Johnson Outdoors December 30, 2005 Form 10-Q
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 10-Q
 
[ X ] QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the quarterly period ended December 30, 2005
 
OR
 
[    ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the transition period from _________ to _________
 
Commission file number 0-16255
 
JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Wisconsin
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
 
39-1536083
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
555 Main Street, Racine, Wisconsin 53403
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(262) 631-6600
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
 
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.   Yes [ X ]     No [    ]
 
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer” and “large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer  [     ]     Accelerated filer  [ X ]       Non-accelerated filer [     ]
 
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).     Yes  [    ]       No [ X ]
 
As of January 12, 2006, 7,859,567 shares of Class A and 1,219,667 shares of Class B common stock of the Registrant were outstanding.
 
 

 
JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.


Index
 
Page No.
PART I
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
   
         
 
Item 1.
Financial Statements
   
         
   
Consolidated Statements of Operations - Three months
ended December 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004
 
 
1
         
   
Consolidated Balance Sheets - December 30, 2005,
September 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004
 
 
2
         
   
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Three months
ended December 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004
 
 
3
         
   
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
 
4
         
 
Item 2.
Management's Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
 
 
11
         
 
Item 3.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures
About Market Risk
 
 
17
         
 
Item 4.
Controls and Procedures
 
17
         
PART II
OTHER INFORMATION
   
         
 
Item 6.
Exhibits
 
18
         
   
Signatures
 
19
         
   
Exhibit Index
 
20



PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION
 
Item 1. Financial Statements
 
JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(unaudited)
 
(thousands, except per share data)
 
Three Months Ended
 
   
December 30
2005
 
December 31
2004
 
Net sales
 
$
72,563
 
$
74,982
 
Cost of sales
   
43,134
   
44,710
 
Gross profit
   
29,429
   
30,272
 
Operating expenses:
             
Marketing and selling
   
18,290
   
17,833
 
Administrative management, finance and information systems
   
9,290
   
10,069
 
Research and development
   
2,661
   
2,445
 
Total operating expenses
   
30,241
   
30,347
 
Operating loss
   
(812
)
 
(75
)
Interest income
   
(88
)
 
(107
)
Interest expense
   
991
   
1,197
 
Other expenses (income), net
   
69
   
(119
)
Loss before income taxes
   
(1,784
)
 
(1,046
)
Income tax benefit
   
(690
)
 
(15
)
Net loss
 
$
(1,094
)
$
(1,031
)
Basic and diluted loss per common share
 
$
(0.12
)
$
(0.12
)
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.


1

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 
 
 
(thousands, except share data)
 
December 30
2005
(unaudited)
 
September 30
2005
(audited)
 
December 31
2004
(unaudited)
 
Assets
                   
Current assets:
                   
Cash and temporary cash investments
 
$
45,206
 
$
72,111
 
$
34,980
 
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful
accounts of $2,931, $2,546 and $3,045, respectively
   
62,465
   
48,274
   
57,736
 
Inventories, net
   
62,704
   
51,885
   
65,523
 
Income taxes refundable
   
1,509
   
746
   
2,322
 
Deferred income taxes
   
8,140
   
8,118
   
8,780
 
Other current assets
   
4,866
   
4,901
   
7,754
 
Total current assets
   
184,890
   
186,035
   
177,095
 
Property, plant and equipment, net
   
30,627
   
31,393
   
33,980
 
Deferred income taxes
   
19,670
   
19,675
   
16,873
 
Goodwill
   
42,196
   
37,733
   
42,007
 
Intangible assets, net
   
3,980
   
3,780
   
3,937
 
Other assets
   
4,884
   
4,702
   
4,225
 
Total assets
 
$
286,247
 
$
283,318
 
$
278,117
 
Liabilities And Shareholders' Equity
                   
Current liabilities:
                   
Short-term notes payable
 
$
28,000
 
$
 
$
4,023
 
Current maturities of long-term debt
   
17,000
   
13,000
   
13,001
 
Accounts payable
   
19,110
   
17,872
   
18,649
 
Accrued liabilities:
                   
Salaries, wages and benefits
   
9,871
   
17,052
   
8,661
 
Accrued discounts and returns
   
5,020
   
4,613
   
4,661
 
Accrued interest payable
   
777
   
1,804
   
717
 
Other
   
11,935
   
14,855
   
14,796
 
Total current liabilities
   
91,713
   
69,196
   
64,508
 
Long-term debt, less current maturities
   
20,800
   
37,800
   
37,800
 
Other liabilities
   
9,815
   
9,888
   
7,550
 
Total liabilities
   
122,328
   
116,884
   
109,858
 
Shareholders' equity:
                 
Preferred stock: none issued
   
   
   
 
Common stock:
                   
Class A shares issued:
December 30, 2005, 7,859,567;
September 30, 2005, 7,796,340;
December 31, 2004, 7,618,331
   
393
   
390
   
381
 
Class B shares issued (convertible into Class A):
December 30, 2005, 1,219,667;
September 30, 2005, 1,219,667;
December 31, 2004, 1,221,715
   
61
   
61
   
61
 
Capital in excess of par value
   
54,791
   
55,279
   
52,850
 
Retained earnings
   
108,206
   
109,300
   
101,166
 
Contingent compensation
   
-
   
(598
)
 
(7
)
Accumulated other comprehensive income
   
468
   
2,002
   
13,808
 
Total shareholders' equity
   
163,918
   
166,434
   
168,259
 
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
 
$
286,247
 
$
283,318
 
$
278,117
 
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

2

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
 
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(unaudited)
 
(thousands)
 
Three Months Ended
 
   
December 30
2005
 
December 31
2004
 
Cash Used For Operating Activities
             
Net loss
 
$
(1,094
)
$
(1,031
)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used for operating
activities:
             
Depreciation and amortization
   
2,342
   
2,590
 
Deferred income taxes
   
(41
)
 
53
 
Change in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of businesses acquired or sold:
             
Accounts receivable, net
   
(13,350
)
 
(6,639
)
Inventories, net
   
(7,473
)
 
(3,257
)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
   
(10,183
)
 
(14,891
)
Other, net
   
492
   
(1,619
)
     
(29,307
)
 
(24,794
)
Cash Used For Investing Activities
             
Payments for purchase of business
   
(10,400
)
 
 
Additions to property, plant and equipment
   
(1,470
)
 
(1,682
)
Proceeds from sold property, plant and equipment
   
   
365
 
     
(11,870
)
 
(1,317
)
Cash Provided By (Used For) Financing Activities
             
Net borrowings from short-term notes payable
   
28,000
   
 
Principal payments on senior notes and other long-term debt
   
(13,000
)
 
(16,200
)
Common stock transactions
   
1
   
127
 
     
15,001
   
(12,073
)
Effect of foreign currency fluctuations on cash
   
(729
)
 
3,592
 
Decrease in cash and temporary cash investments
   
(26,905
)
 
(34,592
)
Cash And Temporary Cash Investments
             
Beginning of period
   
72,111
   
69,572
 
End of period
 
$
45,206
 
$
34,980
 
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.


3

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.


NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(unaudited)
 
 
1          Basis of Presentation
 
The consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited. In the opinion of management, these statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring items) necessary to present fairly the financial position of Johnson Outdoors Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 30, 2005 and the results of operations and cash flows for the three months ended December 30, 2005. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005.
 
Because of seasonal and other factors, the results of operations for the three months ended December 30, 2005 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.
 
All monetary amounts, other than share and per share amounts, are stated in thousands.
 
Certain amounts as previously reported have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.
 
2          Earnings (loss) per Share
 
The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share:
 
   
Three Months Ended
 
   
December 30
2005
 
December 31
2004
 
Net loss
 
$
(1,094
)
$
(1,031
)
Weighted average common shares - Basic and Diluted
   
8,977,317
   
8,598,839
 
Basic and diluted loss per common share
 
$
(0.12
)
$
(0.12
)

The effect of stock options and restricted stock on diluted loss per share has not been presented given the impact would be anti-dilutive because of the net loss in each period.
 
3          Stock-Based Compensation and Stock Ownership Plans
 
On October 1, 2005, the Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 123(R), “Share-Based Payment,” requiring the Company to recognize compensation expense related to the fair value of its employee stock awards. The Company recognizes the cost of all employee stock awards on a straight-line basis over the vesting period of the award.
 
Total stock compensation expense for prior stock option grants recognized by the Company during the three months ended December 30, 2005 was $14, or $9 net of taxes. The Company expects that total stock compensation expense for prior stock option grants for fiscal 2006 will be approximately $55 before the effect of income taxes.
 

4

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

 
Prior to October 1, 2005, the Company accounted for its employee stock awards under the recognition and measurement provisions of APB Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” and related Interpretations, as permitted by SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation.” Generally, no stock option-based employee compensation cost was recognized in the income statement prior to October 1, 2005, as stock options granted under those plans had an exercise price equal to the market value of the underlying common stock on the date of grant. Effective October 1, 2005, the Company adopted the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123(R), using the modified-prospective-transition method. Under that transition method, compensation cost for stock options recognized in fiscal 2006 includes compensation cost for all options granted prior to, but not yet vested as of October 1, 2005, based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the original provisions of SFAS No. 123. Compensation cost will be recorded for all options granted, if any, subsequent to October 1, 2005, based on the grant-date fair value estimated in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R). Results for prior periods have not been restated.
 
The current stock based award plans also allow for the issuance of restricted stock or stock appreciation rights in lieu of options. Grants totaling 62,726 shares of restricted stock were made to certain key executives on December 12, 2005. Unvested restricted stock issued and outstanding as of December 30, 2005 totaled 101,820 shares having an unamortized value of $1,543, which will be amortized through November 2008. The Company recognized expense of $94 and $12 related to restricted stock in the three months ended December 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004, respectively. The accounting treatment in prior periods for amortization of compensation expense related to restricted stock was consistent with the current treatment under SFAS 123(R).  As a result of adopting SFAS 123(R) on October 1, 2005, the Company no longer records restricted stock in the balance sheet upon grant, with a debit to contingent compensation, but rather as the restricted stock is earned over the applicable vesting period. Previously recorded contingent compensation was reversed against capital in excess of par value on October 1, 2005 and will be amortized to expense, with a credit to capital in excess of par value, over the remaining vesting period.
 
The Company's employees’ stock purchase plan provides for the issuance of Class A common stock at a purchase price of not less than 85% of the fair market value at the date of grant or the end of the offering period, whichever is lower. Shares available for purchase by employees under this plan were 82,842 at December 30, 2005. The Company anticipates there will be another grant under the employees’ stock purchase plan in the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2006 which will result in compensation expense pursuant to SFAS 123(R).
 
As a result of adopting SFAS 123(R) on October 1, 2005, the Company’s loss before income taxes and net loss for the period ended December 30, 2005, are $14 and $9 higher, respectively, than if the Company had continued to account for share-based compensation under Opinion 25. Basic and fully diluted earnings per share for the period ended December 30, 2005 would not change from the reported loss of $0.12 per diluted share if the Company had not adopted SFAS No. 123(R). Basic and fully diluted earnings per share for the period ended December 31, 2004 would not change from the reported loss of $0.12 per diluted share if the Company had early adopted SFAS No. 123(R). Prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R), the Company presented all excess tax benefits of deductions resulting from the exercise of stock options or vesting of restricted stock as operating cash flows in the Statement of Cash Flows. Beginning on October 1, 2005 the Company changed its cash flow presentation in accordance with SFAS No. 123(R) which requires the cash flows resulting from the tax benefits resulting from tax deductions in excess of the compensation cost recognized for those options or restricted stock (excess tax benefits) to be classified as financing cash flows.
 
The pro forma information below, presented for the Company’s quarter ended December 31, 2004, was determined using the fair value method based on provisions of SFAS No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation, as amended by SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation - Transition and Disclosure.

5

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

 
   
Three Months Ended
 
 
 
 
 
December 31
2004
 
Net loss
       
$
(1,031
)
Total stock-based compensation included in net loss, net of tax
         
13
 
Total stock-based compensation expense determined under fair
value method, net of tax
         
(15
)
Pro forma net loss
       
$
(1,033
)
Basic earnings per common share
             
As reported
       
$
(0.12
)
Pro forma
       
$
(0.12
)
Diluted earnings per common share
             
As reported
       
$
(0.12
)
Pro forma
       
$
(0.12
)

The Company’s current stock ownership plans provide for the issuance of options to acquire shares of Class A common stock by key executives and non-employee directors. All stock options have been granted with an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant and become exercisable over periods of one to four years from the date of grant. Stock options generally have a term of ten years.
 
A summary of stock option activity related to the Company’s plans is as follows:
 
   
Shares
 
Weighted Average Exercise Price
 
Outstanding at September 30, 2005
   
343,034
 
$
9.13
 
Exercised
   
(501
)
 
7.42
 
Cancelled
   
(4,000
)
 
22.06
 
Outstanding at December 30, 2005
   
338,533
 
$
8.98
 

Options to purchase 462,266 shares of common stock with a weighted average exercise price of $8.63 per share were outstanding at December 31, 2004.
 
The Company adopted a phantom stock plan during fiscal 2003. Under this plan, certain employees earn cash bonus awards based upon the performance of the Company’s Class A common stock. The Company recognized expense under the phantom stock plan of $73 and $119 in the three months ended December 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004, respectively. The Company made payments on $274 to participants in the plan during the three months ended December 30, 2004. There were no grants of phantom shares in fiscal 2005 or the first quarter of fiscal 2006 and the Company does not anticipate further grants of phantom shares going forward.
 

6

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
 
4          Pension Plans
 
The components of net periodic benefit cost related to Company sponsored benefit plans for the three months ended December 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004 were as follows.
 
   
Three Months Ended
 
   
December 30
2005
 
December 31
2004
 
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
             
Service cost
 
$
157
 
$
144
 
Interest on projected benefit obligation
   
235
   
222
 
Less estimated return on plan assets
   
(206
)
 
(191
)
Amortization of unrecognized:
             
Net loss
   
28
   
25
 
Prior service cost
   
6
   
6
 
Transition asset
   
   
(10
)
Net amount recognized
 
$
220
 
$
196
 
 
5         Restructuring
 
Diving
 
In September 2005, the Company’s Diving business approved a plan to consolidate distribution in Europe. These actions will result in the closure of warehouses in Germany, Italy and Switzerland and office space in France over the second and third quarters of fiscal 2006. Additionally, actions were taken during fiscal 2005 to reorganize the European management structure to unify the marketing and sales efforts across Europe. The Company expects that this decision will result in the reduction of 14 positions.
 
The Diving business realized a favorable settlement on estimated employee termination benefits in the quarter ended December 30, 2005, resulting in a recovery of $25. Costs anticipated during the remainder of fiscal 2006 are estimated to total $384 and include employee termination benefits, lease termination costs and losses on assets to be disposed. These charges are and will be included in the “Administrative management, finance and information systems” line in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
 
A summary of charges, payments and accruals for the quarter ended December 30, 2005 are as follows:
         
Accrued liabilities as of September 30, 2005
 
$
718
 
Activity during quarter ended December 30, 2005:
       
Additional charges (recoveries)
   
(25
)
Settlement payments and other
   
(684
)
Accrued liabilities as of December 30, 2005
 
$
9
 


7

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
 
Watercraft
 
On July 27, 2004, the Company announced plans to outsource manufacturing of its Grand Rapids, Michigan facility, and to shift production from Mansonville, Canada to its Old Town, Maine operation, as part of the Company's on-going efforts to increase efficiency and improve profitability of its Watercraft business unit. The Company ceased manufacturing operations at both locations in September 2004. The decision resulted in the reduction of 71 positions. Costs and charges associated with these actions were $3.8 million and were incurred across fiscal years 2005 and 2004. There were no charges impacting fiscal 2006.
 
A summary of payments and accruals for fiscal 2006 were as follows:
         
Accrued liabilities as of September 30, 2005
 
$
526
 
Settlement payments
   
(175
)
Accrued liabilities as of December 30, 2005
 
$
351
 
 
6         Income Taxes
 
The provision for income taxes is based upon estimated annual effective tax rates in the tax jurisdictions in which the Company operates. The effective tax rate for the three months ended December 30, 2005 was 38.7% compared to 1.4% in the corresponding period of the prior year. The prior year effective tax rate was impacted by the non-deductibility of costs related to the then on-going proposed buy-out transaction. The buy-out transaction was subsequently terminated on March 31, 2005 and became deductible.
 
7         Inventories
 
Inventories at the end of the respective periods consist of the following:
               
 
  December 30
2005
 September 30
2005
  December 31
2004
 
Raw materials
 
$
24,214
 
$
20,195
 
$
25,535
 
Work in process
   
2,683
   
2,886
   
2,132
 
Finished goods
   
38,543
   
31,367
   
40,776
 
     
65,440
   
54,448
   
68,443
 
Less reserves
   
2,736
   
2,563
   
2,920
 
   
$
62,704
 
$
51,885
 
$
65,523
 
 
 
8          Acquisition
 
On October 3, 2005, the Company acquired the assets of Cannon downriggers and Bottomline fishfinders (Cannon/Bottomline) from Computrol, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Armstrong International. The initial purchase price paid was $10,400. An adjustment to the purchase price based on closing working capital in the amount of $537 was received by the Company on January 19, 2006. The transaction was funded using existing cash on hand. Cannon/Bottomline will be included in the Company’s Marine Electronics Group. The final allocation of the purchase price has not been finalized as of the date on which this report was filed. Pro-forma financial information related to the Cannon/Bottomline acquisition has not been presented due to the immateriality of the transaction.

8

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
 
9          Warranties
 
The Company provides for warranties of certain products as they are sold. The following table summarizes the warranty activity for the three months ended December 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004.
           
   
December 30
2005
 
December 31
2004
 
Balance at beginning of quarter
 
$
3,287
 
$
3,533
 
Expense accruals for warranties issued during the period
   
481
   
529
 
Less current period warranty claims paid
   
585
   
546
 
Balance at end of quarter
 
$
3,183
 
$
3,614
 
 
10      Comprehensive Income (Loss)
 
Comprehensive income (loss) includes net income (loss) and changes in shareholders’ equity from non-owner sources. For the Company, the difference between net income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss) is due to cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments. Weakening, primarily by the Euro, Swiss franc, Canadian dollar and other worldwide currencies against the U.S. dollar created the translation adjustment loss for the three months ended December 30, 2005.
 
Comprehensive income (loss) for the respective periods consists of the following:
   
 
                            Three Months Ended
 
December 30
2005
December 31
2004
Net loss
$(1,094)
$(1,031)
Translation adjustments
(1,534)
8,424
Comprehensive income (loss)
$(2,628)
$7,393
 
11       Segments of Business
 
The Company conducts its worldwide operations through separate global business units, each of which represents major product lines. Operations are conducted in the United States and various foreign countries, primarily in Europe, Canada and the Pacific Basin. The Company’s Outdoor Equipment business recognized net sales to the United States military which totaled approximately 12.2% and 20.0% of total Company’s net sales during the quarters ended December 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004, respectively.
 
Net sales and operating profit include both sales to customers, as reported in the Company's consolidated statements of operations, and interunit transfers, which are priced to recover cost plus an appropriate profit margin. Total assets are those assets used in the Company's operations in each business unit at the end of the periods presented.
 

9

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

A summary of the Company’s operations by business unit is presented below:
 
   
 Three Months Ended
 
   
December 30
2005
 
December 31
2004
 
Net sales:
             
Marine electronics:
             
Unaffiliated customers
 
$
29,966
 
$
27,738
 
Interunit transfers
   
8
   
111
 
Outdoor equipment:
             
Unaffiliated customers
   
14,517
   
18,840
 
Interunit transfers
   
7
   
11
 
Watercraft:
             
Unaffiliated customers
   
12,261
   
11,963
 
Interunit transfers
   
23
   
103
 
Diving:
             
Unaffiliated customers
   
15,742
   
16,321
 
Interunit transfers
   
76
   
3
 
Other
   
77
   
120
 
Eliminations
   
(114
)
 
(228
)
   
$
72,563
 
$
74,982
 
Operating profit (loss):
             
Marine electronics
 
$
2,416
 
$
2,887
 
Outdoor equipment
   
1,648
   
3,408
 
Watercraft
   
(2,491
)
 
(2,819
)
Diving
   
66
   
(136
)
Other
   
(2,451
)
 
(3,415
)
   
$
(812
)
$
(75
)
Total assets (end of period):
             
Marine electronics
 
$
75,600
 
$
69,045
 
Outdoor equipment`
   
26,799
   
23,473
 
Watercraft
   
56,060
   
59,683
 
Diving
   
92,295
   
102,394
 
Other
   
35,493
   
23,522
 
   
$
286,247
 
$
278,117
 

12        Litigation
 
The Company is subject to various legal actions and proceedings in the normal course of business, including those related to product liability and environmental matters. The Company is insured against loss for certain of these matters. Although litigation is subject to many uncertainties and the ultimate exposure with respect to these matters cannot be ascertained, management does not believe the final outcome of any pending litigation will have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of operations, liquidity or cash flows of the Company.

10

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
 
Item 2     Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
 
The following discussion includes comments and analysis relating to the results of operations and financial condition of Johnson Outdoors Inc. and its subsidiaries (the Company) as of and for the three months ended December 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004. This discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes that immediately precede this section, as well as the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005.
 
Forward Looking Statements
 
Certain matters discussed in this Form 10-Q are “forward-looking statements,” and the Company intends these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this statement for purposes of those safe harbor provisions. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because the context of the statement includes phrases such as the Company “expects,” “believes” or other words of similar meaning. Similarly, statements that describe the Company’s future plans, objectives or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those currently anticipated. Factors that could affect actual results or outcomes include changes in consumer spending patterns; the Company’s success in implementing its strategic plan, including its focus on innovation; actions of companies that compete with the Company; the Company’s success in managing inventory; movements in foreign currencies or interest rates; unanticipated issues related to the Company’s military tent business; the success of suppliers and customers; the ability of the Company to deploy its capital successfully; unanticipated outcomes related to outsourcing certain manufacturing processes; unanticipated outcomes related to outstanding litigation matters; adverse weather conditions; and unanticipated events related to the terminated buy-out proposal. Shareholders, potential investors and other readers are urged to consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included herein are only made as of the date of this Form 10-Q. The Company assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
 
Trademarks
 
We have registered the following trademarks, which are used in this Form 10-K: Minn Kota®, Cannon®, Humminbird®, Bottomline®, Fishin' Buddy®, Silva®, Eureka!®, Old Town®, Ocean Kayak®, Necky®, Escape®, Extrasport®, Carlisle®, SCUBAPRO®, and UWATEC®.
 
Overview
 
The Company designs, manufactures and markets top-quality outdoor recreational products. Through a combination of innovative products and strong marketing and distribution, the Company meets the needs of the consumer, seeking to set itself apart from the competition. Its subsidiaries comprise a network that promotes entrepreneurialism and leverages best practices and synergies, following the strategic vision set by executive management and approved by the Company’s Board of Directors.
 
Quarterly sales are historically lowest during the first fiscal quarter when the Company is ramping up for its primary selling season for its outdoor recreational products. The 3.2% decline in net sales for the three months ended December 30, 2005 resulted primarily from the anticipated decline in military tent sales. Key changes include:
 
 
§
Marine Electronics had a 7.6% increase in quarterly sales due primarily to the continued growth of Humminbird, and the acquisition of Cannon/Bottomline brands on October 3, 2005 which added $1.2 million in sales to the division during the quarter.
 
§
Watercraft continued its positive momentum with sales 1.8% ahead of last year’s first quarter due to the favorable reception of new products.
 
§
Diving revenues declined 3.1% due to unfavorable currency fluctuations of $1.0 million.
 
§
Outdoor Equipment revenues decreased 23.0% due entirely to a 29.1% decline ($4.6 million) in military tent sales from the prior year quarter.
 

11

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

Debt-to-total capitalization stands at 29% at the end of the quarter, higher than the prior year’s first quarter end as the Company incurred short-term borrowings to meet working capital needs.
 
Due to the seasonality of the Company’s businesses, first quarter results are not expected to be indicative of the Company's primary selling period, which takes place in its second and third fiscal quarters. The table below sets forth a historical view of the Company’s seasonality.
 
Year Ended
 
 
 
September 30, 2005
 
October 1, 2004
 
October 3, 2003
 
 
Quarter Ended
 
Net
Sales
 
Operating
Profit (Loss)
 
Net
Sales
 
Operating
Profit (Loss)
 
Net
Sales
 
Operating
Profit (Loss)
 
December
   
20
%
 
%
 
18
%
 
7
%
 
17
%
 
1
%
March
   
28
   
54
   
27
   
45
   
27
   
53
 
June
   
32
   
76
   
34
   
72
   
34
   
77
 
September
   
20
   
(30
)
 
21
   
(24
)
 
22
   
(31
)
     
100
%
 
100
%
 
100
%
 
100
%
 
100
%
 
100
%
 
Results of Operations
 
The Company’s sales and operating profit (loss) by segment are summarized as follows:
 
(millions)
 
Three Months Ended
 
   
December 30
2005
 
December 31
2004
 
Net sales:
             
Marine electronics
 
$
30.0
 
$
27.9
 
Outdoor equipment
   
14.5
   
18.8
 
Watercraft
   
12.3
   
12.1
 
Diving
   
15.8
   
16.3
 
Other/eliminations
   
-
   
(0.1
)
Total
 
$
72.6
 
$
75.0
 
Operating profit (loss):
             
Marine electronics
 
$
2.4
 
$
2.9
 
Outdoor equipment
   
1.6
   
3.4
 
Watercraft
   
(2.5
)
 
(2.8
)
Diving
   
0.1
   
(0.1
)
Other/eliminations
   
(2.4
)
 
(3.5
)
Total
 
$
(0.8
)
$
(0.1
)

See Note 11 of notes to the consolidated financial statements for the definition of segment net sales and operating profits.

12

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

Net sales on a consolidated basis for the three months ended December 30, 2005 totaled $72.6 million, a decrease of 3.2% or $2.4 million, compared to $75.0 million in the three months ended December 31, 2004. The Company acquired the Cannon/Bottomline businesses on October 3, 2005. Net sales for the Cannon/Bottomline businesses for the three months ended December 30, 2005 were $1.2 million. Foreign currency fluctuations unfavorably impacted quarterly sales by $1.0 million in the three months ended December 30, 2005. Two of the Company’s business units had sales growth over the prior year. The Marine Electronics business sales increased $2.1 million, or 7.6%, to $30.0 million. This increase was primarily the result of growth in the Humminbird business as well as the addition of the Cannon/Bottomline businesses. Sales for the Watercraft business increased slightly, 1.8% higher than the prior year’s first quarter. Outdoor Equipment business net sales declined $4.3 million, or 23.0%, to $14.5 million resulting from the declines in military tent sales in the current fiscal year. The Company anticipated this decline in military tent sales based on its current contracts outstanding. The Diving business sales decreased $0.5 million, or 3.1%, to $15.8 million, including unfavorable currency fluctuations totaling $1.0 million resulting from the weakening of the Euro against the U.S. Dollar.
 
Gross profit as a percentage of sales was 40.6% for the three months ended December 30, 2005 compared to 40.4% in the corresponding period in the prior year. The overall increase in gross margin rate was driven by Watercraft and Diving, who benefited from improvements in operations as well as new product launches. Outdoor Equipment business gross margin rates declined, mainly attributable to the loss of military tent business. The Marine Electronics gross margin rate was flat. Minn Kota business gross margin rates were flat and gross margin rates for the Humminbird business were improved over prior year but still lower than historical Marine Electronics rates.
 
The Company recognized an operating loss of $0.8 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005 compared to an operating loss of $0.1 million for the corresponding period of the prior year. Diving reported an operating profit of $0.1 million. Watercraft operating losses for the three months were improved over the losses incurred in the prior year as a result of improvements made to the business’s operations. The Outdoor Equipment business declines in operating profit were the result of the reduction in military tent sales. Marine Electronics operating profits declined on lower Minn Kota volume as well as increased spending on research and development. Operating profit in fiscal 2005 was also negatively impacted by expenses (approximately $0.9 million) recorded at the corporate level related to the proposed buy-out transaction, which did not occur and was terminated on March 31, 2005.
 
Interest expense declined to $1.0 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005, from $1.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2004. In the current year, the Company benefited from reductions in overall debt levels.
 
Interest income was $0.1 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005, flat as compared to the same period a year ago.
 
The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended December 30, 2005 was 38.7%, compared to 1.4% for the corresponding period of the prior year. The prior year effective tax rate was impacted by the non-deductibility of costs related to the then on-going proposed buy-out transaction. The buy-out transaction was subsequently terminated on March 31, 2005 and the costs became deductible.
 
Net Loss
 
Net loss for the three months ended December 30, 2005 was $1.1 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, compared to net loss of $1.0 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, for the corresponding period of the prior year due to the factors noted above.

13

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

Financial Condition
 
The Company’s cash flow from operating, investing and financing activities, as reflected in the consolidated statements of cash flows, is summarized in the following table:
 
        
(millions)
 
Three Months Ended
 
   
December 30
2005
 
December 31
2004
 
Cash provided by (used for):
             
Operating activities
 
$
(29.3
)
$
(24.8
)
Investing activities
   
(11.9
)
 
(1.3
)
Financing activities
   
15.0
   
(12.1
)
Effect of exchange rate changes
   
(0.7
)
 
3.6
 
Decrease in cash and temporary cash investments
 
$
(26.9
)
$
(34.6
)

In its first fiscal quarter, the Company typically invests in operating assets in anticipation of the Company’s strongest selling season, which is in the second and third quarters of the Company’s fiscal year.
 
The Company's debt-to-total capitalization ratio has increased to 29% as of December 30, 2005 from 25% as of December 31, 2004, as the Company incurred short-term borrowings to meet working capital needs.
 
Operating Activities
 
Cash flows used for operations totaled $29.3 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005 compared with $24.8 million used for operations for the corresponding period of the prior year.
 
Accounts receivable increased $13.4 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005, compared to an increase of $6.6 million in the year ago period. Inventories increased by $7.5 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005 compared to an increase of $3.3 million in the prior year comparable period. The inventory build in the current year is primarily related to a build-up of products for the Company’s selling season. The Company believes it is producing products at levels adequate to meet expected customer demand.
 
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities decreased $10.2 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005 versus a decrease of $14.9 million for the corresponding period of the prior year. The decreases during the quarters ended December 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004 was the result of settlement of various accruals.
 
Depreciation and amortization charges were $2.3 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005 and $2.6 million for the corresponding period of the prior year.
 
Investing Activities
 
Cash used for investing activities totaled $11.9 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005 and $1.3 million for the corresponding period of the prior year. Capital expenditures totaled $1.5 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005 and $1.7 million for the corresponding period of the prior year. The Company’s recurring investments are made primarily for tooling for new products and enhancements. In 2006, capital expenditures are anticipated to be in line with prior year levels. These expenditures are expected to be funded by working capital or existing credit facilities. Additionally on October 3, 2005, the Company acquired the assets of Cannon/Bottomline for an initial purchase price of $10.4 million. An adjustment to the purchase price based on closing working capital in the amount of $0.5 million was received by the Company on January 19, 2006.

14

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

Financing Activities
 
Cash flows provided by financing activities totaled $15.0 million for the three months ended December 30, 2005 and cash flows used for financing activities totaled $12.1 million for the corresponding period of the prior year. The Company made principal payments on senior notes and other long-term debt of $13.0 million and $16.2 million during the first quarters of fiscal years 2006 and 2005, respectively.
 
On October 7, 2005, the Company entered into a new $75 million unsecured revolving credit facility agreement expiring October 7, 2010. Available credit under this agreement, along with cash provided by operating activities, is expected to provide adequate funding for the Company’s operations through October 7, 2010. The Company had borrowings outstanding on revolving credit facilities of $28.0 million ($25.0 million at an interest rate of 5.05% and $3.0 million at an interest rate of 7.25%) as of December 30, 2005. The Company incurred short-term borrowings to meet working capital needs.
 
Obligations and Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
 
The Company has obligations and commitments to make future payments under debt agreements and operating leases. The following schedule details these obligations at December 30, 2005.
 
   
Payment Due by Period
 
(millions)
 
Total
 
Remainder 2006
 
2007/08
 
2009/10
 
2011 & After
 
Long-term debt
 
$
37.8
 
$
 
$
17.0
 
$
20.8
 
$
 
Short-term debt
   
28.0
   
28.0
   
   
   
 
Operating lease obligations
   
18.2
   
2.9
   
7.4
   
4.3
   
3.6
 
Open purchase orders
   
58.4
   
58.4
   
   
   
 
Contractually obligated interest payments
   
5.4
   
1.5
   
2.3
   
1.6
   
 
Total contractual obligations
 
$
147.8
 
$
90.8
 
$
26.7
 
$
26.7
 
$
3.6
 

Interest obligations on short-term debt are included in the contractually obligated interest payments above only to the extent accrued as of December 30, 2005. Future interest costs on the revolving credit facility cannot be estimated due to the variability of the borrowings against that facility and the variable interest rates on that facility.
 
The Company also utilizes letters of credit for trade financing purposes. Letters of credit outstanding at December 30, 2005 total $3.7 million.
 
The Company has entered into an inventory purchase agreement with one of its suppliers. Under the terms of this agreement, the Company guarantees that upon the occurrence of an event of default with respect to the credit facilities between the supplier and its bank, the Company will purchase up to a maximum declining amount of good quality inventory over the period through August 1, 2006. The schedule of obligations in the event of default is as follows:
 
 
l
Through February 28, 2006 - Up to $2.5 million.
 
l
From March 1, 2006 to May 31, 2006 - Up to $2.0 million.
 
l
From June 1, 2006 to August 1, 2006 - Up to $1.5 million.
 
The Company has no other off-balance sheet arrangements.

15

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

Market Risk Management
 
The Company is exposed to market risk stemming from changes in foreign exchange rates, interest rates and, to a lesser extent, commodity prices. Changes in these factors could cause fluctuations in earnings and cash flows. The Company may reduce exposure to certain of these market risks by entering into hedging transactions authorized under Company policies that place controls on these activities. Hedging transactions involve the use of a variety of derivative financial instruments. Derivatives are used only where there is an underlying exposure, not for trading or speculative purposes.
 
Foreign Operations
 
The Company has significant foreign operations, for which the functional currencies are denominated primarily in Euros, Swiss francs, Japanese yen and Canadian dollars. As the values of the currencies of the foreign countries in which the Company has operations increase or decrease relative to the U.S. Dollar, the sales, expenses, profits, losses, assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign operations, as reported in the Company’s consolidated financial statements, increase or decrease, accordingly. In the past the Company has mitigated a portion of the fluctuations in certain foreign currencies through the purchase of foreign currency swaps, forward contracts and options to hedge known commitments, primarily for purchases of inventory and other assets denominated in foreign currencies; however, no such transactions were entered into during fiscal 2005 or the first quarter of fiscal 2006.
 
Interest Rates
 
The Company’s debt structure and interest rate risk are managed through the use of fixed and floating rate debt. The Company’s primary exposure is to United States interest rates. The Company also periodically enters into interest rate swaps, caps or collars to hedge its exposure and lower financing costs. The Company had no interest rate swaps, caps or collars outstanding as of December 31, 2005 or September 30, 2005.
 
Commodities
 
Certain components used in the Company’s products are exposed to commodity price changes. The Company manages this risk through instruments such as purchase orders and non-cancelable supply contracts. Primary commodity price exposures are metals and packaging materials.
 
Sensitivity to Changes in Value
 
The estimates that follow are intended to measure the maximum potential fair value or earnings the Company could lose in one year from adverse changes in market interest rates. The calculations are not intended to represent actual losses in fair value or earnings that the Company expects to incur. The estimates do not consider favorable changes in market rates. The table below presents the estimated maximum potential loss in fair value and annual earnings before income taxes from a 100 basis point movement in interest rates on the senior notes outstanding at December 30, 2005:
 
(millions)
 
Estimated Impact on
 
   
 
Fair Value
 
Earnings Before Income Taxes
 
Interest rate instruments
 
$
0.5
 
$
0.4
 

The Company has outstanding $37.8 million in unsecured senior notes as of December 30, 2005. The senior notes bear interest rates that range from 7.15% to 7.82% and are to be repaid through December 2008. The fair market value of the Company’s fixed rate senior notes was $40.1 million as of December 30, 2005.

16

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

Other Factors
 
The Company experienced inflationary pressures during 2005 on energy, metals and resins. The Company anticipates that changing costs of basic raw materials may impact future operating costs and, accordingly, the prices of its products. The Company is involved in continuing programs to mitigate the impact of cost increases through changes in product design and identification of sourcing and manufacturing efficiencies. Price increases and, in certain situations, price decreases are implemented for individual products, when appropriate.
 
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
 
The Company’s critical accounting policies are identified in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005 in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under the heading “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates.” There were no significant changes to the Company’s critical accounting policies during the three months ended December 30, 2005.
 
Item 3.      Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
 
Information with respect to this item is included in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under the heading “Market Risk Management.”
 
Item 4.      Controls and Procedures
 
The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the Company’s reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the specified time periods. As of the end of the period covered by this report, the Company carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of these disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act. Based on that evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that as of the end of such period, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
 
There were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

17

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

PART II OTHER INFORMATION
 
Item 6.
Exhibits
   
 
The following exhibits are filed as part of this Form 10-Q:
   
 
4.15
     
 
31.1
     
 
31.2
     
 
32 ( 1)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
__________________
(1) This certification is not “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

18

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.

SIGNATURES


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


 
JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
Signatures Dated:  February 8, 2006
 
 
/s/ Helen P. Johnson-Leipold
 
Helen P. Johnson-Leipold
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
   
 
/s/ David W. Johnson
 
David W. Johnson
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)


 
19

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.


Exhibit Index to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q

 
Exhibit Number
Description
   
4.15
Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2005, by and among Johnson Outdoors Inc.
   
31.1
Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
   
31.2
Certification by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
   
32 ( 1)
Certification of Periodic Financial Report by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

___________________
(1) This certification is not “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
 
 
 
20
Exhibit 4.15 to December 30, 2005 Form 10-Q
EXHIBIT 4.15
 
EXECUTION COPY
 
 
 
JP MORGAN
 
 
CREDIT AGREEMENT
 
dated as of
 
October [7], 2005
 
among
 
JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
 
The Lenders Party Hereto
 
and
 
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
as Administrative Agent
 
__________________________________
 
 
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.
as Sole Bookrunner and Sole Lead Arranger
 
 
 

 

 
TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Page 
ARTICLE I Definitions
 
SECTION 1.01.  Defined Terms
SECTION 1.02.  Classification of Loans and Borrowings
SECTION 1.03.  Terms Generally
SECTION 1.04.  Accounting Terms; GAAP
 
ARTICLE II The Credits
 
SECTION 2.01.  Commitments
SECTION 2.02.  Loans and Borrowings
SECTION 2.03.  Requests for Revolving Borrowings
SECTION 2.04.  Determination of Dollar Amounts
SECTION 2.05.  Swingline Loans
SECTION 2.06.  Letters of Credit
SECTION 2.07.  Funding of Borrowings
SECTION 2.08.  Interest Elections
SECTION 2.09.  Termination and Reduction of Commitments
SECTION 2.10.  Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt
SECTION 2.11.  Prepayment of Loans
SECTION 2.12.  Fees
SECTION 2.13.  Interest
SECTION 2.14.  Alternate Rate of Interest
SECTION 2.15.  Increased Costs
SECTION 2.16.  Break Funding Payments
SECTION 2.17.  Taxes
SECTION 2.18.  Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs
SECTION 2.19.  Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders
SECTION 2.20.  Expansion Option
SECTION 2.21.  Market Disruption
SECTION 2.22.  Judgment Currency
 
ARTICLE III Representations and Warranties
 
SECTION 3.01.  Organization; Powers; Subsidiaries
SECTION 3.02.  Authorization; Enforceability
SECTION 3.03.  Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts
SECTION 3.04.  Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change
SECTION 3.05.  Properties
SECTION 3.06.  Litigation and Environmental Matters
SECTION 3.07.  Compliance with Laws and Agreements
SECTION 3.08.  Investment and Holding Company Status
SECTION 3.09.  Taxes
SECTION 3.10.  ERISA
SECTION 3.11.  Disclosure
SECTION 3.12.  Federal Reserve Regulations
SECTION 3.13.  No Default
 
 
1
19
19
20
 
20
 
20
20
21
22
22
23
28
29
30
31
32
32
34
34
35
36
36
38
40
40
41
42
 
42
 
42
43
43
43
44
44
44
45
45
45
45
45
45



ARTICLE IV Conditions
 
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event
 
ARTICLE V Affirmative Covenants
 
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information
SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events
SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business
SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations
SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties; Insurance
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights
SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws
SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit
SECTION 5.09. Subsidiary Guaranty
 
ARTICLE VI Negative Covenants
 
SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness
SECTION 6.02. Liens
SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes
SECTION 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions
SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales
SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions
SECTION 6.07. Swap Agreements
SECTION 6.08. Restricted Payments
SECTION 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates
SECTION 6.10. Restrictive Agreements
SECTION 6.11. Amendment of Material Documents
SECTION 6.12. [Intentionally Ommitted]
SECTION 6.13. Financial Covenants
SECTION 6.14. Fiscal Year
46
 
46
47
 
47
 
47
48
49
49
49
49
50
50
50
 
50
 
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
56
56
56
57
57
57
57

ii



ARTICLE VII Events of Default
 
ARTICLE VIII The Administrative Agent
 
ARTICLE IX Miscellaneous
 
SECTION 9.01. Notices
SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments
SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver
SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns
SECTION 9.05. Survival
SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness
SECTION 9.07. Severability
SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff
SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process
SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
SECTION 9.11. Headings
SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality
SECTION 9.13. USA PATRIOT Act
57
 
58
 
58
 
58
58
58
58
58
58
58
58
58
58
58
58
58


iii


SCHEDULES:
 
Schedule 1.01 - Excluded Subsidiaries
Schedule 2.01 - Commitments
Schedule 2.06 - Letters of Credit
Schedule 3.01 - Subsidiaries
Schedule 6.01 - Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 - Existing Liens
Schedule 6.04 - Existing Investments
Schedule 6.10 - Existing Restrictions
 
EXHIBITS:
 
Exhibit A - Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B - Form of Opinion of Loan Parties’ Counsel
Exhibit C - Form of Increasing Lender Supplement
Exhibit D - Form of Augmenting Lender Supplement
Exhibit E - List of Closing Documents




CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of October [7], 2005 among JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC., the LENDERS party hereto and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
 
The parties hereto agree as follows:
 
ARTICLE I
 
Definitions
 
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
 
ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
 
Acquisition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the date of this Agreement, by which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) acquires any going business or all or substantially all of the assets of any firm, corporation or limited liability company or other business entity, or division thereof, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise or (ii) directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (in number of votes) of the securities of a corporation which have ordinary voting power for the election of directors (other than securities having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority (by percentage of voting power) of the outstanding ownership interests of a partnership or limited liability company or other business entity.
 
Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.
 
Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
 
Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
 
Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
 
Agreed Currencies” means Dollars and euro.
 
Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
 


 
Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments.
 
Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any Eurocurrency Revolving Loan, or with respect to the facility fees and Letter of Credit fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “Eurocurrency Spread” or “Facility Fee Rate” as the case may be, based upon the Leverage Ratio applicable on such date:
 
                        
Category:
Leverage Ratio:
Eurocurrency Spread
Facility Fee Rate
        1
< 1.5 to 1.0    
            0.475%
        0.150%
        2
> 1.5 to 1.0 but < 2.0 to 1.0
            0.575%
        0.175%
        3
> 2.0 to 1.0 but < 2.5 to 1.0
            0.675%
        0.200%
        4
> 2.5 to 1.0 but < 3.0 to 1.0        
            0.750%
        0.250%
        5
> 3.0 to 1.0
            1.20%
        0.300%

For purposes of the foregoing,
 
(i) if at any time the Borrower fails to deliver the Financials on or before the 30th day after the date the Financials are due, Category 5 (as identified in the above table) shall be deemed applicable for the period commencing five (5) Business Days after such 30th day and ending on the date which is five (5) Business Days after the Financials are actually delivered, after which the Category shall be determined in accordance with the table above as applicable;
 
(ii) adjustments, if any, to the Category then in effect shall be effective five (5) Business Days after the Administrative Agent has received the applicable Financials (it being understood and agreed that each change in Category 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); and
 
(iii) notwithstanding the foregoing, Category 3 (as identified in the above table) shall be deemed to be applicable until the Administrative Agent’s receipt of the applicable Financials for the Borrower’s fiscal year ending on or about September 30, 2005, and adjustments to the Category then in effect shall thereafter be effected in accordance with the preceding paragraphs.
 

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Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.
 
Approximate Equivalent Amount” of any currency with respect to any amount of Dollars shall mean the Equivalent Amount of such currency with respect to such amount of Dollars on or as of such date, rounded up to the nearest whole amount of such currency as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time.
 
Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
 
Augmenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.20.
 
Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.
 
Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.
 
Borrower” means Johnson Outdoors Inc., a Wisconsin corporation.
 
Borrowing” means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurocurrency Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect or (b) a Swingline Loan.
 
Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.
 
Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurocurrency Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in Agreed Currencies in the London interbank market and, if the Borrowings or LC Disbursements which are the subject of a borrowing, drawing, payment, reimbursement or rate selection are denominated in euro, a day upon which such clearing system as is determined by the Administrative Agent to be suitable for clearing or settlement of euro is open for business.
 
Capital Expenditures” means, without duplication, any expenditures or commitment to expend money for any purchase or other acquisition of any asset which would be classified as a fixed or capital asset on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.
 
Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.
 

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Change in Control” means (a) the Johnson Family shall at any time fail to own stock having, in the aggregate, votes sufficient to elect at least a fifty-one percent (51%) majority of the Board of Directors of the Borrower; (b) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof), of Equity Interests representing more than 30% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower; (c) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated; (d) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Borrower by any Person or group; (e) except as expressly permitted under the terms of this Agreement, the Borrower consolidates with or merges into another Person or conveys, transfers or leases all or substantially all of its property to any Person, or any Person consolidates with or merges into the Borrower, in either event pursuant to a transaction in which the outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower is reclassified or changed into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property; or (f) except as otherwise expressly permitted under the terms of this Agreement, the Borrower shall cease to own and control, directly or indirectly, all of the economic and voting rights associated with all of the outstanding Capital Stock of each of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries or shall cease to have the power, directly or indirectly, to elect all of the members of the board of directors of each of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries.
 
Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or any Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement.
 
Class”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans.
 
Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
 
Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09, (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.20 and (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments is $75,000,000.
 

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Computation Date” is defined in Section 2.04.
 
Consolidated EBITDA” means Consolidated Net Income plus, to the extent deducted from revenues in determining Consolidated Net Income, (i) Consolidated Interest Expense, (ii) expense for taxes paid or accrued, (iii) depreciation, (iv) amortization, (v) extraordinary non-cash losses incurred other than in the ordinary course of business minus, to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, extraordinary non-cash gains realized other than in the ordinary course of business, and (iv) expenses not to exceed $2,500,000 incurred by the Borrower in connection with its proposed 2005 going private transaction during the twelve month period ending July 31, 2005, all calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis.
 
Consolidated Interest Expense” means, with reference to any period, total interest expense (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing and net costs under Swap Agreements in respect of interest rates to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP), calculated on a consolidated basis for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period in accordance with GAAP.
 
Consolidated Net Income” means, with reference to any period, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis (without duplication) for such period.
 
Consolidated Net Worth” means, at any time, the total consolidated stockholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis as of such time.
 
Consolidated Rent Expense” means, with reference to any period, all payments under Operating Leases to the extent deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income, calculated in accordance with GAAP for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for such period.
 
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.
 
Consolidated Total Indebtedness” means at any time the sum, without duplication, of the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis as of such time in accordance with GAAP.
 
Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.
 

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Country Risk Event” means:
 
(i) any law, action or failure to act by any Governmental Authority in the Borrower’s or Letter of Credit beneficiary’s country which has the effect of:

(a) changing the obligations under the relevant Letter of Credit, the Credit Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents as originally agreed or otherwise creating any additional liability, cost or expense to an Issuing Bank, the Lenders or the Administrative Agent,

(b) changing the ownership or control by the Borrower or Letter of Credit beneficiary of its business, or

(c) preventing or restricting the conversion into or transfer of the applicable Agreed Currency;

(ii) force majeure; or

(iii) any similar event
 
which, in relation to (i), (ii) and (iii), directly or indirectly, prevents or restricts the payment or transfer of any amounts owing under the relevant Letter of Credit in the applicable Agreed Currency into an account designated by the Administrative Agent or an Issuing Bank and freely available to the Administrative Agent or an Issuing Bank.
 
Credit Event” means a Borrowing, an LC Disbursement or both.
 
Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.
 
Dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
 
Dollar Amount” of any currency at any date shall mean (i) the amount of such currency if such currency is Dollars or (ii) the equivalent in such currency of such amount of Dollars if such currency is a Foreign Currency, calculated on the basis of the arithmetical mean of the buy and sell spot rates of exchange of the Administrative Agent for such currency on the London market at 11:00 a.m., London time, on or as of the most recent Computation Date provided for in Section 2.04.
 
Domestic Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary organized under the laws of a jurisdiction located in the United States of America.
 
Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).
 

 
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Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.
 
Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
 
Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest.
 
Equivalent Amount” of any currency with respect to any amount of Dollars at any date shall mean the equivalent in such currency of such amount of Dollars, calculated on the basis of the arithmetical mean of the buy and sell spot rates of exchange of the Administrative Agent for such other currency at 11:00 a.m., London time, on the date on or as of which such amount is to be determined.
 
ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.
 
ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
 
ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
 

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EU” means the European Union.
 
euro” and/or “EUR” means the single currency of the participating member states of the EU.
 
Eurocurrency”, when used in reference to a currency means an Agreed Currency and when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
 
Eurocurrency Payment Office” of the Administrative Agent shall mean, for each of the Agreed Currencies which is a Foreign Currency, the office, branch, affiliate or correspondent bank of the Administrative Agent for such currency as specified from time to time by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower and each Lender. On the date hereof, the Eurocurrency Payment Office for each Agreed Currency is JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Operations, 131 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60670, Attention of Edna Guerra (Facsimile No. (312) 385-7090 and e-mail edna.guerra@jpmchase.com).
 
Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.
 
Excluded Subsidiaries” means the Subsidiaries listed in Schedule 1.01 hereto.
 
Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.19(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.17(a).
 
Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

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       Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
 
Financials” means the annual or quarterly financial statements, and accompanying certificates and other documents, of the Borrower required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b).
 
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, the ratio, determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower for the most-recently ended four fiscal quarters, of (i) the sum of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for such period, plus (b) Consolidated Rent Expense for such period, to (ii) the sum of (a) cash Interest Expense during such period, plus (b) Consolidated Rent Expense for such period, all calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, provided that solely for purposes of Section 6.13(a), to the extent the Borrower or any Subsidiary makes any acquisition permitted pursuant to Section 6.04 or disposition of assets outside the ordinary course of business that is permitted by Section 6.05 during the period of four fiscal quarters of the Borrower most recently ended, the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to the acquisition or the disposition of assets, are factually supportable and are expected to have a continuing impact, in each case as determined on a basis consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as interpreted by the SEC, and as certified by a Financial Officer of the Borrower and reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), as if such acquisition or such disposition (and any related incurrence, repayment or assumption of Indebtedness) had occurred in the first day of such four quarter period.
 
Foreign Currencies” means each Agreed Currency other than Dollars.
 
Foreign Currency LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the Dollar Amount of the aggregate undrawn and unexpired amount of all outstanding Foreign Currency Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of all LC Disbursements in respect of Foreign Currency Letters of Credit that have not yet been reimbursed at such time.
 
Foreign Currency Letter of Credit” means a Letter of Credit denominated in a Foreign Currency.
 
Foreign Currency Sublimit” means $25,000,000.
 
Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
 
Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary other than a Domestic Subsidiary.
 

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GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
 
Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.
 
Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
 
Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
 
Hostile Acquisition” means (a) the acquisition of the Equity Interests of a Person through a tender offer or similar solicitation of the owners of such Equity Interests which has not been approved (prior to such acquisition) by the board of directors (or any other applicable governing body) of such Person or by similar action if such Person is not a corporation and (b) any such acquisition as to which such approval has been withdrawn.
 
Increasing Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.20.
 
Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.
 

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Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
 
Information Memorandum” means the Confidential Information Memorandum dated August 2005 relating to the Borrower and the Transactions.
 
Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08.
 
Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date, (b) with respect to any Eurocurrency Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period and the Maturity Date and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid and the Maturity Date.
 
Interest Period” means with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurocurrency Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
 
Investment” of a Person means any loan, advance (other than commission, travel and similar advances to officers, employees made in the ordinary course of business), extension of credit (other than receivables and inventory arising in the ordinary course of business) or contribution of capital by such Person; stocks, bonds, mutual funds, partnership interests, notes, debentures or other securities owned by such Person; any deposit accounts and certificates of deposit owned by such Person; and structured notes, derivative financial instruments and other similar instruments or contracts owned by such Person.

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Issuing Bank” means each of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., LaSalle Bank National Association and each other Lender which agrees to act as an Issuing Bank and is approved by the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld), in its capacity as an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i). Each Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of such Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.
 
Johnson Family” shall mean at any time, collectively, Samuel C. Johnson, his wife and their children and grandchildren, the executor or administrator of the estate or other legal representative of any such Person, all trusts for the benefit of the foregoing or their heirs or any one or more of them, and all partnerships, corporations or other entities directly or indirectly controlled by the foregoing or any one or more of them.
 
LC Disbursement” means a payment made by an Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.
 
LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn Dollar Amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate Dollar Amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.
 
Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender.
 
Letter of Credit” means any standby or commercial letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement.
 
Leverage Ratio” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Indebtedness on such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ended on such date (or, if such date is not the last day of a fiscal quarter, ended on the last day of the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to such date), provided that solely for purposes of the definition of “Applicable Rate” and Section 6.13(b), (i) Consolidated Total Indebtedness shall be calculated as of the last day of each fiscal quarter based upon the average quarter-end Consolidated Total Indebtedness for the four-quarter period ending as of the last day of such fiscal quarter and (ii) to the extent the Borrower or any Subsidiary makes any acquisition permitted pursuant to Section 6.04 or disposition of assets outside the ordinary course of business that is permitted by Section 6.05 during the period of four fiscal quarters of the Borrower most recently ended, the Leverage Ratio shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to the acquisition or the disposition of assets, are factually supportable and are expected to have a continuing impact, in each case as determined on a basis consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as interpreted by the SEC, and as certified by a Financial Officer of the Borrower), as if such acquisition or such disposition (and any related incurrence, repayment or assumption of Indebtedness) had occurred in the first day of such four quarter period.
 

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LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on Page 3750 of the Dow Jones Market Service (or on any successor or substitute page of such Service, or any successor to or substitute for such Service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such Service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to deposits in the relevant Agreed Currency in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for deposits in the relevant Agreed Currency with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurocurrency Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which deposits in the relevant Agreed Currency in an Equivalent Amount of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.
 
Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.
 
Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
 
Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Subsidiary Guaranty, any promissory notes executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.10(e) and any and all other instruments and documents executed and delivered in connection with any of the foregoing.
 
Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors.
 
Local Time” means (i) Chicago time in the case of a LC Disbursement denominated in Dollars and (ii) local time at the place of the relevant LC Disbursement (or such earlier local time as is necessary for the relevant funds to be received and transferred to the Administrative Agent for same day value on the date the relevant reimbursement obligation is due) in the case of a LC Disbursement denominated in a Foreign Currency.
 
Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, property, condition (financial or otherwise), operations or prospects, of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the validity or enforceability of this Agreement any or any and all other Loan Documents or the rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereunder.

 
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Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $5,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.
 
Maturity Date” means October [7], 2010.
 
Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
 
Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
 
New Money Credit Event” means with respect to any Issuing Bank, any increase (directly or indirectly) in such Issuing Bank’s exposure (whether by way of additional credit or banking facilities or otherwise, including as part of a restructuring) to the Borrower or any Governmental Authority in the Borrower’s or any applicable Letter of Credit beneficiary’s country occurring by reason of (i) any law, action or requirement of any Governmental Authority in the Borrower’s or such Letter of Credit beneficiary’s country, or (ii) any request in respect of external indebtedness of borrowers in the Borrower’s or such Letter of Credit beneficiary’s country applicable to banks generally which conduct business with such borrowers, or (iii) any agreement in relation to clause (i) or (ii), in each case to the extent calculated by reference to the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposures outstanding prior to such increase.
 
Operating Lease” of a Person means any lease of property (other than a capital lease under GAAP) by such Person as lessee which has an original term (including any required renewals and any renewals effective at the option of the lessor) of one year or more.
 
Original Currency” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18.
 
Other Subsidiary Investment” means, for any period of determination, the sum, without duplication, of (i) the aggregate principal amount of all intercompany loans made during such period by any Loan Party to any Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party (less all repayments in immediately available funds of such intercompany loans during such period); (i) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party at the end of such period subject to Guarantees by any Loan Party; (iii) all Investments made during such period by any Loan Party in any Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party; and (iv) an amount equal to the net benefit derived by any Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party resulting from any non-arm’s-length transactions, or any other transfer of assets conducted, in each case entered into during such period, between any Loan Party, on the one hand, and such Subsidiary, on the other hand, other than (a) transactions in the ordinary course of business and (b) in respect of legal, accounting, reporting, listing and similar administrative services provided by any Loan Party to such Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.

 
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Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.
 
Overnight Foreign Currency Rate” means, for any amount payable in a Foreign Currency, the rate of interest per annum as determined by the Administrative Agent at which overnight or weekend deposits in the relevant currency (or if such amount due remains unpaid for more than three Business Days, then for such other period of time as the Administrative Agent may elect) for delivery in immediately available and freely transferable funds would be offered by the Administrative Agent to major banks in the interbank market upon request of such major banks for the relevant currency as determined above and in an amount comparable to the unpaid principal amount of the related Credit Event.
 
Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
 
PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
 
Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition (whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise but excluding in any event a Hostile Acquisition) or series of related acquisitions by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of (i) all or substantially all the assets of, (ii) all the Equity Interests in, a Person or division or line of business of a Person or (iii) if clauses (i) and (ii) above are inapplicable, the rights of any licensee (including by means of the termination of such licensee’s rights under such license) under a trademark license to such licensee from the Borrower or any Subsidiary, if, at the time of and immediately after giving effect thereto, (a) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise after giving effect thereto, (b) all actions required to be taken with respect to such acquired or newly formed Subsidiary under Section 5.09 shall have been taken, (c) the aggregate consideration paid in respect of such acquisition shall (1) at any time the Leverage Ratio shall be greater than or equal to 3.00 to 1.00, not exceed an amount equal to $30,000,000 per year when aggregated together with all other Permitted Acquisitions in such year, (2) at any time the Leverage Ratio shall be less than 3.00 to 1.00 but greater than or equal to 2.50 to 1.00, not exceed an amount equal to $50,000,000 per year when aggregated together with all other Permitted Acquisitions in such year, (3) at any time the Leverage Ratio shall be less than 2.50 to 1.00, without limit, in each case, including the incurrence or assumption of any Indebtedness in connection therewith, and, for purposes of this clause (c), Leverage Ratio shall be determined as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements are available, (d) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries are in compliance, on a pro forma basis reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent after giving effect to such acquisition (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to the acquisition, are factually supportable and are expected to have a continuing impact, in each case as determined on a basis consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as interpreted by the SEC), with the covenants contained in Section 6.13 recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements are available, as if such acquisition (and any related incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, with any new Indebtedness being deemed to be amortized over the applicable testing period in accordance with its terms) had occurred on the first day of each relevant period for testing such compliance and, if the aggregate consideration paid in respect of such acquisition exceeds $5,000,000, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower, to such effect (and if the aggregate consideration paid in respect of such acquisition exceeds $20,000,000, such certificate and the supporting calculations shall have been reviewed by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing), together with all relevant financial information requested by the Administrative Agent and (e) in the case of an acquisition or merger involving the Borrower or a Subsidiary, the Borrower or such Subsidiary is the surviving entity of such merger and/or consolidation.
 

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Permitted Encumbrances” means:
 
(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
 
(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than sixty (60) days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
 
(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;
 
(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
 
(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII; and
 
(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;
 
provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness.
 
Permitted Investments” means:
 
(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

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(b) investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;
 
(c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;
 
(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than thirty (30) days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above; and
 
(e) money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000.
 
Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
 
Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.
 
Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
 
Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
 
Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.
 
Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time.
 

 
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Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
 
Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.
 
Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03.
 
S&P” means Standard & Poor’s.
 
Statutory Reserve Rate” means, with respect to any currency, 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, liquid asset, fees or similar requirements (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves or other requirements) established by any central bank, monetary authority, the Board, the Financial Services Authority, the European Central Bank or other Governmental Authority for any category of deposits or liabilities customarily used to fund loans in such currency, expressed in the case of each such requirement as a decimal. Such reserve percentages shall, in the case of Dollar denominated Loans, include those imposed pursuant to Regulation D of the Board. Eurocurrency Loans shall be deemed to be subject to such reserve, liquid asset or similar requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under any applicable law, rule or regulation, including Regulation D. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve, liquid asset or similar requirement.
 
Subordinated Indebtedness” of a Person means any Indebtedness of such Person the payment of which is subordinated to payment of the obligations of the Borrower and/or any Subsidiary in respect of any sum due to any Lender or the Administrative Agent hereunder or under any other Loan Document.
 
subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.
 

 
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Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.
 
Subsidiary Guarantor” means each Domestic Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary). The Subsidiary Guarantors on the Effective Date are identified as such in Schedule 3.01 hereto.
 
Subsidiary Guaranty” means that certain Guaranty dated as of the Effective Date (including any and all supplements thereto) and executed by each Subsidiary Guarantor, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
 
Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.
 
Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total Swingline Exposure at such time.
 
Swingline Lender” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.
 
Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.05.
 
Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.
 
Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower and the relevant Subsidiaries of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.
 
Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.
 
Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
 
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing”).

 
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SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
 
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.
 
 
ARTICLE II
 
The Credits
 
SECTION 2.01. Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower in Agreed Currencies from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding the Dollar Amount of such Lender’s Commitment, (b) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments or (c) subject to Section 2.04, the Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposure denominated in Foreign Currencies exceeding the Foreign Currency Sublimit. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.
 

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SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings. i) Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.
 
(b) Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurocurrency Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith; provided that each ABR Loan shall only be made in Dollars. Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurocurrency Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
 
(c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $3,000,000 (or the Approximate Equivalent Amount of each such amount if such Borrowing is denominated in a Foreign Currency). At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $1,000,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e). Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than $1,000,000. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of fifteen (15) Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowings outstanding.
 
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.
 
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Revolving Borrowings. To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, three (3) Business Days (in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Dollars) or four (4) Business Days (in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency), in each case before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or facsimile to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
 

 
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(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
 
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
 
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Borrowing;
 
(iv) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the Agreed Currency and the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”; and
 
(v) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.07.
 
If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
 
SECTION 2.04. Determination of Dollar Amounts. The Administrative Agent will determine the Dollar Amount of:
 
(a) each Eurocurrency Borrowing as of the date three Business Days prior to the date of such Borrowing or, if applicable, date of conversion/continuation of any Borrowing as a Eurocurrency Borrowing,
 
(b) the LC Exposure as of the date of each request for the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit, and
 
(c) all outstanding Credit Events on and as of the last Business Day of each calendar month and, during the continuation of an Event of Default, on any other Business Day elected by the Administrative Agent in its discretion or upon instruction by the Required Lenders.
 
Each day upon or as of which the Administrative Agent determines Dollar Amounts as described in the preceding clauses (a), (b) and (c) is herein described as a “Computation Date” with respect to each Credit Event for which a Dollar Amount is determined on or as of such day.
 
SECTION 2.05. Swingline Loans. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans in Dollars to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $10,000,000 or (ii) the Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.

 
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(b) To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by facsimile), not later than 12:00 noon, Chicago time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan. The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from the Borrower. The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a credit to the general deposit account of the Borrower with the Swingline Lender (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e), by remittance to the relevant Issuing Bank) by 3:00 p.m., Chicago time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.
 
(c) The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, on any Business Day require the Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender. Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrower (or other party on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof.
 

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SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit. (a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may request the issuance of Letters of Credit denominated in Agreed Currencies for its own account and for the account of any of its Subsidiaries, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the relevant Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the relevant Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control; provided, however, if the relevant Issuing Bank is requested to issue Letters of Credit with respect to a jurisdiction such Issuing Bank deems, in its reasonable judgment, may at any time subject it to a New Money Credit Event or a Country Risk Event, the Borrower shall, at the request of such Issuing Bank, guaranty and indemnify such Issuing Bank against any and all costs, liabilities and losses resulting from such New Money Credit Event or Country Risk Event, in each case in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Issuing Bank. The letters of credit identified on Schedule 2.06 shall be deemed to be “Letters of Credit” issued on the Effective Date for all purposes of the Loan Documents.
 
(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or transmit by facsimile (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the relevant Issuing Bank) to an Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the Agreed Currency applicable thereto, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit. If requested by such Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on such Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) the LC Exposure shall not exceed $50,000,000, (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments and (iii) subject to Section 2.04, the Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposure denominated in Foreign Currencies shall not exceed the Foreign Currency Sublimit.
 
(c) Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.
 
(d) Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of any Issuing Bank or the Lenders, each Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from each Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the relevant Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

 
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(e) Reimbursement. If any Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent in Dollars the Dollar Amount equal to such LC Disbursement calculated as of the date the applicable Issuing Bank made such LC Disbursement (or if such Issuing Bank shall so elect in its sole discretion by notice to the Borrower, in such other Agreed Currency which was paid by such Issuing Bank pursuant to such LC Disbursement in an amount equal to such LC Disbursement) not later than 12:00 noon, Local Time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 10:00 a.m., Local Time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 12:00 noon, Local Time, on (i) the Business Day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m., Local Time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that the Borrower may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan in an equivalent Dollar Amount of such LC Disbursement and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan. If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to such Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to such Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and such Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse an Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement. If the Borrower’s reimbursement of, or obligation to reimburse, any amounts in any Foreign Currency would subject the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender to any stamp duty, ad valorem charge or similar tax that would not be payable if such reimbursement were made or required to be made in Dollars, the Borrower shall, at its option, either (x) pay the amount of any such tax requested by the Administrative Agent, the relevant Issuing Bank or the relevant Lender or (y) reimburse each LC Disbursement made in such Foreign Currency in Dollars, in an amount equal to the Equivalent Amount, calculated using the applicable exchange rates, on the date such LC Disbursement is made, of such LC Disbursement.

 
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(f) Obligations Absolute. The Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by an Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor any Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the relevant Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse any Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of any Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, each Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.
 
(g) Disbursement Procedures. Each Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. Such Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by telephone (confirmed by facsimile) of such demand for payment and whether such Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

 
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(h) Interim Interest. If any Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans (or in the case such LC Disbursement is denominated in a Foreign Currency, at the Overnight Foreign Currency Rate for such Agreed Currency plus the then effective Applicable Rate with respect to Eurocurrency Revolving Loans); provided that, if the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(d) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of such Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse such Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.
 
(i) Replacement of Issuing Bank. Any Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of an Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.
 
(j) Cash Collateralization. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrower shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders (the “LC Collateral Account”), an amount in cash equal to the Dollar Amount of the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that (i) the portions of such amount attributable to undrawn Foreign Currency Letters of Credit or LC Disbursements in a Foreign Currency that the Borrower is not late in reimbursing shall be deposited in the applicable Foreign Currencies in the actual amounts of such undrawn Letters of Credit and LC Disbursements and (ii) the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of

 
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Default with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. For the purposes of this paragraph, the Foreign Currency LC Exposure shall be calculated using the applicable exchange rates of the Administrative Agent on the date notice demanding cash collateralization is delivered to the Borrower. The Borrower also shall deposit cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph as and to the extent required by Section 2.11(b). Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account and the Borrower hereby grants the Administrative Agent a security interest in the LC Collateral Account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made, upon the Borrower’s request, in Permitted Investments at the discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the relevant Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three (3) Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.
 
(k) Conversion. In the event that the Loans become immediately due and payable on any date pursuant to Article VII, all amounts (i) that the Borrower is at the time or thereafter becomes required to reimburse or otherwise pay to the Administrative Agent in respect of LC Disbursements made under any Foreign Currency Letter of Credit (other than amounts in respect of which the Borrower has deposited cash collateral pursuant to paragraph (j) above, if such cash collateral was deposited in the applicable Foreign Currency to the extent so deposited or applied), (ii) that the Lenders are at the time or thereafter become required to pay to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent is at the time or thereafter becomes required to distribute to an Issuing Bank pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section in respect of unreimbursed LC Disbursements made under any Foreign Currency Letter of Credit and (iii) of each Lender’s participation in any Foreign Currency Letter of Credit under which an LC Disbursement has been made shall, automatically and with no further action required, be converted into the Dollar Amount, calculated using the Administrative Agent’s currency exchange rates on such date (or in the case of any LC Disbursement made after such date, on the date such LC Disbursement is made), of such amounts. On and after such conversion, all amounts accruing and owed to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in respect of the obligations described in this paragraph shall accrue and be payable in Dollars at the rates otherwise applicable hereunder.
 
SECTION 2.07. Funding of Borrowings. (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds (i) in the case of Loans denominated in Dollars, by 12:00 noon, Chicago time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders and (ii) in the case of each Loan denominated in a Foreign Currency, by 12:00 noon, local time, in the city of the Administrative Agent’s Eurocurrency Payment Office for such currency and at such Eurocurrency Payment Office for such currency; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.05. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the relevant Issuing Bank.

 
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(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.
 
SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections. (a) Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.
 
(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or facsimile to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.

 
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(c) Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
 
(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);
 
(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;
 
(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Borrowing; and
 
(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.
 
If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.
 
(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.
 
(e) If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period (i) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars, such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing and (ii) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency, such Borrowing shall automatically continue as a Eurocurrency Borrowing in the same Agreed Currency with an Interest Period of one month unless (x) such Eurocurrency Borrowing is or was repaid in accordance with Section 2.7 or (y) the Borrower shall have given the Administrative Agent an Interest Election Request requesting that, at the end of such Interest Period, such Eurocurrency Borrowing continue as a Eurocurrency Borrowing for the same or another Interest Period. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Revolving Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
 
SECTION 2.09. Termination and Reduction of Commitments. (a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.
 

 
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(b) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.11, the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments.
 
(c) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.
 
SECTION 2.10. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt. (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Maturity Date and (ii) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or last day of a calendar month and is at least two (2) Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding.
 
(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.
 
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class, Agreed Currency and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.
 
(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
 

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(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).
 
SECTION 2.11. Prepayment of Loans.   
 
(a) Voluntary Prepayments.
 
(i) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with clause (ii) of this Section.
 
(ii) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by facsimile) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, at least one Business Day before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 12:00 noon, Chicago time, on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.09, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.09. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13.
 
(b) Mandatory Prepayments. If at any time, (i) other than as a result of fluctuations in currency exchange rates, the sum of the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of all of the Revolving Credit Exposures (calculated, with respect to those Credit Events denominated in Foreign Currencies, as of the most recent Computation Date with respect to each such Credit Event) exceeds the Aggregate Commitment and (ii) solely as a result of fluctuations in currency exchange rates, the sum of the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of all of the Revolving Credit Exposures denominated in Foreign Currencies (as so calculated) exceeds 5% of the Foreign Currency Sublimit, the Borrower shall immediately repay Borrowings and, if no Borrowings are then outstanding, cash collateralize LC Disbursements in an account with the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.05(j), in an aggregate principal amount sufficient to eliminate any such excess.

 
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SECTION 2.12. Fees. (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a facility fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily Dollar Amount of the Commitment of such Lender (whether used or unused) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates; provided that, if such Lender continues to have any Revolving Credit Exposure after its Commitment terminates, then such facility fee shall continue to accrue on the daily Dollar Amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure from and including the date on which its Commitment terminates to but excluding the date on which such Lender ceases to have any Revolving Credit Exposure. Accrued facility fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof; provided that any facility fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. All facility fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
 
(b) The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurocurrency Revolving Loans on the average daily Dollar Amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure and (ii) to each Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at a per annum rate agreed upon between the Borrower and the applicable Issuing Bank on the average daily Dollar Amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) attributable to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as such Issuing Bank’s standard fees and commissions (including without limitation standard commissions with respect to commercial Letters of Credit, payable at the time of invoice of such amounts) with respect to the issuance, amendment, cancellation, negotiation, transfer, presentment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Unless otherwise specified above, participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to any Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within ten (10) days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
 

 
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(c) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
 
(d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the relevant Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of facility fees and participation fees, to the Lenders. Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.
 
SECTION 2.13. Interest. (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate.
 
(b) The Loans comprising each Eurocurrency Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.
 
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section.
 
(d) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurocurrency Revolving Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.
 
(e) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest for (i) all Swingline Loans and (ii) any other Loan that is computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate, in each case, shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
 
SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurocurrency Borrowing:
 
(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or

 
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(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;
 
then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or facsimile as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Eurocurrency Borrowing shall be ineffective and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.
 
SECTION 2.15. Increased Costs. (a) If any Change in Law shall:
 
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or any Issuing Bank; or
 
(ii) impose on any Lender or any Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurocurrency Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;
 
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurocurrency Loan or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan (including, without limitation, pursuant to any conversion of any Borrowing denominated in any other Agreed Currency) or to increase the cost to such Lender or such Issuing Bank of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (including, without limitation, pursuant to any conversion of any Borrowing denominated in any other Agreed Currency) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or such Issuing Bank hereunder, whether of principal, interest or otherwise (including, without limitation, pursuant to any conversion of any Borrowing denominated in any other Agreed Currency), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
 
(b) If any Lender or any Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

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(c) A certificate of a Lender or an Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.
 
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or any Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or an Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
 
SECTION 2.16. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurocurrency Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.11(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. Such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for deposits in the relevant currency of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurocurrency market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

 
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SECTION 2.17. Taxes. (a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Bank (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 Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
 
(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
 
(c) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Bank, within ten (10) days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or an Issuing Bank, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or an Issuing Bank, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
 
(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
 
(e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate.
 
 

 
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(f) If the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17, it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This Section shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.
 
SECTION 2.18. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs. 
 
(a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to (i) in the case of payments denominated in Dollars, 12:00 noon, Chicago time and (ii) in the case of payments denominated in a Foreign Currency, 12:00 noon, local time, in the city of the Administrative Agent’s Eurocurrency Payment Office for such currency, in each case on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made (i) in the same currency in which the applicable Credit Event was made (or where such currency has been converted to euro, in euro) and (ii) to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 131 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 or, in the case of a Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency, the Administrative Agent’s Eurocurrency Payment Office, except payments to be made directly to an Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments denominated in the same currency received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, if, after the making of any Credit Event in any Foreign Currency, currency control or exchange regulations are imposed in the country which issues such currency with the result that the type of currency in which the Credit Event was made (the “Original Currency”) no longer exists or the Borrower is not able to make payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders in such Original Currency, then all payments to be made by the Borrower hereunder in such currency shall instead be made when due in Dollars in an amount equal to the Dollar Amount (as of the date of repayment) of such payment due, it being the intention of the parties hereto that the Borrower takes all risks of the imposition of any such currency control or exchange regulations.
 

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(b) If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.
 
(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Revolving Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
 
(d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Banks hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Banks, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or each Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
 

 
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(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.
 
SECTION 2.19. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
 
(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
 
SECTION 2.20. Expansion Option. The Borrower may from time to time elect to increase the Revolving Commitments in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 so long as, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Commitments does not exceed $125,000,000. Upon the Borrower’s request, such increase may be provided by one or more Lenders (each Lender so agreeing to an increase in its Revolving Commitment, an “Increasing Lender”), or by one or more new banks, financial institutions or other entities (each such new bank, financial institution or other entity, an “Augmenting Lender”), selected by the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower, and willing to increase their
 

 
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existing Revolving Commitments, or extend Revolving Commitments, as the case may be, provided that (i) each Augmenting Lender, shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks and (ii) (x) in the case of an Increasing Lender, the Borrower and such Increasing Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, and (y) in the case of an Augmenting Lender, the Borrower and such Augmenting Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto. Increases and new Revolving Commitments created pursuant to this clause shall become effective on the date agreed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the relevant Increasing Lenders or Augmenting Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall notify each Revolving Lender thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no increase in the Revolving Commitments (or in the Revolving Commitment of any Lender), shall become effective under this paragraph unless, (i) on the proposed date of the effectiveness of such increase, the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 5.02 shall be satisfied or waived by the Required Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate to that effect dated such date and executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have received documents consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date as to the corporate power and authority of the Borrower to borrow hereunder after giving effect to such increase. On the effective date of any increase in the Revolving Commitments, (i) each relevant Increasing Lender and Augmenting Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent such amounts in immediately available funds as the Administrative Agent shall determine, for the benefit of the other Revolving Lenders, as being required in order to cause, after giving effect to such increase and the use of such amounts to make payments to such other Revolving Lenders, each Revolving Lender’s portion of the outstanding Revolving Loans of all the Revolving Lenders to equal its Revolving Percentage of such outstanding Revolving Loans, and (ii) the Borrower shall be deemed to have repaid and reborrowed all outstanding Revolving Loans as of the date of any increase in the Revolving Commitments (with such reborrowing to consist of the Types of Revolving Loans, with related Interest Periods if applicable, specified in a notice delivered by the Borrower in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.03). The deemed payments made pursuant to clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall be accompanied by payment of all accrued interest on the amount prepaid and, in respect of each Eurocurrency Loan, shall be subject to indemnification by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.18 if the deemed payment occurs other than on the last day of the related Interest Periods.
 
SECTION 2.21. Market Disruption. Notwithstanding the satisfaction of all conditions referred to in Article II and Article IV with respect to any Credit Event to be effected in any Foreign Currency, if (i) there shall occur on or prior to the date of such Credit Event any change in national or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls which would in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank (if such Credit Event is a Letter of Credit) or the Required Lenders make it impracticable for the Eurocurrency Borrowings or Letters of Credit comprising such Credit Event to be denominated in the Agreed Currency specified by the Borrower or (ii) an Equivalent Amount of such currency is not readily calculable, then the Administrative Agent shall forthwith give notice thereof to the Borrower, the Lenders and, if such Credit Event is a Letter of Credit, the applicable Issuing Bank, and such Credit Events shall not be denominated in such Agreed Currency but shall, except as otherwise set forth in Section 2.07, be made on the date of such Credit Event in Dollars, (a) if such Credit Event is a Borrowing, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Dollar Amount of the aggregate
 

 
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principal amount specified in the related Credit Event Request or Interest Election Request, as the case may be, as ABR Loans, unless the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent at least one Business Day before such date that (i) it elects not to borrow on such date or (ii) it elects to borrow on such date in a different Agreed Currency, as the case may be, in which the denomination of such Loans would in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders be practicable and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Dollar Amount of the aggregate principal amount specified in the related Credit Event Request or Interest Election Request, as the case may be or (b) if such Credit Event is a Letter of Credit, in a face amount equal to the Dollar Amount of the face amount specified in the related request or application for such Letter of Credit, unless the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent at least one Business Day before such date that (i) it elects not to request the issuance of such Letter of Credit on such date or (ii) it elects to have such Letter of Credit issued on such date in a different Agreed Currency, as the case may be, in which the denomination of such Letter of Credit would in the reasonable opinion of the Issuing Banks, the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders be practicable and in face amount equal to the Dollar Amount of the face amount specified in the related request or application for such Letter of Credit, as the case may be.
 
SECTION 2.22. Judgment Currency. If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due from the Borrower hereunder in the currency expressed to be payable herein (the “specified currency”) into another currency, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they may effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the specified currency with such other currency at the Administrative Agent’s main New York City office on the Business Day preceding that on which final, non-appealable judgment is given. The obligations of the Borrower in respect of any sum due to any Lender or the Administrative Agent hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than the specified currency, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) may in accordance with normal, reasonable banking procedures purchase the specified currency with such other currency. If the amount of the specified currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, in the specified currency, the Borrower agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, against such loss, and if the amount of the specified currency so purchased exceeds (a) the sum originally due to any Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, in the specified currency and (b) any amounts shared with other Lenders as a result of allocations of such excess as a disproportionate payment to such Lender under Section 2.18, such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, agrees to remit such excess to the Borrower.
 

 
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ARTICLE III
 
Representations and Warranties
 
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
 
SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers; Subsidiaries. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required. Schedule 3.01 hereto (as supplemented from time to time) identifies each Subsidiary, the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, as the case may be, the percentage of issued and outstanding shares of each class of its capital stock or other equity interests owned by the Borrower and the other Subsidiaries and, if such percentage is not 100% (excluding directors’ and nominees’ qualifying shares as required by law), a description of each class issued and outstanding. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock and other equity interests of each Subsidiary are validly issued and outstanding and fully paid and nonassessable and all such shares and other equity interests indicated on Schedule 3.01 as owned by the Borrower or another Subsidiary are owned, beneficially and of record, by the Borrower or any Subsidiary free and clear of all Liens. There are no outstanding commitments or other obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to issue, and no options, warrants or other rights of any Person to acquire, any shares of any class of capital stock or other equity interests of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
 
SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within the Borrower’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
 
SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
 
SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change. (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended October 1, 2004 reported on by Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended July 1, 2005, certified by its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.
 

 
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(b) Since October 1, 2004, there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, property, condition (financial or otherwise), operations or prospects, of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
 
SECTION 3.05. Properties. (a) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes. There are no Liens on any of the real or personal properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary except for Liens permitted by Section 6.02. 
 
(b) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
 
SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters. (a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions. There are no labor controversies pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) which could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.
 
(b) Except with respect to any matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.
 
(c) Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is party or subject to any law, regulation, rule or order, or any obligation under any agreement or instrument, that has a Material Adverse Effect.
 

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SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
 
SECTION 3.08. Investment and Holding Company Status. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is (a) an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or (b) a “holding company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.
 
SECTION 3.09. Taxes. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
 
SECTION 3.10. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of such Plan by an amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans by an amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
 
SECTION 3.11. Disclosure. The Borrower has disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Information Memorandum nor any of the other reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
 
SECTION 3.12. Federal Reserve Regulations. No part of the proceeds of any Loan have been used or will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X.
 
SECTION 3.13. No Default. The Borrower is in full compliance with this Agreement and no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 
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ARTICLE IV
 
Conditions
 
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of any Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):
 
(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include facsimile transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.
 
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received favorable written opinions (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., counsel for the Loan Parties, and such other local counsel opinions as may be applicable, substantially in the form of Exhibit B, and covering such other matters relating to the Loan Parties, the Loan Documents or the Transactions as the Required Lenders shall reasonably request. The Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinion.
 
(c) The Lenders shall have received (i) reasonably satisfactory audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the two most recent fiscal years ended prior to the Effective Date as to which such financial statements are available, (ii) reasonably satisfactory unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for each quarterly period ended subsequent to the date of the latest financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available and (iii) reasonably satisfactory financial statement projections through and including the Borrower’s 2010 fiscal year, together with such information as the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall reasonably request.
 
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the Borrower, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Loan Parties, the Loan Documents or the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel and as further described in the list of closing documents attached as Exhibit E.
 
(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02.

 
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(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence satisfactory to it that all of the Borrower’s existing credit facilities (other than the Indebtedness identified as continuing indebtedness in Schedule 6.01 hereto) shall have been cancelled and terminated and all indebtedness thereunder shall have been fully repaid (except to the extent being so repaid with the initial Revolving Credit Loans).
 
(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
 
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 3:00 p.m., Chicago time, on the Effective Date (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).
 
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of any Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
 
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable.
 
(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
 
Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.
 
ARTICLE V
 
Affirmative Covenants
 
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
 

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SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
 
(a) within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;
 
(b) within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
 
(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Sections 6.01, 6.04, 6.05, 6.12 and 6.13 and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;
 
(d) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be; and
 
(e) promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.
 

 
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SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:
 
(a) the occurrence of any Default;
 
(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
 
(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and
 
(d) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
 
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.
 
SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.
 
SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, that, if not paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
 
SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.
 
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested.

 
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SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property (including without limitation Environmental Laws), except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
 
SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit. The proceeds of the Loans will be used only to repay existing Indebtedness on the Effective Date, finance the working capital needs, and for general corporate purposes, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X. Letters of Credit will be requested and utilized by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries only for general corporate purposes.
 
SECTION 5.09. Subsidiary Guaranty. As promptly as possible but in any event within thirty (30) days (or such later date as may be agreed upon by the Administrative Agent) after any Person becomes a Subsidiary or merges into a Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.03, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with written notice thereof setting forth information in reasonable detail describing the material assets of such Person and shall cause each such Subsidiary which also qualifies as a Subsidiary Guarantor to deliver to the Administrative Agent the Subsidiary Guaranty pursuant to which such Subsidiary agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions of thereof, such Subsidiary Guaranty to be accompanied by appropriate corporate resolutions, other corporate documentation and legal opinions in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
 
ARTICLE VI
 
Negative Covenants
 
Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
 
SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:
 
(a) Indebtedness created under the Loan Documents;
 
(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness with Indebtedness of a similar type that does not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
 

 
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(c) Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Subsidiary and of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that Indebtedness by any Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary shall comply with the proviso in Section 6.04(d);
 
(d) Guarantees by the Borrower of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary and by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that Guarantees by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party shall comply with the proviso in Section 6.04(d);
 
(e) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within ninety (90) days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) shall not exceed $10,000,000 at any time outstanding;
 
(f) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary as an account party in respect of trade letters of credit;
 
(g) Indebtedness constituting (a) accounts payable of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries arising in the ordinary course of business payable on terms customary in the trade and consistent with past practice, (b) payroll accruals, (c) tax, assessments and other governmental charges which are not yet due or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside in accordance with GAAP, and (d) other similar unsecured Indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice, but not incurred through the borrowing of money or the obtaining of credit;
 
(h) Indebtedness in connection with overdraft facilities in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not to exceed $10,000,000;
 
(i) Indebtedness evidenced by letters of credit (other than Letters of Credit) in an aggregate face amount not to exceed $10,000,000 at any time; and
 
(j) other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $10,000,000 at any time outstanding.
 
SECTION 6.02. Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:
 
(a) Permitted Encumbrances;
 

 
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       (b) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
 
(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
 
(d) Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-208 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the relevant jurisdiction covering only the items being collected upon;
 
(e) Liens arising out of sale and leaseback transactions permitted by Section 6.06; and
 
(f) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within ninety (90) days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 100% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and (iv) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
 
SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets, or all or substantially all of the stock of any of its Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any Person may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary/Person may merge into any Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary, (iii) any Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary (subject to the limitations of Section 6.04) and (iv) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly-owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04.

 
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SECTION 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly-owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit, except: 
 
(a) Permitted Investments;
 
(b) Permitted Acquisitions;
 
(c) investments by the Borrower in the capital stock of its Subsidiaries; provided that investments by the Borrower in the capital stock of any Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party shall comply with the proviso in Section 6.04(d);
 
(d) loans or advances made by the Borrower to any Subsidiary and made by any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that the Borrower will not, nor will it permit any other Loan Party to, enter into or suffer to exist Other Subsidiary Investments at any time during any fiscal year (but calculated exclusive of all Other Subsidiary Investments existing immediately prior to such fiscal year) of the Borrower in an aggregate amount greater than $5,000,000;
 
(e) Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01;
 
(f) investments in existence on the date of this Agreement and described in Schedule 6.04;
 
(g) notes payable or stock or other securities issued by account debtors to the Borrower or any Subsidiary pursuant to negotiated agreements with respect to settlement of such account debtor’s accounts in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practices;
 
(h) loans or advances made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to its employees on an arms’-length basis in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices for travel and entertainment expenses, relocation costs and similar purposes up to a maximum of $2,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding;
 
(i) investments in the form of Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.07;
 
(j) investments of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or consolidates or merges with the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries (including in connection with a Permitted Acquisition) so long as such investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or of such merger;
 

 
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(k) investments received in connection with the disposition of assets permitted by Section 6.05;
 
(l) investments constituting deposits described in clauses (c) and (d) of the definition of “Permitted Encumbrances”;
 
(m) loans or advances made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to a Foreign Subsidiary prior to September 29, 2006 in an aggregate amount not to exceed the lesser of (i) the aggregate amount of dividends and distributions received by the Borrower from its Foreign Subsidiaries prior to September 29, 2006, or (ii) $25,000,000; and
 
(n) investments not otherwise permitted by clauses (a) through (m) above, provided that at the time such investment is made, (i) all investments made pursuant to this clause (n) in the aggregate shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of Consolidated Net Worth as of the end of the fiscal quarter ending immediately prior to the fiscal quarter in which such investment is made, (ii) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise after giving effect thereto and (iii) with respect to any such investment that constitutes an Acquisition (1) the Borrower shall have satisfied the requirements of clauses (b), (d) and (e) of the definition of “Permitted Acquisions” and (2) such Acquisition is not a Hostile Acquisition.
 
SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will the Borrower permit any Subsidiary to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Subsidiary (other than to the Borrower or another Subsidiary in compliance with Section 6.04), except: 
 
(a) sales, transfers and dispositions of (i) inventory in the ordinary course of business and (ii) used, obsolete, worn out or surplus equipment or property in the ordinary course of business;
 
(b) sales, transfers and dispositions to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that any such sales, transfers or dispositions involving a Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be made in compliance with Section 6.09;
 
(c) sales, transfers and dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof;
 
(d) sales, transfers and dispositions of investments permitted by clauses (i) and (l) of Section 6.04;
 
(e) sale and leaseback transactions permitted by Section 6.06;
 
(f) dispositions resulting from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and
 
 

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(g) sales, transfers and other dispositions of assets (other than Equity Interests in a Subsidiary unless all Equity Interests in such Subsidiary are sold) that are not permitted by any other paragraph of this Section, provided that each such transaction (i) is for consideration consisting of at least eighty-five percent (85%) of cash, (ii) is for not less than fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Borrower’s board of directors), (iii) after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall exist, (iv) together with all other such transactions under this subsection (g) calculated at book value (1) during the immediately preceding twelve-month period, represent the disposition of (x) not greater than twenty percent (20%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets at the end of the fiscal year immediately preceding that in which such transaction is proposed to be entered into and (y) assets that comprised not greater than twenty percent (20%) of the Borrower’s Consolidate Net Income for such preceding fiscal year, and (2) during the period from the date hereof to the date of such proposed transaction represents the disposition of (x) not greater than thirty-five percent (35%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets at the end of the fiscal year immediately preceding that in which such transaction is proposed to be entered into and (y) assets that comprised not greater than thirty-five percent (35%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated Net Income for such preceding fiscal year and (v) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries are in compliance, on a pro forma basis reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent after giving effect to such transaction (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to the sale, transfer or disposition of assets, are factually supportable and are expected to have a continuing impact, in each case as determined on a basis consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as interpreted by the SEC), with the covenants contained in Section 6.13 recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements are available, as if such transaction had occurred on the first day of each relevant period for testing such compliance and, if the assets sold, transferred or disposed of in such transaction represent the disposition of assets (1) exceeding five percent (5%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets as at the end of the fiscal year immediately preceding that in which such transaction is proposed to be entered into or (2) comprising greater than five percent (5%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated Net Income for such preceding fiscal year, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower to such effect (and if the assets sold, transferred or disposed of in such transaction represent the disposition of assets (1) exceeding ten percent (10%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets as at the end of the fiscal year immediately preceding that in which such transaction is proposed to be entered into or (2) comprising greater than ten percent (10%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated Net Income for such preceding fiscal year, such certificate and the supporting calculations shall have been reviewed by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing), together with all relevant financial information requested by the Administrative Agent;
 
provided that all sales, transfers, leases and other dispositions permitted hereby (other than those permitted by paragraphs (b) and (f) above) shall be made for fair value and for at least 85% cash consideration.

SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred, except for any such sale of any fixed or capital assets by the Borrower or any Subsidiary that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair value of such fixed or capital asset and is consummated within 90 days after the Borrower or such Subsidiary acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital asset.
 

 
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SECTION 6.07. Swap Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
 
SECTION 6.08. Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except (a) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, (b) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (c) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (d) so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise after giving effect thereto, the Borrower may make distributions and redeem, repurchase, acquire or retire an amount of its capital stock during the period from and after October 3, 2004 to and including the date such distribution is made or other action is taken, up to an amount, in the aggregate for such period, equal to (x) $15,000,000 plus (y) 50% of Consolidated Net Income (or minus 50% of any loss) earned in such period, computed on a cumulative basis for said entire period.
 
SECTION 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets material to its business from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties and (b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its wholly-owned Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate.
 
SECTION 6.10. Restrictive Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by any Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.10 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof.

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SECTION 6.11. Amendment of Material Documents. The Borrower shall not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive any of its rights under (a) agreement relating to any Subordinated Indebtedness or (b) its certificate of incorporation, by-laws, operating, management or partnership agreement or other organizational documents, to the extent any such amendment, modification or waiver would be adverse to the Lenders.
 
SECTION 6.12. [Intentionally Ommitted]. 
 
SECTION 6.13. Financial Covenants. 
 
(a) Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters ending on and after September 30, 2005, for the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters then ending, calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, to be less than 2.0 to 1.0.
 
(b) Maximum Leverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Leverage Ratio, determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters ending on and after September 30, 2005, calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, to be greater than 3.5 to 1.0.
 
(c) Maintenance of Net Worth. The Borrower will not permit Consolidated Net Worth at any time to be less than the sum of (i) $144,262,000, plus (ii) 50% of positive Consolidated Net Income earned in each fiscal year, commencing with the fiscal year ending on after September 29, 2006, plus (iii) 75% of the net cash proceeds resulting from any issuance of capital stock by the Borrower.
 
SECTION 6.14. Fiscal Year. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall change its fiscal year for accounting or tax purposes from a period consisting of a 52/53 calendar week year ending on or about September 30 of each year without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent.
 
ARTICLE VII
 
Events of Default
 
If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:
 
(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

 
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(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five (5) Business Days;
 
(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been materially incorrect when made or deemed made;
 
(d) (i) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.03 (with respect to the Borrower’s existence) or 5.08 or in Article VI or (ii) any Loan Document shall for any reason not be or shall cease to be in full force and effect or is declared to be null and void, or the Borrower or any Subsidiary takes any action for the purpose of terminating, repudiating or rescinding any Loan Document or any of its obligations thereunder;
 
(e) the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable, shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article) or any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
 
(f) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable, following the expiration of any applicable grace periods;
 
(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;
 
(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for sixty (60) days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;
 

 
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(i) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
 
(j) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;
 
(k) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $5,000,000 (except to the extent covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has not disclaimed coverage) shall be rendered against the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;
 
(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or
 
(m) a Change in Control shall occur;
 
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.
 

 
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ARTICLE VIII
 
The Administrative Agent
 
Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
 
The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
 
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
 

 
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The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
 
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.
 
Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent.
 
Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
 

 
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None of the Lenders, if any, identified in this Agreement as a Syndication Agent or Documentation Agent shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those applicable to all Lenders as such. Without limiting the foregoing, none of such Lenders shall have or be deemed to have a fiduciary relationship with any Lender. Each Lender hereby makes the same acknowledgments with respect to the relevant Lenders in their capacity as Syndication Agents or Documentation Agents as it makes with respect to the Administrative Agent in the preceding paragraph.
 
ARTICLE IX
 
Miscellaneous
 
SECTION 9.01. Notices. (a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile, as follows:
 
(i) if to the Borrower, to it at 555 Main Street, Suite 023, Racine, Wisconsin 53403, Attention of David Harrington (Facsimile No. 262-631-6608);
 
(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Operations, 131 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60670, Attention of Edna Guerra (Facsimile No. (312) 385-7090 and e-mail edna.guerra@jpmchase.com) with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 131 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60670, Attention of Nathan Bloch (Facsimile No. (312) 325-3077 and e-mail address nathan.bloch@chase.com);
 
(iii) if to an Issuing Bank, to it at (A) in the case of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Operations, 131 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60670, Attention of Edna Guerra (Facsimile No. (312) 385-7090 and e-mail edna.guerra@jpmchase.com) with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 131 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60670, Attention of Nathan Bloch (Facsimile No. (312) 325-3077 and e-mail address nathan.bloch@chase.com), and (B) in the case of any other Issuing Bank, to it at the address and facsimile number specified from time to time by such Issuing Bank to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent;
 
(iv) if to the Swingline Lender, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Loan and Operations, 131 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60670, Attention of Edna Guerra (Facsimile No. (312) 385-7090 and e-mail edna.guerra@jpmchase.com) with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 131 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60670, Attention of Nathan Bloch (Facsimile No. (312) 325-3077 and e-mail address nathan.bloch@chase.com); and
 
(v) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or facsimile number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
 

 
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(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.
 
(c) Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.
 
SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments. (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders hereunder and under any other Loan Document are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
 
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce or forgive the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce or forgive any interest or fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender or (vi) release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligation under the Subsidiary Guaranty (except as otherwise permitted herein or in the other Loan Documents) without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be.
 

 
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SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication and distribution (including, without limitation, via the internet or through a service such as IntraLinks) of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of this Agreement or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement, collection or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.
 
(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by any Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.
 

 
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(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, penalty, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such.
 
(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.
 
(e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than fifteen (15) days after written demand therefor.
 
SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns. (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of an Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of any Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
 
(b)(i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:
 
(A) the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee; and
 
(B) the Administrative Agent.
 

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(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
 
(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;
 
(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, provided that this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;
 
(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and
 
(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
 
For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the term “Approved Fund” has the following meaning:
 
Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
 
(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section.
 

 
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(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, any Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
 
(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.
 
(c) (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender.
 
(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.17 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 2.17(e) as though it were a Lender.

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(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
 
SECTION 9.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.
 
SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
 
SECTION 9.07. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
 

 
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SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.
 
SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of Illinois.
 
(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any United States Federal or Illinois State Court sitting in Chicago, Illinois, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such Illinois State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
 
(c) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
 
(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
 
SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
 

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SECTION 9.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
 
SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
 
SECTION 9.13. USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.
 
[Signature Pages Follow]

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

 JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
 
 
By /s/ David W. Johnson                                              
 
Name:  David W. Johnson
 
Title:    Treasurer
 
 
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually
as a Lender, as the Swingline Lender, as an Issuing
Bank and as Administrative Agent
 
 
By  /s/ Sabir Hashmy                                                       
 
Name:  Sabir Hashmy
 
Title:    Vice President
 
 
LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender and an Issuing Bank
 
 
By  /s/ Lou D. Branch                                                    
 
Name:  Lou D. Branch
 
Title:    Senior Vice President & Sr. Banker
 
 
 
 
M&I MARSHALL & ILSLEY BANK,
as a Lender
 
 
By  /s/ Ronald J. Carey                                               
Name:  Ronald J. Carey
Title:    Vice President
 
By  /s/ James R. Miller                                               
 Name:  James R. Miller
 Title:    Vice President
 
 
WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as a Lender
 
 
By  /s/ Paul J. Hennessey                                         
Name:  Paul J. Hennessy
Title:    Vice President
 
 
Signature Page to Credit Agreement
Johnson Outdoors Inc.
 
71

 
SCHEDULE 2.01
 
COMMITMENTS
 
LENDER
COMMITMENT
   
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
$20,000,001
   
LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
$18,333,333
   
M&I MARSHALL & ILSLEY BANK
$18,333,333
   
WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.
$18,333,333
   
TOTAL COMMITMENTS
$75,000,000

 


EXHIBIT A
 
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
 
This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.
 
For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including any letters of credit, guarantees, and swingline loans included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as the “Assigned Interest”). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.
 
1.
Assignor:
_______________________________________________________
     
2.
Assignee:
_______________________________________________________
   
   [and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender]1 ]
     
3.
Borrower(s):
Johnson Outdoors Inc.                                                           
     
4.
Administrative Agent:
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement
     
5.
Credit Agreement:
The $75,000,000 Credit Agreement dated as of October [__], 2005 among Johnson Outdoors Inc., the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto
 
 
 ____________________
 1Select as applicable.

6. Assigned Interest:
 
Aggregate Amount of Commitment/Loans for all Lenders
Amount of Commitment/Loans Assigned
Percentage Assigned of Commitment/Loans2 
            $________________
        $________________
________%
 
            $__________________
        $________________
________%
 
            $__________________
        $________________
________%
 
     
Effective Date: _____________ ___, 20___ [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]
 
The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:
 
 
ASSIGNOR
   
 
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
   
 
By:________________________________________________
   
Title:
   
 
ASSIGNEE
   
 
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
   
 
By:________________________________________________
   
Title:
   
   

 
Consented to and Accepted:
 
   
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as   Administrative Agent
 
   
By:
     
Title:
   
   
[Consented to:]3 
 
   
JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
 
   
By:
     
Title:
   
   
__________________________  
2 Set forth, so at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.
3 To be added only if the consent of the Borrower is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.
 
 
2


ANNEX I
 
STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
 
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
 
1. Representations and Warranties.
 
1.1 Assignor. The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.
 
1.2. Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.
 
2. Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.
 

 


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

 

 
2


EXHIBIT B
 
OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE LOAN PARTIES
 
[Effective Date]
 
To the Lenders and the Administrative
Agent Referred to Below
c/o JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as
Administrative Agent
Loan and Operations
131 S. Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60670
 
Dear Sirs:
 
We have acted as counsel for Johnson Outdoors Inc., a Wisconsin corporation (the “Borrower”) and [DESCRIBE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS] (collectively with the Borrower, the “Loan Parties”), in connection with (i) the Credit Agreement dated as of October [7], 2005 (the “Credit Agreement”), among the Borrower, the banks and other financial institutions identified therein as Lenders, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent and (ii) [DESCRIBE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS] (collectively with the Credit Agreement, the “Loan Documents”). Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein with the same meanings.
 
We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments and have conducted such other investigations of fact and law as we have deemed necessary or advisable for purposes of this opinion.
 
Upon the basis of the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
 
1. Each Loan Party (a) is a [_______] duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of [________], (b) has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and (c) except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.
 
2. The Transactions are within each Loan Party’s corporate/limited liability company powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate/company and, if required, stockholder or other equityholder action. Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party thereto and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
 

 


3. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries.
 
4. There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to our knowledge, threatened against or affecting any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries (a) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect or (b) that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions.
 
5. None of the Loan Parties is (a) an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or (b) a “holding company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.
 
We are members of the bar of the States of Wisconsin and Illinois and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the States of Wisconsin and Illinois, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the Federal laws of the United States of America. This opinion is rendered solely to you in connection with the above matter. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose or relied upon by any other Person (other than your successors and assigns as Lenders and Persons that acquire participations in your Loans) without our prior written consent.
 
 
Very truly yours,
   
   
 
[                                                                                      ]


 
2


EXHIBIT C
 
FORM OF INCREASING LENDER SUPPLEMENT
 
INCREASING LENDER SUPPLEMENT, dated __________, 20___ (this “Supplement”), by and among each of the signatories hereto, to the Credit Agreement, dated as of October ___, 2005 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Johnson Outdoors Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).
 
W I T N E S S E T H
 
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.20 of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower has the right, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, to effectuate from time to time an increase in the aggregate Commitments under the Credit Agreement by requesting one or more Lenders to increase the amount of its Commitment;
 
WHEREAS, the Borrower has given notice to the Administrative Agent of its intention to increase the aggregate Commitments pursuant to such Section 2.20; and
 
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.20 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned Increasing Lender now desires to increase the amount of its Commitment under the Credit Agreement by executing and delivering to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent this Supplement;
 
NOW, THEREFORE, each of the parties hereto hereby agrees as follows:
 
1. The undersigned Increasing Lender agrees, subject to the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement, that on the date of this Supplement it shall have its Commitment increased by $[__________], thereby making the aggregate amount of its total Commitments equal to $[__________].
 
2. The Borrower hereby represents and warrants that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on and as of the date hereof.
 
3. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement shall have their defined meanings when used herein.
 
4. This Supplement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Illinois.
 
5. This Supplement 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 document.
 

 



IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Supplement to be executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer on the date first above written.
 
            [INSERT NAME OF INCREASING LENDER]


            By:____________________________________
            Name:
            Title:


Accepted and agreed to as of the date first written above:

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.


By:______________________________________
Name:
Title:


Acknowledged as of the date first written above:

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
as Administrative Agent


By:______________________________________
Name:
Title:


2


EXHIBIT D
 
FORM OF AUGMENTING LENDER SUPPLEMENT

AUGMENTING LENDER SUPPLEMENT, dated __________, 20___ (this “Supplement”), to the Credit Agreement, dated as of October ___, 2005 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Johnson Outdoors Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).
 
W I T N E S S E T H
 
WHEREAS, the Credit Agreement provides in Section 2.20 thereof that any bank, financial institution or other entity selected by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower may extend Commitments under the Credit Agreement, by executing and delivering to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a supplement to the Credit Agreement in substantially the form of this Supplement; and
 
WHEREAS, the undersigned Augmenting Lender was not an original party to the Agreement but now desires to become a party thereto;
 
NOW, THEREFORE, each of the parties hereto hereby agrees as follows:
 
1. The undersigned Augmenting Lender agrees to be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and agrees that it shall, on the date of this Supplement, become a Lender for all purposes of the Credit Agreement to the same extent as if originally a party thereto, with a Commitment of $[__________].
 
2. The undersigned Augmenting Lender (a) represents and warrants that it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Supplement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Credit Agreement and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement; (b) confirms that it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and has reviewed such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Supplement; (c) agrees that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; (d) appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers as are incidental thereto; (e) agrees that it will be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and will perform in accordance with its terms all the obligations which by the terms of the Credit Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender; and (f) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached to this Supplement is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the undersigned.
 



 
3. The undersigned’s address for notices for the purposes of the Credit Agreement is as follows:
 
[___________]
 
4. The Borrower hereby represents and warrants that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on and as of the date hereof.
 
5. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement shall have their defined meanings when used herein.
 
6. This Supplement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Illinois.
 
7. This Supplement 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 document.
 
[remainder of this page intentionally left blank]
 

 
2



IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Supplement to be executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer on the date first above written.
 
            [INSERT NAME OF AUGMENTING LENDER]


            By:_______________________________________        
            Name:
            Title:


Accepted and agreed to as of the date first written above:

JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.


By:_____________________________________
Name:
Title:


Acknowledged as of the date first written above:

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
as Administrative Agent


By:_____________________________________
Name:
Title:


3


EXHIBIT E
 
LIST OF CLOSING DOCUMENTS

 
Attached.
 


 
Exhibit 31.1 to December 30, 2005 Form 10-Q
Exhibit 31.1
Certification of Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
I, Helen P. Johnson-Leipold, certify that:
1)   I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Johnson Outdoors Inc.;
2)   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3)   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4)   The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
a)   Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
b)   Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
c)   Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
d)   Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5)   The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a)   All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
b)   Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
 
Date:
February 8, 2006
 
/s/ Helen P. Johnson-Leipold
 
 
 
Helen P. Johnson-Leipold
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
 
Exhibit 31.2 to December 30, 2005 Form 10-Q
Exhibit 31.2
Certification of Chief Financial Officer
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Rule 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
I, David W. Johnson, certify that:
1)   I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Johnson Outdoors Inc.;
2)   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3)   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4)   The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
a)   Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
b)   Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
c)   Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
d)   Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5)   The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a)   All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
b)   Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
 
Date:
February 8, 2006
 
/s/ David W. Johnson
 
 
 
David W. Johnson
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Treasurer
 
Exhibit 32 to December 30, 2005 Form 10-Q
Exhibit 32
 
Written Statement of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350
 
Solely for the purposes of complying with 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, I, the undersigned Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson Outdoors Inc. (the “Company”), hereby certify, based on my knowledge, that the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the quarter ended December 30, 2005 (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and that information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
 
 
/s/ Helen P. Johnson-Leipold
Helen P. Johnson-Leipold
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
February 8, 2006
 
  
Written Statement of the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350
 
Solely for the purposes of complying with 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, I, the undersigned Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Johnson Outdoors Inc. (the “Company”), hereby certify, based on my knowledge, that the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the quarter ended December 30, 2005 (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and that information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
 
  
/s/ David W. Johnson
David W. Johnson
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Treasurer
February 8, 2006