Exhibit 10.7

 

Execution Version

 

Published CUSIP Number: 29290KAA1

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

DATED AS OF MARCH 7, 2014

 

AMONG

 

ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC,
AS THE BORROWER,

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, SWING LINE LENDER
AND L/C ISSUER,

 

AND

 

THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO

 

BANK OF AMERICA MERRILL LYNCH,

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.,

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, AND

BMO CAPITAL MARKETS CORP.

AS JOINT LEAD ARRANGERS

 

CITIBANK, N.A., AND

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

AS CO-SYNDICATION AGENTS

 

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AND

BANK OF MONTREAL

AS CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENTS

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

1

 

 

 

1.01.

Defined Terms

1

1.02.

Other Interpretive Provisions

30

1.03.

Accounting Terms

31

1.04.

Rounding

32

1.05.

Times of Day

32

1.06.

Letter of Credit Amounts

32

 

 

 

ARTICLE II.

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

32

 

 

 

2.01.

Committed Loans

32

2.02.

Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans

32

2.03.

Letters of Credit

34

2.04.

Swing Line Loans

43

2.05.

Prepayments

46

2.06.

Termination or Reduction of Commitments

47

2.07.

Repayment of Loans

48

2.08.

Interest

48

2.09.

Fees

49

2.10.

Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate

49

2.11.

Evidence of Debt

50

2.12.

Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback

50

2.13.

Sharing of Payments by Lenders

52

2.14.

Increase in Commitments

53

2.15.

Cash Collateral

54

2.16.

Defaulting Lenders

55

 

 

 

ARTICLE III.

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

58

 

 

 

3.01.

Taxes

58

3.02.

Illegality

62

3.03.

Inability to Determine Rates

63

3.04.

Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans

63

3.05.

Compensation for Losses

65

3.06.

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

66

 

i



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(CONTINUED)

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

3.07.

Survival

66

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV.

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

66

 

 

 

4.01.

Conditions of Initial Credit Extension

66

4.02.

Conditions to all Credit Extensions

69

 

 

 

ARTICLE V.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

69

 

 

 

5.01.

Existence, Qualification and Power

69

5.02.

Authorization; No Contravention

70

5.03.

Governmental Authorization; Other Consents

70

5.04.

Binding Effect

70

5.05.

Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect

71

5.06.

Litigation

71

5.07.

No Default

71

5.08.

Ownership of Property; Liens

71

5.09.

Environmental Compliance

72

5.10.

Insurance

72

5.11.

Taxes

72

5.12.

ERISA Compliance

73

5.13.

Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act

73

5.14.

Disclosure

74

5.15.

Compliance with Laws

74

5.16.

Solvency

74

5.17.

Collateral Documents

74

5.18.

OFAC

74

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI.

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

75

 

 

 

6.01.

Financial Statements

75

6.02.

Certificates; Other Information

75

6.03.

Notices

77

6.04.

Payment of Taxes, Etc.

77

6.05.

Preservation of Existence, Etc.

78

6.06.

Maintenance of Properties

78

6.07.

Maintenance of Insurance

78

 

ii



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(CONTINUED)

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

6.08.

Compliance with Laws

78

6.09.

Books and Records

78

6.10.

Inspection Rights

78

6.11.

Use of Proceeds

79

6.12.

Additional Guarantors

79

6.13.

Further Assurances

80

6.14.

Designation of Subsidiaries

80

6.15.

Maintenance of Control of EnLink MLP and EnLink Holdings

82

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII.

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

82

 

 

 

7.01.

Liens

82

7.02.

Investments

84

7.03.

Indebtedness

85

7.04.

Fundamental Changes

86

7.05.

Dispositions

87

7.06.

Restricted Payments

88

7.07.

Change in Nature of Business

88

7.08.

Transactions with Affiliates

89

7.09.

Burdensome Agreements

89

7.10.

Use of Proceeds

90

7.11.

Amendment of Organizational Documents

91

7.12.

Limitation on EnLink GP’s Activities

91

7.13.

Financial Covenants

91

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII.

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

91

 

 

 

8.01.

Events of Default

91

8.02.

Remedies Upon Event of Default

94

8.03.

Application of Funds

95

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX.

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

96

 

 

 

9.01.

Appointment and Authority

96

9.02.

Rights as a Lender

97

9.03.

Exculpatory Provisions

97

9.04.

Reliance by Administrative Agent

98

 

iii



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(CONTINUED)

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

9.05.

Delegation of Duties

98

9.06.

Resignation of Administrative Agent

99

9.07.

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders

100

9.08.

No Other Duties, Etc.

100

9.09.

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

100

9.10.

Collateral and Guaranty Matters

102

9.11.

Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements

103

 

 

 

ARTICLE X.

MISCELLANEOUS

103

 

 

 

10.01.

Amendments, Etc.

103

10.02.

Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication

105

10.03.

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement

107

10.04.

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

108

10.05.

Payments Set Aside

110

10.06.

Successors and Assigns

110

10.07.

Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality

115

10.08.

Right of Setoff

116

10.09.

Interest Rate Limitation

116

10.10.

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

116

10.11.

Survival of Representations and Warranties

117

10.12.

Severability

117

10.13.

Replacement of Lenders

117

10.14.

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

118

10.15.

Waiver of Jury Trial

119

10.16.

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

119

10.17.

Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents

120

10.18.

USA PATRIOT Act

120

10.19.

Time of the Essence

120

10.20.

Keepwell

120

10.21.

Entire Agreement

121

 

iv



 

SCHEDULES

 

2.01

 

Commitments and Applicable Percentages

5.06

 

Litigation

5.08

 

Equity Interests

5.12

 

ERISA

5.15

 

Compliance with Laws

7.02

 

Investments

7.09

 

Burdensome Agreements

10.02

 

Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices

 

EXHIBITS

 

Form of

A

Committed Loan Notice

B

Swing Line Loan Notice

C

Note

D

Compliance Certificate

E-1

Assignment and Assumption

E-2

Administrative Questionnaire

F

Guaranty

G

Forms of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates

 

v



 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

This CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of March 7, 2014, among ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, CITIBANK, N.A. and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Co-Syndication Agents, and ROYAL BANK OF CANADA and BANK OF MONTREAL, as Co-Documentation Agents.

 

The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a revolving credit facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

1.01.       Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

Acacia” means Acacia Natural Gas Corp I, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

Acquired Indebtedness” means, as to any Person, Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is merged with or becomes a Subsidiary of such specified Person (regardless of the form of the applicable transaction by which such Person becomes a Subsidiary), and not incurred in contemplation of such acquisition.

 

Acquisition” means the direct or indirect purchase or acquisition, whether in one or more related transactions, by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any Person or group of Persons (or any equity interest in any Person or group of Persons) or any related group of assets, liabilities, or securities of any Person or group of Persons, other than acquisitions of Property in the ordinary course of business.

 

Acquisition Period” means a period commencing with the date on which payment of the purchase price for a Specified Acquisition is made and ending on the earlier of (a) the last day of the third fiscal quarter following the fiscal quarter in which such payment is made, and (b) the date on which the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that it desires to end the Acquisition Period for such Specified Acquisition; provided, that, (i) once any Acquisition Period is in effect, the next Acquisition Period may not commence until the termination of such Acquisition Period then in effect and (ii) the Borrower may not terminate an Acquisition Period under clause (b) above unless, after giving effect to the termination of such Acquisition Period (and before giving effect to any subsequent Acquisition Period), the Borrower shall be in compliance with Section 7.13 and no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 



 

Administrative Agent” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

 

Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit E-2 or any other form approved 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.

 

Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders.

 

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.

 

Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.16.  If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments.  The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

 

Applicable Rate” means (a) from the Closing Date to the date on which the Administrative Agent receives a Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 6.02(a) for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2014, the applicable percentage per annum set forth below determined by reference to the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as set forth in the Compliance Certificate delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(vii), and (b) thereafter, the applicable percentage per annum set forth below determined by reference to the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(a):

 

2



 

Pricing
Level

 

Consolidated
Leverage Ratio

 

Applicable Rate for
Base Rate Loans (in
basis points)

 

Applicable Rate for
Eurodollar Rate
Loans and Letters of
Credit (in basis
points)

 

Applicable Rate
for
Commitment
Fee (in basis
points)

 

1

 

Less than 3.00:1.00

 

75

 

175

 

25

 

2

 

Greater than or equal to 3.00:1.00, but less than 3.50:1.00

 

100

 

200

 

30

 

3

 

Greater than or equal to 3.50:1.00, but less than 4.00:1.00

 

125

 

225

 

32.5

 

4

 

Greater than or equal to 4.00:1.00

 

150

 

250

 

35

 

 

Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a); provided, however, that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with such Section, then, upon the request of the Required Lenders, Pricing Level 4 shall apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered and in each case shall remain in effect until the date on which such Compliance Certificate is delivered.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this definition, the determination of the Applicable Rate for any period shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2.10(b).

 

Approved Consultant’s Report” means a report by Barnes & Click, Inc., Purvin & Gertz, Oil & Gas Advisors, Inc. or another consultant selected by the Borrower and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent confirming that the assumptions used by the Borrower in the adjustments to Consolidated EBITDA in connection with any Acquisition are reasonable.

 

Approved Fund” means any Fund 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.

 

Arrangers” means Banc of America Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, RBC Capital Markets, and BMO Capital Markets Corp., each in its capacity as joint lead arranger and active or passive book manager, as applicable.

 

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit E-1 or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by MarkitClear or other electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any Capital Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that

 

3



 

would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a Capital Lease.

 

Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of CEI and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of CEI and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

 

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02.

 

Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

 

Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate”, and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.00%.  The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate.  Any change in such prime rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

 

Base Rate Committed Loan” means a Committed Loan that is a Base Rate Loan.

 

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

 

Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

 

Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

Borrowing” means a Committed Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as the context may require.

 

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a London Banking Day.

 

Capital Lease” means any lease (other than an Operating Lease) of any property by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as lessee, that should, in accordance with GAAP, be classified and accounted for as a capital lease on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

4



 

Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of one or more of the L/C Issuers or the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations, payment Obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans, or obligations of the Lenders to fund participations in respect of either thereof (as the context may require), cash or deposit account balances or, if the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender benefitting from such collateral shall agree in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender (as applicable). “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

 

Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement to provide cash management services, including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit or debit card, electronic funds transfer and other cash management arrangements.

 

Cash Management Bank” means any Person that, at the time it enters into a Cash Management Agreement with a Loan Party, is a Lender, or an Affiliate of a Lender, in its capacity as a party to a Cash Management Agreement, and any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender that was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on the Closing Date that is also a party to a Cash Management Agreement with a Loan Party, provided, however, that if such Person ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, such Person shall only be a Cash Management Bank with respect to those certain Cash Management Agreements executed during such time such Person was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, such agreements not to extend past their written terms.

 

CEI” means Crosstex Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

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 any 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 in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:

 

(a)           any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan), other than the Qualifying Owners, becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such

 

5



 

person or group has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time (such right, an “option right”)), directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the equity securities of EnLink Manager entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of EnLink Manager on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right);

 

(b)           during any period of 12 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent governing body of EnLink Manager cease to be composed of individuals appointed by the Qualifying Owners;

 

(c)           EnLink Manager ceases to be the managing member of the Borrower; or

 

(d)           EnLink Manager ceases to be a Subsidiary of Devon.

 

Closing Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

 

Collateral” means all Collateral as defined in the Pledge Agreement and each other Security Document executed by any Loan Party granting a Lien in the property described therein as security for the Obligations.

 

Combination” means the business combination of EnLink MLP and EnLink Holdings pursuant to the Contribution Agreement (as defined in the Merger Agreement).

 

Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Committed Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

 

Commitment Increase” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(a).

 

Committed Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.

 

Committed Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.

 

Committed Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Committed Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A.

 

6



 

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

 

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D.

 

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period plus, without duplication, (a) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for Federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, (iii) depreciation and amortization expense, (iv) non-cash items of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries reducing such Consolidated Net Income, (v) other non-recurring items of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries reducing such Consolidated Net Income, and (vi) without duplication, the Transaction Costs properly allocated to such period, if applicable, and minus (b) the following to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income:  (i) Federal, state, local and foreign income tax credits of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period and (ii) all non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period; provided, however, notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) net income attributable to Subsidiaries that are not Restricted Subsidiaries (including EnLink MLP, EnLink Holdings and the other Unrestricted Subsidiaries) shall not be considered in calculating Consolidated EBITDA, but actual cash distributions to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary by such Subsidiaries that are not Restricted Subsidiaries (including EnLink MLP, EnLink Holdings and the other Unrestricted Subsidiaries) shall be included in calculating Consolidated EBITDA and (B) actual cash distributions to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries by any Persons that are not Subsidiaries shall be included in calculating Consolidated EBITDA.

 

Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated, on a pro forma basis, after giving effect to, without duplication, any permitted Material Acquisition occurring during the period commencing on the first day of such period to and including the date of such Material Acquisition (the “Reference Period”), as if such Material Acquisition occurred on the first day of the Reference Period.  In making the calculation contemplated by the preceding sentence, Consolidated EBITDA attributable to such acquired Person or such acquired Property shall be determined in good faith by the Borrower based on reasonable assumptions and shall take into account pro forma expenses that would have been incurred by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the operation of such acquired Person or acquired Property, during such period computed on the basis of personnel expenses for employees retained or to be retained by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the operation of such acquired Person or acquired Property and non-personnel costs and expenses incurred by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the operation of the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ business at similarly situated facilities of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that such pro forma calculations shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent if the Borrower does not provide the Administrative Agent with an Approved Consultant’s Report supporting such pro forma calculations.

 

Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated by deducting, to the extent previously included in the calculation for any relevant period, Consolidated EBITDA attributable to a particular asset subject to a Material Disposition occurring during the period commencing on the first day of

 

7



 

such period to and including the date of such Material Disposition (the “Disposition Reference Period”), as if such Material Disposition occurred on the first day of the Disposition Reference Period.

 

For purposes of calculating the Consolidated Leverage Ratio, Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated as follows:

 

(i)            Consolidated EBITDA for the four-fiscal quarter period ending March 31, 2014 shall be equal to the sum of (x) $52.5 million and (y) actual cash distributions received by the Borrower, CEI or any other Restricted Subsidiary from EnLink MLP during such fiscal quarter, multiplied by four;

 

(ii)           Consolidated EBITDA for the four-fiscal quarter period ending June 30, 2014 shall be equal to Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarter, multiplied by four;

 

(iii)          Consolidated EBITDA for the four-fiscal quarter period ending September 30, 2014 shall be equal to Consolidated EBITDA for the two fiscal quarter period then ended, multiplied by two;

 

(iv)          Consolidated EBITDA for the four-fiscal quarter period ending December  31, 2014 shall be equal to Consolidated EBITDA for the three fiscal quarter period then ended, multiplied by 4/3; and

 

(v)           Consolidated EBITDA for each four-fiscal quarter period ending thereafter shall be equal to Consolidated EBITDA for the four-fiscal quarter period then ended.

