8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 11, 2018

 

 

COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. CONSOLIDATED

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   0-9286   56-0950585
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

4100 Coca-Cola Plaza, Charlotte, North Carolina                   28211                
(Address of principal executive offices)                                                (Zip Code)                    

(704) 557-4400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Amendment to Term Loan Agreement. On July 11, 2018, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (the “Company”) entered into an amendment (the “Term Loan Amendment”) to the term loan agreement, dated June 7, 2016, by and among the Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPMorgan”), as administrative agent, and the other lenders party thereto (as amended, the “Term Loan Agreement”), to align certain terms of the Term Loan Agreement with the Credit Agreement (as defined below), including revisions to (i) the calculation of interest rates, (ii) certain covenants, including the financial covenants the Company is required to maintain, and (iii) certain events of default.

Borrowings under the Term Loan Agreement will continue to bear interest at rates per annum determined by reference to, at the Company’s option, either a base rate or a Eurodollar rate, the calculations of which were revised pursuant to the Term Loan Amendment to be identical to the interest rate calculations under the Credit Agreement. The Term Loan Amendment also made certain adjustments to the calculation of the two financial covenants the Company is required to maintain, a “consolidated cash flow/fixed charges ratio” and a “consolidated funded indebtedness/cash flow ratio” (each as defined in the Term Loan Agreement), the definitions of which are now identical to those in the Credit Agreement. In addition, the Term Loan Amendment modified certain events of default to align with those in the Credit Agreement, including the occurrence of unsatisfied judgments of the Company or its subsidiaries in excess of $100 million (as increased, pursuant to the Term Loan Amendment, from $50 million), individually or in the aggregate, outstanding for 30 days or more which are not being appealed or contested in good faith.

Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement. On July 11, 2018, the Company entered into an amendment (the “Credit Amendment”) to the second amended and restated credit agreement, dated June 8, 2018, by and among the Company, JPMorgan, as administrative agent, and the other lenders party thereto (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), to amend and restate the definition of “consolidated funded indebtedness/cash flow ratio” to conform to the definition in the Term Loan Agreement.

The foregoing descriptions of the Term Loan Amendment and the Credit Amendment are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of such agreements and all exhibits thereto, copies of which are filed as Exhibit 10.1 and Exhibit 10.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

Certain parties to the Term Loan Agreement and/or the Credit Agreement and certain of their respective affiliates have performed in the past, and may from time to time perform in the future, banking, investment banking and/or other advisory services for the Company and its affiliates for which they have received, and/or will receive, customary fees and expenses.

 

Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

The disclosure required by this Item and included in Item 1.01 is incorporated by reference.


Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

    (d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

        Incorporated By     
Reference To
10.1   Amendment No. 1 to Term Loan Agreement, dated July  11, 2018, by and among the Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other lenders party thereto.    Filed herewith.
10.2   Amendment No. 1 to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated July  11, 2018, by and among the Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other lenders party thereto.    Filed herewith.


SIGNATURE

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

 

    COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. CONSOLIDATED
Date: July 17, 2018     By:     /s/ David M. Katz
      David M. Katz
      Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

AMENDMENT NO. 1

Dated as of July 11, 2018

to

LOAN AGREEMENT

Dated as of June 7, 2016

THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 (this “Amendment”) is made as of July 11, 2018 by and among Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the financial institutions listed on the signature pages hereof as Lenders and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent (the “Administrative Agent”) under that certain Loan Agreement dated as of June 7, 2016 by and among the Borrower, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Loan Agreement”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings given to them in the Amended Loan Agreement (as defined below).

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Majority Lenders and the Administrative Agent agree to make certain amendments to the Existing Loan Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Borrower, the Lenders party hereto and the Administrative Agent have so agreed on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

WHEREAS, as of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date (as defined below), the Existing Loan Agreement will be deemed amended in the form of the Amended Loan Agreement;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises set forth above, the terms and conditions contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Borrower, the Lenders party hereto and the Administrative Agent hereby agree to enter into this Amendment.

1.      Amendments to the Loan Agreement. Effective as of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date (as defined below), the parties hereto agree that the Existing Loan Agreement is hereby amended to read in its entirety in the form of the Amended Loan Agreement set forth as Annex A hereto (the “Amended Loan Agreement”). Except for the revisions to Exhibit B and Schedule V set forth in the Amended Loan Agreement, all schedules and all exhibits to the Existing Loan Agreement, in the forms thereof immediately prior to the date hereof, will continue to be schedules and exhibits to the Amended Loan Agreement mutatis mutandis.

2.      Conditions of Effectiveness. The effectiveness of this Amendment (the “Amendment No. 1 Effective Date”) is subject to the following conditions precedent:

(a)      The Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Amendment duly executed by the Borrower, the Majority Lenders and the Administrative Agent.

(b)      The Administrative Agent shall have received payment of the Administrative Agent’s and its affiliates’ fees and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonable fees,


charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent) in connection with this Amendment and the other Loan Documents.

3.      Representations and Warranties of the Borrower. The Borrower hereby represents and warrants as follows:

(a)      This Amendment and the Amended Loan Agreement constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Borrower and are enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally and except as the enforceability of this Amendment and the Amended Loan Agreement is subject to the application of general principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), including, without limitation, (i) the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief or any other equitable remedy and (ii) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing.

(b)      As of the date hereof and after giving effect to the terms of this Amendment, (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (ii) the representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in Section 4.01 the Amended Loan Agreement are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof (unless expressly stated to relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date).

4.      Reference to and Effect on the Existing Loan Agreement.

(a)      From and after the effectiveness of the amendment to the Existing Loan Agreement evidenced hereby, the terms “Agreement”, “this Agreement”, “herein”, “hereinafter”, “hereto”, “hereof” and words of similar import, as used in the Amended Loan Agreement, shall, unless the context otherwise requires, refer to the Amended Loan Agreement, and the term “Loan Agreement”, as used in the other Loan Documents, shall mean the Amended Loan Agreement.

(b)      Each Loan Document and all other documents, instruments and agreements executed and/or delivered in connection therewith shall remain in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed.

(c)      The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Existing Loan Agreement, the Amended Loan Agreement, the Loan Documents or any other documents, instruments and agreements executed and/or delivered in connection therewith.

(d)      This Amendment is a Loan Document.

5.      No Novation. This Amendment shall not extinguish the Advances or other obligations outstanding under the Existing Loan Agreement.

6.      Governing Law. This Amendment shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

7.      Headings. Section headings in this Amendment are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Amendment for any other purpose.

 

2


8.      Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed by one or more of the parties hereto on any number of separate counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Signatures delivered by facsimile or PDF shall have the same force and effect as manual signatures delivered in person.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

3


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amendment has been duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

   

COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. CONSOLIDATED,

   

as the Borrower

   

By:

 

/s/ David M. Katz

   

Name:

 

David M. Katz

   

Title:

 

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Loan Agreement dated as of June 7, 2016

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


   

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually as a Lender

   

and as Administrative Agent

   

By:

 

/s/ Antje Focke

   

Name:

 

Antje Focke

   

Title:

 

Executive Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Loan Agreement dated as of June 7, 2016

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


   

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

   

as a Lender

   

By:

 

/s/ Krutesh Trivedi

   

Name:

 

Krutesh Trivedi

   

Title:

 

Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Loan Agreement dated as of June 7, 2016

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


   

BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY,

   

as a Lender

   

By:

 

/s/ Kelly Attayek

   

Name:

 

Kelly Attayek

   

Title:

 

Assistant Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Loan Agreement dated as of June 7, 2016

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


   

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

   

as a Lender

   

By:

 

/s/ Ekta Patel

   

Name:

 

Ekta Patel

   

Title:

 

Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Loan Agreement dated as of June 7, 2016

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


   

SOUTH STATE BANK,

   

as a Lender

   

By:

 

/s/ Cutter D. Davis, Jr.

   

Name:

 

Cutter D. Davis, Jr.

   

Title:

 

Executive Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Loan Agreement dated as of June 7, 2016

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


   

THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY,

   

as a Lender

   

By:

 

/s/ Andrew D. Holtz

   

Name:

 

Andrew D. Holtz

   

Title:

 

Senior Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Loan Agreement dated as of June 7, 2016

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


ANNEX A

 

 

 

 

LOGO

LOAN AGREEMENT

Dated as of June 7, 2016

Among

COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. CONSOLIDATED

as Borrower

THE LENDERS NAMED HEREIN

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. and

PNC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY

as Joint Lead Arranger

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and

BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY

as Co-Syndication Agents

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

as Administrative Agent

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

 

ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1  

SECTION 1.01.

  

Certain Defined Terms

     1  

SECTION 1.02.

  

Computation of Time Periods

     16  

SECTION 1.03.

  

Accounting Terms

     16  

SECTION 1.04.

  

Interest Rates

     17  

ARTICLE 2 AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES

     17  

SECTION 2.01.

  

The Advances

     17  

SECTION 2.02.

  

Making the Advances

     17  

SECTION 2.03.

  

[Intentionally Omitted]

     18  

SECTION 2.04.

  

Administrative Agent’s Fees

     18  

SECTION 2.05.

  

Termination of the Commitments

     18  

SECTION 2.06.

  

Amortization; Repayment of Advances

     18  

SECTION 2.07.

  

Interest

     19  

SECTION 2.08.

  

[Intentionally Omitted]

     19  

SECTION 2.09.

  

Interest Rate Determinations; Changes in Rating Systems

     19  

SECTION 2.10.

  

Voluntary Conversion and Continuation of Advances

     21  

SECTION 2.11.

  

Prepayments of Advances

     22  

SECTION 2.12.

  

Increased Costs

     22  

SECTION 2.13.

  

Illegality

     23  

SECTION 2.14.

  

Payments and Computations

     23  

SECTION 2.15.

  

Taxes

     24  

SECTION 2.16.

  

Set-Off; Sharing of Payments, Etc.

     26  

SECTION 2.17.

  

Right to Replace a Lender

     27  

SECTION 2.18.

  

Evidence of Indebtedness

     27  

SECTION 2.19.

  

Incremental Term Loans

     28  

SECTION 2.20.

  

Defaulting Lenders

     30  

ARTICLE 3 CONDITIONS OF LENDING

     30  

SECTION 3.01.

  

Conditions Precedent to Closing

     30  

ARTICLE 4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     31  

SECTION 4.01.

  

Representations and Warranties of the Borrower

     31  

ARTICLE 5 COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER

     33  

SECTION 5.01.

  

Covenants

     33  

ARTICLE 6 EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     39  

SECTION 6.01.

  

Events of Default

     39  

ARTICLE 7 THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     41  

SECTION 7.01.

  

Authorization and Action

     41  

SECTION 7.02.

  

Administrative Agent’s Reliance, Etc.

     41  

SECTION 7.03.

  

JPMorgan and Affiliates

     42  

SECTION 7.04.

  

Lender Credit Decision

     42  

SECTION 7.05.

  

Indemnification

     42  

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

 

SECTION 7.06.

  

Successor Administrative Agent

     43  

SECTION 7.07.

  

Arrangers

     43  

SECTION 7.08.

  

Certain ERISA Matters

     43  

ARTICLE 8 MISCELLANEOUS

     45  

SECTION 8.01.

  

Amendments, Etc.

     45  

SECTION 8.02.

  

Notices, Etc.

     46  

SECTION 8.03.

  

No Waiver; Remedies

     47  

SECTION 8.04.

  

Costs, Expenses and Indemnification

     48  

SECTION 8.05.

  

Binding Effect

     49  

SECTION 8.06.

  

Assignments and Participations

     49  

SECTION 8.07.

  

Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction

     51  

SECTION 8.08.

  

Severability

     52  

SECTION 8.09.

  

Execution in Counterparts; Electronic Execution

     52  

SECTION 8.10.

  

Survival

     52  

SECTION 8.11.

  

Waiver of Jury Trial

     52  

SECTION 8.12.

  

Confidentiality

     52  

SECTION 8.13.

  

Nonliability of Lenders; No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

     53  

SECTION 8.14.

  

USA PATRIOT Act

     54  

SECTION 8.15.

  

Interest Rate Limitation

     54  

SECTION 8.16.

  

Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions

     54  

 

ii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

SCHEDULES

 

Schedule I

  

–  

  

Lenders and Commitments

Schedule II

  

–  

  

Existing Liens Securing Indebtedness, in each case, of $5,000,000 or more

Schedule III

  

–  

  

Litigation

Schedule IV

  

–  

  

Subsidiaries

Schedule V

  

–  

  

Permitted Subsidiary Indebtedness

EXHIBITS

Exhibit A

  

–  

  

Form of Notice of Borrowing

Exhibit B

  

–  

  

Form of Assignment and Acceptance

Exhibit C

  

–  

  

Form of Opinion of Special Counsel to the Borrower

Exhibit D

  

–  

  

Form of Compliance Certificate of Borrower

Exhibit E

  

–  

  

List of Closing Documents

 

iii


LOAN AGREEMENT dated as of June 7, 2016 among COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. CONSOLIDATED, a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party hereto, PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, and BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY, as co-syndication agents, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., a national banking association, as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the initial Lenders provide a term loan facility for the purposes set forth herein, and such Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

SECTION 1.01.      Certain Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

Acquisition Cash Flow” means, with respect to any Person or assets, franchises or businesses acquired by the Borrower or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries, operating income for any period of determination plus any amounts deducted for depreciation, amortization and operating lease expense in determining operating income during such period (to the extent not included in Consolidated Operating Income for such period), all determined using historical financial statements of such Person, assets, franchises or businesses acquired with appropriate adjustments thereto in order to reflect such operating income, depreciation, amortization and operating lease expense on an actual historical combined pro forma basis as if such Person, assets, franchises or businesses acquired had been owned by the Borrower or one of its Consolidated Subsidiaries during the applicable period. Operating income as used in the preceding sentence will be determined for the acquired Person, assets, franchises or businesses using the same method prescribed for determining Consolidated Operating Income.

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

Administrative Agent” has the meaning set forth in the introduction hereto.

Advance” means an advance by a Lender and refers to a Base Rate Advance or a Eurodollar Rate Advance (each of which shall be a “Type” of Advance).

Affiliate” means, as to any Person, any other Person (other than a Subsidiary) which, directly or indirectly, is in control of, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” of a Person means the power, directly or indirectly, either to (a) vote 10% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other persons performing similar functions of such Person or (b) direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether by contract or otherwise.


Agreement” means this Loan Agreement, as the same may be amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

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

Applicable Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, such Lender’s Domestic Lending Office in the case of a Base Rate Advance and such Lender’s Eurodollar Lending Office in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Advance.

Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any Base Rate Advance or Eurodollar Rate Advance, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “Base Rate Spread” or “Eurodollar Spread”, as the case may be, based upon the Ratings by Moody’s, S&P and Fitch, respectively, applicable on such date:

 

         
    

 

  Level    

  

Ratings

S&P/Moody’s/Fitch

 

   Eurodollar  
Spread  
   Base Rate  
Spread  
   

1

  

A-/A3/A-

or above

   0.875%    0%
   

2

 

  

BBB+/Baa1/BBB+

 

   1.00%

 

   0%

 

   

3

 

  

BBB/Baa2/BBB

 

   1.125%

 

   0.125%

 

   

4

 

  

BBB-/Baa3/BBB-

 

   1.25%

 

   0.25%

 

   

5

  

BB+/Ba1/BB+

or lower

   1.50%    0.50%

For purposes of the foregoing:

If the Borrower shall maintain a Rating from only two of Moody’s, S&P and Fitch and there is a one-notch split between the two Ratings, then the Level corresponding to the higher Rating shall apply, but if there is a more than one notch split in the two Ratings, then the Rating that is one notch higher than the lowest Rating shall apply. If the Borrower shall maintain a Rating from all three of Moody’s, S&P and Fitch and there is a difference in such Ratings, (i) if there is a one-notch split between the Ratings, then the Level corresponding to the higher Rating shall apply and (ii) if there is greater than a one-notch split between the Ratings, then the Level shall be based upon one Level higher than the Level corresponding to the lowest of the three Ratings shall apply. If any of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch shall not have in effect a Rating for the long-term senior unsecured non-credit-enhanced debt obligations of the Borrower then outstanding (other than by reason of the circumstances referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph), then, to the extent such rating agency is being used to determine the Level (it being understood and agreed that at least two rating agencies will be used to determine the Level at all times), such rating agency shall be deemed to have established a Rating in Level 5. If the Ratings established or deemed to have been established by Moody’s, S&P and Fitch shall be changed (other than as a result of a change in the rating system of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch), such change shall be effective as of the date on which it is first announced by the applicable rating agency, irrespective of when notice of such change shall have been furnished by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to

 

2


Section 5.01(c) or otherwise. Each change in the Applicable Rate shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. If the rating system of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch shall change, or if any such rating agency shall cease to be in the business of rating corporate debt obligations, the Borrower and the Lenders shall negotiate in good faith to amend the definition of Applicable Rate to reflect such changed rating system or the unavailability of Ratings from such rating agency and, pending the effectiveness of any such amendment, the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the Rating most recently in effect prior to such change or cessation.

Arrangers” means JPMorgan, PNC Capital Markets LLC and Branch Banking and Trust Company, as Joint Lead Arrangers, and JPMorgan and PNC Capital Markets LLC, as Joint Bookrunners.

Assignment and Acceptance” means an assignment and acceptance entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee, and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto.

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation” means, 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 for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

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

Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the NYFRB Rate in effect on such day plus  12 of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one month Interest Period in Dollars on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%, provided that for the purpose of this definition, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Screen Rate (or if the LIBO Screen Rate is not available for such one month Interest Period, the Interpolated Rate) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day. Any change in the Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively. If the Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 2.09 hereof, then the Base Rate shall be the greater of clauses (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Base Rate

 

3


as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Base Rate Advance” means, at any time, an Advance which bears interest at rates based upon the Base Rate.

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” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in Section 4975 of the Code to which Section 4975 of the Code applies, and (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of the Plan Asset Regulations 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”.

Borrower” has the meaning set forth in the introduction hereto.

Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Advances of the same Type made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

Business Day” means a day of the year on which banks are not required or authorized to close in New York City and, if the applicable Business Day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Advance, on which dealings are carried on in the London interbank market.

Capitalized Lease” of a Person means any lease of Property by such Person as lessee which would be capitalized on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Capitalized Lease Obligations” of a Person means the amount of the obligations of such Person under Capitalized Leases which would be shown as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Change in Control” means that:

(a)      The Coca-Cola Company and any of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries shall cease to own, beneficially and of record, at least 10% of the outstanding capital stock of the Borrower; or

(b)      any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used for purposes of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act, whether or not applicable, except that for purposes of this paragraph (b) such person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all shares that such person or group has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), other than (i) The Coca-Cola Company, (ii) other shareholders of the Borrower as of the date hereof and (iii) J. Frank Harrison III, his spouse and the lineal descendants of either of the foregoing (or trusts, corporations, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies or other estate planning vehicles for the benefit thereof), is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 promulgated pursuant to the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the aggregate voting power of all voting shares of the Borrower; or

 

4


(c)      during any period of 25 consecutive calendar months, a majority of the Board of Directors of the Borrower shall no longer be composed of individuals (i) who were members of said Board on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to said Board was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of said Board and (iii) whose election or nomination to said Board was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of said Board.

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement (or with respect to any Lender, if later, the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender), 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, requirement or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives thereunder, issued in connection therewith or in implementation thereof, and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and 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, issued or implemented.

Closing Date” means the date as of which the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.01 have been satisfied or waived.

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

Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make Advances to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01 in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule I under the caption “Commitment”.

Communications” means all information, documents and other materials that the Borrower is obligated to furnish to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement, including, without limitation, all notices, requests, financial statements, financial and other reports, certificates and other information materials, but excluding any such communication that (i) relates to the payment of any principal or other amount due under this Agreement prior to the scheduled date therefor, (ii) provides notice of any Default or Event of Default under this Agreement or (iii) is required to be delivered to satisfy any condition precedent to the occurrence of the Closing Date and/or any borrowing.

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

Consolidated” refers to the consolidation of accounts of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Cash Flow” means, for any period, Consolidated Operating Income for such period plus (i) any amounts deducted for depreciation, amortization and operating lease expense, plus (ii) any impairment charges or asset write-down or write off related to intangible assets, long-lived assets and property, plant and equipment, solely to the extent that any such charges, write-

 

5


down or write off described in this clause (ii) are non-cash items, in each case in determining Consolidated Operating Income, plus (iii) any non-cash pension charges related to benefit plan amendments or non-recurring or infrequent transactions, plus (iv) non-cash expenses related to stock based compensation, minus (v) the amount of the sub-bottling fee payments made to The Coca-Cola Company or one of its Subsidiaries in consideration for exclusive distribution rights to the Borrower or one of its Consolidated Subsidiaries during such applicable period. Consolidated Cash Flow shall exclude all non-cash credits or charges resulting from commodity hedging transactions.

Consolidated Cash Flow/Fixed Charges Ratio” means, at any time, the ratio of (i) Consolidated Cash Flow for the then most recently concluded period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower to (ii) Consolidated Fixed Charges for such period.

Consolidated Fixed Charges” shall mean, for any period, the sum of (i) Consolidated Net Interest Expense for such period, (ii) the amount of obligations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as lessees, on leases other than Capitalized Leases, accrued during such period and (iii) payments made or required to be made by the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries during such period under agreements providing for or containing covenants not to compete.

Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” shall mean, at any time, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Funded Indebtedness (other than (i) deferred compensation liabilities of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, (ii) Unfunded Benefit Liabilities of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries and (iii) the amount of the sub-bottling fee liabilities to The Coca-Cola Company or one of its Subsidiaries in consideration for exclusive distribution rights to the Borrower or one of its Consolidated Subsidiaries) of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, determined and consolidated in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Funded Indebtedness/Cash Flow Ratio” shall mean, at any time, the ratio of (a) the aggregate amount, without duplication, of (i) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness minus the Liquidity Amount and (ii) 50% of every Contingent Obligation of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries (other than any Contingent Obligation in respect of any operating lease), determined and consolidated in accordance with GAAP to (b) the aggregate of (i) Consolidated Cash Flow for the then most recently concluded period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower and (ii) Acquisition Cash Flow for such period.

Consolidated Net Interest Expense” shall mean, for any period, the aggregate net amount of interest payments of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, determined and consolidated in accordance with GAAP, excluding, however, such amounts as arise from the amortization of capitalized interest, discount and fees reflected as an asset on the Borrower’s books and records on the Closing Date.

Consolidated Operating Income” shall mean, for any period, the net income of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, before any deduction in respect of interest or taxes, determined and consolidated in accordance with GAAP, excluding, however, extraordinary items in accordance with GAAP (which shall include without limitation, in any event, any income, net of expenses, or loss realized by the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary from any sale of assets outside the ordinary course of business, whether tangible or intangible, including franchise territories and securities).

 

6


Consolidated Total Assets” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis as of such date.

Contingent Obligation” of a Person means any agreement, undertaking or arrangement by which such Person assumes, guarantees, endorses, contingently agrees to purchase or provide funds for the payment of, or otherwise becomes or is contingently liable upon, the financial obligation or liability of any other Person, or agrees to maintain the net worth or working capital or other financial condition of any other Person, or otherwise assures any creditor of such other Person against loss, including, without limitation, any comfort letter, operating agreement, take-or-pay contract or application for a letter of credit, but excluding the endorsement of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business.

Continuation”, “Continue” and “Continued” each refers to a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Advances from one Interest Period to the next Interest Period pursuant to Section 2.10(b).

Controlled Group” means all members of a controlled group of corporations and all trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control which, together with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, are treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

Convert”, “Conversion” and “Converted” each refers to a conversion of Advances of one Type into Advances of the other Type pursuant to Section 2.09 or Section 2.10(a).

Credit Party” means the Administrative Agent or any other Lender.

Default” means an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default.

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed, within two (2) Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Advances or (ii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Borrower or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after request by a Credit Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations) to fund prospective Advances under this Agreement, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become the subject of (A) a Bankruptcy Event or (B) a Bail-In Action.

Dollars” means the lawful currency of the United States of America.

 

7


Domestic Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Domestic Lending Office” as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any institution established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

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

Eligible Assignee” means:

(a)        a Lender and any Affiliate of such Lender;

(b)        a commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, and having total assets in excess of $1,000,000,000;

(c)        a savings bank organized under the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, and having total assets in excess of $500,000,000;

(d)        a commercial bank organized under the laws of any other country which is a member of the OECD or a political subdivision of any such country, and having total assets in excess of $1,000,000,000; and

(e)        a finance company or other financial institution or fund (whether a corporation, partnership or other Person) which is engaged in making, purchasing or otherwise investing in commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business, and having total assets in excess of $500,000,000;

provided that no Ineligible Institution may be an Eligible Assignee.

Environmental Law” means any Federal, state or local governmental law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction or decree relating to pollution or protection of the environment or the treatment, storage, disposal, release, threatened release or handling of Hazardous Materials, including, without limitation, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, the Clean Water Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Atomic Energy Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, in each case, as amended from time to time.

 

8


ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.

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.

Eurodollar Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Eurodollar Lending Office” in Schedule I or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender (or, if no such office is specified, its Domestic Lending Office), or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

Eurodollar Rate” means, for any day, the Adjusted LIBO Rate in effect on such day.

Eurodollar Rate Advance” means, at any time, an Advance which bears interest at rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate.

Events of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of June 8, 2018, among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan, as administrative agent thereunder, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified or refinanced or replaced from time to time.

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 agreement 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 and implementing such Sections of the Code.

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the NYFRB based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depositary institutions, as determined in such manner as the NYFRB shall set forth on its public website from time to time, and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as the effective federal funds rate, provided that if the Federal Funds Effective Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

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

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Inc. and its successors.

Fitch Rating” means, at any time, the rating of the long-term senior unsecured non-credit-enhanced debt obligations of the Borrower then outstanding most recently announced by Fitch.

Funded Indebtedness” of a Person shall mean (i) all liabilities of such Person of the kinds referred to in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) of the definition of “Indebtedness” herein, including

 

9


without limitation commercial paper, of any maturity, and (ii) other indebtedness (including the current portion thereof) of such Person which would be classified in whole or part as a long-term liability of such Person in accordance with GAAP, and shall in any event include (i) any Indebtedness having a final maturity more than one year from the date of creation of such Indebtedness and (ii) any Indebtedness, regardless of its term, which is renewable or extendable by such Person (pursuant to the terms thereof or pursuant to a revolving credit or similar agreement or otherwise) to a date more than one year from the date of creation of such Indebtedness or any date of determination of Funded Indebtedness.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time.

Governmental Authority” means the federal government, any state or other political subdivision thereof and any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government.

Hazardous Materials” means petroleum or petroleum products, natural or synthetic gas, asbestos in any form that is or could become friable, and radon gas, any substances defined as or included in the definition of “hazardous substances”, “hazardous wastes”, “hazardous materials”, “extremely hazardous wastes”, “restricted hazardous wastes”, “toxic substances”, “toxic pollutants”, “contaminants” or “pollutants”, or words of similar meaning and regulatory effect, under any Environmental Law and any other substance exposure to which is regulated under any Environmental Law.

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

Incremental Term Loan Amendment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(a).

Indebtedness” of a Person means, without duplication, such Person’s (i) obligations for borrowed money, (ii) obligations representing the deferred purchase price of Property or services (excluding accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of such Person’s business payable on terms customary in the trade), (iii) 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, (iv) obligations which are evidenced by notes, acceptances, or similar instruments, (v) Capitalized Lease Obligations, (vi) net Rate Hedging Obligations, (vii) Contingent Obligations in respect of Indebtedness, (viii) obligations for which such Person is obligated pursuant to or in respect of a letter of credit and (ix) repurchase obligations or liabilities of such Person with respect to accounts, notes receivable or securities sold by such Person.

Ineligible Institution” means (a) a natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender, (c) the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its Affiliates, or (d) a company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof.

Interest Period” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advance, the period beginning on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance is made or Continued, or Converted from a Base Rate Advance, and ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below. The duration of each Interest Period shall be one, two, three or six months or (if available to the Lenders in the opinion of the Lenders) twelve months, as the Borrower may, upon notice received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the first day of such Interest Period, select; provided that:

 

10


(i)        any Interest Period that would otherwise end after the Maturity Date shall end on the Maturity Date;

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

(iii)        whenever the last day of any Interest Period would otherwise occur on a day other than a Business Day, the last day of such Interest Period shall be extended to occur on the next succeeding Business Day, provided that, if such extension would cause the last day of such Interest Period to occur in the next following calendar month, the last day of such Interest Period shall occur on the next preceding Business Day.

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

JPMorgan” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a national banking association.

Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule I and any other Person that shall have become a Lender hereunder pursuant to Sections 2.19(a) and 8.06(a), (b) and (c), other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Acceptance.

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advance for any Interest Period, the LIBO Screen Rate at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that if the LIBO Screen Rate shall not be available at such time for such Interest Period (an “Impacted Interest Period”) then the LIBO Rate shall be the Interpolated Rate.

LIBO Screen Rate” means, for any day and time, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advance for any Interest Period, the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on such day and time on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen that displays such rate (or, in the event such rate does not appear on a Reuters page or screen, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion consistent with prevailing market standards); provided that if the LIBO Screen Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

Lien” means any lien, mortgage, security interest or other charge or encumbrance of any kind, or any other type of preferential arrangement having substantially the same effect as a lien, including, without limitation, the lien or retained security title of a conditional vendor.

 

11


Liquidity Amount” means, as at any date of determination, the lesser of (i) the aggregate amount of unrestricted and unencumbered cash maintained by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the United States as of such date and (ii) $20,000,000.

Loan Documents” means this Agreement and any promissory notes issued pursuant to Section 2.18(d) of this Agreement. Any reference in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to a Loan Document shall include all appendices, exhibits or schedules thereto, and all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, and shall refer to this Agreement or such Loan Document as the same may be in effect at any and all times such reference becomes operative.

Majority Lenders” means, subject to Section 2.19, at any time, Lenders having Commitments representing more than 50% of the aggregate Commitments at such time; provided that, upon the funding of the Advances on the Closing Date, “Majority Lenders” shall mean, at any time, Lenders holding more than 50% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all of the Advances at such time.

Margin Stock” means margin stock within the meaning of Regulation U.

Material Adverse Change” or “Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse change in or, as the case may be, effect on (i) the business, condition (financial or otherwise), or operations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or (iii) the ability of the Borrower to pay and perform its obligations hereunder.

Material Indebtedness” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(d).

Material Subsidiary” shall mean a Subsidiary which (i) owns, leases or occupies any building, structure or other facility used primarily for the bottling, canning or packaging of soft drinks or soft drink products or warehousing and distributing of such products, other than any such building, structure or other facility or portion thereof, which is not of material importance to the total business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as an entirety, (ii) is a party to any contract with respect to the bottling, canning, packaging or distribution of soft drinks or soft drink products, other than any such contract which is not of material importance to the total business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as an entirety, and in any event includes each of the Subsidiaries indicated as Material Subsidiaries listed in Schedule IV as of the date hereof, and (iii) any Subsidiary of the Borrower that would qualify as a “significant subsidiary” under Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (or its successor agency).

Maturity Date” shall mean June 7, 2021.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and its successors.

Moody’s Rating” means, at any time, the rating of the long-term senior unsecured non-credit-enhanced debt obligations of the Borrower then outstanding most recently announced by Moody’s.

Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan which is a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA and to which the Borrower or any member of a Controlled Group has or had an obligation to contribute.

Note” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18.

 

12


Notice of Borrowing” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(a).

NYFRB” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

NYFRB Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day (or for any day that is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day); provided that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “NYFRB Rate” means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m. on such day received by the Administrative Agent from a federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates as so determined be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

OECD” means the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Other Taxes” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.15(b).

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

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

Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 8.06(e).

Patriot Act” has the meaning specified in Section 8.14.

Payment Default” means an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default under Section 6.01(a).

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor.

Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust), limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity, or a government or any political subdivision or agency thereof.

Plan” means an employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) to which Section 4021 of ERISA applies and (i) which is maintained for employees of the Borrower or any member of a Controlled Group or (ii) to which the Borrower or any member of a Controlled Group made, or was required to make, contributions at any time within the preceding five years.

Plan Asset Regulations” means 29 CFR § 2510.3-101 et seq., as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, as amended from time to time.

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 8.02(c).

 

13


Prime Rate” means the rate of interest last quoted by The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” in the U.S. or, if The Wall Street Journal ceases to quote such rate, the highest per annum interest rate published by the Federal Reserve Board in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (Selected Interest Rates) as the “bank prime loan” rate or, if such rate is no longer quoted therein, any similar rate quoted therein (as determined by the Administrative Agent) or any similar release by the Federal Reserve Board (as determined by the Administrative Agent). Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced or quoted as being effective.

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

PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

Ratable Share” of any amount means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the product of (a) a fraction the numerator of which is the amount of such Lender’s Commitment at such time and the denominator of which is the aggregate Commitments at such time and (b) such amount; provided that, in the case of Section 2.20 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Ratable Share” shall mean the percentage of the aggregate Commitments (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Ratable Shares shall be determined based upon the percentage obtained by dividing such Lender’s outstanding Advances by the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all of the Advances at such time, giving effect to any assignments and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.

Rate Hedging Obligations” of a Person means any and all obligations of such Person, 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 agreements, devices or arrangements designed to protect at least one of the parties thereto from the fluctuations of interest rates, exchange rates or forward rates applicable to such party’s assets, liabilities or exchange transactions, including, but not limited to, dollar-denominated or cross-currency interest rate exchange agreements, forward currency exchange agreements, interest rate cap or collar protection agreements, forward rate currency or interest rate options, puts and warrants, and (b) any and all cancellations, buybacks, reversals, terminations or assignments of any of the foregoing.

Rating” means a Moody’s Rating, a S&P Rating or a Fitch Rating, as applicable.

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.06(d).

Regulations T, U and X” means Regulations T, U and X issued by the Federal Reserve Board, as from time to time amended.

Reportable Event” means (i) a reportable event described in Section 4043 of ERISA and regulations thereunder (other than reportable events for which notice has been waived pursuant to PBGC regulations), (ii) a withdrawal by a substantial employer from a Plan to which more than one employer contributes, as referred to in Section 4063(b) of ERISA, or (iii) a cessation of operations at a facility causing more than 20% of Plan participants to be separated from employment, as referred to in Section 4062(e) of ERISA.

 

14


Responsible Officer” means the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, the President and Chief Operating Officer, the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, the Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer or the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Borrower.

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

S&P Rating” means, at any time, the rating of the long-term senior unsecured, non-credit-enhanced debt obligations of the Borrower then outstanding most recently announced by S&P.

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

Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by OFAC, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b).

Sanctions” means all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by OFAC or the U.S. Department of State or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom.

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

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which at least a majority of the securities or other ownership interests having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions of such corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity (irrespective of whether or not at the time securities or other ownership interests of any other class or classes of such corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or by such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, Piedmont Coca-Cola Bottling Partnership, a Delaware general partnership, shall be deemed to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower so long as the Borrower owns a greater than 50% economic interest therein.

 

15


Taxes” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.15(a).

Type” refers to whether an Advance is a Base Rate Advance or a Eurodollar Rate Advance.

Unfunded Benefit Liabilities” means the sum of (i) the amount (if any) by which the present value of all vested and unvested accrued benefits under a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, exceeds the fair market value of assets allocable to such benefits, all determined as of the then most recent valuation date for such Plans using the PBGC actuarial assumptions utilized for purposes of determining the current liability for purposes of such valuation and (ii) the accrued liabilities for benefits under the post-retirement benefit plan of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, determined in accordance with GAAP.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, 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.

SECTION 1.02.      Computation of Time Periods. In this Agreement in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including” and the words “to” and “until” mean “to but excluding”.

SECTION 1.03.      Accounting Terms.

(a)      All accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall be construed in accordance with GAAP consistent with those applied in the preparation of the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01(e).

(b)      Notwithstanding any other provision contained 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 (i) without giving effect to any election under Accounting Standards Codification 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 and (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Accounting Standards Codification 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 thereof.

(c)      If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth herein, and the Borrower so requests, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower will negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP; provided that until so amended, such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP as in effect prior to such change therein. Without limiting the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any financial covenant ratio, requirement or basket, leases shall continue to be classified and accounted for on a basis consistent with that reflected in the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01(e) for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any change in GAAP relating thereto (for the avoidance of doubt, including ASC Topic 842), unless the parties hereto shall enter into a mutually acceptable amendment addressing such changes, as provided for above.

 

16


SECTION 1.04.      Interest Rates. The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission or any other matter related to the rates in the definition of “LIBO Rate” or with respect to any comparable or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate therefor.

ARTICLE 2

AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES

SECTION 2.01.      The Advances.

(a)      Each Lender severally (and not jointly) agrees, on and subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make an advance to the Borrower (each, an “Advance”) on the Closing Date in the amount set forth under the heading “Commitment” opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule I. Each Borrowing and each Conversion or Continuation thereof (i) shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof and (ii) shall consist of Advances of the same Type (and, if such Advances are Eurodollar Rate Advances, having the same Interest Period) made, Continued or Converted on the same day by the Lenders ratably according to their respective Commitments, except in each case as otherwise provided in Sections 2.09(f) and (g), as applicable. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01(a) and then repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed.

SECTION 2.02.      Making the Advances.

(a)      (i) Each Borrowing shall be made on notice, given not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the date of such Borrowing (in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances) or given not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the Business Day of such Borrowing (in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Base Rate Advances), by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, which shall give to each Lender prompt notice thereof.

(ii)      Each such notice of a Borrowing (a “Notice of Borrowing”) shall be in writing in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, specifying therein the requested (i) date of such Borrowing, (ii) Type of Advances comprising such Borrowing, (iii) amount of such Borrowing, and (iv) in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances, initial Interest Period for each such Advance.

(iii)      Each Lender shall, before 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the date of such Borrowing, make available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Administrative Agent at its address referred to in Section 8.02, in same day funds, such Lender’s ratable portion of such Borrowing.

(iv)      Upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt of such funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article 3, the Administrative Agent will make such funds available to the Borrower at the Administrative Agent’s aforesaid address.

(b)      Each Notice of Borrowing shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower. In the case of any Borrowing which the related Notice of Borrowing specifies is to be comprised of Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Borrower shall indemnify each Lender against any loss, cost or expense (excluding loss of profit) reasonably incurred by such Lender as a result of any failure to make such Borrowing (including, without limitation, as a result of any failure to fulfill, on or before the date specified in such Notice of Borrowing, the applicable conditions set forth in Article 3) and the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund the Advance to be made by such Lender as part of such Borrowing. A certificate as to the amount of such losses, costs and expenses, submitted to the Borrower

 

17


and the Administrative Agent by such Lender, shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(c)      Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s ratable portion of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such portion available to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 2.02 and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender shall not have so made such ratable portion available to the Administrative Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand (but without duplication) such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable at the time to Advances comprising such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the NYFRB Rate. If such Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent such corresponding amount, such amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender’s Advance as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement (and such Advance shall be deemed to have been made by such Lender on the date on which such amount is so repaid to the Administrative Agent).

(d)      The failure of any Lender to make the Advance to be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve the other Lenders of their obligations hereunder to make an Advance on the date of such Borrowing, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make the Advance to be made by such other Lender on the date of any Borrowing.

SECTION 2.03.      [Intentionally Omitted].

SECTION 2.04.      Administrative Agents Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the Administrative Agent’s own account, an administrative agency fee at the times and in the amounts heretofore agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 2.05.      Termination of the Commitments. The Commitments shall be automatically terminated upon the funding of the Advances on the Closing Date, and once so terminated may not be reinstated.

SECTION 2.06.      Amortization; Repayment of Advances.

(a)      Amortization. The Borrower shall repay Advances on each date set forth below in the aggregate principal amount set forth opposite such date:

 

Date

 

  

Amount

 

September 30, 2018

   $7,500,000

December 31, 2018

   $7,500,000

March 31, 2019

   $7,500,000

June 30, 2019

   $7,500,000

September 30, 2019

   $7,500,000

December 31, 2019

   $7,500,000

March 31, 2020

   $7,500,000

June 30, 2020

   $7,500,000

September 30, 2020

   $11,250,000

December 31, 2020

   $11,250,000

March 31, 2021

   $11,250,000

 

18


(b)      Repayment. To the extent not previously repaid, all unpaid Advances shall be paid in full in Dollars by the Borrower on the Maturity Date.

SECTION 2.07.      Interest.

(a)      Ordinary Interest. The Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Advance made by each Lender, from the date of such Advance until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:

(i)      Base Rate Advances. While such Advance is a Base Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus the Applicable Rate for Base Rate Advances as in effect from time to time, payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted, on the Maturity Date and on the date of payment in full.

(ii)      Eurodollar Rate Advances. While such Advance is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, a rate per annum for each Interest Period for such Advance equal to the sum of the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate for Eurodollar Rate Advances as in effect from time to time, payable on the last day of such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three months, on each day which occurs at three-month intervals after the first day of such Interest Period, and on each date on which such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Continued, Converted, on the Maturity Date and on the date of payment in full.

(b)      Default Interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Payment Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Borrower shall pay interest on:

(i)      the unpaid principal amount of each Advance owing to each Lender, payable on demand (and in any event in arrears on the dates referred to in Section 2.07(a)(i) or (a)(ii) above), at a rate per annum equal at all times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on such Advance pursuant to said Section 2.07(a)(i) or (a)(ii), as applicable; provided that if such Payment Default shall be continuing at the end of any Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Advance, such Advance shall forthwith be Converted to a Base Rate Advance bearing interest as aforesaid in this Section 2.07(b)(i); and

(ii)      the amount of any interest, fee or other amount payable hereunder that is not paid when due, from the date such amount shall be due until such amount shall be paid in full, payable on demand (and in any event in arrears on the date such amount shall be paid in full), at a rate per annum equal at all times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on Base Rate Advances pursuant to Section 2.07(a)(i) above.

SECTION 2.08.      [Intentionally Omitted].

SECTION 2.09.      Interest Rate Determinations; Changes in Rating Systems.

(a)      The Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Borrower and the Lenders of the applicable interest rates determined by the Administrative Agent for the purposes of Section 2.07.

 

19


(b)      If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Advance, the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable (including because the LIBO Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis), for such Interest Period:

(i)      the Administrative Agent shall forthwith notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the interest rate cannot be determined for such Eurodollar Rate Advances for such Interest Period,

(ii)      each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance, and

(iii)      the obligation of the Lenders to make or Continue, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

(c)      If, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Majority Lenders notify the Administrative Agent that the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period for such Advances will not adequately reflect the cost to such Majority Lenders of making, funding or maintaining their respective Eurodollar Rate Advances for such Interest Period, the Administrative Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders, whereupon:

(i)      each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance, and

(ii)      the obligation of the Lenders to make or Continue, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and such Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

(d)      If at any time the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that (i) the circumstances set forth in clause (b) have arisen and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary or (ii) the circumstances set forth in clause (b) have not arisen but either (w) the supervisor for the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate has made a public statement that the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate is insolvent (and there is no successor administrator that will continue publication of the LIBO Screen Rate), (x) the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the LIBO Screen Rate will permanently or indefinitely cease to be published by it (and there is no successor administrator that will continue publication of the LIBO Screen Rate), (y) the supervisor for the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the LIBO Screen Rate will permanently or indefinitely cease to be published or (z) the supervisor for the administrator of the LIBO Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the LIBO Screen Rate may no longer be used for determining interest rates for loans, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall endeavor to establish an alternate rate of interest to the LIBO Rate that gives due consideration to the then prevailing market convention for determining a rate of interest for syndicated loans in the United States at such time, and shall enter into an amendment to this Agreement to reflect such alternate rate of interest and such other related changes to this Agreement as may be applicable (but for the avoidance of doubt, such related changes shall not include a reduction of the Applicable Rate); provided that, if such alternate rate of interest as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 8.01, such amendment shall become effective without any further action

 

20


or consent of any other party to this Agreement so long as the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date notice of such alternate rate of interest is provided to the Lenders, a written notice from the Majority Lenders stating that such Majority Lenders object to such amendment. Until an alternate rate of interest shall be determined in accordance with this clause (d) (but, in the case of the circumstances described in clause (ii) of the first sentence of this Section 2.09(d), only to the extent the LIBO Screen Rate for such Interest Period is not available or published at such time on a current basis), (x) any request for the Conversion of any Advance to, or Continuation of any Advance as, a Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be ineffective and (y) if any Notice of Borrowing requests a Eurodollar Rate Advance, such Advance shall be made as a Base Rate Advance.

(e)    If the Borrower shall fail to select the duration of any ensuing Interest Period for any outstanding Eurodollar Rate Advances in accordance with the provisions contained in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01, the Administrative Agent will forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders and the Borrower will automatically be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month therefor.

(f)    On the date on which the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising any Borrowing shall be reduced, by payment or prepayment or otherwise, to less than $1,000,000, such Advances shall automatically Convert into Base Rate Advances.

(g)    Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, (x) each Eurodollar Rate Advance shall automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance and (y) the obligation of the Lenders to make or Continue, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall automatically be suspended until such Event of Default shall be cured or waived.

SECTION 2.10.    Voluntary Conversion and Continuation of Advances.

(a)    Optional Conversion. The Borrower may on any Business Day, upon notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Conversion and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.09 and 2.13, Convert all or any portion of the outstanding Advances of one Type comprising part of the same Borrowing into Advances of the other Type; provided that (i) any Conversion of Base Rate Advances into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be in an amount not less than the minimum amount specified in Section 2.01(a) and (ii) in the case of any such Conversion of a Eurodollar Rate Advance into a Base Rate Advance on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period therefor, the Borrower shall reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.04(c). Each such notice of a Conversion shall, within the restrictions specified above, specify (x) the date of such Conversion, (y) the Advances to be Converted, and (z) if such Conversion is into Eurodollar Rate Advances, the duration of the initial Interest Period for each such Advance. Each notice of Conversion shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower.

(b)    Continuations. The Borrower may, on any Business Day, upon notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Continuation and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.09 and 2.13, Continue all or any portion of the outstanding Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing for one or more Interest Periods; provided that (i) Eurodollar Rate Advances so Continued and having the same Interest Period shall be in an amount not less than the minimum amount specified in Section 2.01(a) and (ii) in the case of any such Continuation on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period therefor, the Borrower shall reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.04(c). Each such notice of a Continuation shall, within the restrictions specified above, specify (x) the date of such Continuation, (y) the Eurodollar Rate Advances to be Continued and (y) the duration of the initial Interest Period (or Interest

 

21


Periods) for the Eurodollar Rate Advances subject to such Continuation. Each notice of Continuation shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower.

SECTION 2.11.      Prepayments of Advances. The Borrower may, on notice given not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the second Business Day prior to the date of the proposed prepayment of Advances (in the case of Eurodollar Rate Advances) or given not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the Business Day of the proposed prepayment of Advances (in the case of Base Rate Advances), stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and if such notice is given the Borrower shall, prepay, without penalty or premium, the outstanding principal amounts of the Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid; provided, however, that (x) each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount not less than $5,000,000 or integral multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (y) in the case of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Advance on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period therefor, the Borrower shall reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.04(c). The Borrower shall have no right to prepay the Advances except as provided in this Section 2.11 (or as required pursuant to the other provisions of this Agreement). Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Advances included in the prepaid Borrowing in such order of application as directed by the Borrower. Prepayments of Advances may not be reborrowed.

SECTION 2.12.      Increased Costs.

(a)      If, due to a Change in Law, there shall be any increase in the cost to any Person of agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining Advances or any Person shall be subjected to any reserve, special deposit, taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments (including any compulsory loan requirement, insurance charge or other assessment), fees, charges, withholdings, liquidity or similar requirement, and any and all liabilities with respect to the foregoing, (other than Taxes addressed in Section 2.15, Other Taxes, and amounts excluded from “Taxes” as defined in Section 2.15(a)) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto, then the Borrower shall from time to time, upon demand by such Person (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Person additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Person for such increased cost. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost, prepared in good faith and submitted to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent by such Person, shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(b)      If any Lender determines that compliance with any law or regulation or any guideline or request from any central bank or other governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law) affects or would affect the amount of capital or liquidity required or expected to be maintained by such Lender or any corporation controlling such Lender and that the amount of such capital or liquidity is increased by or based upon the existence of such Lender’s commitment to lend (or Continue or Convert any Advance) hereunder and other commitments of this type, then, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall immediately pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender, from time to time as specified by such Lender, additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender or such corporation in the light of such circumstances, to the extent that such Lender reasonably determines such increase in capital or liquidity to be allocable to the existence of such Lender’s commitment to lend hereunder. A certificate as to such amounts, prepared in good faith and submitted to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent by such Lender, shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

22


SECTION 2.13.      Illegality. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent that the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation makes it unlawful, or any central bank or other governmental authority asserts that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its Eurodollar Lending Office to perform its obligations hereunder to make or Continue Eurodollar Rate Advances or to fund or otherwise maintain Eurodollar Rate Advances hereunder, (i) the obligation of such Lender to make or Continue, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist and (ii) each Eurodollar Rate Advance of such Lender shall convert into a Base Rate Advance at the end of the then current Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advance.

SECTION 2.14.      Payments and Computations.

(a)      The Borrower shall make each payment hereunder without set-off or counterclaim not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the day when due in Dollars to the Administrative Agent at its address referred to in Section 8.02 in same day funds. The Administrative Agent will promptly thereafter cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest ratably (other than amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.02(b), 2.12, 2.15 or 8.04(c)) to the Lenders for the account of their respective Applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to the payment of any other amount payable to any Lender to such Lender for the account of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon its acceptance of an Assignment and Acceptance and recording of the information contained therein in the Register pursuant to Section 8.06(d), from and after the Closing Date specified in such Assignment and Acceptance, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments hereunder in respect of the interest assigned thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder, and the parties to such Assignment and Acceptance shall make all appropriate adjustments in such payments for periods prior to such Closing Date directly between themselves.

(b)      All computations of interest based on the Prime Rate shall be made by the Administrative Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest is payable. All computations of interest based on the Eurodollar Rate or the NYFRB Rate shall be made by the Administrative Agent on the basis of a year of 360 days, for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest or fee is payable. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(c)      Whenever any payment hereunder would be due on a day other than a Business Day, such due date shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and any such extension of such due date shall in such case be included in the computation of payment of interest; provided, however, that if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of Eurodollar Rate Advances to fall due in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the next preceding Business Day.

(d)      Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment in full to the Administrative Agent on such date and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent that the Borrower shall not have so made such payment in full to the Administrative Agent, each Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such amount distributed to such Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount

 

23


is distributed to such Lender until the date such Lender repays such amount to the Administrative Agent, at the NYFRB Rate.

SECTION 2.15.      Taxes.

(a)      Any and all payments by the Borrower hereunder or any other Loan Document shall be made, in accordance with Section 2.14, free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, charges or withholdings, and all interest, penalties, and other liabilities with respect thereto, excluding, in the case of each Lender and the Administrative Agent, (i) taxes imposed on or measured by net income, and franchise taxes imposed on it, by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) is organized or any political subdivision thereof and, in the case of each Lender, taxes imposed on or measured by its net income, and franchise taxes imposed on it, by the jurisdiction of such Lender’s Applicable Lending Office or any political subdivision thereof, and (ii) any withholding taxes imposed by FATCA (all such non-excluded taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, charges, withholdings and liabilities being hereinafter referred to as “Taxes”). If any Taxes are required to be deducted from or in respect of any sum payable hereunder or any other Loan Document to any Lender or the Administrative Agent, (i) the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as may be necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.15) such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law.

(b)      In addition, the Borrower agrees to pay any present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar taxes or levies (including interest, penalties, and additions to tax related thereto) which arise from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or registration of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document (hereinafter referred to as “Other Taxes”).

(c)      The Borrower will indemnify each Lender and the Administrative Agent for the full amount of Taxes or Other Taxes imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document (including, without limitation, any Taxes and Other Taxes imposed by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 2.15) paid by such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) and any penalties, interest, additions to tax related thereto, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally asserted. This indemnification shall be made within thirty (30) days from the date such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) makes written demand therefor. A certificate as to the amount of such Taxes and Other Taxes, submitted to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent by such Lender, shall be conclusive and binding (as between the Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent) for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(d)      Within thirty (30) days after the date of any payment of taxes or related amounts imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document, the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent, at its address referred to in Section 8.02, the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof or other proof of payment of such taxes or amounts reasonably satisfactory to the relevant Lender(s). If no such taxes or amounts are payable in respect of any payment hereunder, upon the request of the Administrative Agent the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent, at such address, a statement to such effect with respect to each jurisdiction designated by the Administrative Agent.

 

24


(e)      Each Lender organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States, on or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement (in the case of each Lender as of the date hereof) and on the date of the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it becomes a Lender (in the case of each other Lender) and from time to time thereafter if requested in writing by the Borrower or otherwise required under law (but, in each case, only so long as such Lender is or, at the time of request or legal requirement, remains lawfully able to do so), shall provide the Borrower with Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or W-8ECI, as appropriate, or any successor form prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service, certifying, if applicable, that such Lender is entitled to benefits under an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party which reduces the rate of withholding tax on payments of interest, certifying, if applicable, such Lender is eligible for the portfolio interest exemption (which shall also require a separate certificate to the effect that such Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10-percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code) or certifying, if applicable, that the income receivable pursuant to this Agreement is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States. If the form provided by a Lender indicates a United States interest withholding tax rate in excess of zero under the law applicable at the time such Lender first becomes a party to this Agreement, withholding tax at such rate shall be considered excluded from “Taxes” as defined in Section 2.15(a) (except to the extent such taxes were grossed up with respect to the Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party). 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.

(f)      For any period with respect to which a Lender has failed to provide the Borrower with the appropriate form described in Section 2.15(e) (other than if such failure is due to a change in law occurring subsequent to the date on which a form originally was required to be provided or if such form otherwise is not required under the first sentence of subsection (e) above), such Lender shall not be entitled to indemnification under Section 2.15(a) or (c) with respect to Taxes imposed by the United States (except to the extent 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).

(g)      Any Lender claiming any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section 2.15 shall use reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Applicable Lending Office(s) if the making of such a change would avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, any such additional amounts that may thereafter accrue and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

(h)      Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent for any taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, charges or withholdings, and any and all liabilities with respect to the foregoing (but, in the case of any Taxes or Other Taxes, only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Taxes or Other Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so) and any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 8.06(e) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register, in each case, attributable to such Lender that are paid or payable by the Administrative Agent in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such amounts were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. The indemnity under this Section 2.15(h) shall be paid within thirty (30) days after the Administrative Agent delivers to the applicable Lender a certificate stating the amount so paid or payable by the Administrative Agent. Such certificate shall be conclusive of the amount so paid or payable 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

 

25


Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (h).

(i)      If a payment made to a Lender under this Agreement would be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA, to determine that such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA and, as necessary, to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this Section 2.15(i), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

(j)      If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any amounts as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section), 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 with respect to the amounts giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (h) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (j), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (j) 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 amounts subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such tax had never been paid. This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

SECTION 2.16.      Set-Off; Sharing of Payments, Etc.

(a)      Without limiting any of the obligations of the Borrower or the rights of the Lenders hereunder, if the Borrower shall fail to pay when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) any amount payable by it hereunder or under any Note each Lender may, without prior notice to the Borrower (which notice is expressly waived by it to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law), set off and appropriate and apply against such amount any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in any currency, matured or unmatured) and other obligations and liabilities at any time held or owing by such Lender or any branch or agency thereof to or for the credit or account of the Borrower. Each Lender shall promptly provide notice of such set-off and application to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, provided that failure by such Lender to provide such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off or application.

(b)      If any Lender shall obtain any payment (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off, or otherwise) on account of the Advances made by it (other than pursuant to Section 2.02(b), 2.12, 2.15 or 8.04(c)) in excess of its Ratable Share of payments on account of the

 

26


Advances obtained by all the Lenders, such Lender shall forthwith purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Advances made by them or make such other adjustments as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment ratably with each of them; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from such purchasing Lender, such purchase from each Lender shall be rescinded and such Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price to the extent of such recovery together with an amount equal to such Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such Lender’s required repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender pursuant to this Section 2.16 may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of set-off) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

SECTION 2.17.      Right to Replace a Lender. If (i) the Borrower is required to make any additional payment pursuant to Section 2.12 or 2.15 to any Lender, (ii) any Lender’s obligation to make or Continue, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended pursuant to Section 2.13 or (iii) if in connection with any proposed amendment, waiver or consent requiring the consent of “each Lender”, the consent of the Majority Lenders is obtained, but the consent of other necessary Lenders is not obtained (in each case, such Lender being an “Affected Person”), the Borrower may elect, if such amounts continue to be charged or such suspension is still effective, to replace such Affected Person as a party to this Agreement; provided that, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such replacement; and provided further that, concurrently with such replacement, (i) another financial institution which is an Eligible Assignee and is reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall agree, as of such date, to purchase for cash the Advances of the Affected Person pursuant to an Assignment and Acceptance and to become a Lender for all purposes under this Agreement and to assume all obligations (including all outstanding Advances) of the Affected Person to be terminated as of such date and to comply with the requirements of Section 8.06 applicable to assignments, and (ii) the Borrower shall pay to such Affected Person in same day funds on the day of such replacement all accrued interest, accrued fees and other amounts then owing to such Affected Person by the Borrower hereunder to and including the date of termination, including without limitation payments due such Affected Person under Section 2.12 and 2.15. Each party hereto agrees that (a) an assignment required pursuant to this paragraph may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Acceptance executed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee, and (b) the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto in order for such assignment to be effective and shall be deemed to have consented to an be bound by the terms thereof; provided that, following the effectiveness of any such assignment, the other parties to such assignment agree to execute and deliver such documents necessary to evidence such assignment as reasonably requested by the applicable Lender, provided that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.

SECTION 2.18.      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 Advance made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

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

 

27


(c)      The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to clause (a) or (b) of this Section 2.18 shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Advances in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. In the event of any conflict between the accounts maintained by the Lenders and the accounts maintained by the Administrative Agent, the records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

(d)      Any Lender may request that its Advances be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower will promptly prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note (a “Note”) payable to such Lender, in a form approved by the Administrative Agent, in a principal amount equal to the amount of such Lender’s Commitment and otherwise duly completed.

SECTION 2.19.      Incremental Term Loans.

(a)      The Borrower shall have the right at any time after the Closing Date to request that additional term loans be made hereunder (each such tranche of additional term loans, an “Incremental Term Loan”) in accordance with the following provisions and subject to the following conditions:

(i)      The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent, which shall promptly deliver a copy thereof to each of the Lenders, at least twenty (20) Business Days’ prior written notice (a “Notice of Incremental Term Loan”) of any such requested Incremental Term Loan specifying the aggregate amount of such Incremental Term Loan (the “Requested Incremental Term Loan Amount”), which shall be at least $10,000,000, the requested date of such Incremental Term Loan (the “Requested Incremental Term Loan Date”) and the date by which the Lenders wishing to participate in such Incremental Term Loan must commit to provide a portion of such Incremental Term Loan (the “Commitment Date”). Each Lender that is willing in its sole discretion to participate in such requested Incremental Term Loan (each an “Incremental Term Loan Lender”) shall give written notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the Commitment Date of the amount of such Incremental Term Loan it is willing to provide.

(ii)      Promptly following each Commitment Date, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower as to the amount, if any, the Lenders are willing to provide in respect of the requested Incremental Term Loan. In addition, the Borrower may extend offers to one or more Eligible Assignees, each of which must be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, to participate in any portion of the requested Incremental Term Loan; provided, however, that the amount of such Incremental Term Loan provided by each such Eligible Assignee shall be in an amount of not less than $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Any such Eligible Assignee that agrees to provide all or a portion of an Incremental Term Loan pursuant hereto is herein called an “Additional Lender”.

(iii)      Effective on the Requested Incremental Term Loan Date, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, (x) the commitment of each Incremental Term Loan Lender in respect of the applicable Incremental Term Loan shall be an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (but in no event greater than the amount of such Incremental Term Loan which such Lender is willing to provide), (y) each Additional Lender shall enter into an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent pursuant to which it shall undertake, as of such Requested Incremental Term Loan Date, a commitment in respect of the applicable Incremental Term Loan in an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (but in no event greater than the amount of such Incremental Term Loan which such Lender is willing to provide), and such Additional Lender shall thereupon be deemed to be a Lender

 

28


for all purposes of this Agreement, and (z) each Incremental Term Loan Lender and each Additional Lender referenced in the immediately foregoing clauses (x) and (y) shall advance to the Borrower on the Requested Incremental Term Loan Date a term loan in an amount equal to its commitment in respect of the applicable Incremental Term Loan as described above, and each such term loan shall be an Advance for all purposes under this Agreement. Each Additional Lender may request a Note in accordance with Section 2.18(d).

(iv)      The Incremental Term Loans (a) shall rank pari passu in right of payment with the initial Advances made on the Closing Date, (b) shall not mature earlier than the Maturity Date (but may have amortization prior to such date) and (c) shall be treated substantially the same as (and in any event no more favorably than) the initial Advances made on the Closing Date; provided that (i) the terms and conditions applicable to any tranche of Incremental Term Loans maturing after the Maturity Date may provide for material additional or different financial or other covenants or prepayment requirements applicable only during periods after the Maturity Date and (ii) the Incremental Term Loans may be priced differently than the initial Advances made on the Closing Date. Incremental Term Loans may be made hereunder pursuant to an amendment or restatement (an “Incremental Term Loan Amendment”) of this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by the Borrower, each Incremental Term Loan Lender participating in such tranche of Incremental Term Loans, each Additional Lender participating in such tranche of Incremental Term Loans, if any, and the Administrative Agent. The Incremental Term Loan Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.19.

(v)      On and after each Requested Incremental Term Loan Date, the Ratable Share of each Lender’s Advances shall be calculated after giving effect to each such Incremental Term Loan.

(vi)      The Borrower may not exercise its rights under this Section 2.19 more than once in each successive annual period commencing on the Closing Date.

(b)      Anything in this Section 2.19 to the contrary notwithstanding, no Incremental Term Loan hereunder pursuant to this Section 2.19 shall be effective unless:

(i)      as of the date of the relevant Notice of Increase and on the relevant Requested Incremental Term Loan Date and after giving effect to such increase, (x) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (y) the representations and warranties of the Borrower in Article 4 (subject to updating in the case of Section 4.01(n)) shall be true and correct in all material respects as if made on and as of such date (unless expressly stated to relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date);

(ii)      the Administrative Agent shall have received on or before the relevant Requested Incremental Term Loan Date: (A) certified copies of resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Borrower approving the Incremental Term Loan and (B) an opinion of counsel for the Borrower reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(iii)      on and as of the date of the relevant Notice of Increase and on the relevant Requested Incremental Term Loan Date and after giving effect to such increase, the Moody’s Rating and the S&P Rating shall be at least equal to Baa3 and BBB- respectively; and

 

29


after giving effect to any such increase the aggregate amount of the Advances made from and after the Closing Date during the term of this Agreement shall not exceed $500,000,000.

SECTION 2.20.      Defaulting Lenders.       Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the outstanding Advances held by such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Majority Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 8.01); provided, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 8.01, this Section 2.20 shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender directly affected thereby.

ARTICLE 3

CONDITIONS OF LENDING

SECTION 3.01.      Conditions Precedent to Closing. This Agreement and the obligation of each Lender to make an Advance on the Closing Date shall not become effective until the date on which the Administrative Agent shall have received executed counterparts of this Agreement by each of the parties hereto and each of the following, each (unless otherwise specified below) dated the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (except for the items in clauses (a), (b) and (c)) in sufficient copies for each Lender:

(a)      Certified copies of (x) the certificate of incorporation and by-laws of the Borrower, (y) the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Borrower authorizing the making and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, and (z) documents evidencing all other necessary corporate action and governmental approvals, if any, with respect to this Agreement.

(b)      A certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower certifying the names and true signatures of the officers of the Borrower authorized to sign this Agreement and the other documents to be delivered hereunder.

(c)      A certificate from the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware dated a date reasonably close to the Closing Date as to the good standing of and certificate of incorporation filed by the Borrower.

(d)      A favorable opinion of Moore & Van Allen, PLLC, special counsel to the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto.

(e)      A certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that (i) no Default or Event of Default as of the date thereof has occurred and is continuing, and (ii) the representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 are true and correct on and as of the date thereof as if made on and as of such date.

(f)      Notes, payable to the order of the respective Lenders that have requested the same prior to the Closing Date, duly completed and executed.

(g)      Such other documents relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and as further described in the list of closing documents attached as Exhibit E.

 

30


Furthermore, the Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to 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.

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Closing Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.

ARTICLE 4

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

SECTION 4.01.      Representations and Warranties of the Borrower.     The Borrower represents and warrants as follows:

(a)      The Borrower and each of its Material Subsidiaries (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, (ii) is duly qualified and in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases property or in which the conduct of its business requires it to so qualify or be licensed and where, in each case, failure so to qualify and be in good standing could have a Material Adverse Effect and (iii) has all requisite power and authority to own or lease and operate its Property and to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted.

(b)      The making and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement are within the Borrower’s corporate powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and do not violate (i) any provision of the Borrower’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws, (ii) any agreement, indenture or other contractual restriction binding on the Borrower, (iii) any law, rule or regulation (including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933 and the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder, and Regulations T, U or X), or (iv) any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award binding on the Borrower. The Borrower is not in violation of any such law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award or in breach of any contractual restriction binding upon it, except for such violation or breach which would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c)      No authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any Governmental Authority is required (other than those which have been obtained) for the making and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement or for the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability thereof.

(d)      This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally and except as the enforceability of this Agreement is subject to the application of general principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), including, without limitation, (i) the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief or any other equitable remedy and (ii) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing.

(e)      (i)     The consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as at January 3, 2016, and the related consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity for the fiscal year ended on such date, audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, copies of which have heretofore been furnished to each Lender, are complete and correct in all material respects and present fairly the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of such date, and the consolidated results of their operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity for the fiscal year then ended.

 

31


(ii)        All such financial statements, including the related schedules and notes thereto, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP for the periods involved.

(iii)        As of the date hereof, neither the Borrower nor any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries has any material Contingent Obligation or liability for taxes, long-term lease or unusual forward or long-term commitment which is not reflected herein or in the schedules and exhibits hereto or in the foregoing financial statements or in the notes thereto.

(f)        Since January 3, 2016, no Material Adverse Change has occurred.

(g)        Except as disclosed in Schedule III, no litigation, investigation or proceeding of or before any court or Governmental Authority is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened by or against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries or against any of its or their respective Property or revenues (i) with respect to this Agreement or the Notes or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) which, in the reasonable judgment of the Borrower, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(h)        The Borrower is not engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock, and no proceeds of any Advance will be used for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying Margin Stock, or for any purpose that violates or would be inconsistent with the provisions of Regulations T, U and X.

(i)        The Borrower is not an “investment company”, or a Person “controlled by” an “investment company”, as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(j)        All information that has been made available by the Borrower or any of its representatives to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement was, on or as of the dates on which such information was made available, complete and correct in all material respects and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading in light of the time and circumstances under which such statements were made.

(k)        A copy of the most recent Annual Report (5500 Series Form), including all attachments thereto, filed with the Internal Revenue Service for each Plan, has been provided to the Administrative Agent and fairly presents the funding status of each Plan as of the date of each such Annual Report. There has been no deterioration in any single Plan’s funding status, or, collectively, all of the Plan’s funding status since the date of such Annual Report that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower has provided the Administrative Agent with a list of all Plans and Multiemployer Plans and all available information with respect to direct, indirect, or potential withdrawal liability to any Multiemployer Plan of the Borrower or any member of a Controlled Group.

(l)        The Borrower and each of its Material Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, statutes, rules, regulations and orders binding on or applicable to the Borrower or such Material Subsidiary (including, without limitation, ERISA and all Environmental Laws) and all of their respective Property, subject to the possible implications of the litigation and proceedings described in Schedule III and except to the extent failure to so comply could not (either individually or in the aggregate) reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(m)        Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has filed or caused to be filed all tax returns which to the knowledge of the Borrower are required to be filed and has paid all taxes shown to be due and payable on said returns or on any assessments made against it or any of its Property and all other taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees or other charges or withholdings imposed on it

 

32


or any of its Property by any Governmental Authority (other than those the amount or validity of which is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided on the books of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, or those the failure to pay which, in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect); and (i) no material tax liens have been filed and (ii) to the knowledge of the Borrower, no claims are being asserted with respect to any such taxes, fees or other charges that would, if assessed, have a Material Adverse Effect, other than as disclosed in Schedule III.

(n)        As of the Closing Date, Schedule IV contains an accurate list of all of the presently existing Subsidiaries and Material Subsidiaries, setting forth their respective jurisdictions of incorporation and the percentage of their respective outstanding capital stock or other equity interests owned by the Borrower or other Subsidiaries and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

(o)        The Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers and employees with all laws, rules and regulations (federal, state and local), and the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and employees and to the knowledge of the Borrower its directors and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects. None of (a) the Borrower, any Subsidiary or to the knowledge of the Borrower or such Subsidiary any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of the Borrower, any agent of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the loan facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Borrowing, use of proceeds or other transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents will violate any Anti-Corruption Law or applicable Sanctions.

(p)        The Borrower is not an EEA Financial Institution.

ARTICLE 5

COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER

SECTION 5.01.        Covenants. So long as any Commitment shall remain in effect and until payment in full of all amounts payable by the Borrower hereunder, unless the Majority Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing:

(a)        Financial Statements. The Borrower will furnish to each Lender:

(i)        as soon as available, but in any event within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, copies of the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of the end of such year and of the related consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous year, certified without qualification arising out of the scope of the audit, by independent certified public accountants of nationally recognized standing;

(ii)        as soon as available, but in any event not later than forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three quarterly periods of each fiscal year of the Borrower, copies of the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of the end of such quarter and of the related unaudited consolidated statements of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such quarterly period and the portion of the fiscal year through such date, setting forth in each case

 

33


in comparative form figures for the previous year, certified by a Responsible Officer (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments);

(iii)        concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above, a Compliance Certificate;

(iv)        promptly upon the filing thereof, copies of all registration statements and annual and quarterly reports which the Borrower files with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and

(v)        (x) such other information relating to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request and (y) information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Patriot Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) of this Section 5.01(a) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which such documents are filed for public availability on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering and Retrieval System; provided that the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent of the filing of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents.

All such financial statements shall be complete and correct in all material respects and shall be prepared in reasonable detail and in accordance with GAAP applied consistently throughout the periods reflected therein (except as approved by such accountants or officer, as the case may be, and disclosed therein).

(b)        Use of Proceeds. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, use the proceeds of the Advances solely for its general corporate purposes; provided that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any responsibility as to the use of any such proceeds. The Borrower will not request any Borrowing, and the Borrower shall not use, and shall procure that its Subsidiaries shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing (i) 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, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

(c)        Certain Notices.

(1)        The Borrower will give notice in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of (i) the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default and (ii) any change in the rating of the long-term senior unsecured non-credit-enhanced debt obligations of the Borrower by Moody’s S&P or Fitch, each such notice to be given promptly and in any event within five (5) days after occurrence thereof.

(2)        Promptly after the Borrower, any member of a Controlled Group or any administrator of a Plan:

(i)        receives the notification referred to in clauses (i), (iv) or (vii) of Section 6.01(h),

 

34


(ii)        has knowledge of (A) the occurrence of a Reportable Event with respect to a Plan; (B) any event which has occurred or any action which has been taken to amend or terminate a Plan as referred to in clauses (ii) and (vi) of Section 6.01(h); (C) any event which has occurred or any action which has been taken which could result in complete withdrawal, partial withdrawal, or secondary liability for withdrawal liability payments with respect to a Multiemployer Plan as referred to in clause (vii) of Section 6.01(h); or (D) any action which has been taken in furtherance of, any agreement which has been entered into for, or any petition which has been filed with a United States district court for, the appointment of a trustee for a Plan as referred to in clause (iii) of Section 6.01(h), or

(iii)        files a notice of intent to terminate a Plan with the Internal Revenue Service or the PBGC; or files with the Internal Revenue Service a request pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code for a variance from the minimum funding standard for a Plan; or files a return with the Internal Revenue Service with respect to the tax imposed under Section 4971(a) of the Code for failure to meet the minimum funding standards established under Section 412 of the Code for a Plan,

the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent a copy of any notice received, request or petition filed and agreement entered into; the most recent Annual Report (Form 5500 Series) and attachments thereto for the Plan; the most recent actuarial report for the Plan; any notice, return or materials required to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service in connection with the event, action or filing; and a written statement of a Responsible Officer describing the event or the action taken and the reasons therefor.

(d)        Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will cause each Material Subsidiary to, do all things necessary (if applicable) to remain duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing as a domestic corporation in its jurisdiction of incorporation and maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted except where such failure to remain in good standing or to maintain such authority may not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower will continue to engage in its business substantially as conducted on the Closing Date, and, except where such failure may not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, will cause its Subsidiaries to continue to engage in their business substantially as conducted on the Closing Date.

(e)        Taxes. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay when due all taxes, duties, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees and governmental charges, withholdings and levies upon it or its income, profits or Property, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside and except where such failure would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(f)        Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each Material Subsidiary to, maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies insurance on all or substantially all of its Property, in such amounts and covering such risks as is consistent with sound business practice for Persons in substantially the same industry as the Borrower or such Subsidiary, and the Borrower will furnish to any Lender upon request full information as to the insurance carried.

(g)        Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations, orders, writs, judgments, injunctions, decrees or awards to which it may be subject (including ERISA and applicable Environmental Laws), except where the failure to so comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrower, its

 

35


Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers and employees and agents with all laws, rules and regulations (federal, state and local).

(h)        Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower will, and will cause each Material Subsidiary to, do all things necessary to maintain, preserve, protect and keep its Property in good repair, working order and condition, and make all necessary and proper repairs, renewals and replacements so that its business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times, except where the failure to so maintain, preserve, protect and repair could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(i)        Inspection. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, permit the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (coordinated through the Administrative Agent), at their sole cost and expense (except that if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower will indemnify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders against such cost and expense), to inspect any of the Property, corporate books and financial records of the Borrower and such Subsidiary, to examine and make copies of the books of account and other financial records of the Borrower and each Subsidiary, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Borrower and each Subsidiary with, and to be advised as to the same by, their respective officers upon reasonable notice and at such reasonable times during the Borrower’s normal business hours and intervals as the Lenders may designate.

(j)        Merger. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Material Subsidiary to, merge or consolidate with or into any other Person, except that (a) a Material Subsidiary may merge into the Borrower or another Material Subsidiary and (b) the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Person, provided that (1) in the case of such a merger or consolidation involving the Borrower, the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation and (2) in the case of such a merger or consolidation involving a Material Subsidiary, a Material Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving corporation, provided further that nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit a merger or consolidation by a Subsidiary with or into another Person (other than the Borrower) in connection with an exchange or restructuring of bottling territories permitted under Section 5.01(n)(vii), and provided further that in each case, prior to and after giving effect to any such merger or consolidation, no Default or Event of Default shall exist.

(k)        Preservation of Material Agreements. Except in connection with dispositions of assets or other transactions permitted by this Agreement, the Borrower will, and will cause its Subsidiaries to, use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain in full force and effect all material agreements necessary for the conduct of the Borrower’s business, except where such failure to so use such commercially reasonable efforts could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(l)        Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, or suffer to exist any Lien in or on the Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except:

(i)        the existing Liens listed in Schedule II hereto and other Liens existing on the Closing Date securing an obligation in an amount, in the case of each such obligation, of less than $5,000,000 (and extension, renewal and replacement Liens upon the same Property previously subject to such an existing Lien, provided the amount secured by each Lien constituting such an extension, renewal or replacement Lien shall not exceed the amount secured by the Lien previously existing);

 

36


(ii)         Liens arising from taxes, assessments, or claims described in Section 5.01(o) hereof that are not yet due or that remain payable without penalty or to the extent permitted to remain unpaid under the proviso to such Section 5.01(o);

(iii)        deposits or pledges to secure worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance, old age benefits or other social security obligations, or in connection with or to secure the performance of bids, tenders, trade contracts or leases, or to secure statutory obligations, or stay, surety or appeal bonds, or other pledges or deposits of like nature and all in the ordinary course of business;

(iv)         Liens on Property securing all or part of the purchase price thereof (including without limitation Liens in respect of leases of personal or real Property) and Liens (whether or not assumed) existing in Property at the time of purchase thereof by the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be (and extension, renewal and replacement Liens upon the same property previously subject to a Lien described in this clause (iv), provided the amount secured by each Lien constituting such extension, renewal or replacement shall not exceed the amount secured by the Lien previously existing), provided that each such Lien is confined solely to the Property so purchased, improvements thereto and proceeds thereof;

(v)          Liens resulting from progress payments or partial payments under United States Government contracts or subcontracts thereunder;

(vi)         Liens arising from legal proceedings, so long as such proceedings are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and execution is stayed on all judgments resulting from any such proceedings;

(vii)        zoning restrictions, easements, minor restrictions on the use of real property, minor irregularities in title thereto and other minor Liens that do not in the aggregate materially detract from the value of a Property to, or materially impair its use in the business of, the Borrower or such Subsidiary; and

(viii)      other Liens securing Indebtedness in an aggregate amount, as to all Liens under this clause (viii), not exceeding, when aggregated with the aggregate amount of Indebtedness permitted by Section 5.01(p)(ii), $100,000,000 at any time outstanding.

(m)        [Intentionally Omitted].

(n)         Asset Dispositions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, convey, assign, abandon or otherwise transfer or dispose of, voluntarily or involuntarily (any of the foregoing being referred to in this clause (n) as a “transaction” and any series of related transactions constituting but a single transaction), any of its Property, tangible or intangible, except:

(i)           transactions (including sales of trucks, vending machines and other equipment) in the ordinary course of business;

(ii)          transactions between Consolidated Subsidiaries or between the Borrower and Consolidated Subsidiaries;

(iii)        any sale of real property not used in the current operations of the Borrower, provided that the aggregate proceeds of sales pursuant to this clause (iii) shall not exceed $100,000,000 in any fiscal year of the Borrower;

 

37


(iv)          other sales, conveyances, assignments or other transfers or dispositions in immediate exchange for cash or tangible assets, subject to prior approval in each case by the Majority Lenders;

(v)            other sales, conveyances, assignments or other transfers or dispositions during any fiscal year of the Borrower of assets with a book value that do not exceed an aggregate of fifteen percent (15.0%) of the book value of Consolidated Total Assets of the Borrower (determined at the time of making such sale, conveyance, assignment or other transfer or disposition by reference to the Borrower’s financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a)(i) or (ii));

(vi)          the sale for cash of any and all accounts receivable in a face amount not to exceed an aggregate of ten percent (10.0%) of the book value of Consolidated Total Assets of the Borrower (determined at the time of making such sale by reference to the Borrower’s financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a)(i) or (ii));

(vii)         dispositions of Persons, assets, franchises and businesses after the Closing Date in connection with an exchange or restructuring of bottling territories; provided that on a pro forma basis after giving effect to any such restructuring of, or to any such disposition and the related acquisition of bottling territories by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, the Borrower remains in compliance with the covenants set forth in Sections 5.01(q) and (r); and

(viii)        transfers or dispositions for cash, other than as provided by clauses (i) through (vii) above, if (x) on the date of the consummation thereof, the Borrower permanently reduces the revolving credit commitment amount under the Existing Credit Agreement in an amount equal to the cash proceeds of such transfers or dispositions less the amount of transaction costs and income taxes incurred by the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries in connection with such transfer or disposition and (y) after giving effect to such transfer or disposition, the proceeds from all such transfers and dispositions under this clause (viii) would not exceed $250,000,000; provided, that the foregoing limitations and restrictions shall not apply if the proceeds of any such transfer or disposition are used to repay the outstanding principal amount of all Advances.

(o)        Payment of Claims. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay or discharge any of the following described claims and liabilities which are material to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries when taken as a whole:

(i)            on or prior to the date when due, all lawful claims of materialmen, mechanics, carriers, warehousemen, landlords and other like Persons which, if unpaid, might result in the creation of a Lien upon any such Property; and

(ii)           on or prior to the date when due, all other lawful claims which, if unpaid, might result in the creation of a Lien upon any such Property (other than Liens not forbidden by Section 5.01(l) hereof) or which, if unpaid, might give rise to a claim entitled to priority over general creditors of the Borrower or such Subsidiary in a case under Title 11 (Bankruptcy) of the United States Code, as amended, or in any insolvency proceeding or dissolution or winding-up involving the Borrower or such Subsidiary;

provided that unless and until foreclosure, distraint, levy, sale or similar proceedings shall have been commenced, the Borrower or such Subsidiary need not pay or discharge any such claim or current liability so long as the validity thereof is contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted

 

38


and so long as such reserves or other appropriate provisions as may be required by GAAP shall have been made therefor and so long as such failure to pay or discharge does not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(p)        Subsidiary Debt. Except as disclosed in Schedule V, the Borrower will not permit any Subsidiary to incur or permit to exist any Indebtedness except (i) Indebtedness to the Borrower or another Subsidiary and (ii) other Indebtedness in an aggregate amount not exceeding, when aggregated with the aggregate amount of Indebtedness permitted by Section 5.01(l)(viii), $100,000,000 at any time outstanding.

(q)        Consolidated Cash Flow/Fixed Charges Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Consolidated Cash Flow/Fixed Charges Ratio, as determined quarterly as of the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower (and treating such fiscal quarter as having been completed), to be less than 1.5 to 1.0.

(r)        Consolidated Funded Indebtedness/Cash Flow Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Consolidated Funded Indebtedness/Cash Flow Ratio, as determined quarterly as of the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower (and treating such fiscal quarter as having been completed), to exceed 6.0 to 1.0.

ARTICLE 6

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

SECTION 6.01.        Events of Default. If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur and be continuing:

(a)        The Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Advance when the same becomes due and payable; or the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Advance or any other amount payable hereunder when due and such failure remains unremedied for three (3) Business Days; or

(b)        Any representation or warranty made by the Borrower herein or by the Borrower (or any of its officers) in any certificate delivered in connection with this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made; or

(c)        (i) The Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in Sections 5.01(b), (c)(1), (j), (q) or (r), (ii) the Borrower shall fail to perform or observe the covenant contained in Section 5.01(a) and such failure remains unremedied for five (5) Business Days or (iii) Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement on its part to be performed or observed, and such failure, in the case of this clause (iii), remains unremedied for thirty (30) days after notice thereof shall have been given to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent; or

(d)        The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall fail to pay any principal of or interest on any other Indebtedness which is outstanding in an aggregate principal amount of at least $100,000,000, or its equivalent in other currencies (in this clause (d) called “Material Indebtedness”), in the aggregate when the same becomes due and payable (whether at scheduled maturity, by required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise); or any other event shall occur or condition shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to any Material Indebtedness and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to accelerate, or to permit the acceleration of, the maturity of such Material Indebtedness, or to require the same to be prepaid or defeased (other than by a regularly required payment); or

 

39


(e)        The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its Property and such proceeding shall remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of sixty (60) days; or the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall take any corporate action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this subsection (e); or

(f)        (i) The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall commence any case, proceeding or other action (A) under any existing or future law of any jurisdiction, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or relief of debtors, seeking to have an order for relief entered with respect to it, or seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief or composition with respect to it or its debts under any such law, or (B) seeking appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator or other similar official for it or for all or any substantial part of its Property, or the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall make a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or (ii) there shall be commenced against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries any case, proceeding or other action of a nature referred to in clause (i) above which (A) results in the entry of an order for relief or any such adjudication or appointment or (B) remains undismissed, undischarged or unbonded for a period of ninety (90) days; or (iii) there shall be commenced against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries any case, proceeding or other action seeking issuance of a warrant of attachment, execution, distraint or similar process against all or any substantial part of its Property which results in the entry of an order for any such relief which shall not have been vacated, discharged, or stayed or bonded pending appeal within sixty (60) days from the entry thereof; or (iv) the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any of the acts set forth in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) above;

(g)        A Change in Control shall occur; or

(h)        The Majority Lenders shall determine in good faith (which determination shall be conclusive) that the potential liabilities associated with the events set forth in clauses (i) through (vii) below, individually or in the aggregate, could have a Material Adverse Effect:

(i)          The PBGC notifies a Plan pursuant to Section 4042 of ERISA by service of a complaint, threat of filing a law suit or otherwise of its determination that an event described in Section 4042(a) of ERISA has occurred, a Plan should be terminated or a trustee should be appointed for a Plan; or

(ii)         Any action is taken to terminate a Plan pursuant to its provisions or the plan administrator files with the PBGC a notice of intent to terminate a Plan in accordance with Section 4041 of ERISA; or

(iii)        Any action is taken by a plan administrator to have a trustee appointed for a Plan pursuant to Section 4042 of ERISA; or

(iv)        A return is filed with the Internal Revenue Service, or a Plan is notified by the Secretary of the Treasury that a notice of deficiency under Section 6212 of the Code has been mailed, with respect to the tax imposed under Section 4971(a) of the Code for failure to meet the minimum funding standards established under Section 412 of the Code; or

 

40


(v)         A Reportable Event occurs with respect to a Plan; or

(vi)        Any action is taken to amend a Plan to become an employee benefit plan described in Section 4021(b)(1) of ERISA, causing a Plan termination under Section 4041(e) of ERISA; or

(vii)       The Borrower or any member of a Controlled Group receives a notice of liability or demand for payment on account of complete withdrawal under Section 4203 of ERISA, partial withdrawal under Section 4205 of ERISA or on account of becoming secondarily liable for withdrawal liability payments under Section 4204 of ERISA (sale of assets); or

(i)        The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall fail within thirty (30) days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any judgment or order for the payment of money, either singly or in the aggregate, in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith;

then, and in any such event, the Administrative Agent (i) shall at the request, or may with the consent, of the Majority Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, declare the obligation of each Lender to make Advances to be terminated, whereupon the same shall forthwith terminate, and (ii) shall at the request, or may with the consent, of the Majority Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, declare the Advances, all interest thereon and all other amounts payable under this Agreement to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon the Advances, all such interest and all such other amounts shall become and be forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or further notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; provided, however, that in the event of an Event of Default with respect to the Borrower of the kind referred to in clause (e) or (f) above (A) the obligation of each Lender to make Advances shall automatically be terminated and (B) the Advances, all such interest and all such other amounts shall automatically become and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower.

ARTICLE 7

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

SECTION 7.01.        Authorization and Action.     Each Lender hereby appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as administrative agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. As to any matters not expressly provided for by this Agreement (including, without limitation, enforcement or collection of the Advances), the Administrative Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take any action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and shall be fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the instructions of the Majority Lenders, and such instructions shall be binding upon all Lenders; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action which exposes the Administrative Agent to personal liability or which is contrary to this Agreement or applicable law. The Administrative Agent agrees to give to each Lender prompt notice of each notice given to it by the Borrower pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

SECTION 7.02.        Administrative Agents Reliance, Etc.     Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its directors, officers, agents or employees shall be liable to the Lenders for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it or them under or in connection with this Agreement, except for its or their own gross negligence or willful misconduct. Without limitation of the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent: (i) may consult with legal counsel (including counsel for the Borrower), independent public accountants and other experts selected by it and shall not be liable to the Lenders for

 

41


any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by it in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts; (ii) makes no warranty or representation to any Lender and shall not be responsible to any Lender for any statements, warranties or representations (whether written or oral) made in or in connection with this Agreement; (iii) shall not have any duty to ascertain or to inquire as to the performance or observance of any of the terms, covenants or conditions of this Agreement on the part of the Borrower or to inspect the property (including the books and records) of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; (iv) shall not be responsible to any Lender for the due execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; (v) shall incur no liability to the Lenders under or in respect of this Agreement by acting upon any notice, consent, certificate or other instrument or writing (which may be by telecopier, telegram, cable, telex or other electronic communication) believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent by the proper party or parties; (vi) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing; (vii) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 8.01); and (vii) shall not 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 Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

SECTION 7.03.        JPMorgan and Affiliates. With respect to its Commitment and the Advances made by it, JPMorgan shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent; and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated, include JPMorgan in its individual capacity. JPMorgan and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as trustee under indentures of, and generally engage in any kind of business with, the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries and any Person who may do business with or own securities of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary, all as if JPMorgan were not the Administrative Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

SECTION 7.04.        Lender Credit Decision. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that the extensions of credit made hereunder are commercial loans and not investments in a business enterprise or securities. Each Lender further represents that it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01 and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Advances hereunder. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Borrower and its Affiliates) as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and in deciding whether or to the extent to which it will continue as a lender or assign or otherwise transfer its rights, interests and obligations hereunder.

SECTION 7.05.        Indemnification. The Lenders agree to indemnify the Administrative Agent (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower), ratably according to the respective amounts of their Commitments (or, if the Commitments have expired or terminated, the amount of their outstanding Advances), from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever which may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against the Administrative Agent in any way relating to or arising out of this Agreement or any action taken or omitted by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, provided that no Lender shall be liable for any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions,

 

42


judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements found in a final-non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the Administrative Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. Without limiting the foregoing, each Lender agrees to reimburse the Administrative Agent promptly upon demand for its ratable share of any out-of-pocket expenses (including counsel fees) incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, to the extent that the Administrative Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by the Borrower.

SECTION 7.06.        Successor Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Majority Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor Administrative Agent that, unless a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and then be continuing, is reasonably acceptable to the Borrower. If no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed by the Majority Lenders, and shall have accepted such appointment, within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent’s giving of notice of resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which shall be a commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or of any State thereof and having total assets of at least $1,000,000,000. Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor Administrative Agent, such successor Administrative Agent shall thereupon succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under this Agreement. After any retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder as Administrative Agent, the provisions of this Article 7 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Administrative Agent under this Agreement.

SECTION 7.07.        Arrangers. Each Arranger, in its capacity as such, shall have no obligation or responsibility hereunder and shall not become liable in any manner hereunder to any party hereto.

SECTION 7.08.        Certain ERISA Matters.

(a)        Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, each Arranger their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i)         such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Advances or the Commitments,

(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 Advances, the

 

43


Commitments and this Agreement, and the conditions for exemptive relief thereunder are and will continue to be satisfied in connection therewith,

(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 Advances, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, 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 Advances, 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 sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has not provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, each Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that:

(i)          none of the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (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 to hereto or thereto),

(ii)         the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Commitments and this Agreement is independent (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-21, as amended from time to time) and is a bank, an insurance carrier, an investment adviser, a broker-dealer or other person that holds, or has under management or control, total assets of at least $50,000,000, in each case as described in 29 CFR § 2510.3-21(c)(1)(i)(A)-(E),

(iii)        the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Commitments and this Agreement is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to particular transactions and investment strategies (including in respect of the obligations),

(iv)        the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Commitments and this Agreement is a fiduciary under ERISA or the Code, or both, with respect to the Advances, the Commitments and this Agreement and is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the transactions hereunder, and

(v)         no fee or other compensation is being paid directly to the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any their respective Affiliates for investment advice (as opposed to other services) in connection with the Advances, the Commitments or this Agreement.

 

44


The Administrative Agent and each Arranger hereby informs the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Advances, the Commitments and this Agreement, (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Advances or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Advances or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

ARTICLE 8

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 8.01.        Amendments, Etc.  Except as provided in Section 2.19 with respect to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the Notes, nor consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom, shall be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Borrower and the Majority Lenders, or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Majority Lenders; provided, however, that no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Lenders required by the following or by the Administrative Agent with the consent of such Lenders, do any of the following: (a) increase or extend the Commitment of any Lender without the consent of such Lender, (b) reduce the principal of, or interest on, the Advances or any fees (other than the Administrative Agent’s fee referred to in Section 2.04) or other amounts payable hereunder or under the other Loan Documents to any Lender without the consent of such Lender, (c) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, the Advances or any fees (other than the Administrative Agent’s fee referred to in Section 2.04) or other amounts payable hereunder in each case payable to a Lender without the consent of such Lender, (d) change the second sentence of Section 2.14(a) without the consent of each Lender, (e) change the percentage of the Commitments or of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Advances which shall be required for the Lenders or any of them to take any action hereunder without the consent of each Lender (it being understood that, solely with the consent of the parties prescribed by Section 2.19 to be parties to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment, Incremental Term Loans may be included in the determination of Majority Lenders on substantially the same basis as the Commitments and the Advances are included on Closing Date) or (f) amend this Section 8.01 without the consent of each Lender; provided further that no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement (it being understood that any change to Section 2.20 shall require the consent of the Administrative Agent). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no consent with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement shall be required of any Defaulting Lender, except with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification referred to in clause (a), (b) or (c) of the first proviso of this paragraph and then only in the event such Defaulting Lender shall be directly affected by such amendment, waiver or other modification. This Agreement and the agreement referred to in Section 2.04 and the Notes constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement and any other Loan Document may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Majority Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (x) to add one or more credit facilities to this Agreement and to permit extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Advances and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (y) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any

 

45


determination of the Majority Lenders and Lenders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein the Administrative Agent may, with the consent of the Borrower only, amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency.

SECTION 8.02.        Notices, Etc.

(a)        Subject to clauses (b) through (e) below, all notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including telecopier) and mailed, telecopied or delivered by hand:

 

 

(i)

  if to the Borrower:

 

 

 

  Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated

 

 

  4100 Coca-Cola Plaza

 

 

  Charlotte, NC 28211

 

 

  Attention: Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

  Telephone No.: (704) 557-4000

 

 

(ii)

  if to the Administrative Agent:

 

 

 

  JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

 

 

  10 South Dearborn, L2

 

 

  Chicago, Illinois 60603

 

 

  Attention: Nan Wilson

 

 

 

  Telephone No.: (312) 385-7084

 

 

  Telecopier No.: (888) 292-9533

(iii)      if to any Lender, at the Domestic Lending Office of such Lender; or, as to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, at such other address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to the other parties and, as to each other party, at such other address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given or made (i) in the case of hand deliveries, when delivered by hand, (ii) in the case of mailed notices, three (3) Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, and (iii) in the case of telecopier notice, when transmitted and confirmed during normal business hours (or, if delivered after the close of normal business hours, at the beginning of business hours on the next Business Day), except that notices and communications to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Article 2 or 7 shall not be effective until received by the Administrative Agent.

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

(b)        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

 

46


approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

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

(c)        The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may make the Communications available to the Lenders by posting the Communications on Intralinks or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”). THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, OR 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, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY THE AGENT PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE PLATFORM. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, ADVISORS OR REPRESENTATIVES (COLLECTIVELY, THE “AGENT PARTIES”) HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO THE BORROWER, ANY LENDER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF THE BORROWER’S OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THE LIABILITY OF ANY AGENT PARTY IS FOUND IN A FINAL NON-APPEALABLE JUDGMENT BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO HAVE RESULTED PRIMARILY FROM SUCH AGENT PARTY’S GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT.

(d)        Each Lender agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that any Communications have been posted to the Platform shall constitute effective delivery of such Communications to such Lender for purposes hereof. Each Lender agrees (i) to provide to the Administrative Agent in writing (including by electronic communication), promptly after the date of this Agreement, an e-mail address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and (ii) that the foregoing notice may be sent to such e-mail address.

(e)        Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to give any notice or other communication pursuant hereto in any other manner specified herein.

SECTION 8.03.        No Waiver; Remedies. No failure on the part of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect to, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right

 

47


preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

SECTION 8.04.        Costs, Expenses and Indemnification.

(a)        The Borrower agrees to pay and reimburse on demand (i) all reasonable costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent and each Arranger in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification and amendment of this Agreement and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, the reasonable and documented fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel, but limited to the reasonable and documented fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel for the Administrative Agent with respect thereto and with respect to advising the Administrative Agent as to its rights and responsibilities under this Agreement and (ii) all costs and expenses, if any (including the reasonable and documented fees and out-of-pocket expenses of (x) one counsel to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders taken as a whole, and, if reasonably necessary, a single specialty or local counsel to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders taken as a whole; provided that in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest with respect to any of the foregoing counsel, one additional counsel to all affected Lenders similarly situated and taken as a whole), incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of this Agreement and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, reasonable counsel fees and expenses in connection with the enforcement of rights under this Section 8.04(a). Such reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses shall be reimbursed by the Borrower upon presentation to the Borrower of a statement of account, regardless of whether this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated.

(b)        (i) The Borrower hereby agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Arranger, each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, advisors and representatives (each, an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all direct claims, damages, losses, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel), joint or several, that may be incurred by or asserted or awarded against any Indemnified Party, in each case arising out of or in connection with or relating to any investigation, litigation or proceeding or the preparation of any defense with respect thereto arising out of or in connection with or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any use made or proposed to be made with the proceeds of the Advances, whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by the Borrower, any of its shareholders or creditors, an Indemnified Party or any other Person, or an Indemnified Party is otherwise a party thereto, and whether or not any of the conditions precedent set forth in Article 3 are satisfied or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated, except to the extent such direct claim, damage, loss, liability or expense (x) is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, or (y) results from a claim brought by the Borrower against an Indemnified Party for breach in bad faith, or a material breach, of such Indemnified Party’s express obligations hereunder or (z) arises out of, or result from, any investigation, litigation or proceeding that does not involve an act or omission by the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates and that is brought by an Indemnified Party against any other Indemnified Party (other than in its capacity as the Administrative Agent, an Arranger, a Co-Syndication Agent or any other similar role with respect to the loan facility evidenced by this Agreement).

(ii)        The Borrower hereby further agrees that (i) no Indemnified Party shall have any liability to the Borrower for or in connection with or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any use made or proposed to be made with the proceeds of the Advances, except to the extent such liability is found in a final, non-appealable

 

48


judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct and (ii) the Borrower will not assert any claim against the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any of their respective Affiliates, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, attorneys or agents, on any theory of liability, for consequential, indirect, special or punitive damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the actual or proposed use of any Advance.

(c)        If any payment of principal of, or Conversion or Continuation of, any Eurodollar Rate Advance of a Lender is made on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period for such Advance as a result of any optional or mandatory prepayment, acceleration of the maturity of the Advances pursuant to Section 6.01 or for any other reason, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses (other than loss of profit) which it may reasonably incur as a result of such payment, Continuation or Conversion and the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund or maintain such Advance. A certificate as to the amount of such losses, costs and expenses, submitted to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent by such Lender, shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

SECTION 8.05.        Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and permitted assigns, provided that the Borrower shall not have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein without the prior written consent of the Lenders.

SECTION 8.06.        Assignments and Participations.

(a)        Each Lender may, with notice to and the consent of the Administrative Agent and, unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Borrower (provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof) (such consents not to be unreasonably withheld), assign to one or more banks or other entities all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, all or a portion of its Commitment and the Advances owing to it); provided that:

(i)         each such assignment shall be of a constant, and not a varying, percentage of all rights and obligations of the assigning Lender under this Agreement,

(ii)        except in the case of an assignment by a Lender to one of its Affiliates or to another Lender, the amount of the Commitment of the assigning Lender being assigned pursuant to each such assignment (determined as of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment) shall in no event (unless the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise agree) be less than the lesser of (x) such Lender’s Commitment hereunder and (y) $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof,

(iii)       each such assignment shall be to an Eligible Assignee,

(iv)       the parties to each such assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent, for its acceptance and recording in the Register, an Assignment and Acceptance, and

(v)        the parties to each such assignment (other than the Borrower) shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a processing and recordation fee of $3,500.

 

49


Upon such execution, delivery, acceptance and recording, from and after the Closing Date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance, (x) the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned to it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender hereunder and (y) the Lender assignor thereunder shall, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned by it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights and be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all or the remaining portion of an assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto).

(b)        By executing and delivering an Assignment and Acceptance, the Lender assignor thereunder and the assignee thereunder confirm to and agree with each other and the other parties hereto as follows: (i) other than as provided in such Assignment and Acceptance, such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with this Agreement or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; (ii) such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of the Borrower or the performance or observance by the Borrower of any of its obligations under this Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; (iii) such assignee confirms that it has received a copy of this Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01 and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and Acceptance; (iv) such assignee will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, such assigning Lender or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement; (v) such assignee confirms that it is an Eligible Assignee; (vi) such assignee appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as administrative agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto; and (vii) such assignee agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of this Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

(c)        Upon its receipt of an Assignment and Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee representing that it is an Eligible Assignee, the Administrative Agent shall, if such Assignment and Acceptance has been completed (and the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall have consented to the relevant assignment) and is in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto, (i) accept such Assignment and Acceptance, (ii) record the information contained therein in the Register and (iii) give prompt notice thereof to the Borrower.

(d)        The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at its address referred to in Section 8.02 a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to and accepted by it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of each of the Lenders and, with respect to Lenders, the Commitment of, and principal amount (and stated interest) of the Advances owing to, each such Lender from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a Lender hereunder for the purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower or any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(e)        Each Lender may sell participations to one or more Persons (other than any Ineligible Institution) in or to all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, all or a portion of its Commitment and the Advances owing to it); provided, however,

 

50


that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, its Commitment to the Borrower hereunder) shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, (iv) in any proceeding under the Federal Bankruptcy Code in respect of the Borrower, such Lender shall remain and be, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the sole representative with respect to the rights and obligations held in the name of such Lender (whether such rights or obligations are for such Lender’s own account or for the account of any participant), (v) no participant under any such participation agreement shall have any right to approve any amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, or to consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom, except to the extent that any such amendment, waiver or consent would (x) reduce the principal of, or interest on, the Notes, in each case to the extent the same are subject to such participation, or (y) postpone any date fixed for the payment of principal of, or interest on, the Advances, in each case to the extent the same are subject to such participation and (vi) each participant shall be entitled to the benefits of, and subject to the limitations of, Sections 2.12 and 2.15 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment, provided that (A) such participant agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.15(g) and Section 2.17 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) no participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.15 unless such participant complies with Section 2.15(e) as if it were a Lender (it being understood that the documentation required thereunder shall be delivered to the participating Lender). 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 2.15(g) with respect to any participant. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each participant’s interest in the obligations under this Agreement (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register to any Person (including the identity of any participant or any information relating to a participant’s interest in the obligations under this Agreement) except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such interest is in registered form under United States Treasury Regulations Section 5f.103-1(c) and Proposed Treasury Regulations 1.163-5(b) (or any amended or successor version). 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.

(f)        Any Lender may, in connection with any permitted assignment or participation or proposed assignment or participation pursuant to this Section 8.06 and subject to the provisions of Section 8.12, disclose to the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates furnished to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrower.

(g)        Notwithstanding any other provision set forth in this Agreement, any Lender may at any time, without the consent of the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, create a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Advances owing to it) in favor of any Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with Regulation A of the Federal Reserve Board.

(h)        Notwithstanding any other provision set forth in this Agreement, any Lender may at any time, without the consent of the Administrative Agent or the Borrower (but with notice to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), assign to an Affiliate of such Lender all or any portion of its rights (but not its obligations) under this Agreement.

SECTION 8.07.        Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York. The Borrower hereby

 

51


submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and of any New York state court, in each case sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, for the purposes of all legal proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Borrower hereby irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System (the “Process Agent”), with an office on the date hereof at 111 8th Avenue, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10011, as its agent and true and lawful attorney-in-fact in its name, place and stead to accept on behalf of the Borrower and its Property service of the copies of the summons and complaint and any other process which may be served in any such legal proceedings brought in any such court, and the Borrower agrees that the failure of the Process Agent to give any notice of any such service of process to the Borrower shall not impair or affect the validity of such service or, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the enforcement of any judgment based thereon. The Borrower irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

SECTION 8.08.        Severability. In case any provision in this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, such provision shall be severable from the rest of this Agreement, and the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

SECTION 8.09.        Execution in Counterparts; Electronic Execution.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy, e-mailed .pdf or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept electronic signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent.

SECTION 8.10.        Survival.    The obligations of the Borrower under Sections 2.02(b), 2.12, 2.15 and 8.04, and the obligations of the Lenders under Section 7.05, shall survive the repayment of the Advances and the termination of the Commitments. In addition, each representation and warranty made, or deemed to be made by any Notice of Borrowing, herein or pursuant hereto shall survive the making of such representation and warranty, and no Lender shall be deemed to have waived, by reason of making any Advance, any Default or Event of Default that may arise by reason of such representation or warranty proving to have been false or misleading.

SECTION 8.11.        Waiver of Jury Trial.    EACH OF THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE LENDERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

SECTION 8.12.        Confidentiality.  Each Lender agrees to hold any Information which it may receive from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates pursuant to this Agreement in

 

52


confidence and for use in connection with this Agreement, including without limitation for use in connection with its rights and remedies hereunder, except for disclosure (a) to other Lenders and their respective Affiliates, (b) to legal counsel, accountants, and other professional advisors to such Lender, (c) to regulatory officials, (d) as requested pursuant to or as required by law, regulation, or legal process, (e) in connection with any legal proceeding to which such Lender is a party, (f) to a proposed assignee or participant permitted under Section 8.06 which shall have agreed in writing to keep such disclosed confidential information confidential in accordance with this Section and (g) on a confidential basis to (1) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided for herein or (2) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of identification numbers with respect to the credit facilities provided for herein. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower and other than information pertaining to this Agreement routinely provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING PARAGRAPH FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWER AND ITS AFFILIATES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

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

SECTION 8.13.        Nonliability of Lenders; No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. The Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that no Credit Party will have any obligations except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents and each Credit Party is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Borrower with respect to the Loan Documents and the transaction contemplated therein and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Borrower or any other person. The Borrower agrees that it will not assert any claim against any Credit Party based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by such Credit Party in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Additionally, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that no Credit Party is advising the Borrower as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting, regulatory or any other matters in any jurisdiction. The Borrower shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own

 

53


independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Credit Parties shall have no responsibility or liability to the Borrower with respect thereto.

The Borrower further acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party is a full service securities or banking firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities as well as providing investment banking and other financial services. In the ordinary course of business, any Credit Party may provide investment banking and other financial services to, and/or acquire, hold or sell, for its own accounts and the accounts of customers, equity, debt and other securities and financial instruments (including bank loans and other obligations) of, the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and other companies with which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may have commercial or other relationships. With respect to any securities and/or financial instruments so held by any Credit Party or any of its customers, all rights in respect of such securities and financial instruments, including any voting rights, will be exercised by the holder of the rights, in its sole discretion.

In addition, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party and its affiliates may be providing debt financing, equity capital or other services (including financial advisory services) to other companies in respect of which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may have conflicting interests regarding the transactions described herein and otherwise. No Credit Party will use confidential information obtained from the Borrower by virtue of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents or its other relationships with the Borrower in connection with the performance by such Credit Party of services for other companies, and no Credit Party will furnish any such information to other companies. The Borrower also acknowledges that no Credit Party has any obligation to use in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, or to furnish to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, confidential information obtained from other companies.

SECTION 8.14.        USA PATRIOT Act.  Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Patriot Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.

SECTION 8.15.        Interest Rate Limitation.    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Advance, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Advance under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Advance in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Advance hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Advance but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Advances or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the NYFRB Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

SECTION 8.16.        Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA 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 EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

54


(A)        the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

(B)        the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i)        a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii)        a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii)        the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

55


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

 

COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. CONSOLIDATED,

as the Borrower

By    

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually as a Lender and as Administrative Agent

By

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY, individually as a Lender and as a Co-Syndication Agent

By     

   

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, individually as a Lender and as a Co-Syndication Agent

By     

   

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as a Lender

By     

   

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


SOUTH STATE BANK, as a Lender

By     

   

Name:

Title:

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY, as a Lender

By     

   

Name:

Title:

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


SCHEDULE I

Lenders and Commitments

 

  Lender

     Commitment    

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

     $75,000,000    

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

     $75,000,000    

BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY

     $60,000,000    

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

     $50,000,000    

SOUTH STATE BANK

     $20,000,000    

THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY

     $20,000,000    

 

 

 Total

     $300,000,000    


SCHEDULE V

PERMITTED INDEBTEDNESS

1.            Lease Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2006, between the CCBCC Operations, LLC and Beacon Investment Corporation, related to the Borrower’s corporate headquarters and an adjacent office building in Charlotte, North Carolina.

2.            Lease Agreement, dated as of December 15, 2000, between the Borrower and Harrison Limited Partnership One, related to the Snyder Production Center in Charlotte, North Carolina and a distribution center adjacent thereto. The Borrower reserves the right to assign this lease to a Subsidiary.

3.            Lease Agreement, dated as of January 3, 2011, between the Borrower and Crown-Raleigh III, LLC, related to the Borrower’s sales distribution facility in Clayton, North Carolina. The Borrower reserves the right to assign this lease to a Subsidiary.

4.            Lease Agreement, dated as of January 13, 2011, between the Borrower and DCT Mid South Logistics V LP, related to the Borrower’s sales distribution facility in LaVergne, Tennessee. The Borrower reserves the right to assign this lease to a Subsidiary.

5.            Lease Agreement, dated as of June 11, 2015, between CCBCC Operations, LLC and CK-Childress Klein #8(A) Limited Partnership, related to the Borrower’s call center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

6.            Lease Agreement, dated as of October 28, 2016, between CCBCC Operations, LLC and Graham O’Kelly Partnership, related to the Borrower’s distribution facility in Bishopville, South Carolina.


EXHIBIT A

NOTICE OF BORROWING

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative

Agent for the Lenders parties

to the Loan Agreement

referred to below

10 South Dearborn, L2

Chicago, Illinois 60603

Attention: Nan Wilson

[Date]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (the “Borrower”), refers to the Loan Agreement, dated as of June 7, 2016 (as from time to time amended, the “Loan Agreement”, the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among the undersigned, certain Lenders parties thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent for said Lenders, and hereby gives you notice, irrevocably, pursuant to Section 2.02 of the Loan Agreement that the undersigned hereby requests a Borrowing (the “Proposed Borrowing”) under the Loan Agreement, and in that connection sets forth below the information relating to such Borrowing as required by Section 2.02(a) of the Loan Agreement:

(i)       The Business Day of the Proposed Borrowing is ___________ __, _____.

(ii)      The Type of Advances initially comprising the Proposed Borrowing is [Base Rate Advances] [Eurodollar Rate Advances].

(iii)     The amount of the Proposed Borrowing is $___________.

[(iv)    The initial Interest Period for each Advance made as part of the Proposed Borrowing is _______ month[s]]1.

The undersigned hereby certifies that the following statements are true on the date hereof, and will be true on the date of the Proposed Borrowing:

(a)        the representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 of the Loan Agreement are correct in all material respects, before and after giving effect to the Proposed Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date (unless expressly stated to relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date);

 

1 

For Eurodollar Rate Advances only.

 

Exhibit A-1


(b)        no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Proposed Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, which constitutes an Event of Default or a Default.

 

Very truly yours,

COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO.  CONSOLIDATED

 

By  

 

 

 

Title:

 

Exhibit A-2


EXHIBIT B

ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE

Dated ____________ __, _____

Reference is made to the Loan Agreement dated as of June 7, 2016 (as from time to time amended, the “Loan Agreement”) among Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders (as defined in the Loan Agreement) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the Lenders (the “Administrative Agent”). Terms defined in the Loan Agreement are used herein with the same meaning.

_____________ (the “Assignor”) and _____________ (the “Assignee”) agree as follows:

1.        Effective on the Effective Date (as defined below), and subject to payment to the Assignor specified in Schedule 1, the Assignor hereby sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby purchases and assumes from the Assignor, that interest in and to all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations under the Loan Agreement as of the date hereof which represents the percentage interest specified on Schedule 1 of all outstanding rights and obligations under the Loan Agreement, including, without limitation, such interest in the Assignor’s Commitment and the Advances owing to the Assignor. After giving effect to such sale and assignment, the Assignee’s Commitment and the amount of the Advances owing to the Assignee will be as set forth in Schedule 1.

2.        Effective on the Effective Date, Assignor (i) represents and warrants that it is the legal and beneficial owner of the interest being assigned by it hereunder and that such interest is free and clear of any adverse claim; (ii) makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Loan Agreement or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto; and (iii) makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of the Borrower or the performance or observance by the Borrower of any of its obligations under the Loan Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto; and (iv) makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any requirements under applicable law for the Assignee to become a lender under the Credit Agreement or to charge interest at the rate set forth therein from time to time.

3.        The Assignee (i) confirms that it has received a copy of the Loan Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01 thereof and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Acceptance; (ii) agrees that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Agreement; (iii) confirms that it is an Eligible Assignee; (iv) appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as administrative agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under the Loan Agreement as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto; (v) agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender; [and] (vi) specifies as its Domestic Lending Office (and address for notices) and Eurodollar Lending Office the offices set forth beneath its name on the signature pages hereof [and (vii) attaches the forms prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service of the United States certifying as to the Assignee’s status for purposes of determining exemption from United States withholding taxes with respect to all payments

 

Exhibit B-1


to be made to the Assignee under the Loan Agreement or such other documents as are necessary to indicate that all such payments are subject to such rates at a rate reduced by an applicable tax treaty].1

4.        Following the execution of this Assignment and Acceptance by the Assignor and the Assignee and the consent of the Borrower, it will be delivered to the Administrative Agent for acceptance and recording by the Administrative Agent. The Effective Date of this Assignment and Acceptance shall be the date of acceptance thereof by the Administrative Agent, unless otherwise specified on Schedule 1 hereto (the “Effective Date”).

5.        Upon such acceptance and recording by the Administrative Agent, as of the Effective Date, (i) the Assignee shall be a party to the Loan Agreement and, to the extent provided in this Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender thereunder and (ii) the Assignor shall, to the extent provided in this Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights and be released from its obligations under the Loan Agreement.

6.        Upon such acceptance and recording by the Administrative Agent, from and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments under the Loan Agreement in respect of the interest assigned hereby to the Assignee. The Assignor and Assignee shall make all appropriate adjustments in payments under the Loan Agreement for periods prior to the Effective Date directly between themselves.

7.        This Assignment and Acceptance shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Acceptance may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Acceptance and adoption of the terms of this Assignment and Acceptance by the Assignee and the Assignor by Electronic Signature or delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Acceptance through the Platform shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Acceptance. This Assignment and Acceptance shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Assignment and Acceptance to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above written, such execution being made on Schedule 1 hereto.

 

 

1 

If the Assignee is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States.

 

Exhibit B-2


SCHEDULE 1

to

ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE

 

Percentage assigned to Assignee

     _______________%  

Assignee’s Commitment

     $______________     

Aggregate outstanding principal
amount of Advances assigned

     $______________     

Consideration payable by
Assignee to Assignor

     $______________     

Effective Date (if other than
date of acceptance by
Administrative Agent)*

     _________ __, ____  

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR], as Assignor

By    

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

*

This date should be no earlier than the date of acceptance by the Administrative Agent.


[NAME OF ASSIGNEE], as Assignee

By  

 

 

 

Title:

Domestic Lending Office:

Eurodollar Lending Office:

 

Accepted this ____ day
of _______, _____

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as
Administrative Agent

By  

 

 

 

Title:

CONSENTED TO:

COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO.  CONSOLIDATED

By  

 

 

 

Title:


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF OPINION OF SPECIAL COUNSEL TO THE BORROWER

Attached


EXHIBIT D

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

To:

The Lenders parties to the

 

Loan Agreement Described Below

This Compliance Certificate is furnished pursuant to that certain Loan Agreement dated as of June 7, 2016 (as amended, modified, renewed or extended from time to time, the “Agreement”) among Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, certain Lenders and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the Lenders. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Compliance Certificate have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Agreement.

THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT:

1.        I am the duly elected Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower;

2.        I have reviewed the terms of the Agreement and I have made, or have caused to be made under my supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and conditions of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements;

3.        The examinations described in paragraph 2 did not disclose, and I have no knowledge of, the existence of any condition or event which constitutes a Default or an Event of Default during or at the end of the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements or as of the date of this Certificate, except as set forth below; and

4.        Schedule I attached hereto sets forth financial data and computations evidencing the Borrower’s compliance with certain covenants of the Agreement, all of which data and computations are true, complete and correct.

Described below are the exceptions, if any, to paragraph 3 by listing, in detail, the nature of the condition or event, the period during which it has existed and the action which the Borrower has taken, is taking, or proposes to take with respect to each such condition or event:

The foregoing certifications, together with the computations set forth in Schedule I hereto and the financial statements delivered with this Certificate in support hereof, are made and delivered this ___ day of_________, 20__.


EXHIBIT E

LIST OF CLOSING DOCUMENTS

COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. CONSOLIDATED

CREDIT FACILITIES

June 7, 2016

LIST OF CLOSING DOCUMENTS1

A.        LOAN DOCUMENTS

 

1.

Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) by and among Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the institutions from time to time parties thereto as Lenders (the “Lenders”) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for itself and the other Lenders (the “Administrative Agent”), evidencing a term loan facility to the Borrower from the Lenders in an initial aggregate principal amount of $300,000,000.

SCHEDULES

 

Schedule I

     --     

Lenders and Commitments

Schedule II

     --     

Existing Liens Securing Indebtedness of $5,000,000 or more

Schedule III

     --     

Litigation

Schedule IV

     --     

Subsidiaries

Schedule V

     --     

Permitted Subsidiary Indebtedness

EXHIBITS

Exhibit A

     --     

Form of Notice of Borrowing

Exhibit B

     --     

Form of Assignment and Acceptance

Exhibit C

     --     

Form of Opinion of Special Counsel to the Borrower

Exhibit D

     --     

Form of Compliance Certificate of the Borrower

Exhibit E

     --     

List of Closing Documents

 

2.

Notes executed by the Borrower in favor of each of the Lenders, if any, which has requested a note pursuant to Section 2.18(d) of the Loan Agreement.

B.        CORPORATE DOCUMENTS

 

3.

Certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower certifying (i) that there have been no changes in the Certificate of Incorporation or other charter document of the Borrower, as attached thereto and as certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State of Delaware, since the date of the certification thereof by such Secretary of State, (ii) the By-Laws or other applicable organizational document, as attached thereto, of the Borrower as in effect on

 

1 Each capitalized term used herein and not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the above-defined Loan Agreement. Items appearing in bold and italics shall be prepared and/or provided by the Borrower and/or Borrower’s counsel.


- 2 -

 

  the date of such certification, (iii) resolutions of the Board of Directors or other governing body of the Borrower authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of each Loan Document to which it is a party, and (iv) the names and true signatures of the incumbent officers of the Borrower authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and authorized to request a Borrowing under the Loan Agreement.

 

4.

Good Standing Certificate for the Borrower from the Secretary of State of Delaware.

C.        OPINION

 

5.

Opinion of Moore & Van Allen, PLLC, counsel for the Borrower.

D.        CLOSING CERTIFICATES AND MISCELLANEOUS

 

6.

A Certificate signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower certifying the following: (i) all of the representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in Section 4.01 of the Loan Agreement are true and correct and (ii) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is then continuing.

EX-10.2

Exhibit 10.2

AMENDMENT NO. 1

Dated as of July 11, 2018

to

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of June 8, 2018

THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 (this “Amendment”) is made as of July 11, 2018 by and among Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the financial institutions listed on the signature pages hereof as Lenders and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent (the “Administrative Agent”) under that certain Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of June 8, 2018 by and among the Borrower, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Credit Agreement”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings given to them in the Amended Credit Agreement (as defined below).

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Majority Lenders and the Administrative Agent agree to make certain amendments to the Existing Credit Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Borrower, the Lenders party hereto and the Administrative Agent have so agreed on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises set forth above, the terms and conditions contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Borrower, the Lenders party hereto and the Administrative Agent hereby agree to enter into this Amendment.

1.        Amendments to the Credit Agreement. Effective as of the Amendment No. 1 Effective Date (as defined below), the parties hereto agree that the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended to amend and restate the definition of “Consolidated Funded Indebtedness/Cash Flow Ratio” in Section 1.01 thereof to read in its entirety as set forth below (as so amended, the “Amended Credit Agreement”):

Consolidated Funded Indebtedness/Cash Flow Ratio” shall mean, at any time, the ratio of (a) the aggregate amount, without duplication, of (i) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness minus the Liquidity Amount and (ii) 50% of every Contingent Obligation of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries (other than any Contingent Obligation in respect of any operating lease), determined and consolidated in accordance with GAAP to (b) the aggregate of (i) Consolidated Cash Flow for the then most recently concluded period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower and (ii) Acquisition Cash Flow for such period.

2.        Conditions of Effectiveness. The effectiveness of this Amendment (the “Amendment No. 1 Effective Date”) is subject to the following conditions precedent:


(a)        The Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Amendment duly executed by the Borrower, the Majority Lenders and the Administrative Agent.

(b)        The Administrative Agent shall have received payment of the Administrative Agent’s and its affiliates’ fees and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent) in connection with this Amendment and the other Loan Documents.

3.         Representations and Warranties of the Borrower. The Borrower hereby represents and warrants as follows:

(a)        This Amendment and the Amended Credit Agreement constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Borrower and are enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally and except as the enforceability of this Amendment and the Amended Credit Agreement is subject to the application of general principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), including, without limitation, (i) the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief or any other equitable remedy and (ii) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing.

(b)        As of the date hereof and after giving effect to the terms of this Amendment, (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (ii) the representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in Section 4.01 the Amended Credit Agreement are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof (unless expressly stated to relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date).

4.         Reference to and Effect on the Existing Credit Agreement.

(a)        From and after the effectiveness of the amendment to the Existing Credit Agreement evidenced hereby, the terms “Agreement”, “this Agreement”, “herein”, “hereinafter”, “hereto”, “hereof” and words of similar import, as used in the Amended Credit Agreement, shall, unless the context otherwise requires, refer to the Amended Credit Agreement, and the term “Credit Agreement”, as used in the other Loan Documents, shall mean the Amended Credit Agreement.

(b)        Each Loan Document and all other documents, instruments and agreements executed and/or delivered in connection therewith shall remain in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed.

(c)        The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Existing Credit Agreement, the Amended Credit Agreement, the Loan Documents or any other documents, instruments and agreements executed and/or delivered in connection therewith.

(d)        This Amendment is a Loan Document.

5.        No Novation. This Amendment shall not extinguish the Advances or other obligations outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement.

6.        Governing Law. This Amendment shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

 

2


7.        Headings. Section headings in this Amendment are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Amendment for any other purpose.

8.        Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed by one or more of the parties hereto on any number of separate counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Signatures delivered by facsimile or PDF shall have the same force and effect as manual signatures delivered in person.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

3


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amendment has been duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO. CONSOLIDATED,

as the Borrower

By:

 

/s/ David M. Katz

Name:  

 

David M. Katz

Title:

 

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of June 8, 2018

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually as a Lender

and as Administrative Agent

By:

 

/s/ Antje Focke

Name:  

 

Antje Focke

Title:

 

Executive Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of June 8, 2018

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Krutesh Trivedi

Name:

 

Krutesh Trivedi

Title:

 

Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of June 8, 2018

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Kelly Attayek

Name:

 

Kelly Attayek

Title:

 

Assistant Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of June 8, 2018

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Ekta Patel

Name:

 

Ekta Patel

Title:

 

Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of June 8, 2018

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


SOUTH STATE BANK,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Cutter D. Davis, Jr.

Name:

 

Cutter D. Davis, Jr.

Title:

 

Executive Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of June 8, 2018

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


CITIBANK, N.A.,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Michael Vondriska

Name:

 

Michael Vondriska

Title:

 

Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of June 8, 2018

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated


COÖPERATIEVE RABOBANK U.A.,

NEW YORK BRANCH,

as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Adriaan Weststrate

Name:

 

Adriaan Weststrate

Title:

 

Managing Director

By:

 

/s/ Jennifer Smith

Name:

 

Jennifer Smith

Title:

 

Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to

Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of June 8, 2018

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated