Exhibit 10.1
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$100,000,000
THIRD AMENDED AND
RESTATED
CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
December 21, 2007
among
BENCHMARK ELECTRONICS, INC.,
The Borrowing Subsidiaries
The Lenders Party Hereto,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
as Administrative Agent,
Collateral Agent and Issuing Lender
and
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.
and
COMERICA BANK
as Co-Documentation Agent
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES
INC.,
as Lead Arranger
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page |
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ARTICLE I Definitions |
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1 |
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Section 1.01 |
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Defined Terms |
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1 |
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Section 1.02 |
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Terms Generally |
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25 |
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Section 1.03 |
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Accounting Terms; GAAP |
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25 |
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ARTICLE II The Credits |
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25 |
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Section 2.01 |
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Commitments |
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25 |
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Section 2.02 |
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Loans and Borrowings |
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25 |
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Section 2.03 |
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Requests for Borrowings |
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26 |
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Section 2.04 |
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Letters of Credit |
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27 |
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Section 2.05 |
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Funding of Borrowings |
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31 |
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Section 2.06 |
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Interest Elections |
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31 |
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Section 2.07 |
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Termination and Reduction of Commitments |
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32 |
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Section 2.08 |
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Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt |
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33 |
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Section 2.09 |
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Prepayment of Loans |
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33 |
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Section 2.10 |
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Fees |
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34 |
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Section 2.11 |
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Interest |
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35 |
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Section 2.12 |
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Alternate Rate of Interest |
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36 |
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Section 2.13 |
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Increased Costs |
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36 |
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Section 2.14 |
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Break Funding Payments |
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37 |
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Section 2.15 |
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Taxes |
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38 |
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Section 2.16 |
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Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs |
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39 |
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Section 2.17 |
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Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders |
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40 |
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Section 2.18 |
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Increase of Commitments |
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41 |
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Section 2.19 |
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Borrowing Subsidiaries |
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42 |
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ARTICLE III Representations and Warranties |
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43 |
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Section 3.01 |
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Organization |
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43 |
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Section 3.02 |
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Authorization; Enforceability |
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43 |
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Section 3.03 |
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Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts |
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43 |
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Section 3.04 |
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Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change |
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44 |
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Section 3.05 |
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Properties |
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44 |
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Section 3.06 |
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Litigation and Environmental Matters |
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44 |
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Section 3.07 |
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Compliance with Laws and Agreements |
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45 |
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Section 3.08 |
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Intellectual Property |
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45 |
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Section 3.09 |
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Investment Company Status |
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45 |
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Section 3.10 |
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Taxes |
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45 |
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Section 3.11 |
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ERISA |
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46 |
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Section 3.12 |
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Labor Matters |
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46 |
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Section 3.13 |
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Insurance |
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46 |
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Section 3.14 |
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Solvency |
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46 |
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Section 3.15 |
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Subsidiaries |
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47 |
i
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Section 3.16 |
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Disclosure |
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47 |
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Section 3.17 |
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Margin Stock |
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47 |
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Section 3.18 |
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Use of Proceeds |
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47 |
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Section 3.19 |
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No Undisclosed Liabilities |
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47 |
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ARTICLE IV Conditions |
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48 |
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Section 4.01 |
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Effective Date |
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48 |
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Section 4.02 |
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Each Credit Event |
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49 |
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Section 4.03 |
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Initial Credit Event for each Borrowing Subsidiary |
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50 |
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ARTICLE V Affirmative Covenants |
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50 |
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Section 5.01 |
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Financial Statements and Other Information |
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50 |
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Section 5.02 |
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Notices of Material Events |
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52 |
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Section 5.03 |
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Information Regarding Collateral |
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53 |
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Section 5.04 |
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Existence; Conduct of Business |
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53 |
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Section 5.05 |
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Payment of Obligations |
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53 |
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Section 5.06 |
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Maintenance of Properties; Insurance |
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53 |
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Section 5.07 |
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Insurance |
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53 |
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Section 5.08 |
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Books and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights |
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54 |
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Section 5.09 |
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Compliance with Laws |
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54 |
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Section 5.10 |
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Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit |
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54 |
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Section 5.11 |
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Additional Subsidiaries |
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54 |
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Section 5.12 |
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Ownership of Subsidiaries |
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54 |
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Section 5.13 |
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Further Assurances |
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54 |
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ARTICLE VI Negative Covenants |
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55 |
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Section 6.01 |
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Indebtedness |
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55 |
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Section 6.02 |
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Liens |
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56 |
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Section 6.03 |
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Fundamental Changes |
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57 |
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Section 6.04 |
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Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions |
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58 |
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Section 6.05 |
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Asset Sales, etc |
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59 |
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Section 6.06 |
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Sale and Leaseback Transactions |
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60 |
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Section 6.07 |
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Swap Agreements |
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60 |
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Section 6.08 |
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Restricted Payments; Certain Payments in Respect of Indebtedness |
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60 |
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Section 6.09 |
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Transactions with Affiliates |
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60 |
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Section 6.10 |
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Restrictive Agreements |
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61 |
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Section 6.11 |
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Change in Fiscal Year |
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61 |
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Section 6.12 |
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Constitutive Documents |
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61 |
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Section 6.13 |
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Sales and Assignments of Income, Revenues and Receivables |
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61 |
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Section 6.14 |
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Amendment of Material Documents |
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61 |
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Section 6.15 |
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Adjusted Leverage Ratio; Leverage Ratio |
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62 |
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Section 6.16 |
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Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio |
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62 |
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Section 6.17 |
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Intentionally Deleted |
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62 |
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Section 6.18 |
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Minimum Tangible Net Worth |
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62 |
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ARTICLE VII Events of Default and Remedies |
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62 |
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Section 7.01 |
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Events of Default |
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62 |
ii
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Section 7.02 |
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Cash Collateral |
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64 |
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ARTICLE VIII The Administrative Agent |
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65 |
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ARTICLE IX Miscellaneous |
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67 |
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Section 9.01 |
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Notices |
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67 |
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Section 9.02 |
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Waivers; Amendments |
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69 |
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Section 9.03 |
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Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver |
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70 |
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Section 9.04 |
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Successors and Assigns |
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71 |
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Section 9.05 |
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Survival |
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74 |
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Section 9.06 |
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Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness |
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75 |
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Section 9.07 |
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Severability |
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75 |
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Section 9.08 |
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Right of Setoff |
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75 |
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Section 9.09 |
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Governing Law; Consent to Service of Process |
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75 |
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Section 9.10 |
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WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL |
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76 |
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Section 9.11 |
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Headings |
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77 |
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Section 9.12 |
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Confidentiality |
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77 |
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Section 9.13 |
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Interest |
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77 |
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Section 9.14 |
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Release of Liens and Guarantees |
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78 |
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Section 9.15 |
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No Novation |
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78 |
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Section 9.16 |
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USA Patriot Act |
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79 |
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Section 9.17 |
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Release of Benchmark BV Holdings, Inc. |
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79 |
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Section 9.18 |
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Joint and Several Liability |
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79 |
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Section 9.19 |
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FINAL AGREEMENT OF THE PARTIES |
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79 |
SCHEDULES:
Schedule 1.01A Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule 1.01B Unrestricted Subsidiaries
Schedule 2.01 Commitments
Schedule 3.01 Organization
Schedule 3.06 Disclosed Matters
Schedule 3.13 Insurance
Schedule 3.15 Subsidiaries of Company
Schedule 3.19 Liabilities
Schedule 6.01 Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 Existing Liens
Schedule 6.04 Existing Investments
Schedule 6.10 Restrictive Agreements
iii
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit 1.01A Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit 1.01B Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit 1.01C Form of Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement
Exhibit 1.01D Form of Borrowing Subsidiary Termination
Exhibit 1.01E Form of Commitment Increase Agreement
Exhibit 1.01F Form of New Lender Agreement
iv
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (this Agreement) dated as of December 21, 2007 (the Effective Date), among Benchmark Electronics, Inc., a Texas corporation (the Company), the Borrowing Subsidiaries party hereto, the Lenders party hereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Issuing Lender, Bank of America, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and Comerica Bank, as Co-Documentation Agent.