 

Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of all obligations, whether current or long-term, for borrowed money (including outstanding Loans) and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, (b) all purchase money Indebtedness, (c) all matured obligations then owed under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments (i.e., excluding letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments that have not been drawn upon), (d) all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business), (e) Attributable Indebtedness in respect of Capital Leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations, (f) without duplication, all Guarantees with respect to outstanding Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (e) above of Persons other than the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, and (g) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all cash interest and premium payments of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in

 

8



 

each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, and (b) the portion of rent expense of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to such period under Capital Leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP; provided that Transaction Costs shall be excluded from Consolidated Interest Charges to the extent that such Transaction Costs would have otherwise been included in the calculation of Consolidated Interest Charges.

 

Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four prior fiscal quarters ending on such date to (b) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period; provided, that for purposes of any determination of the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio with respect to the fiscal quarter ending on (i) March 31, 2014, the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio shall be the ratio of (A) an amount equal to the sum of (x) $52.5 million and (y) actual cash distributions received by the Borrower, CEI or any other Restricted Subsidiary from EnLink MLP during such fiscal quarter, to (B) Consolidated Interest Charges for such fiscal quarter, (ii) June 30, 2014, the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio shall be the ratio of (A) Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarter to (B) Consolidated Interest Charges for such fiscal quarter, (iii) September 30, 2014, the Consolidated Interest Coverage shall be the ratio of (A) Consolidated EBITDA for the two fiscal quarter period then ended to (B) Consolidated Interest Charges the two fiscal quarter period then ended, and (iv) December 31, 2014, the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio shall be the ratio of (A) Consolidated EBITDA for the three fiscal quarter period then ended to (B) Consolidated Interest Charges for the three fiscal quarter period then ended.

 

Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four fiscal quarters most recently ended.

 

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

 

Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

 

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

 

Debt Incurrence” means any issuance or incurrence by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of any Indebtedness after the Closing Date other than Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03.

 

Debt Incurrence Proceeds” means, with respect to any Debt Incurrence, all cash and cash equivalents received by any Loan Party from such Debt Incurrence after payment of, or

 

9



 

provision for, all reasonable underwriter fees and expenses, original issue discount, SEC and blue sky fees, printing costs, reasonable fees and expenses of accountants, lawyers and other professional advisors, brokerage commissions and other reasonable out-of-pocket fees and expenses actually incurred in connection with such Debt Incurrence; provided that, an original issue discount shall not reduce the amount of such Debt Incurrence Proceeds unless such discount is due and payable at or immediately following the closing of such Debt Incurrence and such discount has not already been taken into account to reduce the amount of proceeds received by such Loan Party from such Debt Incurrence.

 

Debt Rating” means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P or Moody’s of the Borrower’s (a) non-credit-enhanced, senior unsecured long-term debt or (b) corporate credit.

 

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

 

Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

 

Default Rate” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.

 

Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.16(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans) within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the

 

10



 

Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender 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 Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.  Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.16(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and each other Lender promptly following such determination.

 

Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.

 

Devon” means Devon Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

 

Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

 

Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

 

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.

 

E2” means E2 Energy Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

E2 Appalachian” means E2 Appalachian Compression, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii), and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii)).

 

EnLink GP” means EnLink Midstream GP, LLC (f/k/a Crosstex Energy GP, LLC), a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors and assigns as general partner of EnLink

 

11



 

MLP or as the business entity with the ultimate authority to manage the business and operations of EnLink MLP.

 

 “EnLink Holdings” means EnLink Midstream Holdings, LP (f/k/a Devon Midstream Holdings, L.P.), a Delaware limited partnership.

 

EnLink Holdings GP” means EnLink Midstream Holdings GP, LLC (f/k/a Devon Midstream Holdings GP, L.L.C.), a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors and assigns as general partner of EnLink Holdings or as the business entity with the ultimate authority to manage the business and operations of EnLink Holdings; provided that such Person must be a Subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

EnLink Manager” means EnLink Midstream Manager, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors and assigns as managing member of the Borrower or as the business entity with the ultimate authority to manage the business and operations of the Borrower.

 

EnLink MLP” means EnLink Midstream Partners, LP (f/k/a Crosstex Energy, L.P.), a Delaware limited partnership.

 

Environmental Laws” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

 

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries 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 Collateral” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.12(b).

 

Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

 

12



 

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).

 

ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which such entity was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA; (e) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan; (f) any event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; (g) notification that any Multiemployer Plan has been determined to be a plan in endangered or critical status within the meaning of Sections 431 and 432 of the Code or Sections 304 and 305 of ERISA; or (h) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon  the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.

 

Eurodollar Rate” means:

 

(a)           for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to (i) the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or a comparable or successor rate which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Reuters screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period or, (ii) if such rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being made, continued or converted and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; and

 

(b)           for any rate calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to (i) LIBOR, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two London Banking Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits being with a term of one month commencing that day or (ii) if such published rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the date of determination in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Base Rate Loan being made or maintained and with a term equal to one month would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at the date and time of determination.

 

13



 

provided that to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection with any rate set forth in this definition, the approved rate shall be applied to the applicable Interest Period in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Committed Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate”.

 

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

 

Excluded CFC” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that (i) is a “controlled foreign corporation” under Section 957 of the Code and (ii) does not own assets that were previously owned by a Loan Party and constituted Collateral when owned by such Loan Party.

 

 “Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guaranty of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guaranty thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to Section 10.20 and any other “keepwell, support or other agreement” for the benefit of such Guarantor and any and all guarantees of such Guarantor’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties) at the time the Guaranty of such Guarantor, or a grant by such Guarantor of a security interest, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such Guaranty or security interest is or becomes excluded in accordance with the first sentence of this definition.

 

Excluded Taxesmeans any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient  or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment or otherwise under a Loan Document 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 3.06(b)) or becomes  a party to this Agreement or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a) or (c)(i), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e), (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes

 

14



 

imposed pursuant to FATCA, and (e) any U.S. Federal backup withholding Tax imposed pursuant to Section 3406 of the Code.

 

Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of March 5, 2013 among the XTXI Capital LLC, Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent, and a syndicate of lenders, as amended or otherwise modified.

 

FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

 

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any intergovernmental agreements that implement or modify the foregoing (together with any law implementing such agreements).

 

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

Fee Letter” means (a) the Active Arranger Fee Letter — GP, dated January 15, 2014, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citibank, N.A., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, (b) the Passive Arranger Fee Letter — GP, dated January 15, 2014, among the Borrower, RBC Capital Markets and BMO Capital Markets Corp., and (c) the Administrative Agent Fee Letter - GP, dated January 15, 2014, among the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

Forecast Financial Statements” means forecasts prepared by management of the Borrower, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of leverage metrics and distributable cash flow of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) on a quarterly basis for each fiscal quarter in 2014 ending after the Closing Date and (b) on an annual basis for fiscal years 2015 and 2016.

 

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

 

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

 

15



 

Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

 

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

 

Guarantee” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, so long as such Indebtedness or other obligation has not been guaranteed or assumed by such Person and is non-recourse to such Person other than to the assets subject to such Lien (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien) but limited to the fair market value of the assets securing such Indebtedness or other obligations.  The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee

 

16



 

is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith.  The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 

Guarantors” means, collectively, (a) CEI and Acacia, as of the Closing Date, and each other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that executes a Guaranty pursuant to Section 6.12, in each case until such Person is released from the Guaranty pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and (b) with respect to Obligations owing by any Loan Party (other than the Borrower) under any Secured Hedge Agreement or any Secured Cash Management Agreement, the Borrower.

 

Guaranty” means, collectively, the Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties, substantially in the form of Exhibit F, together with each other guaranty and guaranty supplement delivered pursuant to Section 6.12.

 

Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

 

Hedge Bank” means any Person that, at the time it enters into a Swap Contract with any Loan Party, is a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender, in its capacity as a party to such Swap Contract, and any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender that was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender on the Closing Date that is also a party to a Secured Hedge Agreement with any Loan Party provided, however, that if such Person ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, such Person shall only be a Hedge Bank to the extent that obligations under the Swap Contract arise from transactions under such individual Swap Contract (and not the master agreement between such parties) entered into at or prior to the time such Person was a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender hereunder, without giving effect to any extension, increases or modifications thereof which are made after such Person ceases to be a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender hereunder.

 

IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of IAS Regulation 1606/2002 to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements delivered under or referred to herein.

 

Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

 

(a)           all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

 

(b)           all direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

 

(c)           net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

 

17



 

(d)           all obligations (excluding earnout obligations that do not constitute indebtedness in accordance with GAAP) of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business);

 

(e)           indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), but limited to the value of such property securing such indebtedness if such indebtedness has not been guaranteed or assumed by such Person and is non- recourse to such Person other than to the assets subject to such Lien;

 

(f)            Capital Leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations;

 

(g)           all mandatory obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, or defease any Equity Interest in such Person or any other Person prior to one year after the Maturity Date, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; and

 

(h)           all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

 

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.  The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date.  The amount of any Capital Lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of Attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.

 

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 (other than any payment relating to (i) any Secured Cash Management Agreement or Secured Hedge Agreement or (ii) any obligation thereunder or with respect thereto) and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a), Other Taxes.

 

Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b).

 

Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07.

 

Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.

 

Interest Period” means as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower

 

18



 

in its Committed Loan Notice, or, subject to availability, such other period that is twelve months or less requested by the Borrower and consented to by all the Lenders; provided that:

 

(i)            any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

 

(ii)           any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

 

(iii)          no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.

 

Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment made or held by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor Guarantees Indebtedness of such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit; provided that any designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to constitute an Investment in such Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount equal to the value of the assets owned by such Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time of its designation and any assets contributed to such Unrestricted Subsidiary in connection with such designation. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the original cost of such Investment, minus the amount of any portion of such Investment repaid to the investor as a dividend, repayment of loan or advance, release or discharge of a guarantee or other obligation or other transfer of property or return of capital, as the case may be, but without any other adjustments for increases or decreases in value, or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to such Investment or interest earned on such Investment.  In determining the amount of any Investment involving a transfer of property other than cash, such property shall be valued at its fair market value at the time of such transfer.

 

Investment Grade Event” means the earlier to occur of (a) the Borrower obtaining a Debt Rating of Baa3 or better from Moody’s and BB+ or better from S&P, and (b) the Borrower obtaining a Debt Rating of BBB- or better from S&P and Ba1 or better from Moody’s.

 

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer

 

19



 

and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.

 

Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority.

 

L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

 

L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Committed Borrowing.

 

L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.

 

L/C Issuer” means, collectively, (a) Bank of America, Citibank, N.A., and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, each in its individual capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder and (b) any other Lender appointed as a replacement or additional “L/C Issuer” pursuant to the immediately succeeding sentence.  The Administrative Agent may, with the consent of the Borrower and the Lender in question in its sole discretion, or the Borrower may, with the consent of the Lender in question in its sole discretion and notice to the Administrative Agent, appoint any Lender hereunder as an L/C Issuer in place of or in addition to the L/C Issuers listed in clause (a).

 

L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings.  For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06.  For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and, unless the context requires otherwise, includes the Swing Line Lender.

 

Lender Parties” means the Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and all Lenders.

 

Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

20



 

Letter of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder providing for the payment of cash upon the honoring of a presentation thereunder.

 

Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

 

Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is seven days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

 

Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(h).

 

Letter of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to $125,000,000.  The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

 

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, collateral assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

 

Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II in the form of a Committed Loan or a Swing Line Loan.

 

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.15 of this Agreement, the Fee Letter, the Guaranty, and the Security Documents.

 

Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor.

 

London Banking Day” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

 

Material Acquisition” means an Acquisition having an aggregate fair market value greater than $15,000,000.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), or financial condition of the Borrower, its Restricted Subsidiaries and the Unrestricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders under any Loan Document, or of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its payment obligations or any other material obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

 

Material Disposition” means any one or more related transactions pursuant to which the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Disposes of assets (other than issuances of Equity

 

21



 

Interests by the Borrower and Dispositions of assets in the ordinary course of business) to a third party, which Dispositions have an aggregate fair market value greater than $15,000,000.

 

Material Restricted Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower whose total assets, as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b), represent at least 10% of the total assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as of such date of determination, on a consolidated basis, but excluding the assets (but not equity value) of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

 

Material Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower whose total assets, as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or Section 6.01(b), represent at least 10% of the total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as of such date of determination, on a consolidated basis.

 

Maturity Date” means  March 7, 2019; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.

 

Merger Agreement” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 21, 2013 by and among Devon, Devon Gas Services, L.P., Acacia, CEI, the Borrower, Boomer Merger Sub, Inc. and Rangers Merger Sub, Inc.

 

Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, (i) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided to reduce or eliminate Fronting Exposure during the existence of a Defaulting Lender, an amount equal to 100% of the Fronting Exposure of the L/C Issuer with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time plus the amount of all fees, costs and charges described in Section 2.03(i) for each outstanding Letter of Credit scheduled to be paid through the expiry date of such Letter of Credit, and (ii) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.15(a)(i), (a)(ii) or (a)(iii), an amount equal to 100% of the Outstanding Amount of all LC Obligations plus the amount of all fees, costs and charges described in Section 2.03(i) for each outstanding Letter of Credit scheduled to be paid through the expiry date of such Letter of Credit.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

 

Multiple Employer Plan” means a Plan which has two or more contributing sponsors (including the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate) at least two of whom are not under common control, as such a plan is described in Section 4064 of ERISA.

 

Net Cash Proceeds” means in connection with any Disposition, the proceeds thereof in the form of cash and cash equivalents (including any such proceeds received by way of deferred

 

22



 

payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or purchase price adjustment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received) of such Disposition, net of attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, investment banking fees and insurance consultant fees and other customary fees, expenses and other amounts, in each case incurred in connection therewith and net of Taxes paid (including by means of withholding) or reasonably estimated to be payable as a result thereof, including any Taxes paid or reasonably estimated to be payable as a result of any gain recognized in connection therewith.

 

Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (i) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 10.01 and (ii) has been approved by the Required Lenders.

 

Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

 

Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

 

Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan, Letter of Credit, Secured Cash Management Agreement or Secured Hedge Agreement, in each case, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding; provided that (i) the Obligations shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations, and (ii) from and after the occurrence of any Investment Grade Event and the release of all Guaranties and Liens pursuant to the terms of this Agreement in connection with such Investment Grade Event, the Obligations shall exclude all debts, liabilities, obligations, covenant and duties arising under or with respect to any Secured Cash Management Agreement or Secured Hedge Agreement.

 

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

 

Operating Lease” means (i) an operating lease under GAAP, (ii) any lease that was treated as an operating lease under GAAP at the time it was entered into that later becomes a capital lease as a result of a change in GAAP during the life of such lease, including any renewals, and (iii) any lease entered into after the date of this Agreement that would have been considered an operating lease under the provisions of GAAP in effect as of December 31, 2013.

 

Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement,

 

23



 

instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

 

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

 

Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).

 

Outstanding Amount” means (i) with respect to Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.

 

Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).

 

Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).

