EX-10.1 2 exhibit101nelnet-creditagr.htm EX-10.1 Document
EXECUTION VERSION


Deal CUSIP 64031YAE4
Revolving Loan CUSIP 64031YAF1

CREDIT AGREEMENT

DATED AS OF March 31, 2026


BETWEEN


NELNET, INC.,


THE LENDERS,


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
AS SYNDICATION AGENT


ROYAL BANK OF CANADA,
AS DOCUMENTATION AGENT

AND

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AND
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,
AS JOINT LEAD ARRANGERS AND JOINT BOOK RUNNERS

usbanklogo.jpg


Table of Contents
Page
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS ......................................................................................................1
1.1.    Definitions..........................................................................................................1
1.2.    Loan Classes ....................................................................................................30
1.3.    Computation of Time Periods ..........................................................................30
1.4.    Accounting .......................................................................................................30
1.5.    Other Definitional Terms .................................................................................31
1.6.    Divisions ...........................................................................................................31
1.7.    Term SOFR Notification ..................................................................................32
ARTICLE II THE CREDITS ..................................................................................................32
2.1.    Commitment .....................................................................................................32
2.2.    Required Payments; Termination .....................................................................32
2.3.    Ratable Borrowings; Types of Borrowings ......................................................33
2.4.    Swingline Loans................................................................................................33
2.5.    Commitment Fee ..............................................................................................34
2.6.    Minimum Amount of Each Borrowing ............................................................34
2.7.    Termination of and Reductions in Aggregate Commitment; Voluntary
    Prepayments .....................................................................................................34
2.8.    Borrowing Notices ...........................................................................................35
2.9.    Conversion and Continuation of Outstanding Borrowings; Maximum
    Number of Interest Periods ..............................................................................35
2.10.    Interest Rates ...................................................................................................36
2.11.    Rates Applicable After Event of Default .........................................................36
2.12.    Method of Payment; Repayment of Loans ......................................................36
2.13.    Evidence of Indebtedness ................................................................................37
2.14.    Oral Notices .....................................................................................................38
2.15.    Interest Payment Dates; Interest and Fee Basis ...............................................38
2.16.    Notification of Borrowings, Interest Rates, Prepayments, and
Commitment Reductions .................................................................................38
2.17.    Lending Offices ...............................................................................................38
2.18.    Non-Receipt of Funds by the Administrative Agent .......................................39
2.19.    Sharing of Payments ........................................................................................39
2.20.    [Reserved] ........................................................................................................40
2.21.    Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders ............................................40
2.22.    Interest Rate Limitation ....................................................................................41
2.23.    Defaulting Lenders ...........................................................................................41
2.24.    [Reserved] ........................................................................................................43
2.25.    Judgment Currency ..........................................................................................43
2.26.    [Reserved] ........................................................................................................44
2.27.    Incremental Commitments and Incremental Term Loans ................................44
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ARTICLE III YIELD PROTECTION; TAXES ...................................................................46
3.1.    Increased Costs ................................................................................................46
3.2.    Certificates for Reimbursement; Delay in Requests ........................................47
3.3.    Availability of Types of Borrowings; Adequacy of Interest Rate;
Benchmark Replacement .................................................................................47
3.4.    Funding Indemnification ..................................................................................49
3.5.    Taxes ................................................................................................................50
3.6.    Illegality ...........................................................................................................54
ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT ........................................................................55
4.1.    Conditions to Effectiveness .............................................................................55
4.2.    Each Credit Extension .....................................................................................57
ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES ...............................................58
5.1.    Existence and Standing ....................................................................................58
5.2.    Authorization and Validity ..............................................................................58
5.3.    No Conflict; Government Consents .................................................................58
5.4.    Financial Statements ........................................................................................58
5.5    Material Adverse Change ................................................................................59
5.6.    Taxes ................................................................................................................59
5.7.    Litigation and Contingent Obligations .............................................................59
5.8.    Subsidiaries ......................................................................................................59
5.9.    ERISA ..............................................................................................................59
5.10.    Accuracy of Information ..................................................................................59
5.11.    Regulation U ....................................................................................................60
5.12.    Material Agreements ........................................................................................60
5.13.    Compliance with Laws ....................................................................................60
5.14.    Ownership of Properties ..................................................................................60
5.15.    Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions ...............................................................60
5.16.    Environmental Matters ....................................................................................60
5.17.    Investment Company Act ................................................................................61
5.18.    Insurance ..........................................................................................................61
5.19.    Solvency ...........................................................................................................61
5.20.    No Default ........................................................................................................61
5.21.    Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions ....................................................................61
5.22    Labor Matters ...................................................................................................62
5.23.    Affected Financial Institution ..........................................................................62
5.24.    Outbound Investment Rules .............................................................................62
ARTICLE VI AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS .....................................................................62
6.1.    Financial Reporting ..........................................................................................62
6.2.    Use of Proceeds ................................................................................................64
6.3.    Notice of Material Events ................................................................................64
6.4.    Conduct of Business ........................................................................................65
6.5.    Payment of Taxes and Obligations ..................................................................65
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6.6.    Insurance ..........................................................................................................65
6.7.    Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations ........................65
6.8.    Maintenance of Properties ...............................................................................66
6.9.    Books and Records; Inspection ........................................................................66
6.10.    Guarantors ........................................................................................................66
6.11.    Dividends .........................................................................................................66
6.12.    Capitalization of Chartered Bank Subsidiary ..................................................67
6.13.    Anti-Money Laundering Compliance ..............................................................67
ARTICLE VII NEGATIVE COVENANTS ...........................................................................67
7.1.    Recourse Indebtedness .....................................................................................67
7.2.    Liens .................................................................................................................68
7.3.    Fundamental Changes ......................................................................................69
7.4.    Sale of Property ................................................................................................69
7.5.    Financial Covenants .........................................................................................70
7.6.    Investments ......................................................................................................70
7.7.    Acquisitions .....................................................................................................71
7.8.    Restricted Payments .........................................................................................71
7.9.    Outbound Investment Rules .............................................................................72
ARTICLE VIII DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES ...................................................................72
8.1.    Events of Default .............................................................................................72
8.2.    Acceleration; Remedies ...................................................................................74
8.3.    Application of Funds........................................................................................74
8.4.    Events of Fraud ................................................................................................75
ARTICLE IX THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT ...............................................................76
9.1.    Appointment and Authority .............................................................................76
9.2.    Rights as a Lender ............................................................................................76
9.3.    Exculpatory Provisions ....................................................................................76
9.4.    Reliance by Administrative Agent ...................................................................77
9.5.    Delegation of Duties ........................................................................................77
9.6.    Resignation of Administrative Agent ..............................................................78
9.7.    Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders ...................................................79
9.8.    No Other Duties ...............................................................................................79
9.9.    Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim .............................................79
9.10.    [Reserved] ........................................................................................................80
9.11.    Guarantor Releases ..........................................................................................80
9.12.    Certain ERISA Matters ....................................................................................80
9.13.    Erroneous Payments .........................................................................................81
ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS ..........................................................................................83
10.1.    Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication ........................................83
10.2.    Amendments and Waivers ...............................................................................84
10.3.    Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver ............................................................86
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10.4.    Successors and Assigns ....................................................................................88
10.5.    Setoff ................................................................................................................92
10.6.    Payments Set Aside ..........................................................................................93
10.7.    Survival ............................................................................................................93
10.8.    Governmental Regulation ................................................................................93
10.9.    Headings ..........................................................................................................93
10.10.    Entire Agreement .............................................................................................93
10.11.    Several Obligations ..........................................................................................94
10.12.    Severability of Provisions ................................................................................94
10.13.    Treatment of Certain Information ....................................................................94
10.14.    Nonreliance ......................................................................................................96
10.15.    No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility ........................................................96
10.16.    PATRIOT Act ..................................................................................................96
10.17.    Counterparts; Effectiveness .............................................................................97
10.18.    Electronic Execution of Assignments ..............................................................97
10.19.    Document Imaging; Telecopy and PDF Signatures; Electronic
Signatures .........................................................................................................97
10.20.    Governing Law ................................................................................................97
10.21.    Jurisdiction .......................................................................................................97
10.22.    Waiver of Venue ..............................................................................................98
10.23.    Service of Process ............................................................................................98
10.24.    WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL ............................................................................98
10.25.    Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial
Institutions........................................................................................................98
10.26.    Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs ......................................99
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SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1    Commitments
SCHEDULE 2    Guarantors
SCHEDULE 5.8    Consolidated Subsidiaries
SCHEDULE 7.2    Liens
SCHEDULE 7.6    Investments


EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT A            Form of Assignment and Assumption
EXHIBIT B            Form of Compliance Certificate
EXHIBIT C            Form of Notice of Obligations
EXHIBIT D-1        Form of Borrowing Notice
EXHIBIT D-2        Form of Conversion/Continuation Notice
EXHIBIT D-3        Form of Prepayment Notice
EXHIBIT E            Form of Note
EXHIBITS F-1 to F-4    Forms of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate    
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CREDIT AGREEMENT
This Credit Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2026, is between Nelnet, Inc., a Nebraska corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, as Administrative Agent. The parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1.Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
Acquisition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the Closing Date, by which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (a) acquires any going-concern business or all or substantially all of the assets of any firm, corporation, limited liability company or partnership, or division thereof, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise or (b) directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (in number of votes) of the outstanding Equity Interests of a corporation that have ordinary voting power for the election of directors (other than Equity Interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority (by percentage or voting power) of the outstanding Equity Interests of a partnership or limited liability company.
Adjusted EBITDA” means Consolidated Net Income plus, to the extent deducted from revenues in determining Consolidated Net Income and without duplication, (i) Corporate Debt Interest, (ii) expense for taxes paid in cash or accrued, (iii) depreciation, (iv) amortization (including loan premiums and deferred origination costs), (v) unusual and non-recurring non-cash expenses, charges or losses incurred other than in the ordinary course of business (including the write-off of goodwill), (vi) non-cash expenses related to stock based compensation, (vii) the unrealized derivatives market value adjustment for such period (if negative), (viii) proceeds (if any) realized on termination of derivative instruments and (ix) the unrealized foreign currency transaction adjustment related to the remeasurement of foreign currency denominated debt for such period (if negative), minus, to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, (1) unusual and non-recurring income or gains realized other than in the ordinary course of business, (2) income tax credits and refunds (to the extent not netted from tax expense), (3) any cash payments made during such period in respect of items described in clauses (v) or (vi) above subsequent to the fiscal quarter in which the relevant non-cash expenses, charges or losses were incurred, (4) the amount of variable-rate floor income during such period, (5) the unrealized derivatives market value adjustment for such period (if positive), (6) payments (if any) for termination of derivative instruments and (7) the unrealized foreign currency translation adjustment related to the remeasurement of foreign currency denominated debt for such period (if positive).
Administrative Agent” means U.S. Bank in its capacity as contractual representative of the Lenders pursuant to Article IX, and not in its individual capacity as a Lender, and any successor Administrative Agent appointed pursuant to Article IX.
Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
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Affected Financial Institution” means (a) any EEA Financial Institution or (b) any UK Financial Institution.
Affiliate” of any Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person, including, without limitation, such Person’s Subsidiaries. A Person shall be deemed to control another Person if the controlling Person possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of the controlled Person, whether through ownership of Equity Interests, by contract or otherwise.
Agent Parties” means the Administrative Agent and its Related Parties.
Aggregate Commitment” means the aggregate of the unexpired Commitments of all the Lenders, as reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof. As of the Closing Date, the Aggregate Commitment is $435,000,000.
Aggregate Outstanding Credit Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate of the Outstanding Credit Exposure of all the Lenders.
Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time.
Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate of interest per annum equal to the highest of (a) zero, (b) the Prime Rate for such day, (c) the sum of the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day plus 0.50% per annum and (d) the Term SOFR Rate (without giving effect to the Applicable Margin) for a one-month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day or if the Term SOFR Rate for such Business Day is not published due to a holiday or other circumstance that the Administrative Agent deems in its sole discretion to be temporary, the immediately preceding Business Day) for Dollars plus 1.00%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate, or the Term SOFR Rate shall be effective from the effective date of such change. If the Alternate Base Rate is being used when Term SOFR Borrowings are unavailable pursuant to Section 2.11 or 3.3, then the Alternate Base Rate shall be the highest of clauses (a), (b) and (c) above, without reference to clause (d) above.
Anti-Corruption Laws” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and any other anti-corruption law applicable to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
Applicable Law” means, as to any Person, all applicable Laws binding upon such Person or to which such a Person is subject.
Applicable Margin” means, at any time, with respect to Loans of any Type and commitment fees, the applicable percentages per annum determined by reference to the Credit Ratings measured as of the last Business Day of the immediately preceding month as set forth below from either Credit Rating Agency:
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LevelCredit RatingTerm SOFR RateBase RateCommitment
Fee Rate
1
BBB+ or higher/
Baa1 or higher
1.00%0.00%0.15%
2
BBB or higher /
Baa2 or higher
1.125%0.125%0.175%
3
BBB- or higher /
Baa3 or higher
1.25%0.25%0.225%
4
BB+ or higher /
Ba1 or higher
1.50%0.50%0.275%
5No other applicable credit rating1.75%0.75%0.30%

Initially, commencing on the Closing Date the Applicable Margin shall be determined based upon Level 4. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary:
(a)if only one Credit Rating Agency has in effect a Credit Rating, the Level shall be determined by reference to the available Credit Rating;
(b)if two Credit Rating Agencies have in effect a Credit Rating and such Credit Ratings differ by one level, the Level for the higher of the two Credit Ratings shall apply (with the Credit Rating for Level 1 being the highest and the Credit Rating for Level 5 being the lowest);
(c)if two Credit Rating Agencies have in effect a Credit Rating and such Credit Ratings differ by more than one level, the Level one level below the higher of the two Credit Ratings shall apply; and
(d)if the Borrower does not have a Credit Rating by any Credit Rating Agency, Level 5 shall apply.
Each change in the Applicable Margin resulting from a publicly announced change in the Credit Rating after the Closing Date shall be effective during the period commencing on the date of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. If the rating system of any such Credit Rating Agency changes, or if any such Credit Rating Agency ceases to be in the business of rating corporate debt obligations, the Borrower and the Lenders shall negotiate in good faith to amend this definition to reflect such changed rating system or the unavailability of ratings from such Credit Rating Agencies or shall select a replacement Credit Rating Agency and, pending the effectiveness of any such amendment or replacement, for purposes of determining the Applicable Margin the Credit Rating of the affected Credit Rating Agency shall be deemed to the Credit Rating of such Credit Rating Agency as most recently in effect before such change or cessation.
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Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Revolving Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Revolving Lender’s Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments.
Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
Arranger” means U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, and their respective successors, in their capacities as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Runners.
Article” means an article of this Agreement unless another document is specifically referenced.
Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.4(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
Authorized Officer” means any of the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower, acting singly.
Available Aggregate Commitment” means, at any time, the aggregate Commitments then in effect minus the aggregate Revolving Exposures at such time.
Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, (x) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate, any tenor for such Benchmark that is or may be used for determining the length of an Interest Period or (y) otherwise, any payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark, as applicable, pursuant to this Agreement as of such date.
Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.
Bail-In Legislation” means (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, regulation rule or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).
Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to (a) the Alternate Base Rate for such day plus (b) the Applicable Margin for such day, in each case changing when and as the Alternate Base Rate or the Applicable Margin changes.
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Base Rate Borrowing” means a Borrowing that, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.11, bears interest at the Base Rate.
Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.11, bears interest at the Base Rate.
Benchmark” means, initially, Term SOFR; provided that if a replacement of the Benchmark has occurred pursuant to Section 3.3(b), then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has become effective pursuant to Section 3.3(b).
Benchmark Replacement” means, for any Available Tenor, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent for the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date:
(1)    Daily Simple SOFR; or
(2)    the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement for the then-current Benchmark for U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
If the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (1) or (2) above would be less than the Floor, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement pursuant to clause (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for any applicable Interest Period and Available Tenor for any setting of such Benchmark Replacement, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body on the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities.
Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Borrowing” and “Term SOFR Borrowing,” the definition of “Alternate Base
5


Rate,” the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “Daily Term SOFR Loan,” the definition of “Interest Period,” timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, length of lookback periods, the applicability of breakage provisions, and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark Replacement and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).
Benchmark Replacement Date” means the earlier to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(1)    in the case of clause (1) or (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (a) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (b) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); and
(2)    in the case of clause (3) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the first date on which such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) has been determined and announced by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) to be no longer representative; provided, that such non-representativeness will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication referenced in such clause (3) and even if any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date.
For the avoidance of doubt, (i) if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for such determination and (ii) the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).
Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(1)    a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no
6


successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);
(2)    a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or
(3)    a public statement or publication of information by any of the entities referenced in clause (2) above announcing that all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are no longer, or as of a specified future date will no longer be, representative.
For the avoidance of doubt, a “Benchmark Transition Event” will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).
Benchmark Unavailability Period” means the period (if any) (x) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date pursuant to clauses (1) or (2) of that definition has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark in accordance with Section 3.3(b), and (y) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark in accordance with Section 3.3(b).
Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.
Benefit Plan Investor” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in and subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan.”
(i)BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k)) of such party.
Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
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Borrower” is defined in the opening paragraph hereof.
Borrower’s Line of Business” means any business conducted by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date, and any business reasonably related or incidental thereto, including but not limited to, (a) businesses reasonably related to providing, purchasing, lending to or otherwise investing in, education services, consumer loans (including student loans), mortgages, receivables, leases, business loans or other similar self liquidating financial assets, (b) payment processing, (c) loan servicing, (d) guarantee servicing, (e) investment management, (f) software development and advanced telecommunications, (g) investment or asset management services, financial advisory services, money management services, reinsurance services (including investing in reinsurance transactions), or similar or related activities, including services provided to private equity or debt funds, hedge funds, insurance collateral trusts, funds of funds, real estate funds, renewable energy funds, tax credit funds, corporate or other business entities or individuals, (h) making investments, including investments in funds of the type specified in clause (g) and (i) any other business approved by the Required Lenders; provided, that solely with respect to the Chartered Bank Subsidiary, “Borrower’s Line of Business” shall also include all business, activities and operations permitted with respect to a financial institution under applicable law, regulation, rule, guideline or directive of Governmental Authority, including without limitation, the business of accepting and safeguarding monetary deposits and lending money.