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT:
WHEREAS, on August 24, 1999, the Company, the lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent entered into the Credit Agreement (the Original Credit Agreement) whereby, upon the terms and conditions therein stated, such lenders agreed to make term loans and revolving loans to the Company up to the aggregate amount of $225,000,000, to be used by the Company for the purposes set forth in Section 5.10 of the Original Credit Agreement; and
WHEREAS, on June 23, 2000, the Company, the lenders party thereto and the Agent amended the Original Credit Agreement and entered into Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as subsequently amended, hereinafter called the Amended and Restated Agreement) whereby, upon the terms and conditions therein stated, such lenders agreed to increase the aggregate amount of the revolving loans to $175,000,000, increasing the aggregate amount of the credit facility to $268,000,000, to be used by the Company for the purposes set forth in Section 5.10 of the Amended and Restated Agreement; and
WHEREAS, on January 20, 2005, the Company, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent amended the Amended and Restated Agreement and entered into a Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as subsequently amended, hereinafter called the Second Amended and Restated Agreement) whereby, upon the terms and conditions therein stated, such Lenders agreed to reduce the amount of the credit facility to $100,000,000, to be used by the Company for the purposes set forth in Section 5.10 of the Second Amended and Restated Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Company, the Lenders and the Agent mutually desire to amend and restate certain aspects of the Second Amended and Restated Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants set forth herein, the Borrower, the Borrowing Subsidiaries, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree to amend and restate the Second Amended and Restated Agreement in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
Section 1.01 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
1
ABR, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
Acquisition means any acquisition permitted under Section 6.04(f).
Act has the meaning set forth in Section 9.16.
Adjusted Leverage Ratio means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Total Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries ended on such date (or, if such date is not the last day of a fiscal quarter, ended on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Company most recently ended prior to such date).
Adjusted LIBO Rate means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.
Administrative Agent means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
Administrative Questionnaire means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
Affiliate means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
Alternate Base Rate means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Base CD Rate in effect on such day plus 1% and (c) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Base CD Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Base CD Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
Applicable Margin means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, or with respect to the commitment fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption ABR Spread, Eurodollar Spread or Commitment Fee Rate, as the case may be, based upon the Adjusted Leverage Ratio as of the end of the most recent fiscal determination date:
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Adjusted Leverage Ratio |
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ABR Spread |
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Eurodollar Spread |
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Commitment Fee Rate |
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Category 1 > 2.00 to 1.00 |
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.25 |
% |
1.75 |
% |
.35 |
% |
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Category 2 > 1.50 to 1.00 |
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0.0 |
% |
1.50 |
% |
.30 |
% |
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Category 3 > 1.00 to 1.00 |
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0.0 |
% |
1.25 |
% |
.25 |
% |
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Category 4 > 0.50 to 1.00 |
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0.0 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
.20 |
% |
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Category 5 < 0.50 to 1.00 |
|
0.0 |
% |
.75 |
% |
.15 |
% |
2
For purposes of the foregoing, (i) the Adjusted Leverage Ratio shall be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Companys fiscal year based upon the Companys consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) and (ii) each change in the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in the Adjusted Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including the date of delivery to the Administrative Agent of such consolidated financial statements indicating such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change; provided that the Adjusted Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 1 under each of the above tables at the option of the Administrative Agent or at the request of the Required Lenders if the Company fails to deliver the consolidated financial statements or the related compliance certificate required to be delivered by it pursuant to Sections 5.01(a), (b) or (c) during the period from the expiration of the time for delivery thereof until such consolidated financial statements are delivered. In the event that any financial statement or certificate delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a), Section 5.01(b) or Section 5.01(c), as applicable, is shown to be inaccurate when delivered (regardless of whether this Agreement or the Commitments are in effect when such inaccuracy is discovered, but in any event not to exceed three (3) years past the Maturity Date), and such inaccuracy, if corrected, would have led to the application of a higher Applicable Margin for any period (an Applicable Period) than the Applicable Margin applied for such Applicable Period, and only in such case, then the Company shall immediately (i) deliver to the Administrative Agent corrected financial statements for such Applicable Period, (ii) determine the Applicable Margin for such Applicable Period based upon the corrected financial statements, and (iii) immediately pay to the Administrative Agent the accrued additional interest owing as a result of such increased Applicable Margin for such Applicable Period. This provision is in addition to rights of the Administrative Agents and Lenders with respect to Section 2.11(c) and their other respective rights under this Agreement.
Applicable Percentage means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lenders Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments.
Approved Fund has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.
Approved Jurisdiction means any of the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, the Kingdom of Sweden or the Republic of Singapore.
Assessment Rate means, for any day, the annual assessment rate in effect on such day that is payable by a member of the Bank Insurance Fund classified as well-capitalized and within supervisory subgroup B (or a comparable successor risk classification) within the meaning of 12 C.F.R. Part 327 (or any successor provision) to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for insurance by such Corporation of time deposits made in dollars at the offices of such member in the United States; provided that if, as a result of any change in any law, rule or regulation, it is no longer possible to determine the Assessment Rate as aforesaid,
3
then the Assessment Rate shall be such annual rate as shall be determined by the Administrative Agent to be representative of the cost of such insurance to the Lenders.
Assignment and Assumption means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit 1.01A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
Availability Period means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.
Base CD Rate means the sum of (a) the Three-Month Secondary CD Rate multiplied by the Statutory Reserve Rate plus (b) the Assessment Rate.
Board means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.
Board of Directors means the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such Board.
Borrower means the Company or any Borrowing Subsidiary.
Borrowing means Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.
Borrowing Request means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03, substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.01B.
Borrowing Subsidiary means, at any time, each Restricted Subsidiary incorporated or organized in a State of the United States of America or an Approved Jurisdiction that has been designated as a Borrowing Subsidiary by the Company pursuant to Section 2.19 and that has not ceased to be a Borrowing Subsidiary as provided in such Section.
Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement means a Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.01C.
Borrowing Subsidiary Termination means a Borrowing Subsidiary Termination substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.01D.
Business Day means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term Business Day shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.
Capital Expenditures means, for any period, all expenditures (whether paid in cash or accrued as a liability, including the portion of Capital Lease Obligations originally incurred during such period that are capitalized on the consolidated balance sheet of the
4
Company) by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period, that, in conformity with GAAP, are included in capital expenditures, additions to property, plant or equipment or comparable items in the consolidated financial statements of the Company, but excluding expenditures for the restoration, repair or replacement of any fixed or capital asset that was destroyed or damaged, in whole or in part, in an amount equal to any insurance proceeds received in connection with such destruction or damage.
Cash Interest Expense means, for any period, the sum of all cash payments of interest and prepayment charges, if any, including, without limitation, all net amounts payable (or receivable) under interest rate protection agreements and all imputed interest in respect of Capital Lease Obligations paid by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on all consolidated basis during such period.
Capital Lease Obligations of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP and any obligations of such Person under any synthetic lease financing whether or not such obligation is classified as a capital lease under GAAP.
Change in Control means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the Effective Date), of Equity Interests representing more than 50% of either the aggregate ordinary voting power or the aggregate equity value represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in the Company; (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the Board of Directors by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the current Board of Directors nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated; or (c) a Change of Control or similar event, however denominated, under any Subordinated Indebtedness or any other Material Indebtedness.
Change in Law means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the Effective Date, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the Effective Date or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Lender (or, for purposes of Section 2.13, by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lenders or the Issuing Lenders holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the Effective Date.
Co-Documentation Agent means Bank of America, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Comerica Bank, each in their capacity as Co-Documentation Agent.
Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
Collateral means any and all Collateral, as defined in any applicable Security Document.
5
Collateral Agent means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in its capacity as collateral agent for the Lenders hereunder.
Collateral and Guarantee Requirement means, at any time, that the following requirements shall be satisfied (to the extent such requirements are stated to be applicable at the time under clause (a) or (b) below):
6
7
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions of this definition, if the Company or any Subsidiary shall be using commercially reasonable efforts to create or perfect any pledge of Equity Interests in or Indebtedness of any Foreign Subsidiary, the failure to have created or perfected such pledge shall not, in and of itself, prevent the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement from being satisfied until (x) the later of (i) the 90th day after the Effective Date and (ii) the 90th day after the acquisition of such Collateral by the Company or a Domestic Subsidiary or (y) if, in the judgment of the Collateral Agent, the Company is endeavoring in good faith to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, the 180th day after the acquisition of such Collateral by the Company or a Domestic Subsidiary.
Commitment means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lenders Revolving Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.07 or Section 2.18 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lenders Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders Commitments is $100,000,000.
Commitment Increase Agreement means a Commitment Increase Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.01E among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and a Lender.
8
Commitment Increase Notice has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.18.
Company means Benchmark Electronics, Inc., a Texas corporation.
Consolidated EBITDA means, for any period, the EBITDA of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis; provided that (i) solely for purposes of calculating the Leverage Ratio and Adjusted Leverage Ratio, but not for any other purpose, Consolidated EBITDA for any period of four fiscal quarters during which an Acquisition shall have occurred shall be computed on a pro forma consolidated basis to include the EBITDA of such Acquisition and (ii) solely for purposes of calculating the Leverage Ratio but not for any other purpose, all references to Restricted Subsidiaries in this definition and in the definitions referred to herein shall be deemed references to Subsidiaries.
Consolidated Net Income means, for any Person for any period, the net income (or loss) of such person and its subsidiaries during such period, calculated and consolidated or combined in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded from such net income (to the extent otherwise included therein) the following: (i) any non-cash, non-recurring charges, (ii) gains or losses attributable to Property sales not in the ordinary course of business, and (iii) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles and any gains or losses attributable to writeups or writedowns of assets.
Consolidated Net Tangible Assets means the total assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries less, without duplication, (i) intangible assets including, without limitation, goodwill, research and development costs, trademarks, trade names, patents, franchises, copyrights, licenses and like general intangibles, experimental or organizational expense, unamortized debt discount and expense carried as an asset, all reserves and any write-up in the book of value of assets made after the Effective Date (other than write-ups of assets of a going concern business made within 12 months after the acquisition of such business), net of accumulated amortization and (ii) all reserves for depreciation and other asset valuation reserves (but excluding reserves for federal, state and other income taxes).
Consolidated Tangible Net Worth means, at any time:
9
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.
Debt Service means, for any period, the sum of (a) Cash Interest Expense for such period and(b) scheduled principal payments on Total Indebtedness for such period.
Default means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.
Disclosed Matters means the actions, suits and proceedings and the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.
dollars or $ refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
Domestic Subsidiaries means all Subsidiaries incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia.
EBITDA means, for any Person for any period, without duplication, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period plus, to the extent deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Income, Cash Interest Expense, depreciation, amortization, other non-cash, non-recurring charges and income tax (including state franchise taxes based upon income) expense.
Effective Date has the meaning in the preamble of this Agreement.
Environmental Laws means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.
Environmental Liability means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Company or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
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Equity Interests means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest.
ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.
ERISA Affiliate means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Company, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
ERISA Event means (a) any reportable event, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of an accumulated funding deficiency (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Company or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
Eurodollar, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
Event of Default has the meaning assigned to such term in ARTICLE VII.
Excluded Taxes means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.17(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lenders failure
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to comply with Section 2.15(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.15(a).
Federal Funds Effective Rate means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
Fee Letter means the letter agreement dated November 6, 2007, between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
Fiscal Quarter means the fiscal quarter of the Company, ending on the last day of each March, June, September and December of each year.
Financial Officer means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio means, for any period, the ratio of (i) Consolidated EBITDA plus Lease Expense and less cash taxes of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period to (ii) the Debt Service plus Capital Expenditures plus Lease Expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period.
Foreign Borrower means any Borrowing Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary.
Foreign Lender means, with respect to any Borrower, any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which such Borrower is located. For purposed of the definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
Foreign Subsidiary means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia.
GAAP means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
Governmental Approval means (ii) any authorization, consent, approval, license, waiver, ruling, permit, tariff, rate, certification, exemption, filing, variance, claim, order, judgment, decree, sanction or publication of, by or with; (iii)any notice to; (iv) any declaration of or with; or (v) any registration by or with, or any other action or deemed action by or on behalf of, any Governmental Authority.
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Governmental Authority means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.
Guarantee of or by any Person (the guarantor) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the primary obligor) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
Guarantee Agreement means the Guarantee Agreement dated as of August 24, 1999 and executed in connection with the Original Credit Agreement among the Company, the Guarantors from time to time party thereto and the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Guarantors means all the Domestic Subsidiaries and the Foreign Parent of each Foreign Borrower who is required to execute a Guarantee Agreement pursuant to paragraph (b)(i) of the definition of Collateral and Guarantee Requirement.
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.
Highest Lawful Rate means, as to any Lender or the Issuing Lender, the maximum nonusurious rate of interest that, under applicable law, may be contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received by such Lender on the Loans or under the Loan Documents at any time or from time to time. If the maximum nonusurious rate of interest which, under applicable law, any of such Lenders are permitted to charge the Borrower on the Loans shall change after the date hereof, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Highest Lawful Rate shall be automatically increased or decreased, as the case may be, as of the effective time of such change without notice to the Borrower or any other Person.
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Indebtedness of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (d) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (e) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (f) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (g) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Persons ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.
Indemnified Taxes means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution Agreement means the Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution Agreement dated as of August 24, 1999 and executed in connection with the Original Credit Agreement among the Company, the Domestic Subsidiaries from time to time party thereto and the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Intercompany Indebtedness means any indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary owed to and held by the Company or any Wholly Owned Subsidiary; provided that any subsequent issuance or transfer of any Equity Interest which results in any such Wholly Owned Subsidiary ceasing to be a Wholly Owned Subsidiary or any subsequent transfer of such indebtedness (other than to the Company or another Wholly Owned Subsidiary) shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute a new incurrence of Indebtedness other than Intercompany Indebtedness by the issuer thereof.
Interest Election Request means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.06.
Interest Payment Date means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December, and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months duration after the first day of such Interest Period.
Interest Period means with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in
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the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (b) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
Issuing Lender means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.04. The Issuing Lender may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the Issuing Lender, in which case the term Issuing Lender shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.
Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Guarantee Agreement means that certain Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Guarantee Agreement dated of even date herewith by and among the Company, all Domestic Subsidiaries of the Company as of the Effective Date, all Foreign Parents of all Foreign Borrowers and Administrative Agent.
Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution Agreement means that certain Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Indemnity, Subrogation and Contribution Agreement dated of even date herewith by and among the Company, all Domestic Subsidiaries of the Company as of the Effective Date and Administrative Agent.
Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Pledge Agreement means that certain Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Pledge Agreement dated of even date herewith by and among the Company, all Domestic Subsidiaries of the Company as of the Effective Date, all Foreign Parents of all Foreign Borrowers as of the Effective Date, all Foreign Borrowers as of the Effective Date and Administrative Agent.
Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Security Agreement means that certain Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Security Agreement dated of even date herewith by and among the Company, all Domestic Subsidiaries of the Company as of the Effective Date, all Foreign Parents of all Foreign Borrowers as of the Effective Date, all Foreign Borrowers as of the Effective Date and Administrative Agent.
Law means all laws, statutes, treaties, ordinances, codes, acts, rules, regulations, Government Approvals and Orders of all Governmental Authorities, whether now or hereafter in effect.
LC Disbursement means a payment made by the Issuing Lender pursuant to a Letter of Credit.
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LC Exposure means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.
Lease Expense for any period shall mean gross operating lease obligations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any relevant period for which such calculation is being utilized.
Lenders means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a Lender hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.
Letter of Credit means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement including, without limitation, the existing letters of credit listed on Schedule 1.01A attached hereto.
Leverage Ratio means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Total Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Company ended on such date (or, if such date is not the last day of a fiscal quarter, ended on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Company most recently ended prior to such date); provided, that for purposes of determining the Leverage Ratio, all references in the definitions of Total Indebtedness and Consolidated EBITDA (and in the definitions used therein) to Restricted Subsidiaries shall be deemed references to Subsidiaries.
LIBO Rate means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 page (or on any successor or substitute page of such Service, or any successor to or substitute for such Service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such Service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the LIBO Rate with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.
Lien means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities. For the purposes of this
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Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall be deemed to be the owner of any Property which it has acquired or holds subject to a conditional sale agreement, financing lease or other arrangement pursuant to which title to the Property has been retained by or vested in some other Person for security purposes.
Loan Documents means this Agreement, each Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement, each Borrowing Subsidiary Termination, the Indemnity Subrogation and Contribution Agreement, the Letters of Credit (and any applications therefor and reimbursement agreements relating thereto), the Security Documents, any promissory note issued pursuant to Section 2.08.
Loan Parties means each Borrower and each Subsidiary that is party to any Loan Document.
Loans means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
Material Adverse Effect means any event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, property or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or the rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders.
Material Indebtedness means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $25,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the principal amount of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.
Maturity Date means December 21, 2012.
Moodys means Moodys Investors Service, Inc.
Multiemployer Plan means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
Net Proceeds means, with respect to any event, (a) the proceeds received in respect of such event net of all brokerage commissions, reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses paid by the Company to third parties (other than Affiliates) in connection with such event.
Net Worth means, at any time and from time to time, the net worth of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, determined in accordance with GAAP.
New Lender has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(b).
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New Lender Agreement means an agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and a New Lender in substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.01F or a form that is reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
Obligations means (a) the due and punctual payment by the Borrowers or the applicable Loan Parties of (i) the principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including interest accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding) on the Loans, when and as due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, upon one or more dates set for prepayment or otherwise, (ii) each payment required to be made by the Borrowers under this Agreement in respect of any Letter of Credit, when and as due, including payments in respect of reimbursement of disbursements, interest thereon and obligations to provide cash collateral and (iii) all other monetary obligations, including fees, costs, expenses and indemnities, whether primary, secondary, direct, contingent, fixed or otherwise (including monetary obligations incurred during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding), of the Loan Parties to the Secured Parties under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (b) the due and punctual payment and performance of all covenants, agreements, obligations and liabilities of the Loan Parties, monetary or otherwise, under or pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (c) the due and punctual payment of all obligations of the Company under each Swap Agreement entered into (i) prior to the Effective Date with any counterparty that is a Lender (or an Affiliate thereof) on the date hereof or (ii) on or after the Effective Date with any counterparty that is a Lender (or an Affiliate thereof) at the time such Swap Agreement is entered into.
Order means an order, writ, judgment, award, injunction, decree, ruling or decision of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator.
Original Credit Agreement has the meaning set forth in the Preliminary Statement.
Other Taxes means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.
Participant has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
PBGC means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
Permitted Encumbrances means:
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provided that the term Permitted Encumbrances shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness.
Permitted Foreign Investments means investments in certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances and time deposits maturing within 364 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by any office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of any jurisdiction outside of the United States of America.
Permitted Investments means:
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Person means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
Plan means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an employer as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.
Pledge Agreements means (a) the Pledge Agreement dated August 24, 1999 and executed in connection with the Original Credit Agreement among the Company, the Subsidiaries from time to time party thereto and the Collateral Agent and (b) in connection with pledges of shares of or other equity interests in Foreign Subsidiaries, other pledge agreements or similar agreements in form and substance satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, as the same may
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be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Prime Rate means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
Qualified Foreign Subsidiary Holding Company means a Domestic Subsidiary that does not own any assets other than, or engage in any business or activity other than the ownership of, Equity Interests of one or more Domestic or Foreign Subsidiaries and that does not have any Indebtedness or liabilities other than (a) liabilities incidental to its ownership of such Equity Interests and (b) liabilities as a Guarantor of the Obligations.
Quarterly Dates means the last day of each March, June, September and December in each year.
Re-Allocation Date has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(e).
Register has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(b).
Related Parties means, with respect to any specified Person, such Persons Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Persons Affiliates.
Required Lenders means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Exposures and unused Commitments representing at least 51% of the sum of the total Revolving Exposures and unused Commitments at such time.
Restricted Payment means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Company or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Company or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Company.
Restricted Subsidiary means (a) any Domestic Subsidiary and (b) any Foreign Subsidiary that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
Revolving Exposure means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the (a) outstanding principal amount of such Lenders Revolving Loans and (b) such Lenders LC Exposure, in each case at such time.
Revolving Loan means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01.
Rolling Period means any period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters (or, if less, the number of full Fiscal Quarters subsequent to the Effective Date).
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S&P means Standard & Poors Rating Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.
Second Amended and Restated Agreement has the meaning set forth in the Preliminary Statement.
Secured Parties means the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, each Lender, the Issuing Lender and each other person to which any of the Obligations is owed.
Security Agreements means (a) the Security Agreement dated August 24, 1999 and executed in connection with the Original Credit Agreement among the Company, the Domestic Subsidiaries from time to time party thereto and the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and (b) in connection with the creation of security interests in the assets of Foreign Subsidiaries, other security agreements or similar agreements in form and substance satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, as the same may be ratified, amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof.
Security Documents means the Security Agreements, the Pledge Agreements, the Guarantee Agreements, the Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Guarantee Agreements, the Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Pledge Agreement, the Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of Security Agreement, the Joinder to, Ratification and Amendment of the Indemnity Subrogation and Contribution Agreement and each other security document or pledge agreement delivered pursuant to Section 5.11 or Section 5.13 to secure any of the Obligations or in accordance with applicable local or foreign law to grant a valid, perfected security interest in any property, and all UCC or other financing statements or instruments of perfection required by this Agreement or any security agreement to be filed with respect to the security interests in property and fixtures created pursuant to the Security Agreement and any other document or instrument utilized to pledge as collateral for the Obligations any property of whatever kind or nature.
Statutory Reserve Rate means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject (a) with respect to the Base CD Rate, for new negotiable nonpersonal time deposits in dollars of over $100,000 with maturities approximately equal to three months and (b) with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as Eurocurrency Liabilities in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.
Subordinated Indebtedness means subordinated debt securities issued by the Company that (a) are subordinated to the Obligations pursuant to subordination provisions
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approved by Administrative Agent, (b) contain covenants, events of default and mandatory redemption, repayment, prepayment or repurchase requirements approved by Administrative Agent, and (c) do not mature, and are not subject to any scheduled amortization, redemption, repayment, prepayment or repurchase requirement, prior to the date one year after the Maturity Date.
subsidiary means, with respect to any Person (the parent) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parents consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.
Subsidiary means any subsidiary of the Company.
Swap Agreement means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.
Taxes means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.
Three-Month Secondary CD Rate means, for any day, the secondary market rate for three-month certificates of deposit reported as being in effect on such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day) by the Board through the public information telephone line of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (which rate will, under the current practices of the Board, be published in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15(519) during the week following such day) or, if such rate is not so reported on such day or such next preceding Business Day, the average of the secondary market quotations for three-month certificates of deposit of major money center banks in New York City received at approximately 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day) by the Administrative Agent from three negotiable certificate of deposit dealers of recognized standing selected by it.
Total Indebtedness means, as of any date, the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding as of such date, in the amount that would be reflected on a balance sheet prepared as of such date on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) the aggregate principal amount of
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Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding as of such date that is not required to be reflected on a balance sheet in accordance with GAAP, determined on a consolidated basis; provided that, (i) for purposes of clause (b) above, the term Indebtedness shall not include contingent obligations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty unless such letter of credit or letter of guaranty supports an obligation that constitutes Indebtedness and (ii) solely for purposes of calculating the Leverage Ratio but not for any other purpose, all references to Restricted Subsidiaries in this definition and in the definitions referred to herein shall be deemed references to Subsidiaries.
Transactions means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.
Type, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.
UCC means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of Texas or, where applicable as to specific Collateral, any other relevant state.
Unrestricted Subsidiary means (i) any Foreign Subsidiary of the Company that at the time of determination shall have been designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Company in the manner provided below (and shall not subsequently have been designated as a Restricted Subsidiary) and (ii) any subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. The Company may from time to time designate any Foreign Subsidiary (other than a Foreign Subsidiary that, immediately after such designation, shall hold any Indebtedness of or Equity Interest in the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary) as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, and may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary so long as, immediately after giving effect to such designation, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Any designation by the Company pursuant to this definition shall be made in an officers certificate delivered to the Administrative Agent and containing a certification that such designation is in compliance with the terms of this definition. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Borrowing Subsidiary shall at any time be an Unrestricted Subsidiary. Schedule 1.01B contains a list of the Foreign Subsidiaries that have been designated by the Company as Unrestricted Subsidiaries as of the Effective Date.
Wholly Owned Subsidiary means any Subsidiary of the Company all the Equity Interests of which (other than directors qualifying shares and Equity Interests held by other than the Persons to the extent such Equity Interests are required by applicable law to be held by a Person other than the Company or one of its Subsidiaries) is owned by the Company or one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries.
Withdrawal Liability means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
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Section 1.02 Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words include, includes and including shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase without limitation. The word will shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word shall. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Persons successors and assigns, (c) the words herein, hereof and hereunder, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the words asset and property shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
Section 1.03 Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Company notifies the Administrative Agent that the Company requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Company that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.
ARTICLE II
The Credits
Section 2.01 Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to any Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (i) such Lenders Revolving Exposure exceeding such Lenders Commitment or (ii) in the case of any Foreign Borrower, the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Loans of all Foreign Borrowers exceeding $20,000,000. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, any Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.
Section 2.02 Loans and Borrowings. (a) Each Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01 shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations
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Section 2.03 Requests for Borrowings. To request a Borrowing, the applicable Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
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If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one months duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lenders Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
Section 2.04 Letters of Credit. (a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company may request the issuance of Letters of Credit for its own account or for the joint and several account of the Company and a Borrowing Subsidiary in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period. Such Letters of Credit may be used for the benefit of any Subsidiary and may identify such Subsidiary in the text thereof so long as either the Company or any Borrowing Subsidiary is the account party thereon. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Company to, or entered into by the Company with, the Issuing Lender relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.
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to reimburse the Issuing Lender shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.
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If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one months duration.
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Section 2.10 Fees. (a) The Company shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Margin on the daily amount of the unused Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the third Business Day following the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date. All commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
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Section 2.11 Interest. (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin.
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Section 2.12 Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Company and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Company and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective, and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.
Section 2.13 Increased Costs. (a) If any Change in Law shall:
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender or the Issuing Lender of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the Issuing Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Company will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
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Section 2.14 Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Revolving Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.09(c) and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the applicable Borrower pursuant to Section 2.17, then, in any such event, the applicable Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest that would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest that would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate that such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market. A
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certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The applicable Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
Section 2.15 Taxes. (a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Documents shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if such Loan Party shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Lender (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) such Loan Party shall make such deductions and (iii) such Loan Party shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
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Section 2.16 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs. (a) Each Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.13, 2.14 or 2.15, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, Houston time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 712 Main Street, Houston, Texas, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Section 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.
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Section 2.17 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.13, or if a Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.15, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.13 or 2.15, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or
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expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrowers shall pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
Section 2.18 Increase of Commitments. (a) If no Default, Event of Default or Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred and be continuing and all of the conditions described in Section 4.02(a) and (d) are satisfied, the Company may at any time and from time to time request an increase of the aggregate Commitments by notice to the Administrative Agent in writing of the amount of such proposed increase (such notice, a Commitment Increase Notice); provided, however, that (i) each such increase shall be at least $10,000,000, (ii) the cumulative increase in Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.18 shall not exceed $100,000,000, (iii) the Commitment of any Lender may not be increased without such Lenders consent, and (iv) the aggregate amount of the Lenders Commitments shall not exceed $200,000,000. Any such Commitment Increase Notice must offer each Lender the opportunity to subscribe for its pro rata share of the increased Commitments. If any portion of the increased Commitments is not subscribed for by such Lenders, the Company may, in its sole discretion, but with the consent of the Administrative Agent as to any Person that is not at such time a Lender (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), offer to any existing Lender or to one or more additional banks or financial institutions the opportunity to participate in all or a portion of such unsubscribed portion of the increased Commitments pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) below, as applicable.
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Section 2.19 Borrowing Subsidiaries. On or after the Effective Date, the Company may designate any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as a Borrowing Subsidiary by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement executed by such Restricted Subsidiary and the Company, and five (5) Business Days following (i) such delivery and (ii) receipt of documentation reasonably requested by the Lenders in order to comply with
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the Act (as defined in Section 9.16), such Restricted Subsidiary shall for all purposes of this Agreement be a Borrowing Subsidiary and a party to this Agreement until the Company shall have executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent a Borrowing Subsidiary Termination with respect to such Restricted Subsidiary, whereupon such Restricted Subsidiary shall cease to be a Borrowing Subsidiary and a party to this Agreement. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, no Borrowing Subsidiary Termination will become effective as to any Borrowing Subsidiary at a time when any principal of or interest on any Revolving Loan to such Borrowing Subsidiary or any Letter of Credit issued for the account of such Borrowing Subsidiary shall be outstanding hereunder; provided that such Borrowing Subsidiary Termination shall be effective to terminate such Borrowing Subsidiarys right to make further Borrowings or to request Letters of Credit under this Agreement. As soon as practicable upon receipt of a Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall send a copy thereof to each Lender.
ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
Each Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
Section 3.01 Organization. As of the Effective Date, each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (ii) has the requisite power and authority to conduct its business as it is presently being conducted, and (iii) is duly qualified or licensed to conduct business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction listed in Schedule 3.01. Each Borrower and its Subsidiaries are qualified and licensed in all jurisdictions where they are required to be so qualified or licensed to operate their business and where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No proceeding to dissolve any Loan Party is pending or, to the Borrowers knowledge, threatened except for any merger, consolidation, liquidation, or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.
Section 3.02 Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions to be entered into by each Loan Party are within such Loan Partys corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrowers and constitutes, and each other Loan Document to which any Loan Party is to be a party, when executed and delivered by such Loan Party, will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrowers or such Loan Party (as the case may be), enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
Section 3.03 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except (i) such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (ii) filings necessary to perfect Liens created under the Loan Documents and (iii) those the failure to obtain or make which, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be
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Section 3.04 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change. (a) The Company has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, reported on by KPMG LLP, independent certified public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the current fiscal year ended September 30, 2007, certified by its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.
