Document to which Borrower is a party, or the enforceability hereof or thereof.

 

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(2)                                 To the extent any waiver of subrogation contained in subparagraph (e)(1) is unenforceable, each Guarantor shall, until the Guaranteed Obligations shall have been paid in full and the Commitments shall have terminated and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or been terminated or canceled (or the reimbursement obligations in respect thereof shall have been secured with cash collateral or letters of credit in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Issuing Bank), withhold exercise of (a) any claim, right or remedy, direct or indirect, that such Guarantor now has or may hereafter have against Borrower or any of its assets in connection with this Guaranty or the performance by such Guarantor of its obligations hereunder, in each case whether such claim, right or remedy arises in equity, under contract, by statute, under common law or otherwise and including without limitation (i) any right of subrogation, reimbursement or indemnification that such Guarantor now has or may hereafter have against Borrower, (ii) any right to enforce, or to participate in, any claim, right or remedy that any Beneficiary now has or may hereafter have against Borrower, and (iii) any benefit of, and any right to participate in, any collateral or security now or hereafter held by the Beneficiaries, and (b) any right of contribution such Guarantor may have against any other Guarantor (including without limitation any such right of contribution).  Each Guarantor further agrees that, to the extent the agreement to withhold the exercise of its rights of subrogation, reimbursement, indemnification and contribution as set forth herein is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be void or voidable for any reason, any rights of subrogation, reimbursement or indemnification such Guarantor may have against Borrower or against any collateral or security, and any rights of contribution Guarantor may have against any such other Guarantor, shall be junior and subordinate to any rights the Administrative Agent or Lenders may have against Borrower, to all right, title and interest the Beneficiaries may have in any such collateral or security, and to any right the Beneficiaries may have against such other Guarantor.  The Administrative Agent, on behalf of Lenders, may use, sell or dispose of any item of collateral or security as it sees fit without regard to any subrogation rights any Guarantor may have, and upon any such disposition or sale any rights of subrogation Guarantors may have shall terminate.  If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor on account of any such subrogation, reimbursement or indemnification rights at any time when all Guaranteed Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be held in trust for the Administrative Agent on behalf of Lenders and shall forthwith be paid over to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of Lenders to be credited and applied against the Guaranteed Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with Section 12 of this Guaranty.

 

7.                                      Releases.  Each Guarantor consents and agrees that, without notice to or by such Guarantor and without affecting or impairing the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder, Beneficiaries may, by action or inaction, compromise or settle, extend the period of duration or the time for the payment, or discharge the performance of, or may refuse to, or otherwise not enforce, or may, by action or inaction, release all or any one or more parties to, any one or more of the Loan Agreement, the Notes, or any of the other Loan Documents or may grant other indulgences to Borrower in respect thereof, or may amend or modify in any manner and at any time (or from time to time) any one or more of the Loan Agreement, the Notes, or any of the other Loan Documents, or may, by action or inaction, release or substitute any other Guarantor, if any, of the Guarantied Obligations, or may enforce, exchange, release, or waive, by action or inaction, any security for the Guarantied Obligations (including any collateral) or any other guaranty of the Guarantied Obligations, or any portion thereof.

 

C-7



 

8.                                      No Election.  Beneficiaries shall have the right to seek recourse against any Guarantor to the fullest extent provided for herein and no election by Beneficiaries to proceed in one form of action or proceeding, or against any Guarantor or other party, or on any obligation, shall constitute a waiver of Beneficiaries’ right to proceed in any other form of action or proceeding or against any other Guarantor or other parties unless Beneficiaries have expressly waived such right in writing.  Specifically, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no action or proceeding by Beneficiaries under any document or instrument evidencing the Guarantied Obligations shall serve to diminish the liability of Guarantors under this Guaranty except to the extent that Beneficiaries finally and unconditionally shall have realized indefeasible payment by such action or proceeding.

 

9.                                      Indefeasible Payment.  The Guarantied Obligations shall not be considered indefeasibly paid for purposes of this Guaranty unless and until all payments to Beneficiaries are no longer subject to any right on the part of any person whomsoever, including Borrower, Borrower as a debtor in possession, or any trustee (whether appointed under the Bankruptcy Code or otherwise) of Borrower’s assets to invalidate or set aside such payments or to seek to recoup the amount of such payments or any portion thereof, or to declare same to be fraudulent or preferential.  In the event that, for any reason, all or any portion of such payments to Beneficiaries is set aside or restored, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, after the making thereof, the obligation or part thereof intended to be satisfied thereby shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if said payment or payments had not been made and each Guarantor shall be liable for the full amount Beneficiaries are required to repay plus any and all costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) paid by Beneficiaries in connection therewith.

 

10.                               Financial Condition of Borrower.  Each Guarantor represents and warrants to Beneficiaries that it is currently informed of the financial condition of Borrower and of all other circumstances which a diligent inquiry would reveal and which bear upon the risk of nonpayment of the Guarantied Obligations.  Each Guarantor further represents and warrants to Beneficiaries that it has read and understands the terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement, the Notes, and the other Loan Documents.  Each Guarantor hereby covenants that it will continue to keep itself informed of Borrower’s financial condition, the financial condition of other guarantors, if any, and of all other circumstances which bear upon the risk of nonpayment or nonperformance of the Guarantied Obligations.

 

11.                               Subordination.  Each Guarantor hereby agrees that after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default any and all present and future indebtedness of Borrower owing to such Guarantor shall be postponed in favor of and subordinated to payment in full of the Guarantied Obligations.  Each Guarantor agrees that amounts paid over to Beneficiaries pursuant to the subordination provisions of this Section 11 shall be separate and apart from, and shall not be credited to, the liability of such Guarantor pursuant to Section 2.

 

12.                               Payments; Application.  All payment to be made hereunder by any Guarantor shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America at the time of payment, shall be made in immediately available funds, and shall be made without setoff, deduction (whether for

 

C-8



 

Taxes or otherwise) or counterclaim.  All payments made by any Guarantor hereunder shall be applied as follows:  first, to all reasonable costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by Beneficiaries in enforcing this Guaranty or in collecting the Guarantied Obligations; second, to all accrued and unpaid interest, premium, if any, and fees owing to Beneficiaries constituting Guarantied Obligations; and third, to the balance of the Guarantied Obligations.

 

13.                               Attorneys’ Fees and Costs.  Each Guarantor agrees to pay, on demand, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and all other reasonable costs and expenses which may be incurred by Beneficiaries in the enforcement of this Guaranty or in any way arising out of, or consequential to the protection, assertion, or enforcement of the Guarantied Obligations (or any security therefor), irrespective of whether suit is brought.

 

14.                               Notices.  All notices and other communications provided to any party hereto under this Guaranty shall be in writing or by facsimile and addressed, delivered or transmitted to such party at its address or facsimile number set forth below or at such other address or facsimile number as may be designated by such party in a notice to the other parties.  Any notice, if mailed and properly addressed with postage prepaid, shall be deemed given when received; any notice, if transmitted by facsimile, shall be deemed given when transmitted.

 

If to any Guarantor:                                The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated
26901 Malibu Hills Road
Calabasas Hills, California 91301
Attention:  Matthew Clark
Facsimile:  (866) 788-8849

 

With a copy of any notice of the occurrence of a Default to:

 

26901 Malibu Hills Road

Calabasas Hills, California 91301

Attention:  General Counsel

Facimile:  (818) 871-3110

 

If to Beneficiaries:                                          JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
10 South Dearborn
19th Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Attention:  Sabana Johnson
Facsimile:  (888) 292-9533

 

With copies to:                                                              JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

2029 Century Park East

38th Floor

Los Angeles, California 90067

Attention:  Tim Martin

 

and

 

C-9



 

Mayer Brown LLP
350 South Grand Avenue
25
th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90071
Attention:  Brian E. Newhouse, Esq.
Facsimile:  (213) 625-0248

 

15.                               Cumulative Remedies.  No remedy under this Guaranty, under the Loan Agreement, the Notes, or any Loan Document is intended to be exclusive of any other remedy, but each and every remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to any and every other remedy given under this Guaranty, under the Loan Agreement, the Notes, or any other Loan Document, and those provided by law.  No delay or omission by Beneficiaries to exercise any right under this Guaranty shall impair any such right nor be construed to be a waiver thereof.  No failure on the part of Beneficiaries to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right under this Guaranty shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right under this Guaranty preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.

 

16.                               Severability of Provisions.  Any provision of this Guaranty which is prohibited or unenforceable under applicable law, shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof.

 

17.                               Entire Agreement; Amendments.  This Guaranty constitutes the entire agreement among each Guarantor and Beneficiaries pertaining to the subject matter contained herein.  This Guaranty may not be altered, amended, or modified, nor may any provision hereof be waived or noncompliance therewith consented to, except by means of a writing executed by each Guarantor and Administrative Agent.  Any such alteration, amendment, modification, waiver, or consent shall be effective only to the extent specified therein and for the specific purpose for which given.  No course of dealing and no delay or waiver of any right or default under this Guaranty shall be deemed a waiver of any other, similar or dissimilar, right or default or otherwise prejudice the rights and remedies hereunder.

 

18.                               Successors and Assigns.  Subject to the terms of the Loan Agreement, this Guaranty shall be binding each Guarantor and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of Beneficiaries; provided, however, no Guarantor shall assign this Guaranty or delegate any of its duties hereunder without Beneficiaries’ prior written consent and any unconsented to assignment shall be absolutely void.  In the event of any assignment or other transfer of rights by Beneficiaries in accordance with the terms of the Loan Agreement, the rights and benefits herein conferred upon Beneficiaries shall automatically extend to and be vested in such assignee or other transferee.

 

19.                               CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE; JURY TRIAL WAIVER.  THE VALIDITY OF THIS GUARANTY, ITS CONSTRUCTION, INTERPRETATION, AND ENFORCEMENT, AND THE RIGHTS OF EACH GUARANTOR AND BENEFICIARIES, SHALL BE DETERMINED UNDER, GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

C-10



 

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, GUARANTOR AND EACH BENEFICIARY HEREBY WAIVE THEIR RESPECTIVE RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OF THIS GUARANTY OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREIN, INCLUDING CONTRACT CLAIMS, TORT CLAIMS, BREACH OF DUTY CLAIMS, AND ALL OTHER COMMON LAW OR STATUTORY CLAIMS.  GUARANTOR AND EACH BENEFICIARY REPRESENT THAT IT HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER AND EACH KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL.  IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, A COPY OF THIS GUARANTY MAY BE FILED AS A WRITTEN CONSENT TO A TRIAL BY THE COURT.

 

21.          Joint and Several Liability.  The liability of the Guarantors hereunder shall be joint and several.

 

22.          California Judicial Reference.  If any action or proceeding is filed in a court of the State of California by or against any party hereto in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Guaranty or any other Loan Document, (a) the parties agree, and hereby agree to advise the applicable court, that the adjudication of any such action or proceeding (and all related claims) shall be made pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 638 by a referee (who shall be a single active or retired judge) who shall hear and determine all of the issues in such action or proceeding (whether of fact or of law) and report a statement of decision, provided that at the option of any party to such proceeding, any such issues pertaining to a “provisional remedy” as defined in California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1281.8 shall be heard and determined by the court, and (b) without limiting the generality of Section 13, the Borrower shall be solely responsible to pay all fees and expenses of any referee appointed in such action or proceeding.

 

23.          Keepwell.  Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other Guarantor to honor all of its obligations under this Guarantee in respect of Swap Obligations (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 23 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 23 or otherwise under this Guarantee voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 23 shall remain in full force and effect until the Guarantied Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full in accordance with Section 9.  Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section 23 constitute, and this Section 23 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Guarantor for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

C-11



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed and delivered this Guaranty as of the day and year first written above.

 

 

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY

 

RESTAURANTS, INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY BAKERY

 

INCORPORATED

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

TCF CO. LLC

 

 

 

By: The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

 

Its:  Sole Member

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRAND LUX CAFE, LLC

 

 

 

By: The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, Inc.

 

Its:  Managing Member

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

C-12



 

JOINDER TO GUARANTY

 

This Joinder to the Guaranty (this “Joinder”), dated as of           , 20  , relates to the Second Amended and Restated Guaranty dated as of December 22, 2015 (as amended to date, the “Guaranty”), among the Significant Subsidiaries of The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated parties thereto as Guarantors (collectively the “Guarantors”) in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, (“JPMorgan”), as Administrative Agent (the “Administrative Agent”) and each of the other Beneficiaries.

 

In compliance with Section 5.09 of the Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of December 22, 2015 (as amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”) among The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (the “Borrower”), the Administrative Agent and the Lenders,              (the “Additional Guarantor”) hereby agrees as follows (capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Loan Agreement):

 

1.             Joinder.  The Guaranty is hereby amended to add as a party, and more specifically, as a Guarantor, thereunder, the Additional Guarantor.

 

2.             Representations and Warranties. The Additional Guarantor represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that each of the representations and warranties of a Guarantor contained in the Guaranty is hereby made by the Additional Guarantor as of the date hereof and is true and correct as to the Additional Guarantor as of the date hereof.

 

3.             Additional Guarantor as Guarantor.  The Additional Guarantor assumes all of the obligations and liabilities of a Guarantor under the Guaranty, agrees to be bound thereby as if the Additional Guarantor were an original party to the Guaranty and shall be a Guarantor for all purposes under the Loan Documents.

 

4.             Effectiveness.  This Joinder shall become effective on the date hereof upon the execution hereof by the Additional Guarantor and the Administrative Agent and delivery hereof to the Administrative Agent.

 

C-13



 

5.             Governing Law.  This Joinder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of law.

 

 

[Name of Additional Guarantor]

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

Notice Address:

 

 

 

Attention:

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION.,
as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

C-14



 

EXHIBIT D

 

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

Financial Statement Date:             ,           

 

To:          JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to that certain Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement”, the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

 

The undersigned Financial Officer hereby certifies as of the date hereof that he/she is the                  of the Borrower, and that, as such, he/she is authorized to execute and deliver this Certificate to the Administrative Agent on the behalf of the Borrower, and that:

 

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal year-end financial statements]

 

1.             The Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent the year-end audited financial statements required by Section 5.01(a) of the Agreement for the fiscal year of the Borrower ended as of the above date, together with the report and opinion of an independent public accountant required by such section.

 

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal quarter-end financial statements]

 

1.             The Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent the unaudited financial statements required by Section 5.01(b) of the Agreement for the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended as of the above date (the “Subject Quarter”).  Such financial statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP as at such date and for such period, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

2.             The undersigned has reviewed and is familiar with the terms of the Agreement and has made, or has caused to be made under his/her supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower during the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements.

 

3.             A review of the activities of the Borrower during such fiscal period has been made under the supervision of the undersigned with a view to determining whether during such fiscal period the Borrower performed and observed all its obligations under the Loan Documents, and

 

D-1



 

[select one:]

 

[to the best knowledge of the undersigned during such fiscal period, the Borrower performed and observed each covenant and condition of the Loan Documents applicable to it.]

 

—or—

 

[the following covenants or conditions have not been performed or observed and the following is a list of each such Default and its nature and status:]

 

4.             The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in the Agreement are true and correct as of the date of this Certificate, other than the representations and warranties that specifically refer to an earlier date.

 

5.             No change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 of the Loan Agreement[, except:

 

[if any such change has occurred, describe the change and specify the effect of the change on the financial statements accompanying this Certificate]].

 

6.             The covenant analyses and information set forth on Schedules 1, 2 and 3 attached hereto are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of              .

 

 

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY INCORPORATED

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

D-2



 

For the Quarter/Year ended                    (“Statement Date”)

 

SCHEDULE 1
to the Compliance Certificate
($ in 000’s)

 

I.

Section 6.09(a) — Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.

 

Debt at Statement Date as set forth on Schedule 2:

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B.

 

Rental Expense for four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on Statement Date (“Subject Period”):

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.

 

Unrestricted domestic cash and Cash Equivalents of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on Statement Date:

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D.

 

EBITDAR for Subject Period as set forth on Schedule 2:

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E.

 

Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio (((i) sum of (x) Line I.A + (y) 8 x Line I.B — (z) Line I.C - $25 million) ¸ (ii) Line I.D):

 

to 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximum permitted: 4.00 to 1.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II.

Section 6.09(b) — EBITDAR to Interest and Rental Expense.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.

 

EBITDAR for the Subject Period as set forth on Schedule 2:

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B.

 

Cash Interest Expense for the Subject Period:

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.

 

Rental Expense for Subject Period:

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D.

 

EBITDAR to Interest and Rental Expense ((i) Line II.A ¸ (ii) sum of Line II.B + Line II.C):

 

to 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum required: 1.90 to 1.00

 

 

 

D-3



 

For the Quarter/Year ended                    (“Statement Date”)

 

SCHEDULE 2
to the Compliance Certificate
($ in 000’s)

 

DEBT
(in accordance with the definition of Debt as set forth in the Agreement)

 

Type of Debt(1)

 

Amount at
Statement Date

all obligations for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind

 

 

all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments

 

 

all obligations upon which interest charges are customarily paid

 

 

all obligations under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person

 

 

all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business)

 

 

all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed

 

 

Guarantees of Indebtedness of others

 

 

Capital Lease Obligations

 

 

= Debt

 

 

 


(1)  The Debt of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.  For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood and agreed that any amounts classified as Deemed Landlord Financing Liabilities shall not be deemed to be Debt for purposes hereof.

 

D-4



 

EBITDA
(in accordance with the definition of EBITDA as set forth in the Agreement)

 

EBITDA

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Twelve
Months
Ended

Net Income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ Interest Expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ net provision for income taxes payable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ depreciation expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ amortization expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ non-cash stock option expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ non-recurring, non-cash charges or losses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ reasonable and documented costs and expenses incurred in connection with any Permitted Acquisition consummated during such period and supported by documentation provided to the Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- non-cash gains

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- all EBITDA of any joint venture or other non-wholly owned Subsidiary of the Borrower, except to the extent of any amounts distributed to the Borrower in cash

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

= EBITDA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EBITDAR
(in accordance with the definition of EBITDAR as set forth in the Agreement)

 

EBITDAR

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Quarter
Ended

 

Twelve
Months
Ended

EBITDA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+ Rental Expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

= EBITDAR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D-5



 

For the Quarter/Year ended                    (“Statement Date”)

 

SCHEDULE 3
to the Compliance Certificate
($ in 000’s)

 

I.

Section 6.01 — Indebtedness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a.

Section 6.01 (e): As of the Statement Date, aggregate amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof (provided that such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement):

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximum permitted:$50,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

b.

Section 6.01(f): As of the Statement Date, aggregate amount of secured Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (in addition to that permitted under clause Section 6.01(e) above):

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximum permitted:$15,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

c.

Section 6.01(i): As of the Statement Date, aggregate amount of unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower, other than unsecured indebtedness of Borrower permitted pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) through and including Section 6.01(g) (including, without limitation, unsecured Indebtedness that is convertible into equity) (Note: permitted so long as (i) the Borrower is in compliance with Section 6.09 of the Loan Agreement as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent, adjusted to give pro forma effect to the actual amount of Debt outstanding after the incurrence of such Indebtedness, (ii) such Indebtedness does not restrict the right of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to grant Liens on their assets to the Credit Parties, (iii) such Indebtedness does not require any repayment thereof prior to the date that is six months after the Maturity Date and (iv) such Indebtedness has covenants, if any, that are no more restrictive than those included in this Agreement as in effect at the time of incurrence thereof):

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximum permitted: $300,000,000

 

 

 

D-6



 

II.

Section 6.04 — Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a

Section 6.04(f): Aggregate investments by the Borrower or any Guarantor in any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor, investments in joint ventures and other Investments in any other Persons since the Effective Date:

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximum permitted: $175,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

III.

Section 6.06 — Restricted Payments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a

Section 6.06(d): Aggregate amount of Restricted Payments declared and/or made by the Borrower in the form of dividends or other distributions made during the Fiscal Quarter ended on the Statement Date (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or in the form of redemptions or repurchases of Equity Interests in the Borrower(2):

 

$

 


(2)  Permitted so long as at the time of such making or declaration (i) no Default was then continuing and (ii) after giving pro forma effect thereto, the Net Adjusted Leverage Ratio did not exceed 3.75 to 1.0.

 

D-7



 

EXHIBIT E-1

 

[FORM OF]

 

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

 

Reference is hereby made to the Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of December 22, 2015 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”), among The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto, and each lender from time to time party thereto.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Loan Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

 

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Loan Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Loan Agreement.

 

 

[NAME OF LENDER]

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

Date:            , 20[  ]

 

 

E-1



 

EXHIBIT E-2

 

[FORM OF]

 

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

 

Reference is hereby made to the Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of December 22 2015 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”), among The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto, and each lender from time to time party thereto.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Loan Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

 

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Loan Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Loan Agreement.

 

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

Date:            , 20[  ]

 

 

E-2



 

EXHIBIT E-3

 

[FORM OF]

 

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

 

Reference is hereby made to the Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of December 22, 2015 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”), among The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto, and each lender from time to time party thereto.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Loan Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect to such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

 

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Loan Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Loan Agreement.

 

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

Date:            , 20[  ]

 

 

E-3



 

EXHIBIT E-4

 

[FORM OF]

 

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

 

Reference is hereby made to the Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of December 22, 2015 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”), among The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto, and each lender from time to time party thereto.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Loan Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to this Loan Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

 

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Loan Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Loan Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

Date:            , 20[  ]

 

 

E-4


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