Borrower Materials” is defined in Section 10.13(b).
Borrowing” means a borrowing hereunder (a) made by some or all of the Lenders on the same Borrowing Date or (b) converted or continued by the Lenders on the same date of conversion or continuation, consisting, in either case, of the aggregate amount of the several Loans of the same currency, Class and Type and, in the case of Term SOFR Loans, for the same Interest Period. The term “Borrowing” excludes Swingline Loans.
Borrowing Date” means a date on which a Borrowing or Swingline Loan is made.
Borrowing Notice” is defined in Section 2.8.
Business Day” means a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks generally are open in New York City, New York for the conduct of substantially all of their commercial lending activities and interbank wire transfers can be made on the Fedwire system; provided that, when used in connection with SOFR, Term SOFR, Term SOFR Base Rate or Term SOFR Rate, the term “Business Day” excludes any day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.
CALMA” means a Capital and Liquidity Maintenance Agreement or similar agreement between the Borrower and certain regulators of the Chartered Bank Subsidiary.
Capitalized Lease” of a Person means any lease of Property by such Person as lessee that would be capitalized on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.
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Capitalized Lease Obligations” of a Person means the amount of the obligations of such Person under Capitalized Leases that would be shown as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.
Cash Equivalent Investments” means (a) short-term obligations of, or fully guaranteed by, the United States of America, (b) commercial paper rated A-1 or better by S&P or P-1 or better by Moody’s, (c) demand deposit accounts maintained in the ordinary course of business, (d) certificates of deposit issued by and time deposits with commercial banks (whether domestic or foreign) having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000, in each case which provide for payment of both principal and interest (and not principal alone or interest alone) and are not subject to any contingency regarding the payment of principal or interest, (e) shares of money market mutual funds that are rated at least AAAm or AAAG by S&P or P-1 or better by Moody’s and (f) investments in the Short Term Federal Investment Trust for which U.S. Bank serves as trustee and invests in assets such as FFELP Loans; provided in each case that the same provides for payment of both principal and interest (and not principal alone or interest alone) and is not subject to any contingency regarding the payment of principal or interest.
Cash Management Services” means any banking services that are provided to the Borrower or any Subsidiary by the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing (at the time such banking service is entered into), including without limitation: (a) credit cards, (b) credit card processing services, (c) debit cards, (d) purchase cards, (e) stored value cards, (f) freight payable transactions, (g) automated clearing house or wire transfer services, or (h) treasury management, including controlled disbursement, consolidated account, lockbox, overdraft, return items, sweep and interstate depository network services.
Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements, or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements, or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law,” regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.
Change of Control” means (a) the acquisition by any Person, or two or more Persons acting in concert, other than the Existing Control Persons, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) of 30% or more of the outstanding shares of voting Equity Interests of the Borrower on a fully diluted basis; (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) members of the board of directors of the Borrower as of the Closing Date, nor (ii) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower, nor (iii) appointed or approved by directors so nominated; or (c) the
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acquisition of direct or indirect control of the Borrower by any Person or group (other than the Existing Control Persons).
Chartered Bank Subsidiary” means a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insured depository institution chartered under state or federal law, with respect to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries owns 25% or more of the equity thereof or otherwise controls such entity under applicable banking law.
Class” refers to whether a Loan, or the Loans comprised in a Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or Term Loans.
Closing Date” means the first date on which the conditions in Section 4.1 are satisfied.
Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Commitment” means, for each Lender, the obligation, if any, of such Lender to make Revolving Loans to, and participate in Swingline Loans made to, the Borrower, expressed as an amount representing the maximum possible aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Exposure plus such Lender’s Incremental Term Loan Commitments, if any. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 1 and may be modified (a) pursuant to Section 2.7, (b) as a result of any assignment that has become effective pursuant to Section 10.4(b), or (c) otherwise from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof.
Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. §1 et seq.).
Communications” is defined in Section 10.1(d)(ii).
Compliance Certificate” means a compliance certificate in substantially the form of Exhibit B.
Computation Date” is defined in Section 2.2.
Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.
Consolidated Net Income” means, for any fiscal period, the net income of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis for such period, plus to the extent deducted in determining such net income, the derivatives market value adjustment for such period (if negative) and minus to the extent added in determining such net income, the derivatives market value adjustment for such period (if positive).
Consolidated Net Worth” means at any date the consolidated stockholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries.
Consolidated Subsidiary” means at any date any entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the Borrower in its consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date.
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Constituent Documents” means, with respect to any Person, as applicable, such Person’s certificate of incorporation, articles of incorporation, bylaws, certificate of formation, articles of organization, limited liability company agreement, management agreement, operating agreement, shareholder agreement, partnership agreement or similar document or agreement governing such Person’s existence, organization or management or concerning the disposition of Equity Interests of such Person or voting rights among such Person’s owners.
Contingent Obligation” of a Person means any agreement, undertaking or arrangement by which such Person (a) assumes, guarantees, endorses, contingently agrees to purchase or provide funds for the payment of, or otherwise becomes or is contingently liable upon, the obligation or liability of any other Person, (b) agrees to maintain the net worth or working capital or other financial condition of any other Person, or (c) otherwise assures any creditor of such other Person against loss, including, without limitation, any comfort letter, operating agreement, take-or-pay contract or the obligations of any such Person as general partner of a partnership with respect to the liabilities of the partnership, in the case of each of the foregoing clauses (a), (b) and (c), as is disclosed on the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower in accordance with GAAP.
Conversion/Continuation Notice” is defined in Section 2.9.
Corporate Debt Interest” means, for any period, the interest expense of the Borrower or any Subsidiary for such period on any Recourse Indebtedness.
(e)Corresponding Tenor” with respect to any Available Tenor means, as applicable, either a tenor (including overnight) or an interest payment period having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as such Available Tenor.
(f)Covered Entity” means any of the following:
(a)a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(b)a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(c)a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
Covered Party” is defined in Section 10.26.
Credit Extension” means a Borrowing or the making of a Swingline Loan.
Credit Rating” means a rating as determined by a Credit Rating Agency of the Borrower’s non-credit-enhanced, senior unsecured long-term indebtedness.
Credit Rating Agency” means each of Moody’s and S&P.
Daily Simple SOFR” means for any day, SOFR, with the conventions for this rate (which will include a lookback) being established by the Administrative Agent in accordance
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with the conventions for this rate selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining “Daily Simple SOFR” for syndicated business loans; provided, that if the Administrative Agent decides that any such convention is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, then the Administrative Agent may establish another convention in its reasonable discretion.
Daily Term SOFR Base Rate” means, with respect to a Swingline Loan, the greater of (a) zero and (b) the one-month Term SOFR rate quoted by the Administrative Agent from the Screen for the Business Day of such Swingline Loan (such Business Day, the “Determination Date”). If as of 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on any Determination Date, the one-month Term SOFR rate has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator or on the Screen, then the rate used will be that as published by the Term SOFR Administrator or on the Screen for the first preceding Business Day for which such rate was published on such Screen so long as such first preceding Business Day is not more than three Business Days prior to such Determination Date. For purposes of determining any interest rate hereunder or under any other Loan Document that is based on the Daily Term SOFR Base Rate, such interest rate shall change as and when the Daily Term SOFR Base Rate changes.
Daily Term SOFR Loan” means a Swingline Loan that, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.11, bears interest at the Daily Term SOFR Rate.
Daily Term SOFR Rate” means, with respect to a Swingline Loan, the sum of (a) the Daily Term SOFR Base Rate, plus (b) the Applicable Margin for Term SOFR Loans.
Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States of America, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.
Default” means an event that with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would be an Event of Default.
(d)Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.23(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two Business Days after the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Swingline Loans) within two Business Days after the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the Swingline Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and
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states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity, or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.23(b)) upon delivery of written notice of such determination to the Borrower, the Swingline Lender and each Lender.
Deposits” is defined in Section 10.5.
Documentation Agent” means Royal Bank of Canada.
Dollar” and “$” mean the lawful currency of the United States of America.
Dollar Amount” means, on any date of determination, with respect to any amount in Dollars, such amount.
Domestic Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.
E-SIGN” means the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute, and any regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.
EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country that is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country that is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country that is a subsidiary of an institution described in clause (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.
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EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.
Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.4(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.4(b)(iii)).
Environmental Laws” means any and all Laws, judicial decisions, judgments, orders, decrees, plans, injunctions, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements and other governmental restrictions relating to (a) the protection of the environment, (b) personal injury or property damage relating to the release or discharge of Hazardous Materials, (c) emissions, discharges or releases of pollutants, contaminants, hazardous substances or wastes into surface water, ground water or land, or (d) the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of pollutants, contaminants, hazardous substances or wastes or the clean-up or other remediation thereof.
Environmental Liability” means any liability or obligation, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), directly or indirectly, resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment, disposal or permitting or arranging for the disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
Equity Interests” means all shares, interests or other equivalents, however designated, of or in a corporation, limited liability company, or partnership, whether or not voting, including but not limited to common stock, member interests, partnership interests, warrants, preferred stock, convertible debentures, and all agreements, instruments and documents convertible, in whole or in part, into any one or more of the foregoing.
ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event,” as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the failure with respect to any Plan to satisfy the “minimum funding standard” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the
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incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition upon the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
Erroneous Payment” is defined in Section 9.13(a).
EU” means the European Union.
EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.
Event of Default” is defined in Article VIII.
Event of Fraud” means that the Borrower or any Subsidiary is subject to a settlement or consent decree for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $25,000,000, related to allegations of fraud by, or resulting from the activities of, the Chartered Bank Subsidiary, including without limitation, consumer or financial fraud.
Excluded Subsidiary” means, collectively, (i) the Chartered Bank Subsidiary, (ii) each Project Finance Subsidiary, (iii) each Reinsurance Collateral Trust, and (iv) any other Subsidiary which constitutes a special-purpose entity formed solely for the purpose of participating in Qualified Receivables Transactions; provided that, in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii)-(iv), such Subsidiaries shall only constitute Excluded Subsidiaries for so long as any primary financing to which such entity is a party, or Applicable Law to which such entity is subject, restricts or otherwise prohibits such entity from acting as a Guarantor.
Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation with respect to a Lender-Provided Swap if, and only to the extent that, all or a portion of the guarantee of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof), including by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder at the time the guarantee of such Guarantor or the grant of such security interest becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one Swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swaps for which such guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal.
Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient: (a) Taxes
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imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.21(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.5, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.5(g) and (d) any withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.
Exhibit” refers to an exhibit to this Agreement, unless another document is specifically referenced.
Existing Control Persons” means Michael S. Dunlap, Stephen F. Butterfield (deceased, as may be represented by his personal representative, estate or heirs), and the respective heirs, lineal descendants, members of the immediate family (parents, siblings, and children), and spouses and lineal descendants of the foregoing, and any trust, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or like entity created for the benefit of the foregoing or equity ownership in which is held exclusively by the foregoing.
Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 22, 2021, among the Borrower, the lenders from time to time party thereto and U.S. Bank, in its capacity as administrative agent, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified prior to the date hereof.
Facility Termination Date” means March 31, 2031 or any earlier date on which the Aggregate Commitment is reduced to zero or otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms hereof.
FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities entered into in connection with the implementation of the foregoing.
Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) zero and (b) the rate per annum calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depository institutions (as determined in such manner as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as the federal funds effective rate.
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FFELP Loans” means (i) student loans originated under the Federal Family Education Loan Program of the U.S. Department of Education and (ii) Health Education Assistance Loans (HEAL Loans) originated under 42 U.S.C. Section 292 et seq.
Floor means the benchmark rate floor, if any, provided in this Agreement initially (as of the execution of this Agreement, the modification, amendment or renewal of this Agreement or otherwise) with respect to the Term SOFR Base Rate.
Foreign Lender” means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.
Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, with respect to the Swingline Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of outstanding Swingline Loans other than Swingline Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Revolving Lenders.
Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.
GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time in the United States, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the financial statements referred to in Section 5.4, subject to Section 1.4.
Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank) and any group or body charged with setting financial accounting or regulatory capital rules or standards (including the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Bank for International Settlements or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision or any successor or similar authority to any of the foregoing).
Guarantor” means each Material Subsidiary that is a party to the Guaranty, either on the Closing Date or pursuant to Section 6.10, and their respective successors and assigns; provided that in no event shall any Excluded Subsidiary constitute a Guarantor for purposes of this Agreement. Schedule 2 lists the Guarantors as of the Closing Date.
Guaranty” means that certain Guaranty dated as of the Closing Date, executed by each of the Loan Parties in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, as it may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
Hazardous Material” means any explosive or radioactive substances or wastes, any 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 any other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
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Incremental Commitment” is defined in Section 2.27(a).
Incremental Effective Date” is defined in Section 2.27(c).
Incremental Lender” is defined in Section 2.27(b).
Incremental Term Loan” is defined in Section 2.27(a).
Incremental Term Loan Amendment” is defined in Section 2.27(f)(i).
Indebtedness” of a Person means, without duplication, such Person’s (a) obligations for borrowed money (including the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents), (b) obligations representing the deferred purchase price of Property or services (other than accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of such Person’s business payable on terms customary in the trade), (c) obligations, whether or not assumed, secured by Liens or payable out of the proceeds or production from Property now or hereafter owned or acquired by such Person, (d) obligations evidenced by notes, acceptances, or other instruments, (e) obligations to purchase securities or other Property arising out of or in connection with the sale of the same or substantially similar securities or Property, (f) Capitalized Lease Obligations, (g) obligations as an account party with respect to standby and commercial letters of credit, (h) Contingent Obligations, (i) Swap Obligations, (j) Receivables Transaction Attributed Indebtedness and (k) any other obligation for borrowed money or other financial accommodation that in accordance with GAAP would be shown as a liability on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.
Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a), Other Taxes.
Indemnitee” means each of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing.
Information” is defined in Section 10.13(a).
Interest Differential” is defined in Section 3.4.
Interest Period” means, with respect to a Term SOFR Borrowing, a period of one, three or six months (in each case, subject to the availability thereof) commencing on a Business Day selected by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement and ending on the day that corresponds numerically to such date one, three or six months thereafter; provided that
(a)any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such succeeding Business Day falls in a new calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;
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(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 calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;
(c)no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Facility Termination Date; and
(d)no tenor that has been removed from this definition pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(iv) may be available for selection by the Borrower.
Investment” of a Person means (a) any loan, advance (other than commission, travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business), extension of credit (other than accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business on terms customary in the trade) or contribution of capital by such Person; (b) Equity Interests, bonds, mutual funds, notes, debentures or other securities (including warrants or options to purchase securities) owned by such Person; (c) any deposit accounts and certificates of deposit owned by such Person; and (d) structured notes, derivative financial instruments and other similar instruments or contracts owned by such Person.
Law” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state, provincial, and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.
Lender Party” is defined in Section 9.13(a).
Lender-Provided Swap” means a Swap provided to the Borrower or any Subsidiary by a Person that, either at the time such Swap is entered into or, as to any Swap entered into before the Closing Date, on the Closing Date, is a Lender or an Affiliate thereof.
Lenders” means the lending institutions listed on the signature pages of this Agreement and their respective successors and assigns. Unless otherwise specified, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender but does not include the Administrative Agent in its capacity as the Administrative Agent.
Lien” means any lien (statutory or other), mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance or preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale, Capitalized Lease or other title retention agreement).
Loan” means a Revolving Loan, a Swingline Loan or an Incremental Term Loan.
Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Guaranty, any Notes and any other document or agreement, now or in the future, executed by any Person for the benefit of the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with this Agreement.
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Loan Loss Provision” means the expense allowance for uncollected loans and loan payments reported in the Borrower’s income statement in accordance with GAAP.
Loan Parties” means the Borrower and the Guarantors.
Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, Property, liabilities (actual and contingent), operations or condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of any Loan Party to perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, or (c) the validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or the rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders under the Loan Documents.
Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary (provided that Excluded Subsidiaries under clauses (ii)-(iv) of the definition thereof shall be excluded solely to the extent such entities constitute a special-purpose bankruptcy remote entity) in an outstanding principal amount of $25,000,000 or more in the aggregate (or the equivalent thereof in any currency other than Dollars). For purposes of this definition, the principal amount of the obligations of the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Obligation at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Consolidated Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Obligation were terminated at such time.
Material Indebtedness Agreement” means any agreement under which any Material Indebtedness was created or is governed or that provides for the incurrence of Indebtedness in an amount that would be Material Indebtedness (whether or not an amount of Indebtedness constituting Material Indebtedness is outstanding thereunder).
Material Subsidiary” means, as of the date of determination, (a) any Domestic Subsidiary listed as a separately disclosed reportable operating segment in the Borrower’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or in any subsequently filed annual report and (b) each Domestic Subsidiary that, for the most recent Reference Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.1, constitutes greater than 3.0% of the Borrower’s Consolidated Net Worth.
Maximum Rate” is defined in Section 2.22.
Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
Multiemployer Plan” means a Plan that constitutes a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA.
Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 10.2(b) and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.
Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.
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Non-FFELP Loans” means any loans (including loans comprising loan pools) other than FFELP Loans, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include, without limitation, (x) consumer loans, mortgages, receivables, leases, business loans or other similar self liquidating financial assets, and rights related thereto, (y) Non-FFELP Student Loans and (z) in each case, beneficial, participation or other interests in such loans or loan pools.
Non-FFELP Student Loans” means student loans not originated under the Federal Family Education Loan Program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Note” is defined in Section 2.13(d).
Obligations” means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, all obligations in connection with Cash Management Services, all obligations in connection with Lender-Provided Swaps, all accrued and unpaid fees, and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations of any Loan Party to the Lenders or to any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any indemnified party arising under the Loan Documents (including interest and fees accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding); provided that (a) obligations in respect of Cash Management Services and Lender-Provided Swaps shall be “Obligations” only if owed to U.S. Bank or one of its Affiliates or if the Administrative Agent has received notice thereof in the form of Exhibit C from the relevant Lender, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent requests, and (b) “Obligations” shall exclude all Excluded Swap Obligations. Without limiting the foregoing, the Obligations include (a) the obligation to pay principal, interest, charges, expenses, fees, indemnities and other amounts payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document, including Erroneous Payment subrogation rights and (b) the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse any amount in respect of any of the foregoing that the Administrative Agent or any Lender, in each case in its sole discretion, may elect to pay or advance on behalf of the Borrower.
OFAC” means the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, and any successor thereto.
Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).
Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.21(b)).
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Outbound Investment Rules” means the regulations administered and enforced, together with any related public guidance issued, by the United States Treasury Department under U.S. Executive Order 14105 of August 9, 2023, or any similar law or regulation; as of the Closing Date, and as codified at 31 C.F.R. § 850.101 et seq.
Outstanding Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of its Revolving Exposure outstanding at such time, plus (b) the outstanding principal Dollar Amount of its Incremental Term Loans outstanding at such time.
Participant” is defined in Section 10.4(d).
Participant Register” is defined in Section 10.4(d).
PATRIOT Act” means the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)).
Payment Date” means the last day of each March, June, September and December or, if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately succeeding Business Day.
Payment Recipient” is defined in Section 9.13(a).
PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or any successor thereto.
Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, as to which each of the following conditions has been satisfied:
(a) as of the date of the consummation of such Acquisition, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such Acquisition;
(b) such Acquisition is consummated on a non-hostile basis pursuant to a negotiated acquisition agreement that has been (if required by the governing documents of the seller or entity to be acquired) approved by the board of directors or other applicable governing body of the seller or entity to be acquired, and no material challenge to such Acquisition (excluding the exercise of appraisal rights) shall be pending or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened by any shareholder or director of the seller or entity to be acquired;
(c) the total consideration paid in connection with such Acquisition does not exceed 3.0% of the Borrower’s Consolidated Net Worth as most recently reported pursuant to Section 6.1(c); and
(d) as of the date of the consummation of such Acquisition, all material approvals required in connection therewith shall have been obtained;
provided that to the extent the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries proposes to make an Acquisition that does not satisfy the criteria set forth in this definition, the consent of the Required Lenders in their sole and absolute discretion shall be required to consummate such Acquisition, and is subject to delivery of, and satisfaction with, any additional documentation and requirements the Required Lenders may request.
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Permitted Liens” means:
(a)    Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 6.5;
(b)    carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 30 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 6.5;
(c)    pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;
(d)    deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(e)    judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under Section 8.1(i);
(f)    Liens granted by any Subsidiary in connection with a Qualified Receivables Transaction;
(g)    easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and
(h)    Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to bankers’ liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts, securities accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution, only if (i) such account is not a dedicated cash collateral account and is not subject to restriction against access by the Borrower or a Subsidiary in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Board, and (ii) such account is not intended by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to provide collateral to the depository institution;
provided that the term “Permitted Liens” shall not include any Lien securing Recourse Indebtedness.
Person” means any natural person, corporation, firm, joint venture, partnership, limited liability company, association, enterprise, trust or other entity or organization, or any Governmental Authority.
Plan” means an employee pension benefit plan covered by Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA as to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability.
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Platform” means Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak, DebtX or a substantially similar electronic transmission system.
Prepayment Notice” is defined in Section 2.7(b).
Prime Rate” means a rate per annum equal to the prime rate of interest announced from time to time by U.S. Bank or its parent (which is not necessarily the lowest rate charged to any customer), changing when and as such prime rate changes.
Project Finance Subsidiary” shall mean a direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower (a) of which the Borrower owns or holds, directly or indirectly, at least 50% of the Equity Interests, but the Borrower does not control, directly or indirectly, and the accounts of which are not consolidated on the financial statements of the Borrower, and (b) which has incurred Project Finance Subsidiary Indebtedness.
Project Finance Subsidiary Indebtedness” means Indebtedness or other financing on a non-recourse basis (or with recourse limited to not more than the assets of and Equity Interests in the Subsidiary which has incurred such Indebtedness or entered into such financing), to finance or refinance the development, acquisition, construction, operation, maintenance or working capital requirements of such Subsidiary.
Property” of a Person means any and all property, whether real, personal, tangible, intangible, or mixed, of such Person, or other assets owned, leased or operated by such Person.
Pro Rata Share” means, with respect to a Lender, a portion equal to a fraction the numerator of which is such Lender’s Outstanding Credit Exposure and the denominator of which is the Aggregate Outstanding Credit Exposure.
PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as amended from time to time.
Public Lender” is defined in Section 10.13(b).
(e)QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 5390(c)(8)(D).
QFC Credit Support” is defined in Section 10.27.
Qualified Receivables Transaction” means any transaction or series of transactions that may be entered into from time to time by the Borrower or any Subsidiary pursuant to which (i) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may sell, participate, convey or otherwise transfer to a Subsidiary that is a special-purpose entity, or to any other special-purpose entity in which the Borrower or a Subsidiary holds an interest, any consumer loans, mortgages, receivables, leases, business loans or other similar self liquidating financial assets, and rights related thereto without recourse to the transferor except for customary exceptions (x) consistent with the Borrower’s current (as of the Closing Date) or historic practices, or (y) otherwise acceptable to the Administrative Agent, which special purpose entity may in turn sell, convey, transfer and/or pledge interests in such assets to third-party lenders or investors, or (ii) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may directly or indirectly invest in a special purpose entity who is purchasing, acquiring or financing consumer loans, mortgages, receivables, leases, business loans or other similar self liquidating financial assets, and rights related thereto and who may be financing such
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purchases or acquisitions on a non-recourse basis to the Borrower or such Subsidiary except for customary exceptions (x) consistent with the Borrower’s current (as of the Closing Date) or historic practices, or (y) otherwise acceptable to the Administrative Agent, which special purpose entity may in turn sell, convey, transfer and/or pledge interests in such assets to third-party lenders or investors.
Receivables Transaction Attributed Indebtedness” means (x) the amount of obligations outstanding under the legal documents entered into as part of any Qualified Receivables Transaction on any date of determination that would be characterized as principal if such Qualified Receivables Transaction were structured as a secured lending transaction rather than as a purchase, and (y) any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to any Warehouse Receivables Transaction.
Recipient” means (a) the Administrative Agent or (b) any Lender, as applicable.
Recourse Indebtedness” of the Borrower means all Indebtedness of the Borrower and of its Consolidated Subsidiaries excluding (i) Indebtedness with respect to which recourse is contractually limited to specified Property which secures payment of such Indebtedness, (ii) Receivables Transaction Attributed Indebtedness and (iii) Project Finance Subsidiary Indebtedness.
Reference Period” means four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower.
Reference Time” with respect to any setting of the then-current Benchmark means (1) if such Benchmark is Term SOFR, 10:00 a.m. (Central time) on the day that is two Business Days before the date of such setting, and (2) if such Benchmark is not Term SOFR, the time determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.
Register” is defined in Section 10.4(c).
Regulation U” means Regulation U of the Board and any other regulation or official interpretation of the Board relating to the extension of credit by banks for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stocks applicable to member banks of the Federal Reserve System.
Reinsurance Collateral Trust” means a trust established pursuant to a collateral trust agreement, for the benefit of one or more secured parties, into which a grantor has transferred, or is required to transfer, cash, securities, letters of credit, or other assets constituting eligible collateral, to secure the payment and performance of the applicable secured obligations, which include obligations arising under or in connection with any reinsurance agreement, and which is held and administered by a collateral trustee in accordance with the terms of such collateral trust agreement and applicable law.
Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, members, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.
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Relevant Governmental Body” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or any successor thereto.
Removal Effective Date” is defined in Section 9.6(b).
Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Total Credit Exposures representing more than 50% of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders. The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time.
Resignation Effective Date” is defined in Section 9.6(a).
Resolution Authority” means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.
Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, Equity Interests, or other Property) with respect to any Equity Interest in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, Equity Interests or other Property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interest in the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided, however, that any dividends, distributions or payments made in connection with a fundamental change of a Subsidiary as otherwise permitted in Section 7.3(a) hereof are excluded.
Revolving Exposure” means, with respect to any Revolving Lender at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Loans outstanding at such time, plus (b) an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Swingline Loans outstanding at such time.
Revolving Lender” means, as of any date of determination, a Lender with a Commitment or, if the Commitments have terminated or expired, a Lender with Revolving Exposure.
Revolving Loan” means, with respect to a Revolving Lender, such Revolving Lender’s loan made pursuant to its commitment to lend set forth in Section 2.1 (or any conversion or continuation thereof).
S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global Inc.
Sanctions” means sanctions administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by OFAC or the U.S. Department of State, (b) the United Nations Security Council, (c) the European Union, (d) His Majesty’s Treasury, or (e) other relevant sanctions authority.
Schedule” refers to a specific schedule to this Agreement, unless another document is specifically referenced.
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Screen” has the meaning provided in the definition of Term SOFR Base Rate.
Section” means a numbered section of this Agreement, unless another document is specifically referenced.
SOFR” means, with respect to any Business Day, a rate per annum equal to the secured overnight financing rate for such Business Day published by the SOFR Administrator on the SOFR Administrator’s Website.
SOFR Administrator” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).
SOFR Administrator’s Website” means the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, currently at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the SOFR Administrator from time to time.
Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of such Person in the Person’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the Equity Interests 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) the Chartered Bank Subsidiary shall be a direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower and (y) no Reinsurance Collateral Trust shall be deemed to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower so long as in the case of a Reinsurance Collateral Trust, such Reinsurance Collateral Trust has no business activities (including, but not limited to, the incurrence of Indebtedness, the acquisition or disposition of any assets other than nominal assets, or the granting of any Liens on its assets) other than customary administrative activities consistent with the definition thereof as set forth herein.
Substantial Portion” means, with respect to the Property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, Property which represents more than 20% of the consolidated assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as whole or, if less, Property which is responsible for more than 15% of the Adjusted EBITDA, in each case, for the most recent Reference Period.
Supported QFC” is defined in Section 10.27.
Swap” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, fixed-price physical delivery contracts, whether or not exchange traded, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, including any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap”
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within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, that are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement or any other master agreement, including any such obligations or liabilities under any such master agreement.
Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Person, any and all obligations, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (a) any and all Swaps and (b) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap.
Swingline Lender” means U.S. Bank or such other Lender that succeeds to its rights and obligations as Swingline Lender pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
Swingline Loan” means a loan made available to the Borrower by the Swingline Lender pursuant to Section 2.4.
Syndication Agent” means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.
Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
Term SOFR” means the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent as the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR.
Term SOFR Administrator” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Ltd. (or a successor administrator of Term SOFR).
Term SOFR Administrator’s Website” means https://www.cmegroup.com/market-data/cme-group-benchmark-administration/term-sofr, or any successor source for Term SOFR identified as such by the Term SOFR Administrator from time to time.
Term SOFR Base Rate” means, for the relevant Interest Period, the greater of (a) zero and (b) the Term SOFR rate quoted by the Administrative Agent from the Term SOFR Administrator’s Website or the applicable Bloomberg screen (or other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be selected by the Administrative Agent from time to time) (the “Screen”) for such Interest Period, which shall be the Term SOFR rate published two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period (such Business Day, the “Determination Date”). If as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Determination Date, the Term SOFR rate has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator or on the Screen, then the rate used will be that as published by the Term SOFR Administrator or on the Screen for the first preceding Business Day for which such rate was published on such Screen so long as such first preceding Business Day is not more than three (3) Business Days prior to such Determination Date.
Term SOFR Borrowing” means a Borrowing that, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.11, bears interest at the applicable Term SOFR Rate.
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Term SOFR Loan” means a Loan that, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.11, bears interest at the applicable Term SOFR Rate other than pursuant to clause (d) of the definition of Alternate Base Rate.
Term SOFR Rate” means, for the relevant Interest Period, the sum of (a) the Term SOFR Base Rate applicable to such Interest Period, plus (b) the Applicable Margin.
Total Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the unused Commitments, Revolving Exposure and outstanding Incremental Term Loans (if any) of such Lender at such time.
Type” means, with respect to any Borrowing, its nature as a Base Rate Borrowing or a Term SOFR Borrowing and with respect to a Loan, its nature as a Base Rate Loan or a Term SOFR Loan.
U.S. Bank” means U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, in its individual capacity, and its successors.
U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.
U.S. Special Resolution Regimes” is defined in Section 10.27.
U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” is defined in Section 3.5(g)(ii)(B)(3).
UCP” means the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time).
UETA” means the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act as in effect in any applicable state, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute, and any regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.
UK Financial Institution” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended form time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person falling within IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.
UK Resolution Authority” means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.
Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
Warehouse Receivables Transaction” means a Qualified Receivables Transaction pursuant to which the applicable Subsidiary or other special-purpose entity pledges consumer loans, mortgages, receivables, leases, business loans or other similar self liquidating financial assets to a third-party lender or lenders.
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Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” of a Person means any other entity of which 100% of the Equity Interests are at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.
Withholding Agent” means the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent.
Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.
The foregoing definitions apply equally to both the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.
1.2.Loan Classes. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Term SOFR Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Term SOFR Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Term SOFR Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Term SOFR Revolving Borrowing”).
1.3.Computation of Time Periods. In this Agreement, in the computation of a period of time from a specified date to a later specified date, unless otherwise stated the word “from” means “from and including” and the words “to” and “until” mean “to but excluding.”
1.4.Accounting. Except as provided to the contrary herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted and all accounting determinations hereunder shall be made in accordance with GAAP in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the financial statements referred to in Section 5.4, except that any calculation or determination to be made on a consolidated basis shall be made for the Borrower and all Subsidiaries, including any that are unconsolidated on the Borrower’s audited financial statements. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to (a) any election under Accounting Standards Codification Section 825-10-25 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at “fair value,” as defined therein, or (b) any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Financial Accounting Standards Codification Subtopic 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount
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thereof. If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders), but until so amended, such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP before such change and the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders reconciliation statements showing the difference in such calculation, together with the delivery of monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements required hereunder. In addition, notwithstanding any other provision herein, the definitions set forth in this Agreement and any financial calculations required by the Loan Documents shall be computed to exclude any change to lease accounting rules as a result of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 842 (Leases) from those in effect pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 840 (Leases) and other related lease accounting guidance.
1.5.Other Definitional Terms; Interpretative Provisions. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision. References to Sections, Articles, Exhibits, and Schedules are to this Agreement unless otherwise expressly provided. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The terms “shall” and “will” have the same meaning as the term “must.” Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, “or” has the inclusive meaning represented by the phrase “and/or.” All covenants, terms, definitions or other provisions incorporated by reference to other agreements are incorporated into this Agreement as if fully set forth herein, and such incorporation includes all necessary definitions and related provisions from such other agreements, but includes only amendments thereto agreed to by the Lenders, and survives any termination of such other agreements until the Obligations are irrevocably paid in full (other than inchoate indemnity obligations), and the Commitments are terminated. Any reference to any Law includes all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such Law and, unless otherwise specified, refers to such Law as amended, modified, supplemented, replaced, or succeeded from time to time. References to any document, instrument or agreement (a) include all exhibits, schedules and other attachments thereto, (b) include all documents, instruments or agreements issued or executed in replacement thereof, to the extent permitted hereby and (c) mean such document, instrument or agreement, or replacement or predecessor thereto, as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time to the extent not otherwise stated herein or prohibited hereby and in effect at any given time.
1.6.Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Equity Interests at such time.
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1.7.Term SOFR Notification. The interest rate on Term SOFR Borrowings and Daily Term SOFR Loans is determined by reference to the Term SOFR Base Rate and Daily Term SOFR Base Rate, respectively, which is derived from Term SOFR. Section 3.3(b) provides a mechanism for (a) determining an alternative rate of interest if Term SOFR is no longer available or in the other circumstances set forth in Section 3.3(b), and (b) modifying this Agreement to give effect to such alternative rate of interest. The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission or any other matter related to Term SOFR or other rates in the definition of Term SOFR Base Rate and Daily Term SOFR Base Rate, as applicable, or with respect to any alternative or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate thereof (including any Benchmark Replacement), including without limitation, whether any such alternative, successor or replacement reference rate (including any Benchmark Replacement), as it may or may not be adjusted pursuant to Section 3.3(b), will have the same value as, or be economically equivalent to, the Term SOFR Base Rate or Daily Term SOFR Base Rate, as applicable. The Administrative Agent and its affiliates or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of Alternate Base Rate, Term SOFR, the Term SOFR Base Rate, any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) or any relevant adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Borrower. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain the Alternate Base Rate, the Term SOFR Base Rate, Term SOFR or any other Benchmark, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.
ARTICLE II
THE CREDITS
2.1.Commitments. From the Closing Date until the Facility Termination Date, each Revolving Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, to make revolving loans to the Borrower in Dollars only if, after giving effect to the making of each such loan:
(i)the Dollar Amount of such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Exposure does not exceed its Commitment; and
(ii)the aggregate Revolving Exposures do not exceed the Aggregate Commitments.
All Base Rate Loans shall be made in Dollars. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow the Revolving Loans at any time before the Facility Termination Date. Unless previously terminated, all the Commitments shall terminate on the Facility Termination Date.
2.2.Required Payments; Termination. The Administrative Agent will determine the Dollar Amount of all outstanding Loans on and as of the last Business Day of each quarter and on any other Business Day elected by the Administrative Agent in its discretion or upon instruction by the Required Lenders. Such date of determination is a “Computation Date” with
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respect to each Obligation for which a Dollar Amount is determined on or as of such day. If at any time the Dollar Amount of the aggregate Revolving Exposures exceeds the aggregate Commitments, the Borrower shall immediately make a payment on the Loans in an amount sufficient to eliminate such excess. The Borrower shall pay in full on the Facility Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of all Loans, all interest thereon, all fees and expenses due hereunder, and all other unpaid Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
2.3.Ratable Borrowings; Types of Borrowings. Each Borrowing shall be made from the several Revolving Lenders ratably according to their Applicable Percentages. The Borrowings may be Base Rate Borrowings or Term SOFR Borrowings, or a combination thereof, selected by the Borrower in accordance with Sections 2.8 and 2.9.
2.4.Swingline Loans.
(a)Amount of Swingline Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, from the Closing Date and until the Facility Termination Date, the Swingline Lender may, at its option, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, make Swingline Loans in Dollars to the Borrower from time to time in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $50,000,000, only if, after giving effect to such Swingline Loan, (i) the Aggregate Outstanding Credit Exposure does not exceed the Aggregate Commitment, and (ii) the sum of (A) the Swingline Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Swingline Loans, plus (B) the outstanding Revolving Loans made by the Swingline Lender does not exceed the Swingline Lender’s Commitment. Subject to the terms of this Agreement (including without limitation the discretion of the Swingline Lender), the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow Swingline Loans at any time before the Facility Termination Date.
(b)Borrowing Notice. To borrow a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Swingline Lender a Borrowing Notice not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the Borrowing Date of each Swingline Loan, specifying (i) the Borrowing Date (which shall be a Business Day) and (ii) the amount of the requested Swingline Loan, which shall be not less than $100,000.
(c)Making of Swingline Loans; Participations. Not later than 2:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the applicable Borrowing Date, the Swingline Lender shall make available the Swingline Loan, in funds immediately available, to the Administrative Agent at its address specified pursuant to Section 10.1. The Administrative Agent shall promptly make the funds received from the Swingline Lender available to the Borrower on the Borrowing Date at such address. Each time the Swingline Lender makes a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have unconditionally and irrevocably sold to each Lender, and each Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have unconditionally and irrevocably purchased from the Swingline Lender, a participation in such Swingline Loan in proportion to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage.
(d)Repayment of Swingline Loans. The Borrower shall pay each Swingline Loan in full on the date selected by the Administrative Agent. In addition, the Swingline Lender may at any time in its sole discretion with respect to any outstanding Swingline Loan require each Lender to fund its participation acquired pursuant to Section 2.4(c) or require each Lender (including the Swingline Lender) to make a Revolving Loan in the amount of such Lender’s
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Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan (including, without limitation, any interest accrued and unpaid thereon), for the purpose of repaying such Swingline Loan. Not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the date of any notice received pursuant to this Section 2.4(d), each Lender shall make available its required Revolving Loan, in funds immediately available to the Administrative Agent at its address specified pursuant to Section 10.1. Revolving Loans made pursuant to this Section 2.4(d) shall initially be Base Rate Borrowings and thereafter may be continued as Base Rate Borrowings or converted into Term SOFR Borrowings as provided in Section 2.9 and subject to the other conditions and limitations set forth in this Article II. Unless a Lender has notified the Swingline Lender, before the making of any Swingline Loan, that any applicable condition precedent set forth in Section 4.1 or 4.2 was not satisfied, such Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.4(d) to repay Swingline Loans or to fund the participation acquired pursuant to Section 2.4(c) shall be unconditional, continuing, irrevocable and absolute and shall not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, (a) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right such Lender has against the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or any other Person, (b) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or Event of Default, (c) any adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower, or (d) any other circumstances, happening or event whatsoever. If any Lender fails to make payment to the Administrative Agent of any amount due under this Section 2.4(d), interest shall accrue thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate for each day during the period commencing on the date of demand and ending on the date such amount is received, and the Administrative Agent may receive, retain and apply against such obligation the principal and interest otherwise payable to such Lender hereunder until the Administrative Agent receives such payment from such Lender or such obligation is otherwise fully satisfied. On the Facility Termination Date, the Borrower shall repay in full the outstanding principal balance of the Swingline Loans.
2.5.Commitment Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender according to its Applicable Percentage a commitment fee at a per annum rate equal to the “Commitment Fee Rate” set forth in the definition of “Applicable Margin” on the average daily Available Aggregate Commitment from the Closing Date until the Facility Termination Date, payable in arrears on each Payment Date and on the Facility Termination Date. Swingline Loans shall not count as Revolving Exposure for the purpose of calculating the commitment fee due hereunder.
2.6.Minimum Amount of Each Borrowing. Each Term SOFR Borrowing shall be in the minimum amount of $5,000,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000,000, and each Base Rate Borrowing (other than a Borrowing to repay Swingline Loans) shall be in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000,000, except that any Base Rate Borrowing may be in the amount of the Available Aggregate Commitment.
2.7.Termination of and Reductions in Aggregate Commitment; Voluntary Prepayments.
(a)The Borrower may terminate the unused portion of the Commitments or from time to time permanently reduce the Commitments ratably among the Revolving Lenders in integral multiples of $5,000,000 and not less than $25,000,000, upon at least three Business Days’ irrevocable prior written notice to the Administrative Agent specifying the amount of any such
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reduction. In no event may the amount of the Commitments be reduced below the aggregate Revolving Exposures.
(b)The Borrower may from time to time prepay, without penalty or premium, all outstanding Base Rate Loans (other than Swingline Loans), or any portion of the aggregate outstanding Base Rate Loans (other than Swingline Loans), upon same-day notice by 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) to the Administrative Agent in the form of Exhibit D-3 (a “Prepayment Notice”). The Borrower may at any time prepay, without penalty or premium, all outstanding Swingline Loans, or any portion of the outstanding Swingline Loans, with notice to the Administrative Agent and the Swingline Lender by 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date of prepayment. The Borrower may from time to time prepay, subject to the payment of any funding indemnification amounts required by Section 3.4 but without penalty or premium, all outstanding Term SOFR Loans, or any portion of the aggregate outstanding Term SOFR Loans upon at least two Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent by 11:00 a.m. (New York City time).
2.8.Borrowing Notices. The Borrower shall select the Type of Borrowing and, in the case of each Term SOFR Borrowing, the Interest Period applicable thereto from time to time. The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable notice in the form of Exhibit D-1 (a “Borrowing Notice”) not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) one Business Day before the Borrowing Date of each Base Rate Borrowing and two Business Days before the Borrowing Date for each Term SOFR Borrowing, specifying:
(a)the Borrowing Date, which shall be a Business Day, of such Borrowing;
(b)the aggregate amount of such Borrowing;
(c)the Type of Borrowing selected; and
(d)in the case of each Term SOFR Borrowing, the Interest Period applicable thereto.
Not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the selected Borrowing Date, each Revolving Lender shall make available its Loan or Loans in funds immediately available to the Administrative Agent at its address specified pursuant to Section 10.1. The Administrative Agent shall make the funds so received from the Lenders available to the Borrower at such address.
2.9.Conversion and Continuation of Outstanding Borrowings; Maximum Number of Interest Periods. Base Rate Borrowings shall continue as Base Rate Borrowings unless and until such Base Rate Borrowings are converted into Term SOFR Borrowings pursuant to this Section 2.9 or are prepaid in accordance with Section 2.7. Each Term SOFR Borrowing denominated in Dollars shall continue as a Term SOFR Borrowing until the end of the then applicable Interest Period therefor, at which time such Term SOFR Borrowing shall be automatically converted into a Base Rate Borrowing unless (a) such Term SOFR Borrowing is or was prepaid in accordance with Section 2.7 or (b) the Borrower has given the Administrative Agent a Conversion/Continuation Notice requesting that, at the end of such Interest Period, such Term SOFR Borrowing continue as a Term SOFR Borrowing for the same or another Interest Period. Subject to Section 2.6, the Borrower may elect from time to time to convert all or any part of a Base Rate Borrowing into a Term SOFR Borrowing. The Borrower shall give the
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Administrative Agent irrevocable notice in the form of Exhibit D-2 (a “Conversion/Continuation Notice”) of each conversion of a Base Rate Borrowing into a Term SOFR Borrowing, conversion of a Term SOFR Borrowing to a Base Rate Borrowing, or continuation of a Term SOFR Borrowing not later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) at least two Business Days (four Business Days for Term SOFR Borrowings in currencies other than Dollars) before the date of the requested conversion or continuation, specifying:
(a)the requested date, which shall be a Business Day, of such conversion or continuation;
(b)the Type of the Borrowing and whether it is to be converted or continued; and
(c)the amount of such Borrowing to be converted or continued and, in the case of a Term SOFR Borrowing, the duration of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Lender may exchange, continue or roll over all or a portion of its Loans in connection with any refinancing, extension, loan modification or similar transaction permitted by the terms of this Agreement, pursuant to a cashless settlement mechanism approved by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Lender.
2.10.Interest Rates. Each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof, for each day from the date such Loan is made or is automatically converted into a Base Rate Loan pursuant to Section 2.9, to the date it is paid or is converted into a Term SOFR Loan pursuant to Section 2.9, at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate for such day. Each Swingline Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof, for each day from the day such Swingline Loan is made to the date it is paid, at a rate per annum equal to, at the Borrower’s option, the Base Rate for such day or the Daily Term SOFR Rate. Changes in the rate of interest on each Base Rate Borrowing will take effect simultaneously with each change in the Alternate Base Rate. Each Term SOFR Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the first day of the Interest Period applicable thereto to the last day of such Interest Period at the interest rate determined by the Administrative Agent as applicable to such Term SOFR Loan based upon the Borrower’s selections under Sections 2.8 and 2.9 and the Applicable Margin.
2.11.Rates Applicable After Event of Default. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 2.8, 2.9 or 2.10, during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default, the Required Lenders may, at their option, by notice from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice can be revoked at the option of the Required Lenders notwithstanding Section 10.2(b)), declare that no Borrowing may be made as, converted into or continued as a Term SOFR Borrowing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 2.8, 2.9 or 2.10, during the continuance of an Event of Default, at the option of the Required Lenders (or, in the case of an Event of Default under Section 8.1(b), (f) or (g), automatically), the Loans shall bear interest at the rate otherwise applicable thereto plus 2.00% per annum.
2.12.Method of Payment; Repayment of Loans.
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(a)Each Loan shall be repaid, and each payment of interest thereon shall be paid, in the currency in which such Loan was made. All payments of the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be made, without setoff, deduction, or counterclaim, in immediately available funds to the Administrative Agent at its address specified pursuant to Section 10.1, or at any other address specified in writing by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, by 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the date when due and shall (except (i) with respect to repayments of Swingline Loans, or (ii) as otherwise specifically required hereunder) be applied ratably by the Administrative Agent among the Lenders. Each payment delivered to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Lender shall be delivered promptly by the Administrative Agent to such Lender in the same type of funds that the Administrative Agent received at its address specified pursuant to Section 10.1. The Administrative Agent is hereby authorized to charge the account of the Borrower maintained with U.S. Bank for each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder.
(b)The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of (x) each Revolving Lender, the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Facility Termination Date and (y) each Incremental Term Lender, all unpaid Incremental Term Loans on the Facility Termination Date. The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay such amounts when due.
2.13.Evidence of Indebtedness.
(a)Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the Indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.
(b)The Administrative Agent will also maintain accounts in which it will record (i) the amount of each Borrowing and the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period with respect thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder, and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from the Borrower and each Lender’s share thereof.
(c)The entries maintained in the accounts maintained pursuant to Section 2.13(a) and (b) shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the Obligations therein recorded; provided that the failure of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to pay the Obligations in accordance with their terms.
(d)Any Lender (including the Swingline Lender) may request that its Loans be evidenced by a promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit E (with appropriate changes for notes evidencing Swingline Loans) (each a “Note”). In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender each applicable Note payable to the order of such Lender in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such Note and interest thereon shall at all times (before any assignment pursuant to Section 10.4(b)) be represented by one or more Notes payable to the order of the payee named therein, except to the extent that any such Lender subsequently returns any such Note for cancellation and requests that such Loans once again be evidenced as described in clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 2.13(b).
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2.14.Oral Notices. The Borrower hereby authorizes the Lenders and the Administrative Agent to extend, convert or continue Borrowings, to effect selections of Types of Borrowings, and to transfer funds based on oral or written requests, including Borrowing Notices and Conversion/Continuation Notices via telephone. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders may rely upon, and shall incur no liability for relying upon, any oral or written request the Administrative Agent or any Lender believes to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or made by an authorized person. Upon request by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower must promptly confirm each oral notice in writing (which may include email), authenticated by an Authorized Officer. If the written confirmation differs in any material respect from the action taken by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, the records of the Administrative Agent shall govern absent manifest error.
2.15.Interest Payment Dates; Interest and Fee Basis. Interest accrued on each Base Rate Loan and each Swingline Loan shall be payable on each Payment Date, commencing with the first Payment Date to occur after the Closing Date, on the date of any prepayment of such Loan (whether or not as a result of acceleration) on the amount prepaid, and on the Facility Termination Date. Interest accrued on each Term SOFR Loan shall be payable on the last day of its applicable Interest Period, on the date of any prepayment of such Loan (whether or not as a result of acceleration) on the amount prepaid, and on the Facility Termination Date. Interest accrued on each Term SOFR Loan having an Interest Period longer than three months shall also be payable on the last day of each three-month interval during such Interest Period. Interest accrued pursuant to Section 2.11 is payable on demand. Interest and fees hereunder shall be calculated for actual days elapsed on the basis of a 360-day year, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate shall be calculated for actual days elapsed on the basis of a 365/366-day year. All interest hereunder on any Loan shall be computed on a daily basis based upon the outstanding principal amount of such Loan as of the applicable date of determination. Interest shall be payable for the day a Loan is made but not for the day of any payment on the amount paid if payment is received before 12:00 noon (New York City time). If any payment of principal of or interest on a Loan becomes due on a day that is not a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the immediately succeeding Business Day unless such succeeding Business Day falls in a new calendar month, in which case such interest or principal shall be payable on the immediately preceding Business Day.
2.16.Notification of Borrowings, Interest Rates, Prepayments, and Commitment Reductions. Promptly after receipt thereof, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender for the affected Class of the contents of each Commitment reduction notice, Borrowing Notice, Conversion/Continuation Notice, and Prepayment Notice received by it hereunder. The Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the interest rate applicable to each Term SOFR Loan promptly upon determination of such interest rate and shall give each Lender prompt notice of each change in the Alternate Base Rate.
2.17.Lending Offices. Each Lender may book its Loans at any lending office it selects and may change its lending office from time to time. All terms of this Agreement shall apply to any such lending office, and the Loans and any Notes shall be deemed held by the relevant Lender for the benefit of any such lending office. Each Lender may, by written notice to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in accordance with Section 10.1, designate replacement
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or additional lending offices through which it will make Loans and for whose account payments with respect to Loans will be made.
2.18.Non-Receipt of Funds by the Administrative Agent. Unless the Borrower or a Lender notifies the Administrative Agent before the date on which it is scheduled to make payment to the Administrative Agent of (a) in the case of a Lender, the proceeds of a Loan or (b) in the case of the Borrower, a payment of principal, interest or fees to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders, that it does not intend to make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that such payment has been made. The Administrative Agent may, but is not obligated to, make the amount of such payment available to the intended recipient in reliance upon such assumption. If such Lender or the Borrower, as the case may be, has not in fact made such payment to the Administrative Agent, the recipient of such payment shall, on demand by the Administrative Agent, repay to the Administrative Agent the amount so made available together with interest thereon in respect of each day during the period commencing on the date such amount was so made available by the Administrative Agent until the date the Administrative Agent recovers such amount at a rate per annum equal to (x) in the case of payment by a Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (y) in the case of payment by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to the relevant Loan.
2.19.Sharing of Payments. If any Lender, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtains payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in Swingline Loans or other obligations hereunder resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans or participations in Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon or other such obligations greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (x) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (y) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in Swingline Loans and such other obligations from the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as are equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments is shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in Swingline Loans and other amounts owing them; provided that:
(a)if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and
(b)the provisions of this Section 2.19 shall not be construed to apply to (i) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender) or (ii) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in Swingline Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary (as to which the provisions of this Section 2.19 shall apply).
The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under Applicable Law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to
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such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
2.20.[Reserved].
2.21.Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a)Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.1, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.5, then such Lender shall (at the request of the Borrower) use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.1 or 3.5, as the case may be, in the future, and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b)Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.1, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.5 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 2.21(a), or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions in, and consents required by, Section 10.4), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 3.1 or 3.5) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that:
(i)the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 10.4;
(ii)such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.4) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);
(iii)in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.1 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.5, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;
(iv)such assignment does not conflict with Applicable Law; and
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(v)in the case of any assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.
A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.21 to the contrary, any Lender that acts as the Administrative Agent may not be replaced hereunder except in accordance with the terms of Section 9.6.
2.22.Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts that are treated as interest on such Loan under Applicable Law (collectively, “charges”), exceeds the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) that may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with Applicable Law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate. To the extent lawful, the interest and charges that would have been paid in respect of such Loan but were not paid as a result of the operation of this Section 2.22 shall be cumulated and the interest and charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the amount collectible at the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate for each day to the date of repayment, has been received by such Lender.
2.23.Defaulting Lenders.
(a)Defaulting Lender Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law:
(i)Waivers and Amendments. Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of Required Lenders and Section 10.2(b).
(ii)Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.5 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Swingline Lender hereunder; third, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative
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Agent; fourth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata to satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement); fifth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders or the Swingline Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the Swingline Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; sixth, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, if so determined by the Administrative Agent, distributed to the Lenders other than the Defaulting Lender until the ratio of the Outstanding Credit Exposures of such Lenders to the Aggregate Outstanding Credit Exposure equals such ratio immediately prior to the Defaulting Lender’s failure to fund any portion of any Loans or Swingline Loans; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made when the conditions set forth in Section 4.2 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Credit Extensions of all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Credit Extensions of such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Swingline Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments without giving effect to Section 2.23(a)(iv). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.
(iii)Certain Fees. No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any commitment fee for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).
(iv)Reallocation of Participations to Reduce Fronting Exposure. All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in Swingline Loans shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Revolving Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Commitment. Subject to Section 10.26, no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.
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(v)Repayment of Swingline Loans. If the reallocation described in Section 2.23(a)(iv) cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under law, prepay Swingline Loans in an amount equal to the Swingline Lender’s Fronting Exposure.
(b)Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Swingline Lender agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein, that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Swingline Loans to be held pro rata by the Lenders in accordance with the Commitments (without giving effect to Section 2.23(a)(iv)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that (i) no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and (ii) except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.
(c)New Swingline Loans. So long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loans unless it is satisfied that it will have no Fronting Exposure after giving effect to such Swingline Loan.
2.24.[Reserved].
2.25.Judgment Currency. If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due from the Borrower hereunder in the currency expressed to be payable herein (the “specified currency”) into another currency, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they can effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the specified currency with such other currency at the Administrative Agent’s offices on the Business Day preceding that on which final, non-appealable judgment is given. The obligations of the Borrower in respect of any sum due to any Lender or the Administrative Agent hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than the specified currency, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) can in accordance with normal, reasonable banking procedures purchase the specified currency with such other currency. If the amount of the specified currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, in the specified currency, the Borrower agrees, to the fullest extent that it can effectively do so, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, against such loss, and if the amount of the specified currency so purchased exceeds (a) the sum originally due to any Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, in the specified currency and (b) any amounts shared with other Lenders as a result of allocations of such excess as a disproportionate payment to such Lender under Section 2.19, such
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Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, agrees to remit such excess to the Borrower.
2.26.[Reserved].
2.27.Incremental Commitments and Incremental Term Loans.
(a)Request for Increase. The Borrower may, by notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall promptly notify the Lenders), request an increase in the Commitments (each such increase, an “Incremental Commitment”) or request one or more Term Loans (each an “Incremental Term Loan”) in an aggregate amount (for all such requests) not to exceed $315,000,000 such that the aggregate amount of all Incremental Commitments and Incremental Term Loans together with the Aggregate Commitments shall not exceed $750,000,000; provided that any such request shall be in a minimum amount of the lesser of (x) $5,000,000 (or such lesser amount as may be approved by the Administrative Agent) and (y) the entire remaining amount of increases available under this Section 2.27.
(b)Incremental Lenders. An Incremental Commitment or Incremental Term Loan may be provided by any existing Lender or other Person that is an Eligible Assignee (each such existing Lender or other Person that agrees to provide an Incremental Commitment or Incremental Term Loan, an “Incremental Lender”); provided that each Incremental Lender shall be subject to the consent (in each case, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of the Administrative Agent and, in the case of a Person providing an Incremental Commitment, the Swingline Lender. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Lender shall have any obligation to agree to provide an Incremental Commitment or an Incremental Term Loan pursuant to this Section 2.27, and any election to do so shall be in the sole discretion of such Lender.
(c)Incremental Effective Date. The Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the effective date for each Incremental Commitment and Incremental Term Loan pursuant to this Section 2.27 (an “Incremental Effective Date”) and, if applicable, the final allocation of such Incremental Commitment or Incremental Term Loan among the Persons providing it, which date shall be a Business Day at least 10 Business Days after delivery of the request pursuant to Section 2.27(a) (unless otherwise approved by the Administrative Agent) and at least 30 days before the Facility Termination Date.
(d)Conditions to Effectiveness. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Incremental Commitments or Incremental Term Loans shall be effective with respect to any Incremental Lender unless:
(i)no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the Incremental Effective Date and after giving effect to such Incremental Commitment or Incremental Term Loan;
(ii)the representations and warranties in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Incremental Effective Date and after giving effect to such increase, as though made on and as of such date (or, if any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, as of such specific date);
(iii)the Administrative Agent has received the documents required pursuant to Section 2.27(e) or (f); and
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(iv)the Administrative Agent has received such legal opinions and other documents reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in connection therewith.
(v)As of such Incremental Effective Date, upon the satisfaction of the foregoing conditions, the Administrative Agent shall record the information about the applicable Incremental Commitment or Incremental Term Loans in the Register and give prompt notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders (including each Incremental Lender).
(e)Terms of Incremental Commitments.
(i)Joinder. The Borrower, the applicable Incremental Lender(s) and the Administrative Agent (but no other Lenders or Persons) shall enter into one or more Joinder Agreements, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, pursuant to which the applicable Incremental Lender(s) will provide the Incremental Commitment(s). Effective as of the applicable Incremental Effective Date, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 2.27, each Incremental Commitment shall be a Commitment (and not a separate facility hereunder), each Incremental Lender providing such Incremental Commitment shall be, and have all the rights of, a Revolving Lender, and the Revolving Loans made by it on such Incremental Commitment Effective Date pursuant to Section 2.27(e)(ii) shall be Revolving Loans, for all purposes of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, all terms and conditions applicable to the Incremental Commitment shall be identical to the terms and conditions applicable to the existing Commitments.
(ii)Adjustments to Revolving Outstandings. Upon the Incremental Effective Date for each Incremental Commitment, (i) if there are Revolving Loans then outstanding, the Borrower shall prepay such Revolving Loans (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.4 in connection therewith), and borrow Revolving Loans from the Incremental Lender(s), so that, after giving effect to such prepayments and borrowings, all Revolving Loans will be held ratably by the Revolving Lenders (including the Incremental Lender(s)) in accordance with their respective Commitments after giving effect to the applicable Incremental Commitment(s) and (ii) if there are Swingline Loans then outstanding, the participations of the Revolving Lenders in such Swingline Loans will be automatically adjusted to reflect the Applicable Percentages of all the Revolving Lenders (including each Lender providing such Incremental Commitment) after giving effect to the applicable Incremental Commitment(s).
(f) Incremental Term Loans.
(i)Incremental Term Loan Amendments. The Borrower, the applicable Incremental Lender(s) and the Administrative Agent (but no other Lenders or Persons) shall enter into an amendment or restatement (an “Incremental Term Loan Amendment”) of this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, pursuant to which the applicable Incremental Lender(s) will provide the
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Incremental Term Loans. Effective as of the applicable Incremental Effective Date, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 2.27, each Incremental Term Loan shall be a Loan hereunder, and each Incremental Lender providing such Incremental Term Loan shall be, and have all the rights of, a Lender, for all purposes of this Agreement.
(ii)Terms of Incremental Term Loans. Except for the maturity date, Applicable Margin, upfront fees, and amortization applicable to an Incremental Term Loan and except as otherwise specifically set forth herein, all of the other terms and conditions applicable to such Incremental Term Loan shall be identical to the terms and conditions applicable to the Loans; provided that the final maturity date of the Incremental Term Loans shall be no earlier than the Facility Termination Date. For the avoidance of doubt, the Incremental Term Facility shall rank pari passu in right of payment and security with the existing Loans and shall not be secured by any collateral or supported by any guaranty other than those provided pursuant to the Guaranty. Amounts repaid in respect of Incremental Term Loans may not be reborrowed.
(g)This Section 2.27 supersedes any provision in Section 2.19 or 10.2(b) to the contrary.
ARTICLE III
YIELD PROTECTION; TAXES
3.1.Increased Costs.
(a)Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:
(i)impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement reflected in the Term SOFR Rate);
(ii)subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or
(iii)impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender,
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan, or to increase the cost to such Lender, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount), then, upon request of such Lender or other Recipient, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate
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such Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b)Capital Requirements. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any lending office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements, has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Swingline Loans held by, such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
3.2.Certificates for Reimbursement; Delay in Requests. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in Section 3.1 and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to Section 3.1 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to Section 3.1 for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions, and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).
3.3.Availability of Types of Borrowings; Adequacy of Interest Rate; Benchmark Replacement.
(a)Availability of Term SOFR Borrowings and Daily Term SOFR Loans. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, but subject to Section 3.3(b), if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have determined, that:
(i)for any reason in connection with any request for a Term SOFR Borrowing or a Daily Term SOFR Loan or a conversion or continuation thereof that the Term SOFR Base Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Term SOFR Borrowing or a Daily Term SOFR Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of the funding such Loans, or
(ii)the interest rate applicable to Term SOFR Borrowings or Daily Term SOFR Loans for any requested Interest Period is not ascertainable or available (including, without limitation, because the applicable Screen (or on any successor
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or substitute page on such screen) is unavailable) and such inability to ascertain or unavailability is not expected to be permanent,
(iii)then the Administrative Agent shall suspend the availability of Term SOFR Borrowings and Daily Term SOFR Loans and require any affected Term SOFR Borrowings and Daily Term SOFR Loans to be repaid or converted to Base Rate Borrowings at the end of the applicable Interest Period.
(b)Benchmark Replacement.
(i)Benchmark Transition Event. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, if a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any setting of the then-current Benchmark, then (x) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (1) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document and (y) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders.
(ii)Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. In connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(iii)Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (A) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, and (B) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 3.3(b), including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and
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may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 3.3(b).
(iv)Unavailability of Tenor of Benchmark. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including the Term SOFR Base Rate, Term SOFR or the Daily Term SOFR Base Rate) and either (A) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion or (B) the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is or will be no longer representative, then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove any tenor of such Benchmark that is unavailable or non-representative for any Benchmark settings and (ii) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (A) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (B) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is or will no longer be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.
(v)Benchmark Unavailability Period. Upon notice to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 10.1 of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period and until a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with this Section 3.3(b), the Borrower may revoke any request for a Term SOFR Borrowing or Daily Term SOFR Loan, or any request for the conversion or continuation of a Term SOFR Borrowing or Daily Term SOFR Loan to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period at the end of the applicable Interest Period, and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request at the end of the applicable Interest Period into a request for a Base Rate Borrowing or conversion to a Base Rate Borrowing. During any Benchmark Unavailability Period or at any time that a tenor for the then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of the Alternate Base Rate based upon the then-current Benchmark or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of the Alternate Base Rate.
3.4.Funding Indemnification. If
(a)any payment of a Term SOFR Borrowing occurs on a date that is not the last day of the applicable Interest Period, whether because of acceleration, prepayment or otherwise;
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(b)a Term SOFR Borrowing is not made on the date specified by the Borrower for any reason other than default by the Lenders;
(c)a Term SOFR Borrowing is converted other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto;
(d)the Borrower fails to borrow, convert, continue or prepay a Term SOFR Borrowing on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto; or
(e)a Term SOFR Borrowing is assigned other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.21(b);
(f)then the Borrower shall indemnify each Lender for such Lender’s costs, expenses and Interest Differential (as determined by such Lender) incurred as a result of such prepayment. The term “Interest Differential” means the greater of zero and the financial loss incurred by the Lender resulting from prepayment, calculated as the difference between the amount of interest such Lender would have earned (from like investments as of the first day of the Interest Period) had prepayment not occurred and the interest such Lender will actually earn (from like investments as of the date of prepayment) as a result of the redeployment of funds from the prepayment. Because of the short-term duration of any Interest Period, the Borrower agrees that the Interest Differential shall not be discounted to its present value.
The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the Borrower shall be required to pay Interest Differential with respect to any portion of the principal balance accelerated or paid before the end of the Interest Period for such Term SOFR Borrowing, whether voluntarily, involuntarily, or otherwise, including without limitation any principal payment required upon maturity when the Borrower has elected an Interest Period that extends beyond the scheduled maturity date of such Loan and any principal payment required following default, demand for payment, acceleration, collection proceedings, foreclosure, sale or other disposition of collateral, bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings, eminent domain, condemnation, application of insurance proceeds, or otherwise. Such Interest Differential shall at all times be an Obligation as well as an undertaking by the Borrower to the Lenders whether arising out of a voluntary or mandatory prepayment.
A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 3.4 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
3.5.Taxes.
(a)Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 3.5, the term “Applicable Law” includes FATCA.
(b)Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by Applicable Law. If any Applicable Law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with
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Applicable Law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.5) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.
(c)Payment of Other Taxes by Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with Applicable Law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.
(d)Indemnification by Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall indemnify each Recipient, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.5) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(e)Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 10.4(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this Section 3.5(e).
(f)Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 3.5, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(g)Status of Lenders.
(i)Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and
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executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by Applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.5(g)(ii)(A), (B) and (D)) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.
(ii)Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if the Borrower is a U.S. Borrower,
(A)any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or about the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;
(B)any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as is requested by the recipient) on or about the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:
(1)in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;
(2)executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;
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(3)in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E; or
(4)to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-2 or F-3, IRS Form W-9, or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;
(C)any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as is requested by the recipient) on or about the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by Applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by Applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and
(D)if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by Applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the
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Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount, if any, to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.5(g)(ii)(D), “FATCA” includes any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.
(h)Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 3.5 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.5), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 3.5 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this Section 3.5(h) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) if such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 3.5(h), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this Section 3.5(h) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This Section 3.5(h) shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.
(i)Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.5 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.
3.6.Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable lending office to make, maintain, or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Term SOFR Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Term SOFR Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, upon notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower (through the Administrative Agent), (a) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Term SOFR Borrowings or to convert Base Rate Borrowings to
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Term SOFR Borrowings shall be suspended, and (b) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Borrowings the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Term SOFR Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Term SOFR Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert each Term SOFR Loan of such Lender to a Base Rate Loan (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loan shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Term SOFR Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender can lawfully continue to maintain such Term SOFR Loan to such day, or immediately, if such Lender cannot lawfully continue to maintain such Term SOFR Loan, and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Term SOFR Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Term SOFR Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Term SOFR Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.4.
ARTICLE IV
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
4.1.Conditions to Effectiveness. This Agreement shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 10.2):
(a)The Administrative Agent shall have received executed counterparts of each of the following:
(i)this Agreement;
(ii)any Notes requested by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.13;
(iii)the Guaranty;
(iv)a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of each Loan Party certifying (A) that there have been no changes in the charter document of such Loan Party, as attached thereto and as certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State (or analogous governmental entity) of the jurisdiction of its organization, since the date of the certification thereof by such governmental entity, (B) as to the bylaws, operating agreement or other organizational document, as attached thereto, of such Loan Party as in effect on the date of such certification, (C) as to resolutions of the board of directors or other governing body of such Loan Party authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of each Loan Document to which it is a party, (D) as to a good standing certificate (or analogous documentation if applicable) for such Loan Party from the Secretary of State (or
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analogous governmental entity) of the jurisdiction of its organization as of a recent date, to the extent generally available in such jurisdiction, and (E) the names and true signatures of the incumbent officers of each Loan Party authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (in the case of the Borrower) authorized to request a Credit Extension;
(v)a certificate, signed by an Authorized Officer of the Borrower, stating that on the Closing Date (A) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, (B) the representations and warranties in Article V are (1) with respect to any representations or warranties that contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all respects as of such date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all respects on and as of such earlier date and (2) with respect to any representations or warranties that do not contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all material respects as of such date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all material respects on and as of such earlier date, (C) the conditions set forth in Sections 4.1(d)-(f) have been satisfied and (D) no Event of Fraud has occurred; and
(vi)a written opinion of the Loan Parties’ counsel, in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent, addressed to the Lenders. The Borrower’s counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
(b)The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence satisfactory to it that the Existing Credit Agreement has been terminated and cancelled and all Indebtedness thereunder has been fully repaid (except to the extent being repaid with the initial Loans).
(c)The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or before the Closing Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
(d)There shall not have occurred a material adverse change in (i) the business, Property, liabilities (actual and contingent), operations or condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, since December 31, 2025, or (ii) the facts and information regarding such entities as represented by such entities to date.
(e)The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence of all governmental, equity holder and third-party consents and approvals necessary in connection with the contemplated financing, all applicable waiting periods shall have expired without any action being taken by any authority that would be reasonably likely to restrain, prevent or impose any material adverse conditions on the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no Law applies that in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent could have such effect.
(f)No action, suit, investigation or proceeding shall be pending or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened in any court or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority that
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could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or that seeks to prevent, enjoin or delay any Credit Extension.
(g)The Administrative Agent shall have received audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.
(h)Upon the reasonable request of any Lender made at least 10 days before the Closing Date, the Borrower shall have provided to such Lender the documentation and other information so requested in connection with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money-laundering Laws, including the PATRIOT Act, in each case at least five days before the Closing Date.
(i)At least five days before the Closing Date, if the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, the Borrower shall have delivered a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to the Borrower.
(j)The Administrative Agent shall have received such other agreements, documents, instruments and certificates relating to the Loan Parties, the Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby as are reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and its counsel, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
4.2.Each Credit Extension. The Lenders shall not be required to make any Credit Extension unless on the applicable Borrowing Date:
(a)There exists no Default or Event of Default, nor would a Default or Event of Default result from such Credit Extension.
(b)The representations and warranties in Article V are (i) with respect to any representations or warranties that contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all respects as of such Borrowing Date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all respects on and as of such earlier date and (ii) with respect to any representations or warranties that do not contain a materiality qualifier, true and correct in all material respects as of such Borrowing Date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty was true and correct in all material respects on and as of such earlier date, and excluding, after the Closing Date, the representation and warranty set forth in Section 5.10(b).
(c) At the time of such Borrowing, no Event of Fraud shall have occurred.
(d)The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the Swingline Lender shall have received a Borrowing Notice in accordance with the requirements hereof.
Each Borrowing Notice constitutes a representation and warranty by the Borrower that the conditions in Section 4.2(a) through (c) have been satisfied.
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ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
5.1.Existence and Standing. Each of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries (i) is a corporation, trust, partnership or limited liability company duly and properly incorporated or formed, as the case may be, validly existing and (to the extent such concept applies to such entity) in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and (ii) has all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted, except where the failure to have such authority, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
5.2.Authorization and Validity. Each Loan Party has the power and authority and legal right to execute and deliver the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to perform its obligations thereunder. The execution and delivery by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party and the performance of its obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by proper corporate, limited liability company or partnership proceedings, as applicable, and the Loan Documents to which each Loan Party is a party are legal, valid and binding obligations of such Loan Party enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with their terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally.
5.3.No Conflict; Government Consents. Neither the execution and delivery by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, nor the consummation of the transactions therein contemplated, nor compliance with the provisions thereof will violate (a) any Law, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or award binding on the Borrower or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries, (b) the Borrower’s or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries’ Constituent Documents, or (c) any indenture, instrument or agreement to which any the Borrower any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries is a party or is subject, or by which it, or its Property, is bound, or conflict with or be a default thereunder, or result in, or require, the creation or imposition of any Lien in, of or on the Property of the Borrower or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries pursuant to any such indenture, instrument or agreement. No order, consent, adjudication, approval, license, authorization, or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, or exemption by, or other action in respect of any governmental or public body or authority, or any subdivision thereof, that has not been obtained is required to be obtained by the Borrower or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries in connection with the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents, the borrowings under this Agreement, the payment and performance of the Obligations or the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents.
5.4.Financial Statements. The December 31, 2025 audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries heretofore delivered to the Lenders were prepared in accordance with Section 1.4 and fairly present the consolidated financial condition and operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at such date and the consolidated results of their operations for the period then ended.
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5.5.Material Adverse Change. Since December 31, 2025, there has been no change in the business, Property, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.6.Taxes. The Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries have filed all United States federal and state income Tax returns and all other material Tax returns required to be filed by them and have paid all United States federal and state income Taxes and all other material Taxes due from the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, pursuant to any assessment received by the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary, except any Taxes that are being contested in good faith as to which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP and as to which no Lien exists. No Tax Liens have been filed and no claims are being asserted with respect to any such Taxes. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries in respect of any Taxes or other governmental charges are adequate.
5.7.Litigation and Contingent Obligations. There is no litigation, arbitration, governmental investigation, proceeding or inquiry pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any Subsidiary that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or that seeks to prevent, enjoin or delay any Credit Extension. Other than any liability incident to any litigation, arbitration or proceeding that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Borrower has no material Contingent Obligations not provided for or disclosed in the financial statements referred to in Section 5.4.
5.8.Subsidiaries. Schedule 5.8 contains an accurate list of all Consolidated Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date, setting forth their respective jurisdictions of organization and the percentage of their respective Equity Interests owned by the Borrower or other Consolidated Subsidiaries. All of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of such Consolidated Subsidiaries have been (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such Equity Interests) duly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.
5.9.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.
5.10.Accuracy of Information.
(a)No information, exhibit or report furnished by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to the Administrative Agent or to any Lender in connection with the negotiation of, or compliance with, the Loan Documents contained any material misstatement of fact or omitted to state a material fact or any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower or Subsidiary, as applicable, represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time (it being understood that such projected information may vary from actual results and that such variances may be material).
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(b)As of the Closing Date, the information included in any Beneficial Ownership Certification is true and correct in all respects.
5.11.Regulation U. Margin stock (as defined in Regulation U) constitutes less than 25% of the value of the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that are subject to any limitation on sale, pledge, or other restriction hereunder.
5.12.Material Agreements. Neither the Borrower nor any Consolidated Subsidiary is a party to any agreement or instrument or subject to any charter or other corporate, limited liability company or partnership restriction that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrower nor any Consolidated Subsidiary is in default in the performance, observance or fulfillment of any of the obligations, covenants or conditions in any agreement to which it is a party, which default could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.13.Compliance with Laws. The Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable Laws, orders and restrictions of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the conduct of their respective businesses or the ownership of their respective Property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
5.14.Ownership of Properties.
(a) Each of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes.
(b) Each of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, may not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
5.15.Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions. The Borrower is not an entity deemed to hold “plan assets” within the meaning of 29 C.F.R. § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, of an employee benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) subject to Title I of ERISA or any plan (within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code) subject to Section 4975 of the Code, and neither the execution of this Agreement nor the Credit Extensions give rise to a prohibited transaction within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code. The Borrower is not subject to any Law substantially similar to the prohibited transaction provisions of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.
5.16.Environmental Matters. The Property and operations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries are in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, and none of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries is subject to any liability under Environmental Laws that individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrower nor any Consolidated Subsidiary has received any notice
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to the effect that its Property or operations are not in compliance with any of the requirements of applicable Environmental Laws or are the subject of any federal or state investigation evaluating whether any remedial action is needed to respond to a release of any Hazardous Material, which non-compliance or remedial action could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
5.17.Investment Company Act. Neither the Borrower nor any Loan Party is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
5.18.Insurance. The Borrower maintains, and has caused each Subsidiary to maintain, insurance in compliance with Section 6.6.
5.19.Solvency.
(a)Immediately after the consummation of the transactions to occur on the Closing Date and immediately following any Credit Extensions made on the Closing Date and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of such Credit Extensions, (i) the fair value of the assets of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, at a fair valuation, will exceed the debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; (ii) the present fair saleable value of the Property of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis on their debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (iii) the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will be able to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (iv) the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged as such businesses are now conducted and are proposed to be conducted after the Closing Date.
(b)The Borrower does not intend to, or to permit any Subsidiary to, and does not believe that it or any Subsidiary will, incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature, taking into account the timing of and amounts of cash to be received by it and the timing of the amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its Indebtedness.
5.20.No Default. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
5.21.Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions. The Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, and employees and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, the agents of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and all applicable Sanctions in all material respects. The Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries have implemented and maintain in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions. None of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any director, officer, employee, agent, or affiliate of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is an individual or entity that is, or is 50% or more owned (individually or in the aggregate, directly or indirectly) or controlled by individuals or entities (including any agency, political subdivision or instrumentality of any government) that are (a) the target of any Sanctions or (b) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of
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Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine).
5.22.Labor Matters
. There are no pending or threatened strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the Borrower or any Subsidiary that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has been or is in violation of Applicable Law dealing with labor matters that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All payments due from the Borrower or any Subsidiary on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits (in each case, except for de minimis amounts) have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of the Borrower or such Subsidiary except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The consummation of the transactions contemplated under the Loan Documents 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 Borrower or any Subsidiary is bound.
5.23.Affected Financial Institution. No Loan Party is an Affected Financial Institution.
5.24.Outbound Investment Rules. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is a “covered foreign person” as that term is used in the Outbound Investment Rules. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries currently engages, or has any present intention to engage in the future, directly or indirectly, in (i) a “covered activity” or a “covered transaction,” as each such term is defined in the Outbound Investment Rules, (ii) any activity or transaction that would constitute a “covered activity” or a “covered transaction,” as each such term is defined in the Outbound Investment Rules, if the Borrower were a U.S. Person or (iii) any other activity that would cause the Administrative Agent, any Lender to be in violation of the Outbound Investment Rules or cause the Administrative Agent, any Lender to be legally prohibited by the Outbound Investment Rules from performing under this Agreement. As used in this Section 5.24, “U.S. Person” means any United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States, including any foreign branch of any such entity, or any person in the United States.
ARTICLE VI
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and all Obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents have been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
6.1.Financial Reporting. The Borrower will maintain, for itself and each Consolidated Subsidiary, a system of accounting established and administered in accordance with GAAP, and furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders:
(a)Within 90 days after the close of each of its fiscal years beginning with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, an unqualified (except for qualifications relating to changes in accounting principles or practices reflecting changes in GAAP) audit report, with no going concern modifier, certified by independent certified public accountants acceptable to the Lenders, prepared
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in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis for itself and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, including balance sheets as of the end of such period, related profit and loss and reconciliation of surplus statements, and a statement of cash flows, accompanied by any management letter prepared by said accountants;
(b)within 45 days after the close of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each of its fiscal years, for itself and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, consolidated unaudited balance sheets as at the close of each such period and consolidated profit and loss and reconciliation of surplus statements (including sufficient detail for independent calculation of the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.5) and a statement of cash flows for the period from the beginning of such fiscal year to the end of such quarter, all certified by one of its Authorized Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;
(c)together with the financial statements required under Section 6.1(a) and (b), (i) the balance sheet of the Borrower as of the date of such financial statements and the related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal year or portion thereof then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the corresponding figures from the previous fiscal year, all certified by an Authorized Officer as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower on a stand alone basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to the absence of footnotes and (in the case of such financial statements delivered concurrently with those under clause (b) above) to year-end audit adjustments and (ii) a Compliance Certificate signed by an Authorized Officer showing the calculations necessary to determine compliance with this Agreement and stating that no Default or Event of Default exists, or if any Default or Event of Default exists, stating the nature and status thereof;
(d)promptly after the same become publicly available, (x) copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be and (y) upon the request of the Administrative Agent, copies of all Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income and each other financial report filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with any appropriate federal bank regulator;
(e)promptly upon the filing thereof, copies of all registration statements and annual, quarterly, monthly or other regular reports the Borrower or any Subsidiary files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission;
(f)at or promptly after any time at which the Borrower or any Subsidiary becomes subject to the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, a completed Beneficial Ownership Certification in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent;
(g)promptly after a Credit Rating Agency shall have announced a change in the Borrower’s Credit Rating, written notice of such rating change or event; and
(h)such other information (including non-financial information and environmental reports) as the Administrative Agent or any Lender from time to time reasonably
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requests, including information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” requirements under the PATRIOT Act or other applicable anti-money laundering Laws.
Any financial statement required to be furnished pursuant to Section 6.1(a) or (b) shall be deemed to have been furnished on the date on which the Lenders receive notice that the Borrower has filed such financial statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is available on the EDGAR website on the Internet at www.sec.gov or any successor government website that is freely and readily available to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders without charge. The Borrower will give notice of any such filing to the Administrative Agent (who will then give notice of any such filing to the Lenders). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower will deliver paper or electronic copies of any such financial statement to the Administrative Agent if the Administrative Agent requests the Borrower to furnish such paper or electronic copies until written notice to cease delivering such paper or electronic copies is given by the Administrative Agent.
6.2.Use of Proceeds
. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions for general corporate purposes, including, without limitation, working capital, capital expenditures, share repurchases and Permitted Acquisitions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, use any of the proceeds of the Loans to purchase or carry any “margin stock” (as defined in Regulation U). The Borrower will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Loans, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person, (a) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws or (b)(i) to fund any activities or business of or with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or (ii) in any other manner that would result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the Loans, whether as Administrative Agent, Arranger, Lender, underwriter, advisor, investor, or otherwise).
6.3.Notice of Material Events. The Borrower will give notice to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, promptly and in any event within five (5) days after an officer of the Borrower obtains knowledge thereof, of the occurrence of any of the following:
(a)any Default or Event of Default;
(b)(i) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority (including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws) against or affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or that seeks to prevent, enjoin or delay any Credit Extensions or (ii) any material development in any litigation, arbitration or governmental investigation or proceeding affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof previously disclosed by the Borrower pursuant to clause (i) of this Section 6.3(b);
(c)the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
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(d)any material change in accounting policies of, or financial reporting practices by, the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary;
(e)material alteration of, or reduction of the amount of coverage under, any insurance policy or policies below the amount of insurance required to be maintained under Section 6.6;
(f)any change in the information provided in any Beneficial Ownership Certification that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in parts (c) or (d) of such certification; and
(g)any other development, financial or otherwise, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Each notice delivered under this Section 6.3 must be accompanied by a statement of an officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.
6.4.Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will cause each Consolidated Subsidiary to, (a) carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and fields of enterprise in which it is conducted on the Closing Date, (b) do all things necessary to remain duly incorporated or organized, validly existing and (to the extent such concept applies to such entity) in good standing as a domestic corporation, partnership or limited liability company in its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, (c) maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted, and (d) keep in full force and effect all rights, contracts, trademarks, trade names, patents, copyrights, licenses, permits, privileges, franchises, and other authorizations material to the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 7.2.
6.5.Payment of Taxes and Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each Material Subsidiary to, timely file complete and correct United States federal and applicable foreign, state and local tax returns required by Applicable Law. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay when due all its obligations, including without limitation Taxes upon it or its income, profits or Property, except (a) those that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside in accordance with GAAP and (b) those that could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.6.Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each Consolidated Subsidiary to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations, and the Borrower will furnish to any Lender upon request full information as to the insurance carried.
6.7.Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each Consolidated Subsidiary to, (a) comply with all Laws, orders, writs, judgments, injunctions, decrees or awards to which it may be subject including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, except
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where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and (b) perform its obligations under material agreements to which it is a party where failure to do so could result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Consolidated Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions. The Borrower will not use or knowingly allow any tenants or subtenants to use, or permit any Consolidated Subsidiary to use or knowingly allow any tenants or subtenants to use, its Property for any business activity that violates any applicable federal or state law or that supports a business that violates any applicable federal or state law in any material respect.
6.8.Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower will, and will cause each Consolidated Subsidiary to, do all things necessary to maintain, preserve, protect and keep its Property in good repair, working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and make all repairs, renewals and replacements necessary to properly conduct its business at all times.
6.9.Books and Records; Inspection. The Borrower will, and will cause each Consolidated Subsidiary to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions related to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause each Loan Party to, permit the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, by their respective representatives and agents, at the Borrower’s expense, to inspect any of the Property, books and financial records of the Borrower and each Loan Party, to examine and make copies of the books of accounts and other financial records of the Borrower and each Loan Party, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Borrower and each Loan Party with, and to be advised as to the foregoing by, their respective officers at such reasonable times and intervals as the Administrative Agent or any Lender designates.
6.10.Guarantors. As promptly as possible but in any event no later than the next succeeding date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(c) (or such later date as agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) (it being understood that such Compliance Certificate should reflect the inclusion of any Material Subsidiary joined as a Guarantor pursuant to this Section 6.10) after the Borrower organizes or acquires a new Material Subsidiary or if any Subsidiary otherwise constitutes a Material Subsidiary after the Closing Date (in each case, other than an Excluded Subsidiary), the Borrower will provide the Administrative Agent with written notice thereof and will cause each such Material Subsidiary to deliver to the Administrative Agent (i) a joinder to the Guaranty in a form acceptable to the Administrative Agent pursuant to which such Subsidiary agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof, (ii) appropriate resolutions and legal opinions, and (iii) such other documentation as the Administrative Agent reasonably requests, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, promptly correct any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect, inconsistency or error discovered in any Loan Document or in the execution, acknowledgment or recordation thereof.
6.11.Dividends. The Borrower will cause its Consolidated Subsidiaries to pay to the Borrower the maximum amount of dividends allowed to be payable by such Consolidated Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business in accordance with applicable organizational
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documents, applicable agreements, directives or orders of any Governmental Authority, and Applicable Law or regulation.
6.12.Capitalization of Chartered Bank Subsidiary. The Borrower shall cause the Chartered Bank Subsidiary to be “well capitalized”, as defined in any applicable federal banking regulatory rule or as otherwise required by any applicable federal banking regulatory body, at all times.
6.13.Anti-Money Laundering Compliance. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, provide such information and take such actions as are reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in order to assist the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in maintaining compliance with anti-money laundering Laws.
ARTICLE VII
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and all Obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents have been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
7.1.Recourse Indebtedness. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Consolidated Subsidiary to, create, incur or suffer to exist any (i) Recourse Indebtedness or (ii) obligations in connection with repurchase agreements, except for:
(a) the Loans;
(b)Recourse Indebtedness and obligations in connection with repurchase agreements (exclusive of the Loans, Recourse Indebtedness and repurchase agreement obligations permitted elsewhere in this Section 7.1), including all Recourse Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date and any renewal or extension of such Recourse Indebtedness that does not increase the principal amount thereof; provided that (x) the aggregate principal or face amount of all such Recourse Indebtedness does not exceed $750,000,000 at any time outstanding and (y) the Borrower is in pro forma compliance with the Recourse Leverage Ratio determined as of the most-recently ended Reference Period upon the incurrence of such Recourse Indebtedness;
(c) Deposit liabilities owed by the Chartered Bank Subsidiary, together with Indebtedness incurred by the Chartered Bank Subsidiary with respect to collateralized or uncollateralized repurchase agreements, discount window borrowings from the Federal Reserve Bank, Federal funds lines of credit with correspondent financial institutions, Federal funds borrowings, loan participation agreements, and Swap Obligations;
(d)Indebtedness (i) resulting from a bank or other financial institution honoring a check, draft or similar instrument in the ordinary course of business or (ii) arising under or in connection with cash management services in the ordinary course of business; and
(e) Indebtedness in respect of performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, surety bonds and completion guarantees and similar obligations not in connection with money borrowed,
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in each case provided in the ordinary course of business, including those incurred to secure health, safety and environmental obligations in the ordinary course of business.
7.2.Liens. The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Consolidated Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:
(a) Permitted Liens;
(b)any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary existing on the Closing Date and set forth in Schedule 7.2; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the Closing Date and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Consolidated Subsidiary, as the case may be and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(d)Liens (x) on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary provided that (i) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 180 days after such acquisition or the completion of such acquisition, construction or improvement and (ii) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary, (y) to the extent not otherwise captured in the immediately preceding clause (x), granted by a Project Finance Subsidiary in any of its assets to secure Project Finance Subsidiary Indebtedness, and (z) granted by the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary in the Equity Interests in a Project Finance Subsidiary to secure its Guarantee of such Project Finance Subsidiary’s Project Finance Subsidiary Indebtedness to the extent such Guarantee is not otherwise prohibited hereunder; provided, that no such Lien described in the preceding clauses (y) or (z) shall apply to any assets of the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary (including any Project Finance Subsidiary) other than, as applicable, the assets of or Equity Interests in the applicable Project Finance Subsidiary that has incurred the applicable Project Finance Subsidiary Indebtedness;
(e)Liens granted by the Borrower or one or more of its Consolidated Subsidiaries to secure the Indebtedness described in Section 7.1(b); and
(f)(i) Liens granted by the Chartered Bank Subsidiary or one or more of its Consolidated Subsidiaries to secure the Indebtedness described in Section 7.1(c) hereof; and (ii) Liens granted by the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary to the Chartered Bank Subsidiary pursuant to: (1) a CALMA committed deposit agreement (in form and substance substantially
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similar to that disclosed to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Closing Date or otherwise acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) in a deposit account at the Chartered Bank Subsidiary, to the extent of amounts on deposit in such deposit account not in excess of $40,000,000 (plus accrued interest thereon) at any time, (2) additional deposit agreements (in form and substance substantially similar to those disclosed or described to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Closing Date or otherwise acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) for earmarked deposit accounts to cover (x) liabilities owed by the Borrower or such Consolidated Subsidiary to the Chartered Bank Subsidiary and interest thereon or (y) payments on student loans (including interest thereon) owned by the Chartered Bank Subsidiary but serviced by a Subsidiary of the Borrower, or (3) any pledge arrangement securing amounts paid by the Chartered Bank Subsidiary to the Borrower or such Subsidiary in respect of student loans owned by the Borrower or such Subsidiary which are to be subsequently refinanced and purchased by the Chartered Bank Subsidiary; provided, however, that (I) in no event shall the total value of all deposits or other amounts subject to Liens permitted under the preceding clauses (2) and (3), including interest thereon, plus the interest accrued on the deposit account described in the preceding clause (1), exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate at any time, and (II) in no event shall the total value of all deposits or other amounts subject to Liens permitted under this clause (ii) in its entirety, including interest thereon, exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate at any time.
7.3.Fundamental Changes.
(a) The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Consolidated Subsidiary to, merge or consolidate with or into any other Person, or permit any other Person to, merge into or consolidate with it, or liquidate or dissolve, except that, subject to clause (c) below, a Consolidated Subsidiary (other than the Chartered Bank Subsidiary) may merge into the Borrower or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (with the Borrower or, if the Borrower is not a party to such transaction, another Wholly-Owned Subsidiary being the survivor thereof; provided that if such Consolidated Subsidiary is a Guarantor such entity may only merge into another Loan Party), and any Subsidiary other than a Material Subsidiary or the Chartered Bank Subsidiary may be liquidated or dissolved.
(b)The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than the Borrower’s Line of Business.
(c) Except as permitted under Section 7.6(j), the Borrower will not and will not permit any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries to, merge with or sell, transfer or otherwise convey its, or their, assets, property or business activities to the Chartered Bank Subsidiary at any time.
7.4.Sale of Property. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Loan Party to, lease, sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of its Property to any other Person, except for:
(a) sales of inventory, or used, worn-out or surplus equipment, all in the ordinary course of business;
(b)the sale of equipment to the extent that such equipment is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement equipment, or the proceeds of such sale are applied with reasonable promptness to the purchase price of such replacement equipment;
(c) sales of assets in connection with a Qualified Receivables Transaction;
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(d)any sale, lease or other disposition of Property of the Loan Parties in an amount, individually, not to exceed 3.0% of the Borrower’s Consolidated Net Worth; and
(e) sales, leases or other dispositions of Property of the Loan Parties, approved by the Required Lenders.
7.5.Financial Covenants.
(a)Asset Quality Test. At all times, either (i) the aggregate principal amount of (x) non-FFELP Loans held by the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries then in forbearance plus (y) non-FFELP Loans held by the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries that are more than 60 days delinquent does not exceed 40.0% of Adjusted EBITDA plus the Loan Loss Provision for the then most recently ended Reference Period or (ii) the aggregate principal balance of (x) all non-FFELP Loans held by the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries that are then in forbearance plus (y) all non-FFELP Loans held by the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries that are more than 60 days delinquent does not exceed 5% of total non-FFELP Loans on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries.
(b)Recourse Leverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the ratio, determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters, of (i) Recourse Indebtedness (excluding deposit liabilities owed by the Chartered Bank Subsidiary but including, without duplication and regardless of whether otherwise constituting “Recourse Indebtedness”, obligations in connection with repurchase agreements) to (ii) Adjusted EBITDA for the then most-recently ended Reference Period to be greater than 2.5 to 1.0 (such ratio, the “Recourse Leverage Ratio”).
(c)Minimum Consolidated Net Worth. Consolidated Net Worth, calculated at the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, shall be no less than the sum of (i) $2,200,000,000 plus (ii) an amount equal to 50% of Consolidated Net Income for such fiscal quarter then ended, in each case, to the extent such Consolidated Net Income is positive (but with no deduction on account of negative Consolidated Net Income for any such fiscal period) plus (iii) 100% of the amount of any increase in Consolidated Net Worth attributable to the issuance of capital stock of the Borrower during such fiscal quarter then ended.
7.6.Investments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Consolidated Subsidiary to, make or suffer to exist any Investments (including without limitation, loans and advances to, and other Investments in, Consolidated Subsidiaries other than ordinary course downstream contributions to non-Project Finance Subsidiaries not otherwise expressly prohibited hereunder), or commitments therefor, or create any Consolidated Subsidiary or become or remain a partner in any partnership or joint venture, except for:
(a)     Cash Equivalent Investments;
(b)Investments existing on the Closing Date (i) in Subsidiaries or (ii) described in Schedule 7.6;
(c)     Permitted Acquisitions;
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(d)travel advances to management personnel and employees in the ordinary course of business;
(e)     Investments in the form of capital contributions (whether in the form of cash, a note, or other Property) or otherwise resulting from transfers of assets permitted by Section 7.4, in each case, to a Subsidiary that is a special purpose entity or another special purpose entity in which the Borrower or a Subsidiary holds an interest, in each case, created to engage in a Qualified Receivables Transaction;
(f) Investments in consumer loans, mortgages, receivables, leases, business loans or other similar self liquidating financial assets, or pools thereof or beneficial, participation or other interests therein, or in entities who purchase or acquire such assets, or, in each case, securities collateralized thereby;
(g)    Loans and other Investments made by the Chartered Bank Subsidiary which are not otherwise prohibited by Applicable Law, regulation, or directive of Governmental Authority;
(h)     residual interests in securitized Non-FFELP Loans or FFELP Loans, or, in each case, securities collateralized thereby;
(i)     subject to satisfaction of Section 5.11 and 6.2, Investments in public securities traded on an exchange and U.S. treasury bonds;
(j)other Investments, provided that the aggregate amount of such other Investments (including, for the avoidance of doubt, initial, ongoing and future Investments in (i) any Project Finance Subsidiary and (ii) the Equity Interests of each Subsidiary and each other special-purpose entity not otherwise permitted under this Section 7.6 (including those created solely to engage in Qualified Receivables Transactions with respect to Non-FFELP Loans) does not exceed 50% of the Borrower’s Consolidated Net Worth at any time outstanding; and
(k)Investments by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the Chartered Bank Subsidiary.
(l)For purposes of calculating compliance with this Section 7.6, (x) the cash return on Investments received during any Reference Period shall be subtracted from the amount of then-incurred Investments and (y) with respect to Investments in other assets, the value thereof shall not include any portion of the purchase price for which the applicable Consolidated Subsidiaries have obtained non-recourse financing specific to such asset Investment.
7.7.Acquisitions. The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Consolidated Subsidiary, to make any Acquisition other than a Permitted Acquisition.
7.8.Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, make any Restricted Payment, except that any Subsidiary may declare and pay dividends or make distributions to the Borrower or to any Subsidiary, and the Borrower may declare and pay dividends on its capital stock provided that immediately prior to the payment of any such
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dividend, no Default or Event of Default shall exist before or after giving effect to such dividends or be created as a result thereof.
7.9.Outbound Investment Rules. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) be or become a “covered foreign person,” as that term is defined in the Outbound Investment Rules, or (b) engage, directly or indirectly, in (i) a “covered activity” or a “covered transaction,” as each such term is defined in the Outbound Investment Rules, (ii) any activity or transaction that would constitute a “covered activity” or a “covered transaction,” as each such term is defined in the Outbound Investment Rules, if the Borrower were a U.S. Person or (iii) any other activity that would cause the Administrative Agent or any Lender to be in violation of the Outbound Investment Rules or cause the Administrative Agent or any Lender to be legally prohibited by the Outbound Investment Rules from performing under this Agreement. As used in this Section 7.9, “U.S. Person” means any United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States, including any foreign branch of any such entity, or any person in the United States.
ARTICLE VIII
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
8.1.Events of Default. The occurrence of any one or more of the following events is an Event of Default (each, an “Event of Default”):
(a)any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent under or in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document, any Credit Extension, or any certificate or information delivered in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document is false on the date made or confirmed, unless the incorrectness of such representation or warranty is not reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(b)nonpayment of (i) principal of any Loan when due or (ii) interest upon any Loan, any commitment fee, or any other obligation under any of the Loan Documents within three Business Days after it becomes due;
(c)the breach of any of the provisions of Section 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.6, and 6.13 or Article VII;
(d)the breach (other than a breach that is an Event of Default under another clause of this Section 8.1) of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement or any other Loan Document that is not remedied within 30 days after the earlier of (i) the Borrower becoming aware of such breach and (ii) the Administrative Agent notifying the Borrower of such breach;
(e)(i) failure of the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary (provided that Excluded Subsidiaries under clauses (ii)-(iv) of the definition thereof shall be excluded solely to the extent such entities constitute a special-purpose bankruptcy remote entity) to pay when due any payment (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, (ii) the default (beyond any applicable grace period) by the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary (provided that Excluded Subsidiaries under clauses (ii)-(iv) of the definition thereof shall be excluded solely to the extent such entities constitute a special-purpose
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bankruptcy remote entity) in the performance of any term, provision or condition in any Material Indebtedness Agreement, or any other event or condition, that causes, or permits the holder(s) of such Material Indebtedness or the lender(s) under any Material Indebtedness Agreement to cause, any portion of such Material Indebtedness to become due before its stated maturity or any commitment to lend under any Material Indebtedness Agreement to be terminated before its stated expiration date, or (iii) any portion of Material Indebtedness being declared due and payable or required to be prepaid or repurchased (other than by a regularly scheduled payment) before the stated maturity thereof; provided that (x) this clause (e) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and (y) a Swap Obligation shall be considered to become due prior to its scheduled maturity only if it becomes so due upon termination resulting from the Borrower’s or a Consolidated Subsidiary’s (provided that Excluded Subsidiaries under clauses (ii)-(iv) of the definition thereof shall be excluded solely to the extent such entities constitute a special-purpose bankruptcy remote entity) default thereunder;
(f)the Borrower or any Subsidiary (i) has an order for relief entered with respect to it under the federal bankruptcy Laws, (ii) makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, (iii) applies for, seeks, consents to, or acquiesces in the appointment of a receiver, custodian, trustee, examiner, liquidator or similar official for it or any Substantial Portion, (iv) institutes any proceeding seeking an order for relief under the federal bankruptcy Laws or seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking dissolution, winding up, liquidation, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of it or its debts under any Debtor Relief Law or fails to file an answer or other pleading denying the material allegations of any such proceeding filed against it, (v) takes any corporate, limited liability company or partnership action to authorize or effect any of the foregoing actions set forth in this Section 8.1(f), (vi) fails to contest in good faith any appointment or proceeding described in this Section 8.1(f), or (vii) fails to pay, or admits in writing its inability to pay, its debts generally as they become due;
(g)without the application, approval or consent of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, a receiver, trustee, examiner, liquidator or similar official is appointed for the Borrower, any Subsidiary, or any Substantial Portion, or a proceeding described in Section 8.1(f)(iv) is instituted against the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and such appointment continues undischarged or such proceeding continues undismissed or unstayed for 30 days;
(h)any Governmental Authority condemns, seizes or otherwise appropriates, or takes custody or control of, all or any portion of the Property of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries that, when taken together with all other Property so condemned, seized, appropriated, or taken custody or control of, during the 12-month period ending with the month in which any such action occurs, constitutes a Substantial Portion;
(i)the Borrower or any Subsidiary fails within 30 days to pay, obtain a stay with respect to, or otherwise discharge one or more (i) judgments or orders for the payment of money of more than $50,000,000 (or the equivalent thereof in currencies other than Dollars) in the aggregate, or (ii) nonmonetary judgments or orders that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, in each case which are not stayed on appeal or otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith, or any action is legally taken by a judgment
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creditor to attach or levy upon any Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;
(j)an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(k)any Change of Control;
(l)the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall become ineligible to service loans and such ineligibility has a Material Adverse Effect;
(m)the Chartered Bank Subsidiary shall lose its state or federally issued charter; or
(n)any Loan Document fails to remain in full force or effect or any action is taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of the Guaranty, or any Guarantor fails to comply with any of the terms or provisions of the Guaranty to which it is a party, any Guarantor repudiates or purports to revoke its Guaranty or any Guarantor otherwise denies that it has any further liability under the Guaranty or gives notice to such effect.
8.2.Acceleration; Remedies.
(a)If any Event of Default described in Section 8.1(f) or (g) occurs with respect to the Borrower:
(i)the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans shall automatically terminate; and
(ii)the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall immediately become due and payable without any election or action by the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
(b)If any other Event of Default occurs, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, take any or all of the following actions:
(i)terminate the Commitments; and
(ii)declare the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to be due and payable, whereupon the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall become immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind, all of which the Borrower hereby expressly waives.
(c)Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, exercise all rights and remedies under the Loan Documents and enforce all other rights and remedies under Applicable Law.
8.3.Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.2 (or after the Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents have automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in Section 8.2(a)), the Administrative Agent shall apply any amounts it receives on account of the Obligations in the following order:
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(a)first, to payment of fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
(b)second, to payment of fees, indemnities and other reimbursable expenses (other than principal, interest and commitment
fees) payable to the Lenders (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Lenders as required by
Section 10.3 and amounts payable under Article III);
(c)third, to payment of accrued and unpaid commitment fees and interest on the Loans ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the amounts described in this Section 8.3(c) payable to them;
(d)fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, Lender-Provided Swaps, and Cash Management Services;
(e)fifth, to payment of all other Obligations ratably among the Administrative Agent, and the Lenders based upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Obligations owing to them in accordance with the respective amounts thereof then due and payable; and
(f)last, the balance, if any, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by law.
(g)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth above,
(h)(x)    Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Guarantor shall not be paid with amounts received from such Guarantor or its Property, but appropriate adjustments shall be made with respect to payments from other Loan Parties to preserve the allocation to Obligations otherwise set forth in this Section 8.3; and
(i)(y)    Obligations arising under Lender-Provided Swaps and Cash Management Services provided by a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender other than U.S. Bank or one of its Affiliates shall be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent requests, from the applicable Lender (or Affiliate of a Lender) in accordance with the definition of “Obligations.” Each Affiliate of a Lender that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to Article IX for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.
8.4.Events of Fraud. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Fraud, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower, on the earlier of (x) the Facility Termination Date and (y) 120 days after the occurrence of such Event of Fraud.
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ARTICLE IX
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
9.1.Appointment and Authority. Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints U.S. Bank to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.6(c), the provisions of this Article IX are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third-party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any Applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.
9.2.Rights as a Lender. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder has the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise them as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and the term “Lender” or “Lenders,” unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, includes the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its branches and Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for, and generally engage in any kind of business with, the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.
9.3.Exculpatory Provisions.
(a)The Administrative Agent has no duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder are administrative in nature. The motivations of the Administrative Agent are commercial in nature and not to invest in the general performance or operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:
(i)is not subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;
(ii)has no duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as is expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents); provided that the Administrative Agent is not required to take any action that, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent or its counsel, could expose the Administrative Agent to liability or is contrary to any Loan Document or Applicable Law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that could be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that could effect
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a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and
(iii)does not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
(b)The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as is necessary, or as the Administrative Agent believes in good faith is necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 8.2 and 10.2(b)), or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent in writing by the Borrower or a Lender.
(c)The Administrative Agent is not responsible for and has no duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (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.
9.4.Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Credit Extension that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent has received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
9.5.Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of their duties and exercise their rights
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and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article IX apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent and apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the facilities hereunder as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent is not responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.
9.6.Resignation of Administrative Agent.
(a)The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders may, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor has been so appointed by the Required Lenders and has accepted such appointment 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as is agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but is not obligated to), on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent; provided that in no event may any such successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.
(b)If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor has been so appointed by the Required Lenders and has accepted such appointment 30 days after the Administrative Agent receives notice of its removal (or such earlier day as is agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.
(c)With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (ii) except for any indemnity payments owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring or removed Administrative Agent (other than any rights to indemnity payments owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article IX and Section 10.3 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring
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or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
9.7.Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders. Each of the Lenders expressly acknowledges that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Arranger has made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by the Administrative Agent or any Arranger hereafter taken, including any consent to, and acceptance of any assignment or review of, the affairs of the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the Administrative Agent or any Arranger to any Lender as to any matter, including whether the Administrative Agent or any Arranger has disclosed material information in their (or their Related Parties’) possession. Each of the Lenders represent to the Administrative Agent and each Arranger that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, any other Lender, or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis of, appraisal of, and investigation into the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition, and creditworthiness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and all applicable bank or other regulatory Laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to the Borrower hereunder. Each of the Lenders also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, any other Lender, or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it from time to time deems appropriate, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon any Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished thereunder, and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition, and creditworthiness of the Borrower. Each of the Lenders (a) represents and warrants that (i) the Loan Documents set forth the terms of a commercial lending facility and certain other facilities set forth herein and (ii) it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans, issuing or participating in letters of credit or providing other similar facilities in the ordinary course of its business and is entering into this Agreement as a Lender for the purpose of making, acquiring or holding commercial loans, issuing or participating in letters of credit, or providing other facilities set forth herein, and not for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument such as a security, (b) agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing, and (c) represents and warrants that it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to make, acquire or hold commercial loans, issue or participate in letters of credit, or provide other facilities set forth herein, and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to make, acquire or hold such commercial loans, issue or participate in letters of credit, or provide such other facilities, is experienced in making, acquiring or holding such commercial loans, issuing or participating in letters of credit or providing such other facilities.
9.8.No Other Duties. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Arrangers, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent or the Administrative Agent listed on the cover page hereof has any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent or a Lender.
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9.9.Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan is then due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent has made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
(a)to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Section 10.3) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(b)to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
(c)and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, if the Administrative Agent consents to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Section 10.3.
9.10.[Reserved].
9.11.Guarantor Releases. The Lenders hereby empower and authorize the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver to the Borrower on their behalf any agreements, documents or instruments as are necessary or appropriate in connection with any release of a Guarantor made in accordance with the Loan Documents or that has otherwise been approved by the Required Lenders (or, if required by Section 10.2(b), all of the Lenders) in writing. In addition, the Lenders authorize the Administrative Agent to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Loan Documents if such Person is no longer required to be a Guarantor or if such Person is sold, transferred or assigned in accordance with and to the extent permitted by this Agreement. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders shall confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Loan Documents pursuant to the foregoing. In each case as specified hereto, the Administrative Agent may (and each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to), at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party reasonably requests to evidence the release of a Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, in each case in accordance with the Loan Documents.
9.12.Certain ERISA Matters.
(a)Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative
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Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:
(i)such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plan Investors with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments or this Agreement;
(ii)the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement;
(iii)(A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement; or
(iv)such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.
(b)In addition, unless either (i) clause (i) of Section 9.12(a) is true with respect to a Lender or (ii) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with clause (iv) of Section 9.12(a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that the Administrative Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).

9.13.Erroneous Payments.
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(a)If the Administrative Agent notifies a Lender or other holder of any Obligations (each, a “Lender Party”), or any Person who has received funds on behalf of a Lender Party (any such Lender Party or other recipient, a “Payment Recipient”), that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion (whether or not after receipt of any notice under Section 9.13(b)) that any funds received by such Payment Recipient from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates were erroneously transmitted to, or otherwise erroneously received by, such Payment Recipient (whether or not such error is known to any Payment Recipient) (any such funds, whether received as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees, distribution or otherwise, individually and collectively, an “Erroneous Payment”) and demands the return of such Erroneous Payment (or a portion thereof), such Erroneous Payment shall at all times remain the property of the Administrative Agent and shall be segregated by the Payment Recipient and held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, and such Payment Recipient shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made, in same day funds (in the currency so received), together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Payment Recipient to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent in same day funds at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Payment Recipient under this clause (a) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(b)Without limiting Section 9.13(a), if any Payment Recipient receives a payment, prepayment or repayment (whether received as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees, distribution or otherwise) from the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) that (x) is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment, prepayment or repayment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment, (y) was not preceded or accompanied by a notice of payment, prepayment or repayment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates), or (z) such Payment Recipient otherwise becomes aware was transmitted, or received, in error (in whole or in part):
(i)(A) in the case of immediately preceding clause (x) or (y), an error shall be presumed to have been made (absent written confirmation from the Administrative Agent to the contrary) or (B) in the case of immediately preceding clause (z), an error has been made, in each case, with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment; and
(ii)such Payment Recipient shall promptly (and, in all events, within one Business Day of its knowledge of such error) notify the Administrative Agent of its receipt of such payment, prepayment or repayment, the details thereof (in reasonable detail) and that it is so notifying the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 9.13(b).
(c)Each Lender Party hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off, net and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender Party under any Loan Document, or otherwise payable or distributable by the Administrative Agent to such Lender Party from any source, against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under Section 9.13(a) or under the indemnification provisions of this Agreement.
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(d)An Erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any Obligations, except to the extent such Erroneous Payment comprises funds received by the Administrative Agent from a Loan Party for the purpose of making such Erroneous Payment.
(e)To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Payment Recipient hereby agrees not to assert any right or claim to an Erroneous Payment, and hereby waives, and is deemed to waive, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment, including without limitation any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine, with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Erroneous Payment.
(f)Each party’s agreements under this Section 9.13 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments, or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of any or all Obligations.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
10.1.Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.
(a)Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in Section 10.1(b)) and notices pursuant to the definition of “Obligations” (which shall be given via email in accordance with Section 10.1(b) and Exhibit C), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service as follows:
(i)if to the Borrower, to it at to it at 121 South 13th Street, Suite 201, Lincoln, NE 68508, Attention of James D. Kruger, Telephone No. (402) 430-2781 (and in connection with notices permitted to be sent via email in accordance with this Section 10.1(b), jim.kruger@nelnet.net);
(ii)if to the Administrative Agent, to it at 800 Nicollet Mall, BC-MN-H03L, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention: Teresa Mager, Telephone No.: (612) 303-3683/Telecopy No.: (612) 303-3851; and
(iii)if to a Lender, to it at its address (and in connection with notices permitted to be sent via email in accordance with this Section 10.1(b) to its email address) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service shall be deemed to have been given when received; provided, that notices to the Administrative Agent, a Lender under Article II shall not be effective unless and until actually received. Notices delivered through electronic communications pursuant to Section 10.1(b) shall be effective as provided in Section 10.1(b).
(b)Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including email and internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent or as otherwise determined by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing does not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender has notified the Administrative Agent
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that it is incapable of receiving notices under Article II by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it or as it otherwise determines. Such determination or approval may be limited to particular notices or communications.
Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an email address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return email or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its email address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.
(c)Change of Address, etc. Any party hereto may change its address above by notice to the other parties hereto as provided in this Section 10.1.
(d)Platform.
(i)The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but is not obligated to, make the Communications available to the Lenders by posting the Communications on the Platform.
(ii)The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available.” The Agent Parties do not warrant the adequacy of the Platform and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications. No warranty of any kind, express, implied, or statutory, including any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by any Agent Party in connection with the Communications or the Platform. In no event shall the Agent Parties have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, or any other Person for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages, losses, or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of communications through the Platform. “Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document, or other material provided by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein that is distributed to the Administrative Agent or any Lender by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section 10.1, including through the Platform.
10.2.Amendments and Waivers.
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(a)No delay or omission of the Lenders or the Administrative Agent to exercise any right under the Loan Documents will impair such right or be construed to be a waiver of any Event of Default or an acquiescence therein, and any Credit Extension notwithstanding an Event of Default or the inability of the Borrower to satisfy the conditions precedent to such Credit Extension shall not constitute any waiver or acquiescence. Any single or partial exercise of any such right shall not preclude other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. All remedies in the Loan Documents or afforded by Applicable Law shall be cumulative and all shall be available to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders until (a) the Obligations have been irrevocably paid and performed in full and (b) the Lenders no longer have any commitment to provide any financial accommodations to the Borrower or any other Loan Party under any Loan Document.
(b)Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, no amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or consent to any departure therefrom by any Loan Party shall be effective unless in writing executed by the Borrower and the Required Lenders, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders, and then such amendment, modification, waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided that no such amendment, waiver or consent may:
(i)extend or increase any Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender (it being understood that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Article IV or the waiver of any Default or Event of Default is not an extension or increase of any Commitment of any Lender);
(ii)reduce the principal of, or rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan, or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby (provided that only the consent of the Required Lenders is necessary (i) to amend Section 2.11 or to waive the obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the rate imposed pursuant thereto or (ii) to amend any financial covenant (or any defined term directly or indirectly used therein), even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or other Obligation or to reduce any fee payable hereunder);
(iii)postpone any date scheduled for any payment of principal of, or interest on, any Loan, or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;
(iv)change the definition of “Applicable Percentage” or Section 2.19 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby or change Section 8.3, in each case, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;
(v)without the written consent of all the Lenders, release all or substantially all of the Guarantors;
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(vi)subordinate, or have the effect of subordinating, the Obligations to any other Indebtedness without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;
(vii)extend the Facility Termination Date, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby; or
(viii)change any provision of this Section 10.2(b) or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender.
provided, further, that no such amendment, waiver or consent may amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties hereunder or under any other Loan Document of (A) the Administrative Agent, unless in writing executed by the Administrative Agent and (B) the Swingline Lender, unless in writing executed by the Swingline Lender, in each case in addition to the Borrower and the Lenders required above.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Defaulting Lender has any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent that by its terms requires the consent of all the Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders, except that (x) a Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended, the maturity of any of its Loans may not be extended, the rate of interest on any of its Loans may not be reduced and the principal amount of any of its Loans may not be forgiven, in each case without the consent of such Defaulting Lender and (y) any amendment, waiver or consent requiring the consent of all the Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than the other affected Lenders requires the consent of such Defaulting Lender.
In addition, notwithstanding anything in this Section 10.2(b) to the contrary, if the Administrative Agent and the Borrower jointly identify an obvious error or any error or omission of a technical nature, in each case, in any provision of the Loan Documents, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend such provision, and, in each case, such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Document if the such amendment is not objected to in writing by the Required Lenders to the Administrative Agent within 10 Business Days following receipt of notice thereof.
10.3.Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a)Costs and Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent) in connection with the syndication of the facilities hereunder, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby are consummated), and (ii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by
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the Administrative Agent or any Lender (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender) in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section 10.3, or (B) in connection with the Loans, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.
(b)Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify each Indemnitee against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrower) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee, (y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if the Borrower has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or (z) result from a claim not involving an act or omission of the Borrower and brought by an Indemnitee against another Indemnitee (other than against the Arrangers or the Administrative Agent in their capacities as such). This Section 10.3(b) does not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.
(c)Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under Section 10.3(a) or (b) to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the Swingline Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Swingline Lender or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Pro Rata Share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender); provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Swingline Lender in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this Section 10.3(c) are subject to Section 10.11.
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(d)Waiver of Consequential Damages, etc. To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan, or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
(e)Payments. All amounts due under this Section 10.3 are payable promptly after demand therefor.
(f)Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 10.3 shall survive the termination of the Loan Documents and payment of the obligations hereunder.
10.4.Successors and Assigns.
(a)Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void), and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.4(b), (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.4(d), or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of Section 10.4(e) (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in Section 10.4(d) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b)Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
(i)Minimum Amounts.
(A)in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and Loans of the applicable Class at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds (determined after giving effect to such assignments) that equal at least the amount specified in Section 10.4(b)(i)(B) in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and
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(B)in any case not described in Section 10.4(b)(i)(A) the aggregate amount of Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if such Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender for the applicable Class subject to each such assignment or (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date) shall not be less than $5,000,000, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
(ii)Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Class of Loan or Commitment assigned.
(iii)Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by Section 10.4(b)(i)(B) and, in addition:
(A)the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it objects thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five Business Days after having received notice thereof and provided, further, that the Borrower’s consent shall not be required during the primary syndication of the credit facilities hereunder;
(B)the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender; and
(C)the consent of the Swingline Lender shall be required.
(iv)Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
(v)No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment may be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries or (B) any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender, would constitute a Defaulting Lender or a Subsidiary thereof.
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(vi)No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment may be made to a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person).
(vii)Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment make additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (A) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and each other Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (B) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Swingline Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder becomes effective under Applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this Section 10.4(b)(vii), then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 10.4(c), from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.1 and 10.3 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 10.4(b) shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with Section 10.4(d).
(c)Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in the United States of America a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and
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addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d)Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person, or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person, or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 10.3(c) with respect to any payments made by such Lender to its Participant(s).
Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in Section 10.2(b)(i) through (viii) that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.1, 3.4, and 3.5 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 3.5(g) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.5(g) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 10.4(b); provided that such Participant (x) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.21 as if it were an assignee under Section 10.4(b); and (y) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.1 or 3.5, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.21 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.5 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.19 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in
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the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender has any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) has no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(e)Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment may release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
(f)Resignation as Swingline Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if at any time U.S. Bank assigns all of its Commitments and Revolving Loans pursuant to Section 10.4(b), U.S. Bank may, upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as Swingline Lender. In the event of any such resignation as Swingline Lender, the Borrower may appoint from among the Lenders a successor Swingline Lender; provided that the Borrower’s failure to appoint a successor shall not affect the resignation of the Swingline Lender. If U.S. Bank resigns as Swingline Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swingline Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swingline Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective time of such resignation, including the right to require the Revolving Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swingline Loans pursuant to Section 2.4(d). Upon the appointment of a successor Swingline Lender, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Swingline Lender.
10.5.Setoff. The Borrower hereby grants each Lender a security interest in all deposits, credits and deposit accounts (including all account balances, whether provisional or final and whether or not collected or available) of the Borrower with such Lender or any Affiliate of such Lender (the “Deposits”) to secure the Obligations. In addition to, and without limitation of, any rights of the Lenders under Applicable Law, if the Borrower becomes insolvent, however evidenced, or any Event of Default occurs, the Borrower authorizes each Lender, and each of their respective Affiliates, with the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, to offset and apply all such Deposits toward the payment of the Obligations owing to such Lender, whether or not the Obligations, or any part thereof, are contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch office or Affiliate of such Lender different from the branch office or Affiliate holding such Deposit, and regardless of the existence or adequacy of any collateral, guaranty or any other security, right or remedy available to such Lender or the Lenders; provided that if any Defaulting Lender exercises such right of setoff, (a) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section
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2.23(d) and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and (b) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff.
10.6.Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Loan Party is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Effective Rate from time to time in effect.
10.7.Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by any Loan Party in any Loan Document or other documents delivered in connection therewith or pursuant thereto shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof and the making of the Credit Extensions, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation remains unpaid or unsatisfied and so long as the Commitments have not expired or been terminated. The provisions of Sections 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 10.3, and 10.7 and Article IX shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the payment in full of the Obligations and the Commitments or the termination of any Loan Document or any provision thereof.
10.8.Governmental Regulation. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, no Lender shall be obligated to extend credit to the Borrower in violation of any limitation or prohibition provided by any applicable statute or regulation.
10.9.Headings. Section headings in the Loan Documents are for convenience of reference only and shall not govern the interpretation of any of the provisions of the Loan Documents.
10.10.Entire Agreement. The Loan Documents embody the entire agreement and understanding between the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and supersede all prior agreements and understandings between the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders relating to the subject matter thereof other than those in any fee letter entered into in connection with the transaction that is the subject of this Agreement, which shall survive and remain in full force and effect during the term of this Agreement.
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10.11.Several Obligations. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder are several and not joint and no Lender is the partner or agent of any other (except to the extent the Administrative Agent is authorized to act as such). The failure of any Lender to perform any of its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender from any of its obligations hereunder.
10.12.Severability of Provisions. Any provision in any Loan Document that is held to be inoperative, unenforceable, or invalid in any jurisdiction shall, as to that jurisdiction, be inoperative, unenforceable, or invalid without affecting the remaining provisions in that jurisdiction or the operation, enforceability, or validity of that provision in any other jurisdiction, and to this end the provisions of all Loan Documents are declared to be severable.
10.13.Treatment of Certain Information.
(a)Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree to maintain the confidentiality of the Information, except that Information may be disclosed
(i)to its Affiliates and to its Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential);
(ii)to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners);
(iii)to the extent required by Applicable Laws or by any subpoena or similar legal process;
(iv)to any other party hereto;
(v)in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder;
(vi)subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 10.13(a), to (A) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or (B) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder;
(vii)on a confidential basis to (A) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities contemplated hereby or (B) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to the facilities hereunder;
(viii)with the consent of the Borrower; or
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(ix)to the extent such Information (A) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 10.13(a) or (B) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower who did not acquire such information as a result of a breach of this Section 10.13(a).
(x)In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, or any Lender in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the Commitments.
For purposes of this Section 10.13(a), “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries 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 10.13(a) shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 10.13(a) shall prohibit any Person from voluntarily disclosing or providing any Information to any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization to the extent that such prohibition is prohibited by the laws or regulations applicable to such governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization.
(b)Public Information. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify that portion of the materials and information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) that may be distributed to the Public Lenders and that (i) all such Borrower Materials shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC,” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (ii) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of U.S. federal and state securities Laws (provided that to the extent that such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be subject to Section 10.13(a)); (iii) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the applicable electronic submission system (e.g., DebtX) designated “Public Side Information”; and (iv) the Administrative
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Agent shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the applicable electronic submission system (e.g., DebtX) not designated “Public Side Information.” Each Public Lender will designate one or more representatives that shall be permitted to receive information that is not designated as being available for Public Lenders.
10.14.Nonreliance. Each Lender hereby represents that it is not relying on or looking to any margin stock (as defined in Regulation U) for the repayment of the Credit Extensions.
10.15.No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that (a)(i) no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and any Arranger, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or any Lender is intended to be or has been created in respect of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents, irrespective of whether any Arranger, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or any Lender has advised or is advising the Borrower or any Subsidiary on other matters, (ii) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Lenders, on the other hand, (iii) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate and (iv) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; and (b)(i) each of the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Lenders is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any other Person; (ii) none of the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Lenders has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Lenders and their respective branches and Affiliates may be engaged, for their own accounts or the accounts of customers, in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and none of the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Lenders has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by Law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against any of the Arrangers, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the Lenders with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
10.16.PATRIOT Act. Each Lender subject to the PATRIOT Act hereby notifies the Borrower and each other Loan Party that, pursuant to the requirements of the PATRIOT Act, it may be required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies such Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the PATRIOT Act.
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10.17.Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Except as provided in Article IV, this Agreement shall become effective when it has been executed by the Administrative Agent, and when the Administrative Agent has received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.
10.18.Electronic Execution of Assignments. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any Applicable Law, including E-SIGN, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on UETA.
10.19.Document Imaging; Telecopy and PDF Signatures; Electronic Signatures. Without notice to or consent of any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent and each Lender may create electronic images of any Loan Documents and destroy paper originals of any such imaged documents. Such images have the same legal force and effect as the paper originals and are enforceable against the Borrower and any other parties thereto. The Administrative Agent and each Lender may convert any Loan Document into a “transferrable record” as such term is defined under, and to the extent permitted by, UETA, with the image of such instrument in the Administrative Agent’s or such Lender’s possession constituting an “authoritative copy” under UETA. If the Administrative Agent agrees, in its sole discretion, to accept delivery by telecopy or PDF of an executed counterpart of a signature page of any Loan Document or other document required to be delivered under the Loan Documents, such delivery will be valid and effective as delivery of an original manually executed counterpart of such document for all purposes. If the Administrative Agent agrees, in its sole discretion, to accept any electronic signatures of any Loan Document or other document required to be delivered under the Loan Documents, the words “execution,” “signed,” and “signature,” and words of like import, in or referring to any document so signed will deemed to include electronic signatures and/or the keeping of records in electronic form, which will be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature and/or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, UETA, E-SIGN, or any other state laws based on, or similar in effect to, such acts. The Administrative Agent and each Lender may rely on any such electronic signatures without further inquiry.
10.20.Governing Law. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any claims, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except, as to any other Loan Document, as expressly set forth therein) and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.
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10.21.Jurisdiction. The Borrower irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that it will not commence any action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Related Party of the foregoing in any way relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, in any forum other than the courts of the State of New York sitting in New York County, and of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the jurisdiction of such courts and agrees that all claims in respect of any such action, litigation or proceeding may be heard and determined in such state court or, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, in such federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action, litigation or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document shall (a) affect any right that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction, or (b) waive any Law providing for the treatment of bank branches, bank agencies, or other bank offices as if they were separate juridical entities for certain purposes, including Uniform Commercial Code §§ 4-106, 4-A-105(1)(b), and 5-116(b), UCP 600 Article 3 and ISP98 Rule 2.02, and URDG 758 Article 3(a).
10.22.Waiver of Venue. The Borrower irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in Section 10.21. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
10.23.Service of Process. Each party hereto irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 10.1. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by Applicable Law.
10.24.WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER HEREBY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING INVOLVING, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ANY MATTER (WHETHER SOUNDING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) IN ANY WAY ARISING OUT OF, RELATED TO, OR CONNECTED WITH ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED THEREUNDER.
10.25.Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:
(a)the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder that may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an Affected Financial Institution; and
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(b)the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:
(i)a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;
(ii)a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or
(iii)the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.
10.26.Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for Swap Obligations or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support” and each such QFC a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States):
In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.

[Signature Pages Follow]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.
NELNET, INC., as Borrower

By:    /s/ TERRY HEIMES         
Name:     Terry Heimes
Title:     Chief Operating Officer

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender, as Swingline Lender, and as Administrative Agent
By:    /s/ ROBERT A. BALFANY        
Name:     Robert A. Balfany
Title:     SVP

Signature Page to
Credit Agreement



FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OMAHA, as a Lender

By:    /s/ DALE ERVIN            
Name:     Dale Ervin
Title:     Vice President
Signature Page to
Credit Agreement



REGIONS BANK, as a Lender

By:    /s/ TAYLOR POOLE            
Name:     Taylor Poole
Title:     Director
Signature Page to
Credit Agreement



ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, as a Lender

By:    /s/ SCOTT UMBS            
Name:     Scott Umbs
Title:     Authorized Signatory
Signature Page to
Credit Agreement



WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as a Lender

By:    /s/ WILLIAM D. IVEY        
Name:     William D. Ivey
Title:     Vice President