Section 3.05 Properties. (a) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, except for minor defects in title that (i) do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes and (ii) individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.06 Litigation and Environmental Matters. (a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result
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Section 3.07 Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, material agreements and other material instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing.
Section 3.08 Intellectual Property. The Company and each of its Subsidiary owns, or is licensed to use, all patents, trademarks, trade names, service marks, copyrights, technology, know-how and processes (together with all applications therefor and licenses granting rights therein, Intellectual Property) reasonably necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted, except for those the failure to own or be licensed to use which could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, (a) the use of Intellectual Property by the Company and its Subsidiaries does not infringe on the rights of any person, (b) no Intellectual Property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is being infringed upon by any person, and (c) no claim is pending or threatened in writing challenging the use or the validity of any Intellectual Property of the Company or any Subsidiary, except for infringements and claims referred to in the foregoing clauses (a), (b) and (c) that, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.09 Investment Company Status. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is an investment company as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 3.10 Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) any Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 3.11 ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $10,000,000 (inclusive of fees and penalties) the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $25,000,000 (inclusive of fees and penalties) the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans.
Section 3.12 Labor Matters. As of the Effective Date, there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. The hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other Law dealing with such matters in any manner that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All payments due from the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which any claim may be made against any of them, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of the Company and its Subsidiaries except to the extent non-payment could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The consummation of the Transactions will not give rise to any right of termination or right of renegotiation on the part of any union under any collective bargaining agreement to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound.
Section 3.13 Insurance. Schedule 3.13 lists all policies or binders of fire, liability, workers compensation, vehicular or other insurance held by or for the benefit of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (specifying the insurer, the policy number or covering note number with respect to binders) as of the Effective Date. As of the Effective Date, all premiums in respect of such insurance have been paid. All insurance required by Section 5.07 is in full force and effect, is with financially sound and reputable insurers and is in amounts and provides coverage that are reasonable and customary for Persons engaged in businesses similar to those conducted by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
Section 3.14 Solvency. Immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Effective Date, and immediately following the making of each Loan made on the Effective Date and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of such Loans, (a) the fair market value of the assets of each Loan Party (individually and on a consolidated basis with its subsidiaries) will exceed its debts and liabilities, subordinate, contingent or otherwise; (b) the present fair saleable value of the property of each Loan Party (individually and on a consolidated basis with its subsidiaries) will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities; (c) each Loan Party (individually and on a consolidated basis with its subsidiaries) will be able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinate, contingent or otherwise as they become absolute and mature; and (d) each Loan Party (individually and on a consolidated basis with its subsidiaries) will not have
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unreasonably small capital with which to conduct its business as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted following the Effective Date.
Section 3.15 Subsidiaries. Schedule 3.15 sets forth the name of, and the ownership interest of the Company in, each Subsidiary of the Company and identifies each Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary and each that is a Foreign Subsidiary, in each case as of the Effective Date. As of Effective Date, there are no Borrowing Subsidiaries and no Person has executed a Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement (as defined in the Second Amended and Restated Agreement) or obtained a Loan under Section 2.01 of the Original Credit Agreement, as amended.
Section 3.16 Disclosure. The Company has disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any Loan Document or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contain any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, taken as a whole in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrowers represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
Section 3.17 Margin Stock. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of buying or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board). The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit will not be used, directly or indirectly, immediately, incidentally or ultimately, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock or for the purpose of reducing or retiring any Indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry margin stock or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Loans or the Letters of Credit under this Agreement to be purpose credit within the meaning of Regulation U or Regulation X of the Board.
Section 3.18 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans shall be used only for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including without limitation, Acquisitions. Each Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent that all Loans will be for business, commercial, investment or other similar purpose and not primarily for personal, family, household or agricultural use, as such terms are used in the Texas Finance Code.
Section 3.19 No Undisclosed Liabilities. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.19, the Company and its Subsidiaries have no liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether known or unknown, and whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise) except for (i) liabilities or obligations reflected or reserved against in the financial statements most recently delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 5.01, (ii) current liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business since the date of such financial statements, (iii) liabilities or obligations that are not
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required to be included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, (iv) liabilities or obligations arising under Governmental Approvals or contracts to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or otherwise subject and (v) liabilities or obligations incurred after the most recently delivered financial statements and specifically permitted to be incurred under this Agreement.
Section 4.01 Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):
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The Administrative Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02).
Section 4.02 Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of the Issuing Lender to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
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Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrowers on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this Section.
Section 4.03 Initial Credit Event for each Borrowing Subsidiary. The obligation of the Lenders to make Loans to any Borrowing Subsidiary and the obligations of the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit for the account of any Borrowing Subsidiary are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
Section 5.01 Financial Statements and Other Information. The Company will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
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Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 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 Borrowers website on the Internet at www.bench.com or (ii) on which such documents are delivered to the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall post such documents on the Borrowers behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that the Borrower shall deliver such documents in a form acceptable to the Administrative Agent; provided further that Borrower shall be obligated to pay for all start-up and on-going maintenance costs associated with such Internet or intranet website. Except for such compliance certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to maintain 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 for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.
Section 5.02 Notices of Material Events. The Company will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt and, in any event, within five Business Days, written notice of the following:
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Company setting forth the details of the event or
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development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.
Section 5.03 Information Regarding Collateral. The Company will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of any change (i) in any Loan Partys corporate name or in the ownership of its properties, (ii) in any Loan Partys identity or corporate structure or (iii) in any Loan Partys Federal Taxpayer Identification Number and, at the time of the delivery of the financial statements required under Section 5.01(a), the Company will furnish to the Administrative Agent written notice of any change in the location of any office in which any Loan Party maintains books or records relating to Collateral owned by it. The Company agrees not to effect or permit any change referred to in the preceding sentence unless all filings have been made under the UCC or otherwise that are required in order for the Administrative Agent to continue at all times following such change to have a valid, legal and perfected security interest in all the Collateral. The Company also agrees promptly to notify the Administrative Agent if any material portion of the Collateral is damaged or destroyed.
Section 5.04 Existence; Conduct of Business. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its business, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.
Section 5.05 Payment of Obligations. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its Indebtedness and other obligations, including Tax liabilities, before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Company or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP, (c) such contest effectively suspends collection of the contested obligation and enforcement of any Lien securing such obligation and (d) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.06 Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.07 Insurance. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies (a) insurance in such amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations and (b) all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Security Documents.
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Section 5.08 Books and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all material dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested, all at the Administrative Agents or such Lenders expense, except with respect to any inspection or examination and related discussions during a Default or Event of Default, in which case, the provisions of Section 9.03 shall apply.
Section 5.09 Compliance with Laws. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all Laws (including Environmental Laws) and Orders applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.10 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit. The proceeds of the Loans will be used only for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including, without limitation, Acquisitions. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X.
Section 5.11 Additional Subsidiaries. If any additional Subsidiary is formed or acquired after the Effective Date, the Company will, no more than thirty days after such Subsidiary is formed or acquired, notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereof and cause the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be satisfied (to the extent applicable) with respect to such Subsidiary and with respect to any Equity Interest in or Indebtedness of such Subsidiary owned or to be owned by or on behalf of the Company or any other Subsidiary.
Section 5.12 Ownership of Subsidiaries. (a) The Company will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, ensure that all Equity Interests in Domestic Subsidiaries are owned directly or indirectly at all times only by the Company or one or more other Domestic Subsidiaries and that all the Equity Interests of such latter Domestic Subsidiaries are pledged to secure the Obligations.
Section 5.13 Further Assurances. The Company will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, at its own cost and expense, execute, acknowledge and deliver any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements and instruments and take all such further actions, (including the filing and recording of financing statements, and other documents) which may be required under any applicable Law, or which may from time to time be reasonably necessary or
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as the Required Lenders may from time to time reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and purpose of the Loan Documents and the Transactions, including all such actions to establish, preserve, protect and perfect the estate, right, title and interest of the Lenders, or the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders, to the Collateral (including Collateral acquired after the date hereof) and preserve, protect and perfect first priority Liens (subject to Liens permitted by Section 6.02) in favor of the Lenders, or the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders, on any and all assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries, now owned or hereafter acquired, that are not Collateral on the date hereof.
Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, each Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
Section 6.01 Indebtedness. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:
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Section 6.02 Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:
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Section 6.03 Fundamental Changes. (a) The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets, or all or substantially all of the Equity Interests of any of its Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing
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provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a Wholly Owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04.
Section 6.04 Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a Wholly Owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any Equity Interests in or evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person (all of the foregoing being collectively called Investments), or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person (other than inventory acquired in the ordinary course of business) constituting a business unit or are substantial in relation to the consolidated assets of the Company, except:
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Section 6.05 Asset Sales, etc. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest, except:
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Section 6.06 Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred.
Section 6.07 Swap Agreements. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Company or any Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Company or any Subsidiary.
Section 6.08 Restricted Payments; Certain Payments in Respect of Indebtedness. (a) The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except that (i) Restricted Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their capital stock and (ii) if no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a result thereof, the Company may make any Restricted Payment if after giving effect to such Restricted Payment the proforma Leverage Ratio would not exceed 1.75 to 1.0.
Section 6.09 Transactions with Affiliates. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at
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Section 6.10 Restrictive Agreements. The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary (i) to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock, (ii) to make or repay loans or advances to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Company or any other Subsidiary, or (iv) sell, lease or transfer any of its Property to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by this Agreement, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the Effective Date identified on Schedule 6.10 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Restricted Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Restricted Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof.
Section 6.11 Change in Fiscal Year. The Company will not change the end if its fiscal year to a date other than December 31.
Section 6.12 Constitutive Documents. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, amend it charter or by-laws or other constitutive documents in any manner which could adversely and materially affect the rights of the Lenders under this Agreement or their ability to enforce the same, except as otherwise permitted pursuant to Sections 6.03 or 6.04.
Section 6.13 Sales and Assignments of Income, Revenues and Receivables. The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, sell or assign, with or without recourse, for discount or otherwise, any income or revenues, including notes and accounts receivable.
Section 6.14 Amendment of Material Documents. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive in any respect materially adverse to the Company or to the rights or interests of the Lenders any of its rights under any document evidencing or governing Subordinated Indebtedness.
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Section 6.15 Adjusted Leverage Ratio; Leverage Ratio. (a) The Company will not permit the Adjusted Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter to exceed the ratio of 2.75 to 1.00.
Section 6.16 Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Company will not permit the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for any Rolling Period ending after the Effective Date to be less than the ratio of 1.20 to 1.00.
Section 6.17 Intentionally Deleted.
Section 6.18 Minimum Tangible Net Worth. The Company will not permit Consolidated Tangible Net Worth as of any date to be less than the sum of (a) $680,000,000 plus (b) 50% of Consolidated Net Income of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (but only to the extent such amount is positive) for fiscal quarters ended after September 30, 2007 plus (z) 75% of the aggregate Net Proceeds from the issuance by the Company of Equity Interests subsequent to the Effective Date.
ARTICLE VII
Section 7.01 Events of Default. If any of the following events (Events of Default) shall occur:
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judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Company or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Company described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Company, take any or all of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers; and in case of any event with respect to the Company described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers, and (iii) exercise any or all of the remedies available to it under the Security Documents, at law or in equity.
Section 7.02 Cash Collateral. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Company shall, if requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, pay to the Administrative Agent an amount in immediately available funds (which funds shall be held as collateral pursuant to arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) equal to the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid
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ARTICLE VIII
Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Company or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Company or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
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The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Company), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.
In addition, each of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender hereby indemnifies the Administrative Agent (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrowers), ratably according to its respective pro rata share of the total of the Commitments, or if no Commitments are outstanding, the respective pro rata share of the total of the Commitments immediately prior to the time Commitments ceased to be outstanding held by each of them, from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever which may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against the Administrative Agent in any way relating to or arising out of this Agreement or any action taken or omitted by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (including any action taken or omitted under Article II of this Agreement); provided that such indemnity shall not be available to the extent such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender and the Issuing Lender agrees to reimburse the Administrative Agent promptly upon demand for its respective pro rata share of the total of the Commitments of any out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable counsel fees) incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, administration or enforcement of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the extent that the Administrative Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by the Borrowers. The provisions of this section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Obligations.
Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Company. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, with the consent of Company unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed
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by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. The fees payable by the Company to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Company and such successor. After the Administrative Agents resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.
Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender 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 related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
It is expressly understood that the Co-Documentation Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities under this Agreement.
ARTICLE IX
Section 9.01 Notices. (a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:
Benchmark Electronics, Inc.
3000 Technology Drive
Angleton, Texas
Attention: Kenneth S. Barrow
Telecopy No.: 979-848-5225
Telephone No.: 979-849-6550 (ext. 1247)
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JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
2200 Ross Avenue, Floor 3
Dallas, Texas 75201
Attention: Brian McDougal
Telecopy No.: 214-965-2044
Telephone No.: 214-965-3049
with a copy to:
JPMorgan Chase, N.A.
10 South Dearborn, Floor 7
IL1-0010
Chicago, Illinois 60603-2003
Attention: Maribel Lorenzo
Telecopy No.: 312-385-7096
Telephone No.: 312-732-5548
with a copy to:
Andrews Kurth LLP
600 Travis, Suite 4200
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: Thomas J. Perich
Telecopy No.: 713-220-4285
Telephone No.: 713-220-4268
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
2200 Ross Avenue, Floor 3
Dallas, Texas 75201
Attention: Brian McDougal
Telecopy No.: 214-965-2044
Telephone No.: 214-965-3049
with a copy to:
JPMorgan Chase, N.A.
10 South Dearborn, Floor 7
IL1-0010
Chicago, Illinois 60603-2003
Attention: Maribel Lorenzo
Telecopy No.: 312-385-7096
Telephone No.: 312-732-5548
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Section 9.02 Waivers; Amendments. (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Loan Parties therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
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Section 9.03 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The Company 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 and consultants for the Administrative Agent and such Affiliates, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, due diligence undertaken by the Administrative Agent with respect to the financing contemplated by this Agreement, the preparation and administration of this Agreement or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Lender in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or, after the occurrence and during the continuance of any Default, any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel and consultant for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.
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Section 9.04 Successors and Assigns. (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Lender that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) a Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by a Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement, other than rights, remedies or claims in favor of the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Lender that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders.
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For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the terms Approved Fund CLO have the following meanings:
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Approved Fund means (a) a CLO and (b) with respect to any Lender that is a fund which invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit, any other fund that invests in bank loans and similar extensions of credit and is managed by the same investment advisor as such lender or by an Affiliate of such investment advisor.
CLO means any entity (whether a corporation, partnership, trust or otherwise) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
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Section 9.05 Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the
Issuing Lender or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Section 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.
Section 9.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts and may be delivered in original or facsimile form (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the Fee Letter constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
Section 9.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Borrower against any and all of the obligations of any Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.
Section 9.09 Governing Law; Consent to Service of Process. (a) This Agreement and the Loan Documents shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of Texas.
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Without limitation of the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement, or in the Notes or in any other Loan Document shall be deemed to constitute a waiver of any rights which any Lender, or the holder of any Note may have under applicable federal legislation relating to the amount of interest which such Lender or holder may contract for, take, receive or charge in respect of the Loan and the Loan Documents, including any right to take, receive, reserve and charge interest at the rate allowed by the law of the state where any Lender is located. The Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Borrower further agree that insofar as the provisions of Chapter 303 of the Texas Finance Code, as amended, are applicable to the determination of the Highest Lawful Rate with respect to the Notes and the Obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the indicated rate ceiling of such Article shall be applicable; provided, however, that to the extent permitted by such Article, the Administrative Agent may from time to time by notice to the Borrower revise the election of such interest rate ceiling as such ceiling affects the then current or future balances of the Loans. The provisions of Chapter 346 of the Texas Finance Code, as amended, do not apply to this Agreement, any Note issued hereunder or the other Loan Documents.
Section 9.10 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
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Section 9.11 Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
Section 9.12 Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to any Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Company or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, Information means all information received from the Company relating to the Company or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Company; provided that, in the case of information received from the Company after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
Section 9.13 Interest. Each provision in this Agreement and each other Loan Document is expressly limited so that in no event whatsoever shall the amount paid, or otherwise agreed to be paid, to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or charged, contracted for, reserved, taken or received by the Administrative Agent or any such Lender, for the use, forbearance or detention of the money to be loaned under this Agreement or any Loan Document or otherwise (including any sums paid as required by any covenant or obligation contained herein or in any other Loan Document which is for the use, forbearance or detention of such money), exceed that amount of money which would cause the effective rate of interest to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, and all amounts owed under this Agreement and each other Loan Document shall be held to be subject to reduction to the effect that such amounts so paid or agreed to be paid, charged, contracted for, reserved, taken or received which are for the use, forbearance or detention of money under this Agreement or such Loan Document shall in no event exceed that amount of money which would cause the effective rate of interest to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate. Anything in any Note or any other Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrowers shall not be required to pay unearned interest on any Note and the Borrowers shall not be required to pay interest on the Obligations at a rate in excess of the
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Highest Lawful Rate, and if the effective rate of interest which would otherwise be payable under such Note and such Loan Documents would exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, or if the holder of such Note shall receive any unearned interest or shall receive monies that are deemed to constitute interest which would increase the effective rate of interest payable by the Borrowers under such Note and the other Loan Documents to a rate in excess of the Highest Lawful Rate, then (a) the amount of interest which would otherwise be payable by the Borrowers shall be reduced to the amount allowed under applicable law and (b) any unearned interest paid by the Borrowers or any interest paid by the Borrowers in excess of the Highest Lawful Rate shall in the first instance be credited on the principal of the obligations of the Borrowers (or if all such obligations shall have been paid in full, refunded to the Borrowers). It is further agreed that, without the limitation of the foregoing, all calculations of the rate of interest contracted for, reserved, taken, charged or received by any Lender under the Notes and the Obligations and under the other Loan Documents are made for the purpose of determining whether such rate exceeds the Highest Lawful Rate, and shall be made, to the extent permitted by usury laws applicable to such Lender, by amortizing, prorating and spreading in equal parts during the period of the full stated term of the Notes and this Agreement and all interest at any time contracted for, charged or received by such Lender in connection therewith.
Section 9.14 Release of Liens and Guarantees. In the event that the Company or any Subsidiary sells, transfers or otherwise disposes of all or any portion of any of the Equity Interests, assets or property owned by the Company or such Subsidiary in a transaction not prohibited by this Agreement, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall promptly (and the Lenders hereby authorize and instruct the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent to) take such action and execute any such documents as may be reasonably requested by the Company and at the Companys expense to release any Liens created by any Loan Document in respect of such Equity Interests, assets or property, including the release and satisfaction of record of any mortgage or deed of trust granted in connection herewith, and, in the case of a disposition of all or substantially all the Equity Interests or assets of any Subsidiary that is a Loan Party, terminate such Subsidiarys obligations under the Guarantee Agreement and each other Loan Document. In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent agree to take such actions as are reasonably requested by the Company and at the Borrowers expense to terminate the Liens and security interests created by the Loan Documents when all the Obligations have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit and Commitments terminated.
Section 9.15 No Novation. The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Agreement shall not extinguish the obligations for the payment of money outstanding under the Original Credit Agreement, as amended or discharge or release the Lien or priority of any Security Document or any other security therefor. Nothing herein contained shall be construed as a substitution or novation of the obligations outstanding under the Original Credit Agreement, as amended or any agreements securing the same, which shall remain in full force and effect, except as modified hereby or by agreements executed concurrently herewith. Nothing expressed or implied in this Agreement or any other document contemplated hereby shall be construed as a release or other discharge of Company under the Original Credit Agreement, as amended, or any Guarantor under any Loan Document from any of its obligations and liabilities thereunder. Each of the Amended and Restated Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall remain in full force and effect until and except as expressly modified hereby.
Section 9.16 USA Patriot Act. Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrowers that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001) (the Act), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrowers, which information includes the name and address of any Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify any Borrower in accordance with the Act.
Section 9.17 Release of Benchmark BV Holdings, Inc. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Lenders hereby acknowledge and agree that, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists hereunder, upon delivery to the Administrative Agent of (a) a written request by the Company that Benchmark BV Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (Benchmark BV) be released as a Guarantor and (b) written evidence satisfactory to Administrative Agent that Benchmark BV has no assets and that proceedings have been commenced to dissolve Benchmark BV, Benchmark BV shall be released as a Guarantor and upon the request of Company, the Administrative Agent shall provide evidence of such release to the Company.
Section 9.18 Joint and Several Liability. The Obligations of the Company and each of its Domestic Subsidiaries that are Borrowing Subsidiaries hereunder and under the Loan Documents are joint and several and the obligations of the Domestic Subsidiaries that are Guarantors under the Loan Documents are joint and several. The Obligations of the Foreign Borrowers hereunder and under the Loan Documents are joint and several. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or under the Loan Documents, no Foreign Borrower shall have any liability whatsoever in respect of the Obligations of the Company or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries.
Section 9.19 FINAL AGREEMENT OF THE PARTIES. THIS AGREEMENT (INCLUDING THE SCHEDULES AND EXHIBITS HERETO), THE NOTES AND OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS CONSTITUTE A LOAN AGREEMENT AS DEFINED IN SECTION 26.02(a) OF THE TEXAS BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL CODE, AND REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES RELATING TO THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF AND THEREOF AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
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BENCHMARK ELECTRONICS, INC. |
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By: |
/s/ Gayla J. Delly |
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Name: |
Gayla J. Delly |
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Title: |
President |
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually and as Administrative Agent and Issuing Lender |
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By: |
/s/ Brian McDougal |
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Name: |
Brian McDougal |
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Title: |
Vice President |
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BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., individually and as Co-Documentation Agent |
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By: |
/s/ Sugeet Machanda Madan |
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Name: |
Sugeet Machanda Madan |
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Title: |
Senior Vice President |
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WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., individually and as Co-Documentation Agent |
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By: |
/s/ Melanie M. Ottens |
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Name: |
Sugeet Machanda Madan |
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Title: |
Vice President |
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COMERICA BANK, individually and as Co-Documentation Agent |
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By: |
/s/ De Von Lang |
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Name: |
De Von Lang |
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Title: |
Corporate Banking Officer |
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CREDIT SUISSE, Cayman Islands Branch |
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By: |
/s/ Karim Blasetti |
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Name: |
Karim Blasetti |
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Title: |
Vice President |
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By: |
/s/ James Neira |
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Name: |
James Neira |
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Title: |
Associate |
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