 

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

 

Pension Act” means the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

 

Pension Funding Rules” means the rules of the Code and ERISA regarding minimum required contributions (including any installment payment thereof) to Pension Plans and set forth in, with respect to plan years ending prior to the effective date of the Pension Act, Section 412 of the Code and Section 302 of ERISA, each as in effect prior to the Pension Act and, thereafter, Section 412, 430, 431, 432 and 436 of the Code and Sections 302, 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA.

 

Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (including a Multiple Employer Plan or a Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by the Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code.

 

24



 

Permitted Collateral Liens” means, collectively, (i) inchoate Liens for Taxes, assessments, charges or levies but not yet due and payable or delinquent and Liens for Taxes, assessments, charges or levies that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP, which proceedings (or orders entered in connection with such proceedings) have the effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the property subject to any such Lien, and (ii) Liens in favor of a securities intermediary that arise by operation of law or the securities account agreement(s) between the Loan Party and the securities intermediary.

 

Permitted Liens” means Liens permitted under Section 7.01.

 

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

 

Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (including a Pension Plan), maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or any such Plan to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.

 

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

Pledge Agreement” means that certain Pledge Agreement dated as of the Closing Date among the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, as amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, together with any supplements or joinders thereto.

 

Pro Forma Financial Statements” means the unaudited pro forma consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (reflecting the Combination) as of September 30, 2013, and the related consolidated pro forma statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the nine months then ended, certified by the chief financial officer, vice president - finance or treasurer of the Borrower; provided that if updated pro forma financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (reflecting the Combination) are provided in connection with an amendment or modification to the Form S-4 of the Borrower, “Pro Forma Financial Statements” shall be deemed to refer to such updated pro forma financial statements.

 

Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

Qualified ECP Guarantor” shall mean, at any time, each Loan Party with total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or that qualifies at such time as an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time under §1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

Qualifying Owners” means Devon and its Subsidiaries.

 

Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer.

 

25



 

Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c).

 

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

 

Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.

 

Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.

 

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Total Credit Exposures representing more than 50% of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders.  The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time; provided that, the amount of any participation in any Swing Line Loan and Unreimbursed Amounts that such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated to and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Lender that is the Swing Line Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in making such determination.

 

Responsible Officer” means, with respect to any Loan Party (i) the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, any executive vice president, any senior vice president, vice president — finance, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of such Loan Party (or its general partner, sole manager, managing member or other governing body, as applicable), (ii) solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates pursuant to Section 4.01, the secretary or any assistant secretary of such Loan Party (or its general partner, sole manager, managing member or other governing body, as applicable) and (iii) solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the Borrower (or its general partner, sole manager, managing member or other governing body, as applicable) so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent.  Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of the Borrower and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of the Borrower.

 

Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, 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 capital stock or other Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to such Person’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof).

 

Restricted Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

26



 

Revolving Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of its outstanding Committed Loans and such Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans at such time.

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

Sanction(s)” means any U.S. laws or regulations prohibiting or restricting transactions involving particular persons, entities, or countries.  This term specifically includes any program maintained and enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), such as the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list and all other sanctions programs enforced by OFAC.

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

 

Secured Cash Management Agreement” means any Cash Management Agreement that is entered into by and between any Loan Party and any Cash Management Bank.

 

Secured Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract that is entered into by and between any Loan Party and any Hedge Bank.

 

Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, the Hedge Banks, the Cash Management Banks, each co-agent or sub-agent appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 9.05, and the other Persons the Obligations owing to which are or are purported to be secured by the Collateral under the terms of the Security Documents.

 

Security Documents” means, collectively, the Pledge Agreement, the Guaranty, and (to the extent Liens are granted hereunder to secure any Obligations) this Agreement, and all other instruments and documents, including without limitation Uniform Commercial Code financing statements, required to be executed or delivered pursuant to any Security Document.

 

Security Termination” means the earlier to occur of (a) an Investment Grade Event, and (b) the occurrence of each of the following: (i) termination of the Aggregate Commitments, (ii) termination or expiration of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the relevant L/C Issuer have been made), (iii) termination of, and payment in full in cash of all obligations of the Loan Parties in respect of, all Secured Hedge Agreements (other than Secured Hedge Agreements as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Hedge Bank have been made), (iv) termination of, and payment in full in cash of all obligations of the Loan Parties in respect of, all Secured Cash Management Agreements (other than Secured Cash Management Agreements as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Cash Management Bank have been made), and (v) the payment in full in cash of all other Obligations not described above, other than contingent indemnification obligations not then due.

 

Specified Acquisition” means any one or more related transactions (a) pursuant to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries acquires, for an aggregate principal purchase price of not less than $25,000,000, (i) the Equity Interests in any other Person that constitutes a Subsidiary of

 

27



 

the Borrower after such acquisition or (ii) other property or assets (other than acquisitions of Equity Interests of a Person, capital expenditures and acquisitions of inventory or supplies in the ordinary course of business) of, or of an operating division or business unit of, any other Person, and (b) which is designated by the Borrower (by written notice to the Administrative Agent) as a “Specified Acquisition”.

 

Specified Loan Party” means any Loan Party that is not an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act (determined prior to giving effect to Section 10.20).

 

Specified Subsidiary” means each Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that directly or indirectly owns (i) any limited partner interests or common units in EnLink MLP or EnLink Holdings, (ii) any Equity Interests in any Guarantor, (iii) any Equity Interests in EnLink GP, and (iv) any Equity Interests in any Material Restricted Subsidiary; provided that, any Subsidiary that is an Excluded CFC shall not be required to be a “Specified Subsidiary.”

 

Solvent” means, with respect to any Person on a particular date, that on such date (a) the present fair salable value of the property and assets of such Person exceeds the debts and liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, (b) the present fair salable value of the property and assets of such Person is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts and other liabilities, including contingent liabilities, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured, (c) such Person does not intend to incur, or believe that it will incur, debts and liabilities, including contingent liabilities, beyond its ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they become absolute and matured, and (d) such Person does not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted. The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

 

Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing),

 

28



 

whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or the North American Energy Standards Board, any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement for transactions of the type described in clause (a) (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

 

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

 

Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

 

Swing Line Borrowing” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 2.04.

 

Swing Line Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.

 

Swing Line Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

 

Swing Line Loan Notice” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.04(b), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

 

Swing Line Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $5,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Commitments.  The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

 

Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

 

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

 

Threshold Amount” means $35,000,000.

 

29



 

Total Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the unused Commitments and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Lender at such time.

 

Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.

 

Transaction Costs” means all (a) upfront, structuring, consent, original issue discount, legal, professional and advisory fees paid by the Borrower (whether or not incurred by the Borrower) in connection with the negotiation and execution, delivery and performance of the Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement (including any amendments, supplements or restatements), and (b) legal, professional and advisory fees paid by the Borrower (whether or not incurred by the Borrower) or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the Combination.

 

Type” means, with respect to a Committed Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

 

Unaudited Financial Statements” means the unaudited consolidated balance sheets of CEI and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2013, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal quarter of CEI and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

 

United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

 

Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i).

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means (i) EnLink MLP and each of its Subsidiaries, (ii) EnLink Holdings and each of its Subsidiaries, (iii) E2, E2 Appalachian and each of their respective Subsidiaries, and (iv) any Subsidiary of the Borrower designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.14, together with each of its Subsidiaries, excluding in the case of this clause (iv), any Unrestricted Subsidiary that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.14(b) or (c).

 

U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(III).

 

Withholding Agent” means any Loan Party and the Administrative Agent.

 

1.02.       Other Interpretive Provisions.  With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

 

(a)           The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.”  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.”  Unless the context

 

30



 

requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) 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 or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

(b)           In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

 

(c)           Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

1.03.       Accounting Terms.  (a) Generally.  All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.

 

(b)           Changes in GAAP.  If at any time any change in GAAP  (including the adoption of IFRS) would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (A) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (B) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested

 

31



 

hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

 

1.04.       Rounding.  Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

1.05.       Times of Day.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

1.06.       Letter of Credit Amounts.  Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

 

ARTICLE II.
THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

2.01.       Committed Loans.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans in Dollars (each such loan, a “Committed Loan”) to the Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Committed Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment.  Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.01.  Committed Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

 

2.02.       Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans.

 

(a)           Each Committed Borrowing, each conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone.  Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 p.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Committed Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Committed Loans; provided, however, that if the Borrower wishes to request Eurodollar Rate Loans having an Interest Period other than one, two, three or six months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” the applicable notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 p.m. four Business Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or

 

32



 

continuation, whereupon the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is acceptable to all of them.  Not later than 12:00 p.m., three Business Days before the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower (which notice may be by telephone) whether the requested Interest Period has been consented to by all the Lenders.  Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount not less than $5,000,000.  Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount not less than $500,000; provided that any Borrowing of Base Rate Committed Loans may be in the amount of the unused Aggregate Commitments.  Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Committed Borrowing, a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Committed Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Committed Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Committed Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto.  If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Committed Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Committed Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans.  Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans.  If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.

 

(b)           Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Committed Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection.  In the case of a Committed Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Committed Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice.  Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower.

 

(c)           Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan.  During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.

 

33



 

(d)           The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate.  At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

 

(e)           After giving effect to all Committed Borrowings, all conversions of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Committed Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect to Committed Loans.

 

2.03.       Letters of Credit.

 

(a)           The Letter of Credit Commitment.

 

(i)            Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) each L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03, (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries and any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (w) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (x) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, (y) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit, and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations in respect of Letters of Credit issued by any specific L/C Issuer shall not exceed $50,000,000, unless such L/C Issuer otherwise consents thereto.  Each request by the Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence.  Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.

 

(ii)           No L/C Issuer shall issue any Letter of Credit, if, subject to Section 2.03(b)(iii), the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date.

 

(iii)          No L/C Issuer shall be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

 

(A)          any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from

 

34



 

issuing the Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to the Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

 

(B)          the issuance of the Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;

 

(C)          except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, the Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $25,000;

 

(D)          the Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;

 

(E)           any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion;

 

(F)           the Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder; or

 

(G)          the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date.

 

(iv)          The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.

 

(v)           The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to the Letter of Credit.

 

(vi)          The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in

 

35



 

connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

 

(b)           Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit.

 

(i)            Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Such Letter of Credit Application may be sent by facsimile, by United States mail, by overnight courier, by electronic transmission using the system provided by the L/C Issuer, by personal delivery or by any other means acceptable to the L/C Issuer.  Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 p.m. at least one Business Day (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be.  In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require.  In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require.  Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.

 

(ii)           Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof.  Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, not later than 10:00 a.m. at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower (or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary) or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in

 

36



 

each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices.  Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

 

(iii)          If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued.  Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension.  Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time, subject, in the case of an extension to an expiry date later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to the requirement to Cash Collateralize such Letter of Credit in an amount not less than the Minimum Collateral Amount applicable to such Letter of Credit on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

 

(iv)          If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that permits the automatic reinstatement of all or a portion of the stated amount thereof after any drawing thereunder (each, an “Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit”).  Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer to permit such reinstatement.  Once an Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit has been issued, except as provided in the following sentence, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to reinstate all or a portion of the stated amount thereof in accordance with the provisions of such Letter of Credit.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit permits the L/C Issuer to decline to reinstate all or any portion of the stated amount thereof after a drawing thereunder by giving notice of such non-reinstatement within a specified number of days after such drawing (the “Non-Reinstatement Deadline”), the L/C Issuer shall not permit such reinstatement if it has

 

37



 

received a notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Reinstatement Deadline (A) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such reinstatement or (B) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied (treating such reinstatement as an L/C Credit Extension for purposes of this clause) and, in each case, directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such reinstatement.

 

(v)           Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

 

(c)           Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.

 

(i)            Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof.  Not later than 12:00 p.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing.  If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.  In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice).  Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

 

(ii)           Each Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral provided for this purpose) for the account of the L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed Loan to the Borrower in such amount.  The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.

 

(iii)          With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have

 

38



 

incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate.  In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03.

 

(iv)          Until each Lender funds its Committed Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

 

(v)           Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Committed Loan Notice).  No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

 

(vi)          If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), then, without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing.  If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be.  A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

39



 

(d)           Repayment of Participations.

 

(i)            At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

 

(ii)           If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

(e)           Obligations Absolute.  The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

 

(i)            any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other Loan Document;

 

(ii)           the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

 

(iii)          any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

 

(iv)          waiver by the L/C Issuer of any requirement that exists for the L/C Issuer’s protection and not the protection of the Borrower or any waiver by the L/C Issuer which does not in fact materially prejudice the Borrower;

 

(v)           honor of a demand for payment presented electronically even if such Letter of Credit requires that demand be in the form of a draft;

 

40



 

(vi)                              any payment made by the L/C Issuer in respect of an otherwise complying item presented after the date specified as the expiration date of, or the date by which documents must be received under such Letter of Credit if presentation after such date is authorized by the UCC or the ISP, as applicable;

 

(vii)                           any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or

 

(viii)                        any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer.  The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

 

(f)                                   Role of L/C Issuer.  Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document.  None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document.  The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement.  None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (viii) of Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit.  In

 

41



 

furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.  The L/C Issuer may send a Letter of Credit or conduct any communication to or from the beneficiary via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (“SWIFT”) message or overnight courier, or any other commercially reasonable means of communicating with a beneficiary.

 

(g)                                  Applicability of ISP; Limitation of Liability.  Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible to the Borrower for, and the L/C Issuer’s rights and remedies against the Borrower shall not be impaired by, any action or inaction of the L/C Issuer required or permitted under any law, order, or practice that is required or permitted to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including the Law or any order of a jurisdiction where the L/C Issuer or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements, or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade - International Financial Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), or the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, whether or not any Letter of Credit chooses such law or practice.

 

(h)                                 Letter of Credit Fees.  Subject to Section 2.16, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit (but excluding any Fronting Exposure that has been Cash Collateralized by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.15(a)(iv)).  For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06.  Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the third Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears.  If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

 

(i)                                     Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer.  The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Fee Letter (or as separately agreed in writing by such L/C Issuer and the Borrower), computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit on a quarterly basis in arrears.  Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the fifteenth Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand.  For purposes

 

42



 

of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06.  In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect.  Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

 

(j)                                    Conflict with Issuer Documents.  In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.

 

(k)                                 Letters of Credit Issued for Restricted Subsidiaries.  Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Restricted Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit.  The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Restricted Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

2.04.                     Swing Line Loans.

 

(a)                                 The Swing Line.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, shall make loans (each such loan, a “Swing Line Loan”) to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that (x) after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, (y) the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line Loan, and (z) the Swing Line Lender shall not be under any obligation to make any Swing Line Loan if it shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that it has, or by such Credit Extension will have, after giving effect to the provisions of Section 2.16(a)(iv), Fronting Exposure.  Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.04, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.04.  Each Swing Line Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan.  Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.

 

(b)                                 Borrowing Procedures.  Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify

 

43



 

(i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $100,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day.  Each such telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a written Swing Line Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof.  Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the Borrower.

 

(c)                                  Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.

 

(i)                                     The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Base Rate Committed Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding.  Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Committed Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02.  The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the Borrower with a copy of the applicable Committed Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent.  Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified in such Committed Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect to the applicable Swing Line Loan) for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Committed Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed Loan to the Borrower in such amount.  The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.

 

(ii)                                  If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Committed Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Base Rate Committed Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

 

44



 

(iii)                               If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swing Line Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing.  If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case may be.  A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(iv)                              Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02.  No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

 

(d)                                 Repayment of Participations.

 

(i)                                     At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.

 

(ii)                                  If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate.  The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

45



 

(e)                                  Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender.  The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swing Line Loans.  Until each Lender funds its Base Rate Committed Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.

 

(f)                                   Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender.  The Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.

 

2.05.                     Prepayments.

 

(a)                                 Optional.

 

(i)                                     The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Committed Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 p.m. (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding.  Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Committed Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment.  If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.  Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.  Subject to Section 2.16, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Committed Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

 

(ii)                                  The Borrower may, upon notice to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000.  Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment.  If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.

 

46



 

(b)                                 Mandatory.

 

(i)                                     If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately after the earlier of (i) the Borrower’s receipt of written notice from the Administrative Agent thereof or (ii) the date any Responsible Officer of the Borrower has actual knowledge thereof, prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(i) unless after the prepayment in full of the Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect.

 

(ii)                                  If any Loan Party receives any Debt Incurrence Proceeds, the Borrower shall immediately after the receipt of such Debt Incurrence Proceeds, prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to the amount of such Debt Incurrence Proceeds. The provisions of this Section do not constitute consent to the issuance or incurrence of any Indebtedness by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries not otherwise permitted hereunder.

 

(iii)                               If any Loan Party receives any Net Cash Proceeds from the Disposition of Equity Interests in EnLink MLP or EnLink Holdings, the Borrower shall immediately after the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds, prepay Loans and/or, unless the conditions specified in Section 4.02 are satisfied and would be satisfied after giving effect to such transactions, Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to the amount of such Net Cash Proceeds.

 

(iv)                              If any Loan Party completes a Disposition to EnLink MLP in respect of which it receives Net Cash Proceeds in excess of $50,000,000, the Borrower shall immediately after the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds, prepay Loans and/or, unless the conditions specified in Section 4.02 are satisfied and would be satisfied after giving effect to such transactions, Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to the amount of such Net Cash Proceeds.

 

(v)                                 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Aggregate Commitments shall not be reduced by any mandatory prepayments required by this Section 2.05(b). For the avoidance of doubt, any Net Cash Proceeds remaining after making any prepayment or Cash Collateralization required by Section 2.05(b)(iii) or (iv) may be retained by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and used for any purpose not prohibited by this Agreement.

 

2.06.                     Termination or Reduction of Commitments.  The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments, in whole or in part; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 p.m. three Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate

 

47



 

Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, such Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments.  Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage.  All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

 

2.07.                     Repayment of Loans.

 

(a)                                 The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Committed Loans outstanding on such date.

 

(b)                                 The Borrower shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date ten Business Days after such Loan is made and (ii) the Maturity Date.

 

2.08.                     Interest.

 

(a)                                 Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Committed Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; and (iii) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

 

(b)                                 (i)                                     If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

(ii)                                  If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

(iii)                               Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

 

(c)                                  Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein.  Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

48



 

2.09.                     Fees.  In addition to certain fees described in subsections (h) and (i) of Section 2.03:

 

(a)                                 Commitment Fee.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Commitments exceed the sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and (ii) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.16. For the avoidance of doubt, the Outstanding Amount of Swing Line Loans shall not be counted towards or considered usage of the Aggregate Commitments for purposes of determining the commitment fee. The commitment fee shall accrue beginning on the earlier of (x) April 15, 2014 and (y) the Closing Date, and regardless of whether one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met at any time after such date, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period.  The commitment fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

 

(b)                                 Other Fees.  (i)The Borrower shall pay to the Arrangers and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letters.  Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

(ii)                                  The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified.  Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

2.10.                     Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate.  (a)                All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed.  All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year).  Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day.  Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

(b)                                 If, as a result of any restatement of or other adjustment to the financial statements of the Borrower or for any other reason, the Borrower or the Required Lenders determine that (i) the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as calculated by the Borrower as of any applicable date was inaccurate and (ii) a proper calculation of the Consolidated Leverage Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing for such period, the Borrower shall immediately and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, promptly on demand by the Administrative Agent (or, after the occurrence of an

 

49



 

actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, automatically and without further action by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), an amount equal to the excess of the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over the amount of interest and fees actually paid for such period.  This paragraph shall not limit the rights of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under Section 2.04(c)(iii), 2.04(h) or 2.09(b) or under Article VIII.  The Borrower’s obligations under this paragraph shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.

 

2.11.                     Evidence of Debt.

 

(a)                                 The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business.  The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon.  Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.  Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records.  Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

(b)                                 In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a) above, each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

 

2.12.                     Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

 

(a)                                 General.  All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein.  The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office.  All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall

 

50



 

continue to accrue.  If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

 

(b)                                 (i)                                     Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Committed Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 1:00 p.m. on the date of such Committed Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Committed Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) 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 Committed 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 in immediately available funds 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 (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans.  If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period.  If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in such Committed Borrowing.  Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

 

(ii)                                  Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer 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 L/C Issuer, 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 L/C Issuer, 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 L/C Issuer, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

51



 

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

(c)                                  Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent.  If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

 

(d)                                 Obligations of Lenders Several.  The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Committed Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint.  The failure of any Lender to make any Committed Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Committed Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c).

 

(e)                                  Funding Source.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

 

2.13.                     Sharing of Payments by Lenders.    If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Committed Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swing Line Loans held by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Committed Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Committed Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Committed Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

 

(i)                                     if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

 

(ii)                                  the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (y) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in

 

52



 

Section 2.15, or (z) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Committed Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section 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 setoff 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.

 

2.14.                     Increase in Commitments.

 

(a)                                 Request for Increase.  Upon notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrower may from time to time, request an increase in the Aggregate Commitments (a “Commitment Increase”) by an amount (for all such requests that are consummated) not exceeding $100,000,000; provided that (i) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $20,000,000, and (ii) the Borrower may make a maximum of four such requests (disregarding any such requests that are not consummated).  At the time of sending such notice, the Borrower (in consultation with the Administrative Agent) shall specify the time period (the “Consent Period”) within which each Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Lenders).

 

(b)                                 Lender Elections to Increase.  Each Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent prior to the expiration of the Consent Period as to whether it agrees to increase its Commitment in its sole discretion and, if such Lender agrees to increase its Commitment, such Lender shall specify the amount by which it is willing to increase its Commitment.  Any Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to increase its Commitment.

 

(c)                                  Notification by Administrative Agent; Additional Lenders.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and each Lender of the Lenders’ responses to each request made hereunder.  To achieve the full amount of a requested increase, the Borrower may also invite additional Eligible Assignees to become Lenders pursuant to a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(d)                                 Effective Date and Allocations.  If the Aggregate 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 final allocation of such increase.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.

 

(e)                                  Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase.  As a condition precedent to each Commitment Increase, (i) the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the Increase Effective Date signed by a Responsible Officer of such

 

53



 

Loan Party (x) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such Commitment Increase, and (y) in the case of the Borrower, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such Commitment Increase, (A) the representations and warranties contained in Article V and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent such representations and warranties are already qualified as to materiality, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of the Increase Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent such representations and warranties are already qualified as to materiality, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.14, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01 (and, to the extent applicable, any references in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 to CEI shall be deemed to be a reference to the Borrower), and (B) no Default exists.  The Borrower shall prepay any Committed Loans outstanding on the Increase Effective Date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Committed Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages arising from any nonratable increase in the Commitments under this Section.

 

(f)                                   Conflicting Provisions.  This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.13 or 10.01 to the contrary.

 

2.15.                     Cash Collateral.

 

(a)                                 Certain Credit Support Events.  If (i) the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, that remains outstanding for more than two Business Days, then within one Business Day following the written request of the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent Cash Collateral in an amount equal to such L/C Borrowing, (ii) as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, (iii) the Borrower shall be required to provide Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 8.02(c), or (iv) there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower shall immediately (in the case of clause (iii) above) or within one Business Day (in all other cases) following any request by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, provide Cash Collateral in an amount not less than the applicable Minimum Collateral Amount (determined in the case of Cash Collateral provided pursuant to clause (iv) above, after giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

 

(b)                                 Grant of Security Interest.  The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all Cash Collateral provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.15(c).  If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer as herein provided, or that the

 

54



 

total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency. All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in blocked, interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America. The Borrower shall pay on demand therefor from time to time all customary account opening, activity and other administrative fees and charges in connection with the maintenance and disbursement of Cash Collateral.

 

(c)                                  Application.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.15 or Sections 2.03, 2.05, 2.16 or 8.02 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.

 

(d)                                 Release.  Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or to secure other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 10.06(b)(vi))) or (ii) the determination by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, the Person providing Cash Collateral and the L/C Issuer may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

 

2.16.                     Defaulting Lenders.  (a)  Adjustments.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:

 

(i)                                     Waivers and Amendments.  Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section 10.01.

 

(ii)                                  Defaulting Lender Waterfall.  Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.15; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its

 

55



 

portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.15; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.16(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

(iii)                               Certain Fees.

 

(A)                               No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fee payable under Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

 

(B)                               Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive Letter of Credit Fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Applicable Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.15.

 

(C)                               With respect to any fee payable under Section 2.09(a) or any Letter of Credit Fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above, the Borrower shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans

 

56



 

that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv) below, (y) pay to the L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender, as applicable, the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such L/C Issuer’s or Swing Line Lender’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

 

(iv)                              Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure.  All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans shall be automatically reallocated (effective on the day such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender) among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that (x) the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied at the time of such reallocation (and, unless the Borrower shall have otherwise notified the Administrative Agent at such time, the Borrower shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that such conditions are satisfied at such time), and (y) such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Commitment.  No reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

(v)                                 Cash Collateral, Repayment of Swing Line Loans.  If the reallocation described in clause (a)(iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under applicable Law, (x) first, prepay Swing Line Loans in an amount equal to the Swing Line Lenders’ Fronting Exposure and (y) second, Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuers’ Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.15.

 

(b)                                 Defaulting Lender CureIf the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuer agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Committed Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.16(a)(iv)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

 

57



 

ARTICLE III.
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

 

3.01.                     Taxes.

 

(a)                                 Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.  Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Law.  If any applicable Law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings for Indemnified Taxes applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding for Indemnified Tax been made.

 

(b)                                 Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower.  Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, 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)                                  Tax Indemnifications.  (i) The Borrower shall indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 20 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01(c)(i)) 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; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to indemnify a Recipient for Indemnified Taxes pursuant to this Section 3.01(c)(i) unless such Recipient notifies the Borrower of the indemnification claim for such Indemnified Taxes no later than nine months after the earlier of (x) the date on which the relevant Governmental Authority makes written demand upon the Recipient for payment of such Indemnified Taxes, and (y) the date on which such Recipient has made payment of such Indemnified Taxes. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability (that provides a summary calculation of such Indemnified Tax) 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. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender for any reason fails to pay to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below, net of any amounts the Administrative Agent has received as a set off against such Lender pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below; provided that such indemnity shall not be available to the extent that such payment is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent; and provided further that, if the

 

58



 

Borrower is required to directly indemnify the Administrative Agent pursuant to this sentence, the Administrative Agent shall take all steps reasonably requested by the Borrower in order to ensure that the Borrower is subrogated to the Administrative Agent’s right to collect from the applicable Lender. Prior to seeking indemnity from the Borrower under the immediately preceding sentence, the Administrative Agent shall make demand upon the applicable Lender for such amounts owed and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to exercise any then available set off rights against such Lender to satisfy such amounts owed.

 

(ii)                                  Each Lender shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, (x) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (y) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 10.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register, and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower 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, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).

 

(d)                                 Evidence of Payments.  Upon request by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.

 

(e)                                  Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.

 

(i)                                     Any Lender (which, for purposes of this Section 3.01(e), shall include the Administrative Agent) 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

 

59



 

Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), (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,

 

(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), properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-9 (or any applicable successor form) 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, properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN (or any applicable successor form) 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, properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN (or any applicable successor form) 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)                                 properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI (or any applicable successor form);

 

(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 G-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

 

60



 

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) properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN (or any applicable successor form); or

 

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

 

(iii)                               Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it

 

61



 

shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

 

(f)                                   Treatment of Certain Refunds.  If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by a Loan Party or with respect to which a Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01 or any Guaranty, it shall pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Loan Parties under this Section 3.01 or any Guaranty with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Borrower, upon the request of such Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower pursuant to this subsection (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to such Recipient in the event such Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to the Borrower pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid.  This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

 

(g)                                  Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

 

(h)                                 Defined Term.  For purposes of this Section 3.01, the term “applicable Law” includes FATCA and the term “Lender” includes any L/C Issuer.

 

3.02.                     Illegality.  If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Committed Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, then the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist.  Upon receipt of such notice,

 

62



 

(x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate.  Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

 

3.03.                     Inability to Determine Rates.  If in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, (a) the Administrative Agent determines that (i) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (ii) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan (in each case with respect to clause (a) above, “Impacted Loans”), or (b) the Required Lenders determine that for any reason the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender.  Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the affected Lenders) revokes such notice.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

 

3.04.                     Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.

 

(a)                                 Increased Costs Generally.  If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i)                                     impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e)) or the L/C Issuer;

 

(ii)                                  subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (e) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) 

 

63



 

Other Connection Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

 

(iii)                               impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer (in each case in its capacity as such) hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

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

 

(c)                                  Certificates for Reimbursement.  A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth in reasonable detail the calculation of the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

(d)                                 Delay in Requests.  Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation,

 

64



 

provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, 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 L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180 day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

 

(e)                                  Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.  The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), which shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least 10 days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest from such Lender.  If a Lender fails to give notice 10 days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable 10 days from receipt of such notice; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to pay to such Lender any portion of such additional interest that accrued more than 180 days prior to any such demand, unless such additional interest was not determinable on the date that is 180 days prior to such demand.

 

3.05.                     Compensation for Losses.  Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

 

(a)                                 any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

 

(b)                                 any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

 

(c)                                  any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 10.13;

 

including any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained, but excluding the Applicable Rate expected to be received by such Lender during the remainder of such Interest Period.  The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.

 

For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank

 

65



 

eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.

 

3.06.                     Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

 

(a)                                 Designation of a Different Lending OfficeIf any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender, or any L/C Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or any L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then at the request of the Borrower such Lender or such L/C Issuer shall, as applicable, 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 or such L/C Issuer, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be materially disadvantageous to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be.  The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or any L/C Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

(b)                                 Replacement of Lenders.  If (a) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, (b) any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, or (c) any Lender’s obligation to make or to convert or continue outstanding Loans as Eurodollar Rate Loans has been suspended pursuant to Section 3.02, then the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 10.13.

 

3.07.                     Survival.  All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, and resignation of the Administrative Agent.

 

ARTICLE IV.
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

4.01.                     Conditions of Initial Credit Extension.  The obligation of each L/C Issuer and each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)                                 The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or telecopies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders:

 

66



 

(i)                                     executed counterparts of this Agreement, the Guaranty, and the Pledge Agreement, sufficient in number for distribution to the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Borrower;

 

(ii)                                  a Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a Note;

 

(iii)                               such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party;

 

(iv)                              such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that each of the Borrower and each Guarantor is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(v)                                 an opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender covering such matters concerning the Loan Parties and the Loan Documents as the Lenders may reasonably request and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Lenders;

 

(vi)                              a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 4.01(b), (c) and (d) and 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied;

 

(vii)                           a duly completed Compliance Certificate as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter (or fiscal year) of the Borrower for which financial statements are available, signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower and demonstrating pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.13 (after giving effect to the Combination and the incurrence of Indebtedness on the Closing Date);

 

(viii)                        a certificate as to the solvency of the Borrower individually and the Loan Parties taken as a whole (after giving effect to the Combination and the incurrence of Indebtedness on the Closing Date) from the chief financial officer of EnLink Manager;

 

(ix)                              evidence that the Existing Credit Agreement has been or concurrently with the Closing Date is being terminated and all Liens securing obligations under the Existing Credit Agreement have been or concurrently with the Closing Date are being released;

 

(x)                                 a Form U-1 duly executed and completed by the Borrower; and

 

67



 

(xi)                              such other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or the Required Lenders reasonably may require.

 

(b)                                 The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence satisfactory to it that on or before the date of the initial Credit Extension hereunder, the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified in a manner not materially adverse to the Lenders unless the consent of each Lender has been obtained), shall have been consummated, without the waiver or modification of any condition precedent thereto or to the Merger Agreement (as defined therein) that is materially adverse to the Lenders unless the consent of each Lender is obtained.

 

(c)                                  There shall not have occurred since December 31, 2012 any event or condition that has had a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)                                 There shall not have occurred a Midstream Group Material Adverse Effect or a Crosstex Material Adverse Effect (each as defined in the Merger Agreement).

 

(e)                                  All filings, recordations and searches necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in connection with the Liens and security interests on the Collateral shall have been duly made (or, in the case of filings and recordations, provision acceptable to the Administrative Agent shall have been made therefor).

 

(f)                                   The Lenders shall have received satisfactory evidence that the Administrative Agent (on behalf of the Secured Parties) shall have a valid and perfected first priority (subject to Permitted Collateral Liens) Lien and security interest in the Equity Interests in EnLink MLP and EnLink Holdings constituting Collateral and a valid and perfected first priority (subject to Permitted Liens) Lien and security interest in the Collateral other than Equity Interests in EnLink MLP and EnLink Holdings.

 

(g)                                  The Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall have provided the documentation and other information to the Lenders that is required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money-laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Patriot Act.

 

(h)                                 The Lenders shall have received the Audited Financial Statements, the Unaudited Financial Statements, the Pro Forma Financial Statements and the Forecast Financial Statements.

 

(i)                                     Any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date shall have been paid.

 

(j)                                    Unless waived by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall have paid all reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent invoiced at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date.

 

(k)                                 The Administrative Agent shall have received a funds flow memorandum in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to it.

 

68



 

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

4.02.                     Conditions to all Credit Extensions.  The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)                                 The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article V and the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties contained in any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent such representations and warranties are already qualified as to materiality, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent such representations and warranties are already qualified as to materiality, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01 (and, to the extent applicable, any references in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 to CEI shall be deemed to be a reference to the Borrower).

 

(b)                                 No Default shall have occurred and be continuing, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.

 

(c)                                  The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.

 

Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

 

ARTICLE V.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

 

5.01.                     Existence, Qualification and Power.  Each Loan Party and each Material Restricted Subsidiary thereof (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable,

 

69



 

in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite corporate or equivalent power and authority to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.02.                     Authorization; No Contravention.  The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) violate (i) the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (iii) any provision of Law applicable to it, (b) result in the acceleration of any Indebtedness owed by it, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (c) result in any breach of, or a default under, any material Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or to which its properties are bound, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (d) result in the creation of any consensual Lien upon any of its material assets except as expressly contemplated in, or permitted by, the Loan Documents.

 

5.03.                     Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.  Other than the filings which may be necessary to perfect the Administrative Agent’s Lien under the Security Documents and a Federal Reserve Form FR U-1 (OMB No. 7100-0115) with respect to the pledged Equity Interests of EnLink MLP, no material approval, consent, exemption, or authorization of, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person that has not been obtained is required to be made or obtained by any of the Loan Parties a party thereto pursuant to the provisions of any material Law applicable to it as a condition to (a) its execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which it is a party except those relating to performance thereof as would ordinarily be made or done in the ordinary course of business after the Closing Date, (b) the grant by any Loan Party of the Liens granted by it pursuant to any of the Security Documents, (c) the perfection or maintenance of the Liens created under any of the Security Documents (including the first priority (subject to Permitted Collateral Liens) nature thereof with respect to Equity Interests constituting Collateral), or (d) the exercise by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of its rights under the Loan Documents other than those required pursuant to securities Laws that may be applicable to the disposition of any property subject to such securities Laws.

 

5.04.                     Binding Effect.  This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document to which any Loan Party is a party, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party.  This Agreement constitutes, and each other such Loan Document when so executed and delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Loan Party party hereto or thereto, as the case may be, enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its terms, except, in each case (a) as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and by general principles of equity which may limit the right to obtain equitable remedies (regardless of whether such enforceability is a proceeding

 

70



 

in equity or at law) and (b) as to the enforceability of provisions for indemnification and the limitations thereon arising as a matter of law or public policy.

 

5.05.                     Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

 

(a)                                 The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of CEI and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby.

 

(b)                                 The Unaudited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of CEI and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.

 

(c)                                  As of the Closing Date, for the period from December 31, 2012 through the Closing Date, there exists no event or circumstance with respect to the Borrower, the Restricted Subsidiaries and the Unrestricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)                                 The Pro Forma Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the consolidated pro forma financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the date specified therein and the consolidated pro forma results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the period ended on such date, all in accordance with GAAP, subject to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.

 

(e)                                  The Forecast Financial Statements were prepared in good faith and on the basis of information and assumptions that the Borrower believed to be reasonable as of the date such information was furnished (it being recognized by the Lenders that such estimates, financial projections and forecasts as they relate to future events are not to be viewed as fact and that actual results during the period or periods covered by such estimates, financial projections and forecasts may differ from the projected results set forth therein by a material amount).

 

5.06.                     Litigation.  Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements, or in Schedule 5.06, there are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, overtly threatened in writing, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against any Loan Party, or against any of their properties or revenues that, as of the Closing Date, either individually or in the aggregate would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.07.                     No Default.  No Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

5.08.                     Ownership of Property; Liens.  Each Loan Party and each Restricted Subsidiary has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real

 

71



 

property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  The property of each Loan Party and the Restricted Subsidiaries is subject to no Liens, other than Permitted Liens. All of the outstanding limited partner interests and common units in EnLink MLP and EnLink Holdings directly or indirectly owned by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in EnLink GP, each Guarantor and each Material Restricted Subsidiary directly or indirectly owned by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, as of the Closing Date, are owned by a Loan Party in the amounts specified on Part (a) of Schedule 5.08, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Collateral Liens and Liens granted to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties under the Security Documents. Set forth on Part (b) of Schedule 5.08 is a complete and accurate list of all Loan Parties, showing as of the Closing Date for each Loan Party the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, the address of its principal place of business and its U.S. taxpayer identification number, if any.

 

5.09.                     Environmental Compliance.  Each Loan Party and the Restricted Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, and as a result thereof the Borrower has reasonably concluded that each Loan Party and the Restricted Subsidiaries are in compliance with such Environmental Laws and are not subject to any claims thereunder except, in each case, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.10.                     Insurance.  The properties of each Loan Party and the Restricted Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of a Loan Party, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the Loan Party or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary operates.

 

5.11.                     Taxes.  Each Loan Party and its Restricted Subsidiaries have filed all Federal, state and other Tax returns and reports required to be filed by them, and have paid all Federal, state and other Taxes, governmental assessments, governmental fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets that are due and payable by them, except (i) those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (ii) where failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Borrower’s knowledge, there is no proposed tax assessment against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.  As of the Closing Date, neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary is party to any tax sharing agreement with a party other than the Borrower and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, except for customary arrangements with respect to Texas franchise taxes (including, for the avoidance of doubt, margin taxes).

 

72



 

5.12.                     ERISA Compliance.

 

(a)                                 Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements or in Schedule 5.12, each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other applicable Federal or state laws to the extent that any non-compliance therewith could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Each Pension Plan that is intended to be a qualified plan under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination or opinion letter from the IRS to the effect that the form of such Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and the trust related thereto has been determined by the IRS to be exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Code, or an application for such a letter has been submitted to the IRS.  To the knowledge of the Borrower, nothing has occurred with respect to the Borrower, or any ERISA Affiliate that would prevent or cause the loss of such tax-qualified status.

 

(b)                                 Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements or in Schedule 5.12, there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, overtly threatened in writing, claims, actions or  lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that  could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements or in Schedule 5.12, there has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)                                  Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements or in Schedule 5.12, (i) no ERISA Event has occurred, and neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has actual knowledge of any fact, event or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to constitute or result in an ERISA Event with respect to any Pension Plan; (ii) each Loan Party and each ERISA Affiliate has met in all material respects all applicable requirements under the Pension Funding Rules in respect of each Pension Plan, and no waiver of the minimum funding standards under the Pension Funding Rules has been applied for or obtained; (iii) as of the most recent valuation date for any Pension Plan, the funding target attainment percentage (as defined in Section 430(d)(2) of the Code) is 60% or higher and neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has actual knowledge of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause the funding target attainment percentage for any such plan to drop below 60% as of the most recent valuation date; (iv) neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability to the PBGC other than for the payment of premiums or obligations of immaterial amounts, and there are no premium payments which have become due that are delinquent or are being contested in good faith; (v) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has, to its actual knowledge, engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or Section 4212(c) of ERISA; and (vi) to the actual knowledge of the Borrower, no Pension Plan has been terminated by the plan administrator thereof nor by the PBGC, and no event or circumstance has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to cause the PBGC to institute proceedings under Title IV of ERISA to terminate any Pension Plan.

 

5.13.                     Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

 

(a)                                 No Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is engaged nor will 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.

 

73



 

(b)                                 Neither the Borrower, nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

5.14.                     Disclosure.  No report, financial statement, certificate or other information (other than projected and forecast financial information and information of a general economic nature or industry specific information) furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party, or any of their respective Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement (including those delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished, when so modified or supplemented)) contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements contained herein or therein not misleading when taken as a whole with other previously provided information, in the light of the circumstances under which made or deemed made and as of the date made or deemed made (or if such information expressly relates or refers to an earlier date, as of such earlier date); provided that, to the extent relating to Devon or any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates (excluding the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries) or their respective businesses, such representation and warranty is made only to the knowledge of the Borrower after due inquiry.

 

5.15.                     Compliance with Laws.  Except as set forth in Schedule 5.15, each of the Loan Parties and each of their Restricted Subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith, and if necessary, by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.16.                     Solvency.  The Borrower, individually, is Solvent. The Loan Parties, together with their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis taken as a whole, are Solvent.

 

5.17.                     Collateral Documents.  The provisions of the Security Documents are effective to create in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a legal, valid and enforceable first priority (subject to Permitted Collateral Liens) perfected Lien on all right, title and interest of the respective Loan Parties in Equity Interests constituting Collateral and first priority (except for Permitted Liens entitled to priority under applicable law) Lien on all right, title and interest of the respective Loan Parties in the Collateral (other than Equity Interests) described therein.  Except for filings and other actions as contemplated hereby and by the Security Documents, no filing or other action will be necessary to perfect or protect such Liens.

 

5.18.                     OFAC.  Neither the Borrower, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity currently the subject of any Sanctions, nor is the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.

 

74



 

ARTICLE VI.
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation (other than contingent obligations not yet due and payable and Obligations in respect of Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements) hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or (unless a collateral arrangement satisfactory to the L/C Issuer has been entered into) any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02, and 6.03) cause each Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

6.01.                     Financial Statements.  Deliver to the Administrative Agent:

 

(a)                                 as soon as available, but in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower (or, if earlier, 15 days after the date required to be filed with the SEC (without giving effect to any extension permitted by the SEC)) (commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2014), a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or any qualification as to the scope of such audit; and

 

(b)                                 as soon as available, but in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower (or, if earlier, 5 days after the date required to be filed with the SEC (without giving effect to any extension permitted by the SEC)) (commencing with the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2014), a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, the related consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, and the related consolidated statements of changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for the portion of the Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, in each case setting forth in comparative form, as applicable, the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, vice president — finance, treasurer or controller of the Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

6.02.                     Certificates; Other Information.  Deliver to the Administrative Agent:

 

(a)                                 concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b) (commencing with the delivery of the financial statements for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2014), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief

 

75



 

executive officer, chief financial officer, vice president — finance, treasurer or controller of the Borrower (which delivery may, unless the Administrative Agent, or a Lender requests executed originals, be by electronic communication including fax or email and shall be deemed to be an original authentic counterpart thereof for all purposes), and including a reconciliation of the Borrower’s calculation of Consolidated EBITDA versus the calculation of net income in accordance with GAAP as set forth in the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b);

 

(b)                                 promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of the Borrower, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which the Borrower may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;

 

(c)                                  promptly to the Administrative Agent upon written request, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, in each case which are reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender and not subject to confidentiality restrictions or attorney-client privilege; and

 

(d)                                 promptly after obtaining knowledge thereof, notice of any public announcement by Moody’s or S&P of any downgrade in a Debt Rating.

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(b) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent and including the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website on the internet at www.sec.gov); provided that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon its request to the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (by facsimile or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents.  The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

 

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arrangers may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on Debt Domain, IntraLinks, Syndtrak or another

 

76



 

similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities.  The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform that is not designated “Public Side Information.”

 

6.03.                     Notices.  Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

 

(a)                                 of the occurrence of any Default;

 

(b)                                 of any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(c)                                  of any Disposition by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Equity Interests in EnLink MLP or EnLink Holdings or any other Equity Interests constituting Collateral;

 

(d)                                 of any Disposition by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of any assets to EnLink MLP or EnLink Holdings having an aggregate fair market value in excess of $25,000,000;

 

(e)                                  of any change in any Loan Party’s legal name or jurisdiction of organization; and

 

(f)                                   of any public announcement by Moody’s or S&P of any change in a Debt Rating.

 

Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

6.04.                     Payment of Taxes, Etc.  (a) Timely file all tax returns (including any extensions) required to be filed by it, (b) pay all taxes, governmental assessments and other governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its property and payable by it before the same shall become delinquent or in default, and (c) maintain appropriate accruals and reserves for all of the foregoing as required by GAAP, except to the extent that (i) it is in good faith contesting the validity thereof by appropriate proceedings, if necessary, diligently conducted and has set aside on its books adequate reserves therefor which are required by GAAP or (ii) such non-filing, non-

 

77



 

payment or non-maintenance would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6.05.                     Preservation of Existence, Etc.  (a) Preserve and maintain its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization; and (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary in the normal conduct of its business, except in each case (i) where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) as permitted in Section 7.03.

 

6.06.                     Maintenance of Properties.  Maintain all of its material properties and equipment that are necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear and obsoleteness excepted, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6.07.                     Maintenance of Insurance.  Maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance or, at its option, self-insure in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards) and against such risks as are customarily insured by other Persons engaged in the same or similar business and owning similar properties; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this  Section 6.07, the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries may effect workers’ compensation or similar insurance in respect of operations in any state or other jurisdiction through any insurance fund operated by such state or other jurisdiction or by causing to be maintained a system or systems of self-insurance in accord with applicable laws.  The insurance coverages and amounts will be reasonably determined by the Borrower, based on coverages carried by prudent owners of similar property, and with respect to each Restricted Subsidiary, may be maintained by the Borrower.

 

6.08.                     Compliance with Laws.  Comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, if necessary, diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6.09.                     Books and Records.  Maintain full and accurate books of record and account in conformity with GAAP consistently applied.

 

6.10.                     Inspection Rights.  Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and to make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its officers and independent public accountants, all at such reasonable times during normal business hours, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower. Each of the foregoing inspections and examinations shall be made subject to compliance with applicable safety standards and the same conditions applicable to the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary in respect of property of that Person on the premises of Persons other than the Loan Parties, Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof, and all information, books and records furnished or requested to be made, all information to be investigated or verified, all copies and abstracts of all

 

78



 

information, books and records and all discussion conducted with any officer, employee or representative of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, in each case, shall be subject to any applicable attorney-client privilege exceptions which such Loan Party or such Subsidiary determines is reasonably necessary and compliance with conditions to disclosures under non-disclosure agreements between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and Persons other than the Loan Parties, Subsidiary, or Affiliate thereof and the express undertaking of each Person acting at the direction of or on behalf of any Lender Party to be bound by the confidentiality provisions of Section 10.07 of this Agreement.

 

6.11.                     Use of Proceeds.  Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions for (i) refinancing outstanding indebtedness under the Existing Credit Agreement, (ii) working capital, capital expenditures, repayment of intercompany debt, and acquisitions, (iii) financing fees, costs and expenses incurred by the Borrower in connection with the Combination, and (iv) other general corporate purposes not in violation of any Law applicable to it.

 

6.12.                     Additional Guarantors.  Prior to the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event:

 

(a)                                 Upon the formation or acquisition of any new direct or indirect Specified Subsidiary by any Loan Party, then the Borrower shall, at the Borrower’s expense:

 

(i)                                     subject to subsection (d) below, within 30 Business Days (or such longer period as permitted by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) after such formation or acquisition or such Subsidiary becoming a Specified Subsidiary, cause such Specified Subsidiary to duly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a supplement to the Guaranty substantially in the form attached thereto; and

 

(ii)                                  subject to subsection (d) below, within 30 Business Days (or such longer period as permitted by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) after such formation or acquisition or such Subsidiary becoming a Specified Subsidiary, cause such Specified Subsidiary to duly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent Security Documents consistent in scope with the Security Documents delivered on the Closing Date (but modified as necessary to include any type of Equity Collateral not existing on the Closing Date), as specified by and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent securing payment of the Obligations.

 

(b)                                 Upon the acquisition by the Borrower or any Specified Subsidiary of (A) any limited partner interests or common units in EnLink MLP or EnLink Holdings, (B) any Equity Interests in any Guarantor, (C) any Equity Interests in EnLink GP, or (D) any Equity Interests in any Material Restricted Subsidiary (collectively, the “Equity Collateral”), then the Borrower shall, at the Borrower’s expense within 30 Business Days (or such longer period as permitted by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) after such acquisition, cause, subject to subsection (d) below, the Equity Collateral owned directly by the Borrower or such Specified Subsidiary to be subject to a first priority (subject to Permitted Collateral Liens), perfected Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Security Documents.

 

79



 

(c)                                  Subject to subsection (d) below, at any time upon the request of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall promptly execute and deliver or cause its Specified Subsidiaries and other Subsidiaries that are Loan Parties to execute and deliver any and all further instruments and documents and take all such other action as the Administrative Agent may reasonably deem necessary or desirable in order to perfect, protect, and preserve the Liens of such Security Documents or to grant a Lien in additional Equity Collateral.

 

(d)                                 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (i) the Equity Interests in any Excluded CFC subject to any Liens under the Loan Documents shall be limited (in the aggregate), and the Collateral shall be limited (in the case of Equity Interests in an Excluded CFC), to 65% of the voting Equity Interests owned directly by the Borrower and/or its Domestic Subsidiaries in such Excluded CFC (based on the combined voting power of all classes of stock in the Excluded CFC entitled to vote, within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) and 100% of the non-voting Equity Interests owned directly by the Borrower and/or its Domestic Subsidiaries in such Excluded CFC, (ii) no Excluded CFC shall be required to execute a supplement to the Guaranty, and (iii) no Excluded CFC shall be required to execute any Security Documents, grant a Lien in any of its assets and/or otherwise pledge any of its assets, and no assets of any Excluded CFC shall constitute Collateral. For purposes of this Section 6.12(d), any “stock entitled to vote” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.956-2(c)(2) shall be treated as an Equity Interest that is a voting Equity Interest (and, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not be treated as a non-voting Equity Interest).

 

6.13.                     Further Assurances.  Promptly after any reasonable request by the Administrative Agent, or any Lender through the Administrative Agent made prior to the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event, (a) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in any Loan Document or in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation thereof, and (b) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent, or any Lender through the Administrative Agent, may reasonably require from time to time in order to (i) carry out more effectively the purposes of the Loan Documents, (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, subject any Loan Party’s properties, assets, rights or interests that are purported to be Collateral to the Liens now or hereafter intended by the parties hereto to be covered by any of the Security Documents, (iii) perfect and maintain the validity, effectiveness and priority of any of the Security Documents and any of the Liens intended by the parties hereto to be created thereunder and (iv) assure, convey, grant, assign, transfer, preserve, protect and confirm more effectively unto the Administrative Agent the rights granted or now or hereafter intended by the parties hereto to be granted to the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document or under any other instrument executed in connection with any Loan Document to which any Loan Party is or is to be a party, and cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to do so.

 

6.14.                     Designation of Subsidiaries.

 

(a)                                 After the Closing Date, the Borrower may designate any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary by delivery of a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, which certificate shall name each of the Subsidiaries being designated as Unrestricted Subsidiaries, state the effective date of such designation, which shall be the date

 

80



 

of delivery of such certificate, and certify that all of the conditions set forth in this Section 6.14 have been satisfied. A Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, only if after giving effect to such designation no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof and provided further that each of the following conditions is satisfied with respect to such Subsidiary and all of its Subsidiaries:

 

(i)                                     such Subsidiary is not a Guarantor, nor is such Subsidiary required to be a Guarantor pursuant to Section 6.12;

 

(ii)                                  (A) neither the Borrower nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries provides any Guarantee of, or any credit support for, any Indebtedness (contingent or otherwise) of such Subsidiary (or any of its Subsidiaries), or otherwise is directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness (contingent or otherwise) of such Subsidiary (or any of its Subsidiaries), (B) no Indebtedness (contingent or otherwise) of such Subsidiary (or any of its Subsidiaries) is with recourse to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (C) neither the Borrower nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation to maintain or preserve the financial condition of such Subsidiary (or any of its Subsidiaries) or to cause any such Subsidiary (or any of its Subsidiaries) to achieve any specified level of operating results, and (D) there are no Liens on any property of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary securing, nor is any of their property otherwise subject (directly or indirectly) to the satisfaction of, any Indebtedness (contingent or otherwise), of any such Subsidiary (or any of its Subsidiaries); and

 

(iii)                               such Subsidiary does not, nor does any of its Subsidiaries (i) own any capital stock of or other equity interests in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) hold any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, except in the ordinary course of business but in no event Indebtedness for borrowed money, or (iii) hold any Lien on property of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, except in connection with the ordinary course of business but in no event to secure debt for borrowed money.

 

(b)                                 If at any time any Unrestricted Subsidiary designated as such pursuant to Section 6.14(a) fails to meet any of the requirements set forth in Section 6.14(a)(i), (ii) or (iii), then (i) it and each of its Subsidiaries shall thereafter cease to be Unrestricted Subsidiaries and it and each of its Subsidiaries shall be Restricted Subsidiaries, and (ii) the Borrower shall so notify the Administrative Agent.

 

(c)                                  The Borrower may at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary designated as such pursuant to Section 6.14(a) to be a Restricted Subsidiary, provided that all of the Subsidiaries of such Unrestricted Subsidiary shall also be designated as Restricted Subsidiaries, and provided further that immediately after giving effect to such designation no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof. Such designation shall be made by delivery of a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, which certificate shall (i) name each of the Subsidiaries being designated as a Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) state the effective date of such designation, which shall be the date of delivery of such certificate, and (iii) certify that all of the conditions to such designation set forth in this Section 6.14 have been satisfied.

 

81



 

(d)                                 As of the Closing Date, there are no Unrestricted Subsidiaries other than EnLink MLP, EnLink Holdings, E2, E2 Appalachian, and each of their respective Subsidiaries.

 

6.15.                     Maintenance of Control of EnLink MLP and EnLink Holdings.

 

(a)                                 Maintain Control of each of EnLink MLP and EnLink Holdings;

 

(b)                                 own, directly or indirectly, at least 50% of the equity interests entitled to vote for the board of directors or equivalent governing body of EnLink GP and EnLink Holdings GP; and

 

(c)                                  cause EnLink GP to be the general partner of EnLink MLP and cause EnLink Holdings GP to be the general partner of EnLink Holdings;

 

provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, EnLink Holdings and/or EnLink Holdings GP may merge with and into EnLink MLP and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries.

 

ARTICLE VII.
NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder (other than contingent obligations not yet due and payable and Obligations in respect of Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements) shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or (unless a collateral arrangement satisfactory to the L/C Issuer has been entered into) any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, no Loan Party shall, nor shall it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:

 

7.01.                     Liens.  Create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property to secure Indebtedness, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

 

(a)                                 Liens pursuant to any Loan Document or securing any of the Obligations;

 

(b)                                 Liens for Taxes, assessments, charges and levies not yet delinquent or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(c)                                  carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens (including Liens on property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the possession of storage facilities, pipelines or barges) arising in the ordinary course of business which are not overdue for a period of more than 60 days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if necessary, diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(d)                                 Liens on cash and cash equivalents securing obligations under Swap Contracts;

 

82



 

(e)                                  pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation (other than any Lien imposed by ERISA) or to secure letters of credit issued with respect thereto;

 

(f)                                   deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases (other than for borrowed money), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business (or to secure letters of credit issued in connection therewith);

 

(g)                                  easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property or minor imperfections in title thereto which, in the aggregate, are not material in amount, and which do not materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;

 

(h)                                 inchoate Liens in respect of pending litigation or Liens securing judgments for the payment of money (or securing letters of credit, appeal or other surety bonds related to such judgments) not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h);

 

(i)                                     Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution and arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

(j)                                    Liens in respect of Operating Leases;

 

(k)                                 Liens securing Acquired Indebtedness, provided that (i) each such Lien (A) existed at the time the obligor thereon was merged with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or otherwise became a Subsidiary, and was not created in anticipation thereof, or (B) was created solely for the purpose of securing Indebtedness representing, or incurred to finance, refinance or refund, the cost of the acquisition of such obligor and (ii) no such Lien shall extend to or cover any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary other than the property or assets of such obligor and any additions thereto, proceeds thereof and property in replacement or substitution thereof;

 

(l)                                     Liens on any asset acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) each such Lien existed at the time of such acquisition and was not created in anticipation thereof and (ii) no such Lien shall extend to or cover any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary other than the property or asset so acquired and any additions thereto, proceeds thereof and property in replacement or substitution thereof;

 

(m)                             rights reserved to or vested in any Governmental Authority by the terms of any right, power, franchise, grant, license or permit, or by any provision of Law, to revoke or terminate any such right, power, franchise, grant, license or permit or to condemn or acquire by eminent domain or similar process;

 

(n)                                 rights reserved to or vested by Law in any Governmental Authority to, control or regulate any of the properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or the use thereof or the rights and interests of the Borrower or any Subsidiary therein, in any manner under any and all Laws;

 

83



 

(o)                                 rights reserved to the grantors of any properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and the restrictions, conditions, restrictive covenants and limitations, in respect thereto, pursuant to the terms, conditions and provisions of any rights-of-way agreements, contracts or other agreements therewith;

 

(p)                                 Liens securing obligations of a Subsidiary (but not the Borrower) owed to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary of the Borrower;

 

(q)                                 Liens securing Indebtedness, including Capital Leases, incurred or assumed for the purpose of financing all or any part of the cost of acquiring, repairing, constructing or improving fixed or capital assets; provided that (i) any such Lien shall be created substantially simultaneously with or within 12 months after the acquisition thereof or the completion of the repair, construction or improvement thereof, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than repairs, renewals, replacements, additions, accession, improvements and betterments thereto) and (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing, improving, altering or repairing such fixed or capital assets, as the case may be;

 

(r)                                    Liens arising out of the refinancing, extension, renewal or refunding of any debt secured by any Lien permitted by clause (k), (l), or (q) of this Section 7.01; provided that no such Lien shall encumber any additional assets (other than additions thereto and property in replacement or substitution thereof) or secure debt with a larger principal amount (other than in respect of accrued interest, fees and transaction costs) than the debt being refinanced, extended, renewed or refunded; and

 

(s)                                   Liens on Property that is not Collateral and which Liens are not otherwise permitted herein, which secure obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any time outstanding $35,000,000.

 

7.02.                     Investments.  Make or permit to exist any Investments, except:

 

(a)                                 Investments existing on the date of this Agreement and listed on Schedule 7.02;

 

(b)                                 Investments held by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of cash equivalents;

 

(c)                                  loans and advances to officers, directors and employees of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business for travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes;

 

(d)                                 the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon the exercise or exchange of unit options, unit incentives or similar rights to the extent that such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise or exchange price of these unit options, unit incentives or similar rights, and the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement of Equity Interests made in satisfaction of obligations for withholding taxes resulting from the exercise or exchange of unit options, unit incentives or similar rights;

 

84



 

(e)                                  (i) Investments of the Borrower in any Guarantor and Investments of any Guarantor in the Borrower or in another Guarantor and (ii) Investments of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor in any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor;

 

(f)                                   Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss;

 

(g)                                  Guarantees permitted by Section 7.03 and other Guarantees entered into in the ordinary course of business in respect of obligations of Restricted Subsidiaries not constituting Indebtedness;

 

(h)                                 Investments in Swap Contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business for non-speculative purposes as a part of its normal business operations as a risk management strategy and/or hedge against changes resulting from market conditions related to the Borrower’s or its Restricted Subsidiaries’ operations;

 

(i)                                     direct or indirect Investments in EnLink MLP and EnLink Holdings; provided that, after giving effect to such Investment on a pro forma basis, the Borrower would be in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 7.13 and no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom; and

 

(j)                                    other Investments (other than in EnLink MLP and EnLink Holdings); provided that, at the time of, and after giving effect to, such Investments on a pro forma basis, (x) the Borrower would be in compliance with the covenant set forth in Section 7.13(a) as if such financial covenant were 0.25:1.00 more restrictive than as set forth in Section 7.13(a), (y) the Borrower would be in compliance with the covenant set forth in Section 7.13(b) as if such financial covenant were 0.50:1.00 more restrictive than as set forth in Section 7.13(b), and (z) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom.

 

7.03.                     Indebtedness.  Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

 

(a)                                 Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

 

(b)                                 Indebtedness of (i) any Guarantor owing to the Borrower, (ii) any Guarantor owing to another Guarantor, or (iii) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor to another Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor;

 

(c)                                  Acquired Indebtedness;

 

(d)                                 Indebtedness in respect of Swap Contracts or credit support in respect thereof entered into in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

 

(e)                                  Indebtedness in connection with the endorsement of negotiable instruments, Cash Management Agreements and other similar obligations in respect of netting services, overdraft protection and similar arrangements, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

85



 

(f)                                   Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by Section 7.01(q); provided that the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness at any time outstanding shall not exceed $50,000,000;

 

(g)                                  any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions of Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (c) or (f) of this Section 7.03; provided that the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder;

 

(h)                                 unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower (other than Guarantees of, or other obligations in respect of, Indebtedness of Unrestricted Subsidiaries); provided that (i) the Borrower is in compliance with Section 7.13 immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of any such Indebtedness, (ii) such Indebtedness does not impose any maintenance financial covenants on the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, (iii) such Indebtedness shall not require any scheduled payment on account of principal (whether by redemption, purchase, retirement, defeasance, set-off or otherwise) prior to the date that is one year after the Maturity Date, and (iv) such Indebtedness shall contain terms and conditions that are customary for such transactions and not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those in this Agreement;

 

(i)                                     Guarantees of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to this Section 7.03, other than Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.03(h); and

 

(j)                                    other Indebtedness not otherwise permitted pursuant to the foregoing clauses (a) through (i) in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed $50,000,000.

 

7.04.                     Fundamental Changes.

 

(a)                                 Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of related transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that, so long as no Default exists or, upon giving pro forma effect thereto, would immediately result therefrom:

 

(i)                                     the Borrower may merge or consolidate with another Person; provided that the Borrower shall be the acquiring, surviving or continuing entity;

 

(ii)                                  any Restricted Subsidiary may merge with (A) the Borrower, provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, or (B) any one or more other Restricted Subsidiaries, provided that when any Guarantor is merging with another Restricted Subsidiary, the Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving Person; and

 

(iii)                               (i) any Restricted Subsidiary may dissolve or Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or to another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Guarantor, then the transferee must either be the Borrower or a Guarantor; and (ii) any

 

86



 

Restricted Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to, or merge into or consolidate with, any other Person in a transaction not prohibited by Section 7.05; or

 

(b)                                 Dispose of or permit any Subsidiary to Dispose of any Equity Interests in EnLink GP or EnLink Holdings GP unless (i) EnLink GP and EnLink Holdings GP remain Subsidiaries of the Borrower after giving effect to such Disposition (unless EnLink Holdings GP has merged with EnLink MLP or one of its Subsidiaries), (ii) no Event of Default exists at the time of such Disposition or would result therefrom and (iii) after giving effect to such Disposition on a pro forma basis, the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 7.13.

 

7.05.                     Dispositions.  Make any Disposition, except:

 

(a)                                 Dispositions of obsolete or worn out property and Dispositions in the ordinary course of business of property that is no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(b)                                 Dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business;

 

(c)                                  Dispositions of equipment or real property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;

 

(d)                                 Dispositions of property by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or to a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor of such property is the Borrower or a Guarantor, the transferee thereof must either be the Borrower or a Guarantor;

 

(e)                                  Liens permitted by Section 7.01, Investments permitted by Section 7.02, Dispositions permitted by Section 7.04, and Restricted Payments permitted by Section 7.06;

 

(f)                                   leases, subleases, licenses, sublicenses, easements, rights of way or similar rights or encumbrances in each case in the ordinary course of business and that do not materially interfere with the business of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(g)                                  liquidations or other dispositions of cash and cash equivalents;

 

(h)                                 Dispositions of Property (i) resulting from the condemnation thereof or (ii) that has suffered a casualty (constituting a total loss or constructive total loss of such Property) upon or after receipt of the insurance proceeds of such casualty;

 

(i)                                     sales or discounts of overdue accounts receivable in the ordinary course of business, in connection with the compromise or collection thereof;

 

(j)                                    Dispositions to EnLink MLP or its Subsidiaries; provided that (i) after giving effect to such Disposition on a pro forma basis, the Borrower would be in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 7.13, (ii) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such Disposition or would result therefrom, and (iii) such Disposition shall be approved by EnLink Manager’s conflicts committee;

 

87



 

(k)                                 Dispositions of the Equity Interests in, or property of, E2 and/or E2 Appalachian; provided that (i) after giving effect to such Disposition on a pro forma basis, the Borrower would be in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 7.13, (ii) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such Disposition or would result therefrom, and (iii) such Disposition shall be for fair market value; and

 

(l)                                     Dispositions by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries not otherwise permitted under this Section 7.05; provided that (i) at the time of such Disposition, no Default shall exist or would result from such Disposition, (ii) after giving effect to such Disposition on a pro forma basis, the Borrower would be in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 7.13, (iii) the aggregate book value of all property Disposed of in reliance on this clause (l) in any fiscal year shall not exceed $175,000,000, and (iv) such Disposition shall be for fair market value and for at least 75% cash consideration.

 

7.06.                     Restricted Payments.  Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except that:

 

(a)                                 each Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower, the Guarantors and any other Person that owns an Equity Interest in such Restricted Subsidiary, ratably according to their respective holdings of the type of Equity Interest in respect of which such Restricted Payment is being made;

 

(b)                                 the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the Equity Interests of such Person;

 

(c)                                  (i) the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary may purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire Equity Interests issued by it with the proceeds received from the substantially concurrent issue of new shares of its Equity Interests and (ii) the Borrower may repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire Equity Interests in a transaction deemed to occur upon the exercise or exchange of unit options, unit incentives or similar rights to the extent that such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise or exchange price of these unit options, unit incentives or similar rights, and the Borrower may repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire Equity Interests in satisfaction of obligations for withholding taxes resulting from the exercise or exchange of unit options, unit incentives or similar rights; and

 

(d)                                 the Borrower may declare or pay cash dividends to the holders of its Equity Interests; provided that at the time of the declaration of such dividend (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from the payment of such dividend, and (ii) after giving effect to the payment of such dividend, the Borrower would be in pro forma compliance with Section 7.13.

 

7.07.                     Change in Nature of Business.  Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof, any business substantially related or incidental thereto, or any other business that generates gross income that constitutes “qualifying income” under Section 7704(d) of the Code.

 

88



 

7.08.                     Transactions with Affiliates.  Enter into any material transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on terms that are no less favorable to the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate, provided that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to any of the following transactions: (a) any employment, equity award, equity option or equity appreciation agreement or plan entered into by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary; (b) transactions effected in accordance with the terms of agreements as in effect on the Closing Date or any amendments thereto or replacements thereof or any transactions contemplated thereby so long as any such amendment or replacement is not more disadvantageous in any material respect, taken as a whole, than the agreement so amended or replaced; (c) customary compensation, indemnification and other benefits made available to officers, directors or employees of the Borrower, any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or EnLink Manager, including reimbursement or advancement of out-of-pocket expenses and provisions of officers’ and directors’ liability insurance; (d) transactions among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and not involving any other Affiliate; (e) Restricted Payments permitted by Section 7.06; and (f) other transactions approved by EnLink Manager’s conflicts committee.

 

7.09.                     Burdensome Agreements.  Enter into any material Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that (x) limits the ability (i) of any Restricted Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any Guarantor or to otherwise transfer property to the Borrower or any Guarantor, (ii) of any Restricted Subsidiary to Guarantee the Indebtedness of the Borrower or (iii) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on Collateral of such Person to secure the Obligations; or (y) requires the grant of a Lien to secure an obligation of such Person if a Lien is granted on the Collateral to secure the Obligations, other than any such limitation existing under or by reason of:

 

(a)                                 applicable Law;

 

(b)                                 amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of Contractual Obligations described in clause (x)(i) in the lead-in to this Section 7.09 and existing on the Closing Date after giving effect to the Combination; provided that the amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacement or refinancings of any security, agreement, instrument or other undertaking evidencing any such Contractual Obligation are no more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such limitations than those contained in such security, agreement, instrument or other undertaking as it existed on the Closing Date;

 

(c)                                  amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of Contractual Obligations (other than those described in clause (x)(i) in the lead-in to this Section 7.09) existing on the Closing Date after giving effect to the Combination and listed on Schedule 7.09; provided that the amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacement or refinancings of any security, agreement, instrument or other undertaking evidencing any such Contractual Obligation

 

89



 

are no more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such limitations than those contained in such security, agreement, instrument or other undertaking as it existed on the Closing Date;

 

(d)                                 without limiting the requirements of Section 6.12, any Contractual Obligation (i) governing property existing at the time of the acquisition thereof, so long as the limitation relates only to the property so acquired or (ii) of any Restricted Subsidiary existing at the time such Restricted Subsidiary was merged or consolidated with or into, or acquired by, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, or otherwise became a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower in each case not created in contemplation of such acquisition, merger or consolidation, and any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of such Contractual Obligations; provided that the amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacement or refinancings are no more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such limitations than those contained in such Contractual Obligations at the time of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;

 

(e)                                  customary non-assignment provisions in Contractual Obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(f)                                   restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(g)                                  without limiting the requirements of Section 6.12, any Contractual Obligation related to any Indebtedness not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

(h)                                 any Contractual Obligation related to the sale, transfer or other disposition of a Restricted Subsidiary or property that is not prohibited by this Agreement; provided that such limitation applies only to that Restricted Subsidiary or property, as applicable, pending such sale, transfer or other disposition;

 

(i)                                     Permitted Liens;

 

(j)                                    any Contractual Obligation with respect to the disposition or distribution of property or cash in joint ventures not otherwise prohibited by this Agreement and entered into in the ordinary course of business; or

 

(k)                                 any Contractual Obligation related to preferred Equity Interests issued by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower or the payment of dividends thereon in accordance with the terms thereof, provided that issuance of such preferred Equity Interests is not prohibited by Section 7.02 and the terms of such preferred Equity Interest do not expressly restrict the ability of such Restricted Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments (other than requirements to pay dividends or liquidation preferences on such preferred Equity Interests prior to paying any dividends or making any other distributions on other Equity Interests).

 

7.10.                     Use of Proceeds.  Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, (a) to purchase or carry margin stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose (within the meaning of Regulation U of

 

90



 

the FRB) or (b) for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the FRB, including Regulations U and X.

 

7.11.                     Amendment of Organizational Documents.  Directly or indirectly amend, restate, supplement or otherwise modify (or permit any other Subsidiary to directly or indirectly amend, restate, supplement or otherwise modify) any of the terms of any Organizational Document of EnLink MLP or EnLink Holdings in any manner that would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the rights of the Lenders under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

7.12.                     Limitation on EnLink GP’s Activities.  From and after the Closing Date, permit EnLink GP to, directly or indirectly, engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (i) its performance as general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of EnLink MLP and any other partnership or limited liability company of which EnLink MLP is, directly or indirectly, a partner or member or (ii) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt or equity securities of EnLink MLP or any Subsidiary of EnLink MLP.

 

7.13.                     Financial Covenants.

 

(a)                                 Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio.  Prior to the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event, permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than 2.50 to 1.00.

 

(b)                                 Consolidated Leverage Ratio.  Permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower (i) occurring other than during an Acquisition Period, to be greater than 4.00 to 1.00, and (ii) occurring during an Acquisition Period, to be greater than 4.50 to 1.00.

 

ARTICLE VIII.
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

8.01.                     Events of Default.  Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:

 

(a)                                 Non-Payment.  The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when due and payable, any amount of principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation, or (ii) within five Business Days after the same becomes due and payable, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, any fee due hereunder pursuant to Section 2.09, or any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or

 

(b)                                 Specific Covenants.  The Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.03, Section 6.05 or Article VII; or

 

(c)                                  Other Defaults.  Any Loan Party fails to perform or comply with any of its obligations under any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document to which it is a party on its part to be performed or complied with and such failure continues for 30 days after notice of such failure is given by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower or such Loan Party; or

 

91



 

(d)                                 Representations and Warranties.  Any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary herein, in any other Loan Document, shall be incorrect when made or deemed made, in any material respect; or

 

(e)                                  Cross-Default.  (i) The Borrower, EnLink Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) in an aggregate principal amount which exceeds the Threshold Amount and such failure continues after the passing of the applicable notice and grace periods (other than such Indebtedness the validity of which is being contested in good faith, by appropriate proceedings (if necessary) and for which adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the Borrower, EnLink Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary as required by GAAP), or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower, EnLink Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower, EnLink Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Borrower, EnLink Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount (other than amounts under such Swap Contract, the validity of which are being contested in good faith, by appropriate proceedings (if necessary) and for which adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the Borrower, EnLink Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary as required by GAAP); or

 

(f)                                   EnLink MLP Cross-Default.  (i) EnLink MLP or any of its Subsidiaries (A) fails to make any payment when due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, tender, put, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) of any principal of or interest on any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) in an aggregate principal amount which exceeds $75,000,000 and such failure continues after the passing of the applicable notice and grace periods (other than such Indebtedness the validity of which is being contested in good faith, by appropriate proceedings (if necessary) and for which adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of EnLink MLP or any of its Subsidiaries as required by GAAP), or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, in each case, beyond the applicable grace, cure, extension, forbearance or similar period, if the effect of which failure or other event is to cause such Indebtedness to be declared to be due and payable or required to be prepaid or repurchased (other than by regularly scheduled payment) prior to its stated maturity (provided that, with respect to clause (B) only, the foregoing shall not apply to any mandatory

 

92



 

tender, mandatory prepayment or put in connection with the consummation of any transaction not prohibited by this Agreement); or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which EnLink MLP or any of its Subsidiaries is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which EnLink MLP or any of its Subsidiaries is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, (1) the Swap Termination Value owed by EnLink MLP or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than $75,000,000 (other than amounts under such Swap Contract, the validity of which are being contested in good faith, by appropriate proceedings (if necessary) and for which adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of EnLink MLP or such Subsidiary as required by GAAP) (2) after giving effect to any applicable grace, cure, extension, forbearance or similar period, the effect of such Early Termination Date is to cause such Swap Termination Value to become due and (3) such Swap Termination Value has not been paid when due; or

 

(g)                                  Insolvency Proceedings, Etc.  Any Loan Party, EnLink MLP, EnLink GP, EnLink Holdings, EnLink Holdings GP or any other Material Subsidiary (or two or more Subsidiaries that, if combined, would constitute a Material Subsidiary) institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

 

(h)                                 Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment.  (i) Any Loan Party, EnLink MLP, EnLink GP, EnLink Holdings, EnLink Holdings GP or any other Material Subsidiary (or two or more Subsidiaries that, if combined, would constitute a Material Subsidiary) becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not stayed, released, vacated or fully bonded within 60 days (or such longer period for which a stay of enforcement is allowed by applicable Law) after its issue or levy; or

 

(i)                                     Judgments.  There is entered against any Loan Party, EnLink MLP, EnLink GP, EnLink Holdings, EnLink Holdings GP or any other Material Subsidiary (or two or more Subsidiaries that, if combined, would constitute a Material Subsidiary) (i) a judgment for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments or orders) which exceeds the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which such insurer has not disputed coverage, or self-insurance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) at any one time outstanding and prior to the discharge thereof, or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are lawfully commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of 30 consecutive days after the

 

93



 

entry of such judgment during which a discharge, stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or

 

(j)                                    ERISA.  (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or

 

(k)                                 Invalidity of Loan Documents.  Any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the payment Obligations (other than contingent obligations not yet due and payable), ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document;

 

(l)                                     Change of Control.  There occurs any Change of Control; or

 

(m)                             Security Documents.  Any Security Document after delivery thereof pursuant to Section 4.01 or 6.12 shall for any reason (other than pursuant to the terms hereof or thereof) cease to create a valid and perfected first priority Lien (subject to Permitted Collateral Liens) on the Equity Interests constituting Collateral purported to be covered thereby, except to the extent that any such loss of perfection or priority results from any act or failure to act by the Administrative Agent.

 

8.02.                     Remedies Upon Event of Default.  If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

 

(a)                                 declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated or suspended (as the case may be), whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated or suspended (as the case may be);

 

(b)                                 declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

 

(c)                                  require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to 105% of the aggregate L/C Obligations then outstanding); and

 

(d)                                 exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan Documents;

 

94



 

provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts that have accrued and are owing as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

8.03.                     Application of Funds.  After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.15 and 2.16 be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

 

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

 

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest, Letter of Credit Fees, Obligations then owing under Secured Hedge Agreements and Secured Cash Management Agreements) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of any Lender or the L/C Issuer) and amounts payable under Article III) arising under the Loan Documents, ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations arising under the Loan Documents, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

 

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, L/C Borrowings and Obligations then owing under Secured Hedge Agreements and Secured Cash Management Agreements and to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit to the extent not otherwise Cash Collateralized by the Borrower pursuant to Sections 2.03 and 2.15, ratably among the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, the Hedge Banks, the Cash Management Banks and the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and

 

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

 

95



 

Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Guarantor shall not be paid with amounts received from such Guarantor or its assets, but appropriate adjustments shall be made with respect to payments from other Loan Parties to preserve the allocation to Obligations otherwise set forth above in this Section.

 

Subject to Sections 2.03(c) and 2.15, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fifth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur.  If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other payment Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements shall be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.  Each Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank not a party to the Credit Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Article IX hereof for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.

 

ARTICLE IX.
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

9.01.                     Appointment and Authority.

 

(a)                                 Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.  It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law; provided that the meaning of such term in Section 10.06(c) is intended to be consistent with the meaning of such term as used in Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations and any other analogous sections of the Code or United States Treasury Regulations. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

 

(b)                                 The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Hedge Bank and a potential Cash Management Bank) and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of such Lender and the L/C Issuer for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by any of the Loan

 

96



 

Parties to secure any of the Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto.  In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.05 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Security Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article IX and Article X (including Section 10.04(c), as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.

 

9.02.                     Rights as a Lender.  The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity.  Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

 

9.03.                     Exculpatory Provisions.  The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

 

(a)                                 shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

(b)                                 shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

 

(c)                                  shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the

 

97



 

Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Security Documents, (v) the value or sufficiency of any Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

9.04.                     Reliance by Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit.  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.

 

9.05.                     Delegation of Duties.  The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non

 

98



 

appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

 

9.06.                     Resignation of Administrative Agent.

 

(a)                                 The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrower.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States.  If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above.  Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

 

(b)                                 If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

 

(c)                                  With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (1) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or removed) Administrative Agent (other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section).  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the retiring or removed Administrative

 

99



 

Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

 

(d)                                 Any resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender.  If Bank of America resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c).  If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c).  Upon the appointment by the Borrower of a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder (which successor shall in all cases be a Lender other than a Defaulting Lender), (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as applicable, (b) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America  with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

9.07.                     Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.  Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement.  Each Lender and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

9.08.                     No Other Duties, Etc.  Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Joint Lead Arrangers, Co-Syndication Agents, or Co-Documentation Agents listed on the cover page hereof 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 the L/C Issuer hereunder.

 

9.09.                     Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.  In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C

 

100



 

Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise

 

(a)                                 to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(i) and (j), 2.09 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

(b)                                 to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 10.04.

 

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the L/C Issuer in any such proceeding.

 

The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar Laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable Law.  In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase).

 

101



 

In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (ii) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in clauses (a) through (h) of Section 10.01 of this Agreement, (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to assign the relevant Obligations to any such acquisition vehicle pro rata by the Lenders, as a result of which each of the Lenders shall be deemed to have received a pro rata portion of any Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by such an acquisition vehicle on account of the assignment of the Obligations to be credit bid, all without the need for any Secured Party or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (iv) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.

 

9.10.                     Collateral and Guaranty Matters.  Without limiting the provisions of Section 9.09, each Lender (including in its capacities as a potential Cash Management Bank and a potential Hedge Bank, and on behalf of their Affiliates in such capacities) and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion,

 

(a)                                 to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full in cash of all Obligations (other than (A) contingent indemnification obligations and (B) obligations and liabilities under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements as to which arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank shall have been made) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer shall have been made), (ii) that is Disposed of  or to be Disposed of  as part of or in connection with any Disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document, (iii) subject to Section 10.01, if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, or (iv) upon the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event;

 

(b)                                 to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Permitted Collateral Lien on such property  of the type described in subclause (ii) of the definition thereof, and to enter into any intercreditor agreement, subordination agreement or similar agreement with respect to any such property; and

 

(c)                                  to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents or upon the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event.

 

102



 

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.10. In each case as specified in this Section 9.10, the Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, promptly execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the release of such item of Collateral from the Liens granted under the Security Documents or to subordinate its interest in such item, or to release such Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 9.10.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by any Loan Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

 

9.11.                     Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements.  Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein or in any Guaranty or any Security Document, no Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefits of Section 8.03, any Guaranty or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or of any Guaranty or any Security Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements unless the Administrative Agent has received written notice of such Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.

 

ARTICLE X.
MISCELLANEOUS

 

10.01.              Amendments, Etc.  No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders (or the Administrative Agent with the written consent of the Required Lenders) and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

(a)                                 waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a) without the written consent of each Lender;

 

103



 

(b)                                 extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender;

 

(c)                                  postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment or mandatory prepayment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;

 

(d)                                 reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iv) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;

 

(e)                                  change Section 2.13 or Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;

 

(f)                                   change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder without the written consent of each Lender;

 

(g)                                  release all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty (other than upon the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event) without the written consent of each Lender, except to the extent the release of any Guarantor is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone); or

 

(h)                                 release all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than upon the occurrence of an Investment Grade Event) without the written consent of each Lender, except to the extent the release of the Collateral is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone);

 

and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swing Line Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and (iv) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any

 

104



 

amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended, nor the principal owed to any such Lender reduced, or the final maturity thereof extended, without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

 

10.02.              Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.

 

(a)                                 Notices Generally.  Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

 

(i)                                     if to the Borrower or any other Loan Party, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and

 

(ii)                                  if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).

 

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

 

(b)                                 Electronic Communications.  Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.  The Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender, the L/C Issuer or any Loan Party may each, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

 

105



 

Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

 

(c)                                  The Platform.  THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.”  THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS.  NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM.  In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to any Loan Party, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s, any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the Internet except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

 

(d)                                 Change of Address, Etc.  Each Loan Party, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.  Each other Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender.  In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, facsimile number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.  Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the

 

106



 

Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.

 

(e)                                  Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders.  The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic or electronic Committed Loan Notices, Letter of Credit Applications and Swing Line Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof.  Each Loan Party shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower.  All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

 

10.03.              No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.  No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.  The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuer; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 10.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

 

107



 

10.04.              Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

 

(a)                                 Costs and Expenses.  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, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the L/C Issuer 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, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made 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; provided that such fees, charges and disbursements of counsel shall be limited to a single firm of counsel for the Administrative Agent, Lenders and the L/C Issuer and, if reasonably necessary, a single firm of local or regulatory counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction and a single firm of special counsel for each relevant specialty, in each case for such Person, and, solely in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, where the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer affected by such conflict informs the Borrower of such conflict, one additional firm of counsel in each relevant jurisdiction for such Person similarly situated.

 

(b)                                 Indemnification by the Borrower.  The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer, 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 reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Indemnitees), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrower or any other Loan Party) other than such Indemnitee and its Related Parties arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer 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 based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF

 

108



 

THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF THE INDEMNITEE; provided that (A) 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 or a breach in bad faith by an Indemnitee of its obligations under the Loan Documents, and (B) such fees, charges and disbursements of counsel shall be limited to a single firm of counsel for all the Indemnitees and, if reasonably necessary, a single firm of local or regulatory counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction and a single firm of special counsel for each relevant specialty, in each case for all such Indemnitees, and, solely in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, where the Indemnitee affected by such conflict informs the Borrower of such conflict, one additional firm of counsel in each relevant jurisdiction for the affected Indemnitee similarly situated.  Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 10.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.

 

(c)                                  Reimbursement by Lenders.  To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or such Related Party, 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 (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), provided, further that, the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in connection with such capacity.  The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).

 

(d)                                 Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, and acknowledges that no Subsidiary shall have, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.  No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or the breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee of its obligations hereunder or thereunder as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

109



 

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

 

(f)                                   Survival.  The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 10.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.

 

10.05.              Payments Set Aside.  To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and the L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect.  The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

10.06.              Successors and Assigns.

 

(a)                                 Successors and Assigns Generally.  The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Assignments by Lenders.  Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b),

 

110



 

participations in L/C Obligations and in Swing Line Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)                                     Minimum Amounts.

 

(A)                               in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and/or the Loans at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

 

(B)                               in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if the “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

 

(ii)                                  Proportionate Amounts.  Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to the Swing Line Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans;

 

(iii)                               Required Consents.  No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

 

(A)                               the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received written notice thereof;

 

(B)                               the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender; and

 

(C)                               the consent of the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender shall be required for any assignment.

 

111



 

(iv)                              Assignment and Assumption.  The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment.  The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

 

(v)                                 No Assignment to Certain Persons.  No such assignment shall be made (A) to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) to a natural Person.

 

(vi)                              Certain Additional Payments.  In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

 

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.  Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender.  Any

 

112



 

assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

 

(c)                                  Register.  The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(d)                                 Participations.  Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person, a Defaulting Lender or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 10.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participation.

 

Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any  provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that affects such Participant.  The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 3.01(e) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 10.13 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant

 

113



 

acquired the applicable participation.  Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.06 and Section 10.13 with respect to any Participant.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender.  Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations.  The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

(e)                                  Certain Pledges.  Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or other central banking authority; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

(f)                                   Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender after Assignment.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitment and Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, (i) upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer and/or (ii) upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as Swing Line Lender.  In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be.  If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Committed Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)).  If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Committed Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c).  Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender, (a) such successor shall

 

114



 

succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, and (b) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

10.07.              Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.  Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or any Eligible Assignee invited to be a Lender pursuant to Section 2.14(d) or Section 2.14(c) or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (g) on a confidential basis to (i)  any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.  For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.

 

115



 

10.08.     Right of Setoff.  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower or any other Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether such Lender, L/C Issuer or Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or any other Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch, office or Affiliate of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.16 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff.  The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have.  Each Lender and the L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

 

10.09.     Interest Rate Limitation.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”).  If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower.  In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

 

10.10.     Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, 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

 

116



 

Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic imaging means (e.g. “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

10.11.     Survival of Representations and Warranties.  All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof.  Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

 

10.12.     Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions.  The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.  Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

 

10.13.     Replacement of Lenders.  If the Borrower is entitled to replace a Lender pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.06, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender or if any other circumstance exists hereunder that gives the Borrower the right to replace a Lender as a party hereto, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

 

(a)           the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 10.06(b);

 

(b)           such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other

 

117



 

amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

 

(c)           in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

 

(d)           such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and

 

(e)           in the case of an assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.

 

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

10.14.     Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

 

(a)           GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

(b)           SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION.  EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT ANY PARTY HERETO MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY

 

118



 

HERETO OR THERETO, THE BORROWER OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

 

(c)           WAIVER OF VENUE.  EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

 

(d)           SERVICE OF PROCESS.  EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

 

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

 

10.16.     No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.  In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and each Lender is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any

 

119



 

other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its Affiliates.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

10.17.     Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents.  The words “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, 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 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.

 

10.18.     USA PATRIOT Act.  Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the Act.  The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.

 

10.19.     Time of the Essence.  Time is of the essence of the Loan Documents.

 

10.20.     Keepwell.  The Borrower at the time the Guaranty or the grant of the security interest under the Loan Documents, in each case, by any Specified Loan Party, becomes effective with respect to any Swap Obligation, hereby absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Loan Party with respect to such Swap Obligation as may be needed by such Specified Loan Party from time to time to honor all of its obligations under its Guaranty and the other Loan Documents in respect of such Swap Obligation (but, in each case, only up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering the Borrower’s obligations and undertakings under this Section 10.20 voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent

 

120



 

transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations and undertakings of the Borrower under this Section shall remain in full force and effect until the Obligations have been paid and performed in full. The Borrower intends this Section to constitute, and this Section shall be deemed to constitute, a guarantee of the obligations of, and a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of, each Specified Loan Party for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

10.21.     ENTIRE AGREEMENT.  THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.  THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

 

121



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

 

ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC

 

 

 

By: EnLink Midstream Manager, LLC, its managing member

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Michael J. Garberding

 

 

Name:

Michael J. Garberding

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President and

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT — ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC]

 



 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Henry C. Pennell

 

Name:

Henry C. Pennell

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT — ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC]

 



 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Adam H. Fey

 

Name:

Adam H. Fey

 

Title:

Director

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT — ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC]

 



 

 

CITIBANK, N.A., as a Lender and L/C Issuer

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Andrew Sidford

 

Name:

Andrew Sidford

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT — ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC]

 



 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as a Lender and L/C Issuer

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Andrew Ostrov

 

Name:

Andrew Ostrov

 

Title:

Director

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT — ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC]

 



 

 

BANK OF MONTREAL, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Gumaro Tijerina

 

Name:

Gumaro Tijerina

 

Title:

Managing Director

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT — ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC]

 



 

 

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jason S. York

 

Name:

Jason S. York

 

Title:

Authorized Signatory

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT — ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC]

 



 

 

THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD., as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Mark Oberreuter

 

Name:

Mark Oberreuter

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT — ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC]

 



 

 

BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Vanessa Kurbatskiy

 

Name:

Vanessa Kurbatskiy

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT — ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC]

 



 

 

COMPASS BANK, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Umar Hassan

 

Name:

Umar Hassan

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO CREDIT AGREEMENT — ENLINK MIDSTREAM, LLC]

 



 

 

COMERICA BANK, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By: