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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 6, 2008

Securities Act File No. 333-146743



UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


Form N-2
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
ý    Pre-Effective Amendment No. 4
o    Post-Effective Amendment No.  


Fifth Street Finance Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

White Plains Plaza
445 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 1206
White Plains, NY 10601
(914) 286-6800
(Address and telephone number,
including area code, of principal executive offices)

Leonard M. Tannenbaum
Fifth Street Finance Corp.
White Plains Plaza
445 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 1206
White Plains, NY 10601
(Name and address of agent for service)


COPIES TO:

Steven B. Boehm, Esq.
Harry S. Pangas, Esq.
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
1275 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004-2415
Tel: (202) 383-0100
Fax: (202) 637-3593
  William G. Farrar, Esq.
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
125 Broad Street
New York, NY 10004-2498
Tel: (212) 558-4000
Fax: (212) 558-1600

           Approximate date of proposed public offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

           If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box. o

           It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):


CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


Title of Securities Being Registered
  Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price(1)(2)

  Amount of
Registration
Fee(3)


Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share   $173,880,000   $5,345

(1)
Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933 solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee.
(2)
Includes the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares.
(3)
Previously paid.


           The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.





Explanatory Note

          The purpose of this Pre-effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 is solely to file certain exhibits to the Registration Statement as set forth in Item 25(2) of Part C.



PART C
Other Information

Item 25    Financial Statements And Exhibits

          (1) Financial Statements

          The following financial statements of Fifth Street Finance Corp. (the "Registrant" or the "Company") are included in Part A of this Registration Statement:

 
  PAGE
Balance Sheet at March 31, 2008 (unaudited)   F-2
Statement of Operations for the three and six months ended March 31, 2008 (unaudited)   F-3
Statement of Changes in Stockholders' Equity for the three and six months ended March 31, 2008 (unaudited)   F-4
Statement of Cash Flows for the six months ended March 31, 2008 (unaudited)   F-5
Schedule of Investments as of March 31, 2008 (unaudited)   F-6
Schedule of Investments as of September 30, 2007 (audited)   F-11
Notes to Financial Statements   F-14

Fifth Street Mezzanine Partners III, L.P. (predecessor entity)

 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

F-36
Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2007   F-37
Statement of Operations—For the period from February 15, 2007 (inception) through September 30, 2007   F-38
Statement of Changes in Partners' Capital—For the period from February 15, 2007 (inception) through September 30, 2007   F-39
Statement of Cash Flows—For the period from February 15, 2007 (inception) through September 30, 2007   F-40
Schedule of Investments as of September 30, 2007   F-41
Notes to Financial Statements   F-44

          (2) Exhibits

(a)(1)   Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with Fifth Street Finance Corp.'s Form 8-A (File No. 001-33901) filed on January 2, 2008).
(a)(2)   Certificate of Amendment to the Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation**
(a)(3)   Certificate of Correction to the Certificate of Amendment to the Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation**
(b)   Amended and Restated By-laws of the Registrant (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 filed with Fifth Street Finance Corp.'s Form 8-A (File No. 001-33901) filed on January 2, 2008).
(d)   Form of Common Stock Certificate (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 filed with Fifth Street Finance Corp.'s Form 8-A (File No. 001-33901) filed on January 2, 2008).
(e)   Amended and Restated Dividend Reinvestment Plan**
(g)   Form of Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement by and between Registrant and Fifth Street Management LLC*
(h)   Form of Underwriting Agreement**
(j)   Custodial Agreement**
(k)(1)   Form of Administration Agreement by and between Registrant and FSC, Inc.*
(k)(2)   Form of License Agreement by and between Registrant and Fifth Street Capital LLC*
(k)(3)   Secured Revolving Credit Agreement between Registrant and Bank of Montreal**
     

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(k)(4)   Guarantee and Security Agreement between Registrant and Bank of Montreal**
(k)(5)   First Amendment to Secured Revolving Credit Agreement between Registrant and Bank of Montreal**
(k)(6)   First Amendment to Guarantee and Security Agreement between Registrant and Bank of Montreal**
(l)   Opinion of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP**
(n)(1)   Consent of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP (incorporated by reference to exhibit l hereto)**
(n)(2)   Consent of Grant Thornton LLP*
(r)   Code of Ethics*
(s)   Consent of Murray, Devine & Co., Inc.*

*
Previously filed as an exhibit to this registration statement.

**
Filed herewith.

Item 26.    Marketing Arrangements

          The information contained under the heading "Underwriting" in this Registration Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 27.    Other Expenses Of Issuance And Distribution

SEC registration fee   $ 5,803
New York Stock Exchange listing fee   $ 40,000
FINRA filing fee   $ 19,038
Accounting fees and expenses   $ 565,000
Legal fees and expenses   $ 800,000
Printing and engraving   $ 150,000
Miscellaneous fees and expenses   $ 420,159
Total   $ 2,000,000

          The amounts set forth above, except for the SEC, FINRA, and New York Stock Exchange fees, are in each case estimated. All of the expenses set forth above shall be borne by the Registrant.

Item 28.    Persons Controlled By Or Under Common Control

          None.

Item 29.    Number Of Holders Of Securities

          The following table sets forth the number of record holders of the Registrant's capital stock at May 5, 2008.

Title of Class

  Number of
Record Holders

  Common stock, $0.01 par value   37
  Series A Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value     1

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Item 30.    Indemnification

          Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law empowers a Delaware corporation to indemnify its officers and directors and specific other persons to the extent and under the circumstances set forth therein.

          Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law allows a Delaware corporation to eliminate the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liabilities arising (a) from any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; (b) from acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (c) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or (d) from any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

          Subject to the 1940 Act or any valid rule, regulation or order of the SEC thereunder, our restated certificate of incorporation, effective as of January 2, 2008 and amended as of April 24, 2008, provides that we will indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened action, suit or proceeding whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the request of the Registrant as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, in accordance with provisions corresponding to Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. The 1940 Act provides that a company may not indemnify any director or officer against liability to it or its security holders to which he or she might otherwise be subject by reason of his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office unless a determination is made by final decision of a court, by vote of a majority of a quorum of directors who are disinterested, non-party directors or by independent legal counsel that the liability for which indemnification is sought did not arise out of the foregoing conduct. In addition, our certificate of incorporation will provide that the indemnification described therein is not exclusive and shall not exclude any other rights to which the person seeking to be indemnified may be entitled under statute, any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or directors who are not interested persons, or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and to his action in another capacity while holding such office.

          The above discussion of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Registrant's restated certificate of incorporation is not intended to be exhaustive and is respectively qualified in its entirety by such statute and the Registrant's certificate of incorporation.

          As of the date of the completion of this offering, the Registrant will have obtained primary and excess insurance policies insuring our directors and officers against some liabilities they may incur in their capacity as directors and officers. Under such policies, the insurer, on the Registrant's behalf, may also pay amounts for which the Registrant has granted indemnification to the directors or officers.

          The Registrant has agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against specific liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act").

Item 31.    Business And Other Connections Of Investment Adviser

          A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which our investment adviser, and each director or executive officer of our investment adviser, is or has been during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in Part A of this Registration Statement in the sections entitled "Business — The Investment Adviser," "Management — Board of

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Directors and Executive Officers — Directors," " — Executive Officers" and "Investment Advisory Agreement." Additional information regarding our investment adviser and its officers and directors is set forth in its Form ADV, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC File No. 801-68676), and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 32.    Location Of Accounts And Records

          All accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, and the rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of:

(1)
the Registrant, Fifth Street Finance Corp., White Plains Plaza, 445 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 1206, White Plains, NY 10601;

(2)
the Transfer Agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 59 Maiden Lane, New York, New York, 10038;

(3)
the Custodian, Bank of America, National Association, Bank of America Corporate Center, 100 N Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001;

(4)
the investment adviser, Fifth Street Management LLC, White Plains Plaza, 445 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 1206, White Plains, NY 10601; and

(5)
the administrator, FSC, Inc., White Plains Plaza, 445 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 1206, White Plains, NY 10601.

Item 33.     Management Services

          Not Applicable.

Item 34.     Undertakings

          1.    The Registrant undertakes to suspend the offering of shares until the prospectus is amended if (1) subsequent to the effective date of this registration statement, the net asset value declines more than ten percent from the net asset value as of the effective date of this registration statement, or (2) the net asset value increases to an amount greater than the net proceeds as stated in the prospectus.

          2.    The Registrant hereby undertakes that:

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SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of White Plains, State of New York, on June 6, 2008.


 

 

FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

 

 

By:

 

/s/  
LEONARD M. TANNENBAUM      
    Name:   Leonard M. Tannenbaum
    Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

Signature
  Title
  Date

 

 

 

 

 
/s/  LEONARD M. TANNENBAUM      
Leonard M. Tannenbaum
  President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
  June 6, 2008

/s/  
WILLIAM H. CRAIG      
William H. Craig

 

Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

June 6, 2008

/s/  
ADAM C. BERKMAN      
Adam C. Berkman

 

Director

 

June 6, 2008

/s/  
BRIAN S. DUNN      
Brian S. Dunn

 

Director

 

June 6, 2008

/s/  
BYRON J. HANEY      
Byron J. Haney

 

Director

 

June 6, 2008

/s/  
FRANK C. MEYER      
Frank C. Meyer

 

Director

 

June 6, 2008

/s/  
DOUGLAS F. RAY      
Douglas F. Ray

 

Director

 

June 6, 2008

/s/  
BRUCE E. TOLL      
Bruce E. Toll

 

Director

 

June 6, 2008

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Explanatory Note
PART C Other Information
SIGNATURES

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Exhibit (a)(2)


CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT TO THE
RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF
FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

        Fifth Street Finance Corp. (the "Corporation"), a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "DGCL"), does hereby certify as follows:

        FIRST:    that at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation resolutions were duly adopted setting forth a proposed amendment of the Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, declaring said amendment to be advisable and submitting said amendment to the Corporation's stockholders for consideration thereof. The resolution setting forth the proposed amendment is as follows:

        RESOLVED, that the Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by deleting Article IV thereof in its entirety and replacing the following in lieu thereof:


ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL STOCK

        The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, "Common Stock" and "Series A Preferred Stock". The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 50,000,000 shares, of which: (i) 49,800,000 shares, par value $0.01 per share, shall be shares of common stock (the "Common Stock"); and (ii) 200,000 shares, par value $0.01 per share, shall be shares of Series A Preferred Stock (the "Series A Stock"). The initial liquidation preference of the Series A Stock shall be $500.00 per share (the "Liquidation Value"). Paragraph (B)(9) below contains the definitions of certain defined terms used herein.

        (A)    Common Stock.    Except as (1) otherwise required by laws of the State of Delaware or (2) expressly provided in this Certificate of Incorporation (as amended from time to time), each share of Common Stock shall have the same powers, rights and privileges and shall rank equally, share ratably and be identical in all respects as to all matters. The shares of Common Stock shall not have any preemptive rights whatsoever.


        (B)    Series A Stock.    The Series A Stock shall have the following powers, rights and privileges:

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        FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended by deleting Paragraph B of Article IV thereof in its entirety and replacing the following in lieu thereof:

        (B)    Number of Directors.    The number of directors of the Corporation shall be fixed from time to time by, or in the manner provided in, the Bylaws. So long as any shares of Series A Stock (as defined in Article IV above) remain outstanding, the total number of directors shall not exceed nine. A majority of the directors shall be "independent" under applicable law and the rules of the relevant stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed.

        SECOND:    The foregoing amendment has been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and Stockholders in accordance with the provisions of Sections 141, 228 and 242 of the DGCL.

[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank]

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        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Fifth Street Finance Corp. has caused this Certificate of Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by its Chief Executive Officer this 24th day of April, 2008.

  FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

 

BY:

/s/ Leonard M. Tannenbaum

/s/ Leonard M. Tannenbaum
Name: Leonard M. Tannenbaum
Title: Chief Executive Officer

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CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT TO THE RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.
ARTICLE IV CAPITAL STOCK

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Exhibit (a)(3)


CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
TO THE
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
TO THE
RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

        Fifth Street Finance Corp. (the "Corporation"), a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "DGCL"), does hereby certify as follows:

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Correction to the Certificate of Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly executed as of the 4th day of June, 2008 and is being filed in accordance with Section 103 of the DGCL by an authorized person of the corporation.

    FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

 

 

BY:

 /s/  
BERNARD D. BERMAN      
Name: Bernard D. Berman
Title: Executive Vice President and Secretary

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CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION TO THE CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT TO THE RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

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Exhibit (e)


AMENDED AND RESTATED
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN
OF
FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

        Fifth Street Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), hereby adopts the following amended and restated dividend reinvestment plan (the "Plan") with respect to net investment income dividends and capital gains distributions declared by its Board of Directors on shares of its Common Stock:


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AMENDED AND RESTATED DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN OF FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

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Exhibit (h)

[FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT]


Fifth Street Finance Corp.
Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share



Underwriting Agreement

, 2008

Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
85 Broad Street,
New York, New York 10004

UBS Securities LLC,
299 Park Avenue,
New York, NY 10171

Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC
375 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10152

As representatives (the "Representatives") of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        Fifth Street Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters"), an aggregate of [    •    ] shares (the "Firm Shares") and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to [    •    ] additional shares (the "Optional Shares") of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share ("Stock") of the Company (the Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 3 hereof being collectively called the "Shares").

        On January 2, 2008, Fifth Street Mezzanine Partners III, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the "Limited Partnership"), merged with and into the Company pursuant to a certificate of merger filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with Section 263 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (as amended, the "DGCL") and Section 17-211 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (as amended, the "Delaware LP Act"). At such time, the partnership interests of the Limited Partnership were exchanged for 12,480,998 shares of Stock of the Company, pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of January 2, 2008 (the "Merger Agreement"), between the Company and the Limited Partnership. Such merger, as further described in the Pricing Prospectus (as defined below) under the heading "Merger; Business Development Company and Regulated Investment Company Elections" is hereinafter referred to as the "Merger".

        On October 16, 2007, the Company filed a Form N-6F Notice of Intent to be Subject to Sections 55 through 65 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (File No. 814-00752) (the "Notification of Intent") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the "Investment Company Act"), pursuant to which the Company notified the Commission that it intends to elect to be treated as a business development company ("BDC").

        On January 2, 2008, Form N-54A Notification of Election to be Subject to Sections 55 through 65 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, (File No. 814-00755) (the "Notification of Election") was filed with the Commission under the Investment Company Act, pursuant to which the Company elected to be treated as a BDC. The Company intends to elect to be treated as a regulated investment company ("RIC") (within the meaning of Section 851(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code")) commencing with its first taxable year that it is treated as a corporation for Federal income tax purposes.

        The Company has entered into an investment advisory and management agreement, dated as of December 14, 2007, and amended as of [    •    ], 2008 (together, the "Investment Advisory Agreement"), with Fifth Street Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Adviser"), registered as an



investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the "Advisers Act").

        The Company has entered into an administration agreement, dated as of December 14, 2007, (the "Administration Agreement"), with FSC, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Administrator").

        The Company and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC (in its capacity as administrator of the directed share program, the "DSP Administrator") have agreed that up to [    •    ]% of the Firm Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement (the "Reserved Securities") shall be reserved for sale by the DSP Administrator to the Company's directors, officers, employees and certain other persons identified by the Company (the "Reserved Security Offerees") as part of the distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters, subject to the terms of this Agreement, the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations. To the extent that any such Reserved Securities are not orally confirmed for purchase by any such Reserved Security Offeree before 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the first trading day on the NYSE after the date of this Agreement, such Reserved Securities may, at the sole and absolute discretion of the Representatives and the DSP Administrator, be offered to the public as part of the public offering contemplated hereby or offered or sold to any other Reserved Security Offerees.

        1.     The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters, and the Adviser and the Administrator, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to and agree with each of the Underwriters, that:

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        2.     (a) The Adviser represents and warrants to the Underwriters that:

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        (b)   The Administrator represents and warrants to the Underwriters that:

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        3.     Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price per share of $[    •    ], the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 3, that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder.

        The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at their election up to [    •    ] Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth in the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering sales of shares in excess of the number of Firm Shares, provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Company, given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement, setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 6 hereof) or, unless you and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.

        4.     The Company hereby confirms its engagement of Goldman, Sachs & Co. as, and Goldman, Sachs & Co. hereby confirms its agreement with the Company to render services as, a "qualified independent underwriter" within the meaning of Rule 2720(b)(15) of FINRA with respect to the offering and sale of the Shares. Goldman, Sachs & Co., in its capacity as qualified independent underwriter and not otherwise, is referred to herein as the "QIU".

        5.     Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Firm Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

        6.     (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as a Representative may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives, through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives at least forty-eight hours in advance. The Company will cause the certificates representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the "Designated Office"). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall

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be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on [    •    ], 2008 or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date specified by the Representatives in the written notice given by the Representatives of the Underwriters' election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the "First Time of Delivery", such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the "Second Time of Delivery", and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a "Time of Delivery".

        (b)   The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 10 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 10(l) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, 125 Broad Street, New York, NY (the "Closing Location"), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at .......p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 6, "New York Business Day" shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

        7.     (A) The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:

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        (B)  The Adviser agrees with each of the Underwriters not to take, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or which could reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act, in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale of the Shares.

        8.     The Company represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Representatives, (i) it will not distribute any offering material other than the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and (ii) it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a "free writing prospectus" as defined in Rule 405 under the Act and which

15



the parties agree, for the purposes of this Agreement, includes (x) any "advertisement" as defined in Rule 482 under the Act; and (y) any sales literature, materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including any in-person roadshow or investor presentations (including slides and scripts relating thereto) made to investors by or on behalf of the Company (the materials and information referred to in this Section 8 are herein referred to as an "Additional Disclosure Item"); any Additional Disclosure Item the use of which has been consented to by the Representatives is listed on Schedule II(a) hereto.

        9.     The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7A(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the Exchange; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Shares (including the expenses of Goldman, Sachs & Co. acting as "qualified independent underwriter" within the meaning of the aforementioned Rule 2720 of FINRA); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; (viii) all costs and expenses in connection with matters related to the Reserved Securities and the establishment and administration of the program for the sale of the Reserved Securities; (ix) fifty percent of "road show" expenses of the Company and the Underwriters (including but not limited to travel and accommodations) and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator of their obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 11, 12 and 15 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

        10.   The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator shall have performed all of their respective obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

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        11.   (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Additional Disclosure Item, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Additional Disclosure Item in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

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        (b)   The Adviser and the Administrator, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Additional Disclosure Item, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Additional Disclosure Item, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Adviser (in the case of the Adviser) or the Administrator (in the case of the Administrator), respectively.

        (c)   Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which it may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Additional Disclosure Item, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Additional Disclosure Item, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

        (d)   In addition to and without limitation to the indemnification obligations of the Company pursuant to the other provisions of this Section 11 and Section 12 hereof, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the DSP Administrator, each person, if any, who controls the DSP Administrator within the meaning of the Act, and each broker-dealer affiliate of such DSP Administrator, as follows: (i) against any and all loss, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, (A) arising out of the violation of any applicable laws, rules or regulations of any foreign jurisdictions where Reserved Securities have been or are offered or sold, (B) arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any prospectus "wrapper" or other material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for delivery or distribution to Reserved Securities Offerees or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (C) arising out of the failure of any Reserved Security Offeree to pay for or accept delivery of the Reserved Securities which such Reserved Security Offeree agreed (orally or in writing, including, without limitation, by email, by notice of acceptance given by means of a website or by any other form of electronic communication) to purchase, or (D) otherwise arising out of or in connection with the offering or sale of the Reserved Securities; (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damages or liabilities and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim

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whatsoever based upon any matter referred to in (B) above; provided that (subject to Section 11(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the DSP Administrator), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any matter referred to in (i) above, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above.

        (e)   Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

        (f)    If the indemnification provided for in this Section 11 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (e) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations, or, in the case of indemnification pursuant to subsection (d), matters referred to in such subsection. The relative benefits received by the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a

20


material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission, or, in the case of indemnification pursuant to subsection (d), matters referred to in such subsection. The Company, the Adviser and the Administrator and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (f) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (f). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (f) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (f), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this subsection (f) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

        (g)   The obligations of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator under this Section 11 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act and each broker-dealer affiliate of any Underwriter; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 11 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the Company) and the Adviser and to each person, if any, who controls the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator within the meaning of the Act. No party shall be entitled to indemnification under this Section 11 or Section 12 below if such indemnification of such party would violate Section 17(i) of the Investment Company Act.

        12.   (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless Goldman, Sachs & Co., in its capacity as QIU, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the QIU may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Additional Disclosure Item, (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (iii) any act or omission to act or any alleged act or omission to act by Goldman, Sachs & Co. as QIU in connection with any transaction contemplated by this Agreement or undertaken in preparing for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares, except as to this clause (iii) to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability results from the gross negligence or bad faith of Goldman, Sachs & Co. in performing the services as QIU, and will reimburse the QIU for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the QIU in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

        (b)   Promptly after receipt by the QIU under subsection (a) above of notice of the commencement of any action, the QIU shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company under such subsection, notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to

21



notify the Company shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to the QIU otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against the QIU and it shall notify the Company of the commencement thereof, the Company shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the QIU (who shall not, except with the consent of the QIU, be counsel to the Company), and, after notice from the Company to the QIU of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the Company shall not be liable to the QIU under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by the QIU, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Company shall not, without the written consent of the QIU, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the QIU is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the QIU from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of QIU.

        (c)   If the indemnification provided for in this Section 12 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless Goldman, Sachs & Co., in its capacity as QIU, under subsection (a) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the QIU as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the QIU on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the QIU failed to give the notice required under subsection (b) above, then the Company shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by the QIU in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the QIU on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the QIU on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, bear to the expenses reimbursed to the QIU in such capacity pursuant to Section 9. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the QIU on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the QIU agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (c) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (c). The amount paid or payable by the QIU as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (c) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the QIU in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

        (d)   The obligations of the Company under this Section 12 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls the QIU within the meaning of the Act.

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        13.   (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, you may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies you that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.

        (b)   If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

        (c)   If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 9 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Sections 11 and 12 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

        14.   The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, the Adviser, the Administrator and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

        15.   If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 13 hereof, the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 9, 11 and 12 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by you, including fees and

23



disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 9, 11 and 12 hereof.

        16.   In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by you jointly or by Goldman, Sachs & Co., UBS Securities LLC or Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC on behalf of you as the representatives.

        All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the representatives in care of Goldman, Sachs & Co., 85 Broad Street, 23rd Floor, New York, New York 10004, Attention: Registration Department and UBS Securities LLC, 299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171-0026, Attention: Syndicate Department; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 11(e) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by you upon request; provided, however, that notices under subsection 7A(e) shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the representatives at Goldman, Sachs & Co., 85 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004, Attention: Control Room and UBS Securities LLC, 299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171-0026, Attention: Syndicate Department. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

        In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

        17.   This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator and, to the extent provided in Sections 11, 12 and 14 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

        18.   Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

        19.   Each of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator hereby acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm's-length commercial transaction between the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) each of the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. Each of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator agrees that it

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will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

        20.   This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

        21.   This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

        22.   The Company, Adviser, Administrator and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

        23.   This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

        24.   Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company is authorized to disclose to any persons the U.S. federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Company relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind. However, any information relating to the tax treatment and tax structure shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply) to the extent necessary to enable any person to comply with securities laws. For this purpose, "tax structure" is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.

        25.   Except as set forth below, no claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (a "Claim") may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator each consents to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. The Company, the Adviser and the Administrator each hereby consents to personal jurisdiction, service and venue in any court in which any Claim arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement is brought by any third party against any Underwriter or any indemnified party. Each Underwriter and the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates), the Adviser and the Administrator (each on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, its members and affiliates) each waive all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Company, the Adviser and the Administrator each agrees that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon each of the Company, the Adviser and the Administrator and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which any of the Company, the Adviser or the Administrator each is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.

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        If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us five counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.

    Very truly yours,

 

 

Fifth Street Finance Corp.

 

 

By:

 
     
Name: Bernard D. Berman
Title: Executive Vice President and Secretary

 

 

Fifth Street Management LLC

 

 

By:

 
     
Name: Bernard D. Berman
Title: Partner

 

 

FSC, Inc.

 

 

By:

 
     
Name: Leonard M. Tannenbaum
Title: President

26


Accepted as of the date hereof:    

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

 

 

By:

 

 

 
 
(Goldman, Sachs & Co.)
   

UBS Securities LLC

 

 

By:

 

 

 
 
   

By:

 

 

 
 
   

Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC

 

 

By:

 

 

 
 
(Authorized Signatory)
   

on behalf of each of the Underwriters

 

 

27




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Fifth Street Finance Corp. Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share

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Exhibit (j)


CUSTODIAL AGREEMENT
For
Fifth Street Finance Corp
("Customer")

        The Customer wishes to establish a Custodial Account (the "Account") with Bank of America, N.A. (the "Bank") under this Custodial Agreement (the "Agreement"), and the Bank has agreed to perform such services in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement. Schedules A through C are attached hereto and made a part of this Agreement.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

I. APPOINTMENT AND ACCEPTANCE

        The Customer appoints the Bank as custodian, to hold and maintain cash, securities and other property deposited with the Bank in accordance with this agreement and accompanying instructions incorporated herein. This agreement and accompanying instructions set out the Bank's responsibilities with respect to the services to be performed, including: safekeeping and delivery of Account assets; use of automated depositories and book-entry securities movement; collection of ordinary dividends, distributions and interest; cash sweep services; presentation of maturities for payment; provision of monthly asset statements and monthly transaction statements; notifications of corporate reorganization and capital changes; trade settlement processing and transaction processing. The Bank will not be responsible for any cash, security or other property that is not delivered to it. The Bank will provide cash management services only if directed to do so by the Customer herein. The Customer will be responsible for cash and other property paid or delivered to any broker or other person at the direction of the Customer.

        The Bank will only take actions with respect to the Account upon the receipt of instructions which the Bank reasonably believes to have been delivered by an Authorized Representative of the Customer as identified in Schedule C.

II. SEGREGATION OF SECURITIES AND OTHER PROPERTY

        The Bank will provide the Customer with a separate Account and will segregate on its books and records all securities and other property belonging to the Customer.

III. INVESTMENT ADVICE

        The Bank will not provide investment advice and will not act in any fiduciary capacity for the Customer.

IV. CORPORATE ACTIONS

        The Bank will be responsible for monitoring reporting services and publications generally accepted by the securities industry and will notify the Customer of all information received by the Bank from these sources pertaining to calls or voluntary capital changes that require special action. The Bank is not responsible for determining whether any securities are subject to calls or other actions prior to delivery.

        If the Customer determines that action should be taken with regard to any tender, exchange or similar transaction, it should notify the Bank no later than three business days prior to the expiration of such event.

1


        If the Customer gives instruction on the last permissible day of a period established by an exchange offer, tender offer or proxy solicitation, the Bank will make reasonable efforts to effect the instructions, but the Customer agrees to hold the Bank harmless from any adverse consequences if the Bank is unable to do so. If the securities held in the Account are called for partial redemption by the issuer of the securities, the Bank will allot the called portion to the beneficial holders in a manner that it deems to be fair and equitable.

V. REGISTRATION

        The securities held in the Account may be registered in the name of the Bank or any of its nominees.

VI. SETTLEMENT OF TRANSACTIONS

        The settlement of all securities transactions will be made upon the instructions of the Customer. The Bank will notify the Customer promptly of any failure to receive or deliver securities. With respect to the purchase of securities, the Bank will debit the Account for the payment of securities and credit the Account with the securities. With respect to the sale of securities, the Bank will credit the Account with the sale price of the securities and debit the Account for the securities. The Bank may reverse any credits if the transactions fail to settle within a reasonable period.

VII. FRACTIONAL INTERESTS

        The Bank will sell fractional interests that result from a rights issue, stock dividend or stock split with respect to the securities in the Account. The Bank also reserves the right to liquidate fractional interests or portions of debt securities having a face amount of less than $1,000.

VIII. USE OF AFFILIATES, AGENTS AND DEPOSITORIES

        The Bank may use affiliates, agents, correspondents and sub-custodians and is authorized to use the services of regulated clearing agents and securities depositories, both domestic and foreign, to assist in the fulfillment of the Bank's duties as custodian. The Bank may utilize the services of registered broker or securities dealers, including brokers or dealers owning or owned by or under common ownership or control with the Bank. Such broker or dealer (including any affiliated broker or dealer) may receive the usual commission or mark-up earned on such transactions without further or more specific authority from the Customer. In the event that an affiliate broker or dealer is employed, the commission or mark-up received by such broker or dealer will not be greater than that which would be charged to the most favored but unaffiliated customers of such broker or dealer.

IX. FEES AND EXPENSES

        Fees payable to the Bank for handling the Account will be computed in accordance with the Bank's Fee Schedule as presently in effect and as amended from time to time. The Customer acknowledges receipt of the Fee Schedule. The Bank will send the Customer a copy of any amendment or superseding Fee Schedule, which will become effective no earlier than ten (10) days after it is mailed to the Customer. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, expenses and fees incurred by the Bank in connection with the Account will be charged to the Account as and when incurred, and the Bank may, without further authority, liquidate assets in the Account to pay fees. Fees charged against the Account shall be charged against o principal o income.

X. INSTRUCTIONS

        The Bank will act on securities trade instructions (to deliver or receive, present for payment or receive securities against payment), cash management instructions (including instructions to transfer

2



funds from one Account to another by any method other than wire transfer) and corporate action instructions that are transmitted to the Bank either electronically, in writing or by facsimile. The Bank will also act upon instructions made by a financial institution (including investment managers, brokers, etc.) authorized by the Customer to act on its behalf pursuant to Article XIV.

        If any securities trade instructions need to be corrected or canceled, the Bank will advise the appropriate broker or dealer of the corrective action to be taken and will not be liable for actions taken or not taken by such broker or dealer. The Bank will not be required to comply with any direction to purchase any securities unless there is sufficient cash in the Customer's Account or with any direction to sell any securities unless such securities are held in the Account at that time in deliverable form.

        The Bank will not be liable for acting on any instruction (either written, oral, electronic or facsimile) made by a person who the Bank, in good faith, believes to be so authorized on behalf of the Customer. The Customer acknowledges the inherent risks of reliance upon facsimile, telephone and electronic messages and assumes all responsibility for the use, security and confidentiality of such instructions by the Customer, its employees, agents and third parties. The Customer agrees to indemnify the Bank against any loss, liability or expense (including attorneys' fees and expenses) incurred by the Bank in reliance upon any instructions believed in good faith by the Bank to be authorized by or on behalf of the Customer.

        Customers who want to send wire transfer instructions to the Bank must sign a Funds Transfer Agreement. All customer requests for wire transfers are subject to the Bank's funds transfer procedures, which include funds availability requirements, verification procedures, and a requirement that instructions be received prior to 2:45 p.m. ET for same-day processing.

        All actions taken by the Bank under this agreement will be for the Customer's Account and at the Customer's risk. The Bank will not have any liability or responsibility for any action taken or not taken or information given or not given in good faith, or for any loss or reduction in value, or lack of or reduction in income (including but not limited to any adverse tax consequences), resulting from any such action or information, except that the Bank may be liable to the company for any action taken or not taken or information given or not given, where the bank acted with negligence or willful misconduct. The Bank will not have any liability for failure to comply with any direction given by the Customer or any instruction contained in this agreement if it has: (i) made a good faith effort to comply with such direction or instructions; or (ii) determined in good faith that compliance with such direction would violate any rule of law or result in personal liability to the Bank.

        Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Bank will not be responsible for any losses or delays caused by unclear, incomplete, contradictory or duplicative instructions.

XI. TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT

        The Bank may terminate this agreement upon sixty (60) days notice to the Customer. The Customer may terminate this agreement upon sixty (60) days notice to the Bank. The fees for the final period will be determined in accordance with the fee schedule in effect at the time of termination. After payment of any charges, the Bank will deliver to the successor custodian at the written direction of the Customer all property held in the Account. Fee charges may be changed in accordance with Article IX. Other terms of this agreement may be amended by a writing signed by the Bank and the Customer.

        The rights and obligations of the Bank under this agreement will pass automatically to any bank or trust company into or with which the Bank merges, and may be transferred by the Bank to any other bank or trust company owning or owned by or under common ownership or control with the Bank, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors of the Customer.

3


XII. VOTING

        The Bank will not vote any securities held in the Account of the Customer. Proxies and proxy soliciting materials will be forwarded to (check one) o Customer ý Agent. When the securities are held in the name of the Bank or any of its nominees, the proxies will be executed by the registered holder and forwarded to the party selected above for voting.

XIII. SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS

        The Bank will transmit to the Customer any financial reports, stockholder communications and notices received by the Bank from the issuers of the securities held in the Account. In accordance with applicable regulations, the Bank will provide the Customer's name, address and share position to a company issuing securities held by the Customer's Account unless the Customer objects as follows.

        Check the following if appropriate:

XIV. DESIGNATION OF AGENT

        The Customer appoints the following agent (an investment manager) to make securities trades, to receive Customer statements and transaction advice, and to receive and act upon proxy materials, shareholder communications and corporate action information on the Customer's behalf.

Fifth Street Management LLC

(Name of Investment Manager)

445 Hamilton Ave

Suite 1206
White Plains, NY 10601

(Address)

        The Bank is entitled to rely upon the authority of the agent and the representatives designated by the agent until written revocation of authority is received by the Bank. Notwithstanding the appointment of an investment manager as the Customer's agent, the Bank is also directed to honor all instructions given directly by the Customer.

        The Bank is o is not ý directed to pay fees billed by the agent designated above; if neither box is checked, the Bank will not pay such fees. The Bank will have no obligation to assess the accuracy or reasonableness of such fees.

4


XV. COLLECTION AND DISBURSEMENT OF INCOME

        The Bank will collect and credit the Account with all income and other distributions due or payable on the securities held. After payment of any charges against it, cash income will be:

    ý   Accumulated and added to principal

 

 

o

 

Accumulated and added to income

 

 

o

 

Accumulated and added to income with transfer of income balance to principal:

 

 

 

 

o

 

Monthly on

 

(Day of month)

 

 

 

 

o

 

Quarterly on

 

(Dates)

 

 

o

 

Accumulated and paid to the Customer:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

o

 

Annually on

 

(Date)

 

 

 

 

o

 

Semi-annually on

 

(Date)

 

and

 

(Date)

 

 

 

 

o

 

Quarterly on

 


 

 


 

 

 


 

 

              (Dates)

 

 

 

 

o

 

Monthly on

 

(Date)

 

 

 

 

Amount of payment:

 


 

 

 

 

 
 
    Such payments will be sent to the Customer at:  

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

(Address)

        Payments to the Customer will be net of any back-up withholding or similar taxes or penalties. The Bank will not be obligated, except for claims made in the ordinary course, to take any action, including legal action, to secure payment of any distributions on the Customer's behalf.

XVI. STATEMENTS

        The Bank will furnish statements to the Customer:

    ý Monthly:  
   
    o Quarterly:  
(Specify months)
   
    o Annually:  
(Specify date)
   

5


        The Bank will send statements reflecting the date of execution; identity, price and number of shares or units (or principal amount in the case of debt securities) of securities purchased or sold; the fees received or to be received from the Customer by any broker/ dealer in connection with transactions; fees to be received by the Bank; and the name of the broker-dealer used. Upon specific request of the Customer, the Bank will furnish, without additional charge, written notification of securities transactions as early as five (5) days from the date of the transaction, or, if a broker-dealer is used, within five (5) business days from receipt by the Bank of the broker-dealer's confirmation.

        Statements will be mailed to the Customer (and/or authorized representatives) at the following address(es):


 



 




(Address)

 


(Address)

XVII.  CASH AWAITING INVESTMENT AND DISTRIBUTION (CASH SWEEP)

        At the Customer's direction, the Bank will use any available cash awaiting investment or distribution in the Customer's Account to purchase interest bearing Accounts, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, treasury bills, master notes, repurchase agreements, money market instruments, including, without limitation, certificates of deposit and interest bearing Accounts of the Bank or a Bank affiliate and shares of money market and other mutual funds for which the Bank or a Bank affiliate receives management, administrative or advisory compensation, or for which the Bank or a Bank affiliate receives compensation, at a percentage of net assets in recognition of shareholder servicing functions.

        Cash in the Account awaiting distribution or further investment will be placed in the short-term investment medium designated below (check one):

XVIII.  CHOICE OF LAW

        This Agreement will be construed in accordance with the law of the state where the Account is principally administered, as designated by the Bank.

XIX.  REPRESENTATION

        The person executing this agreement certifies that he or she is authorized to enter into this agreement and that a certified copy of the authorizing resolution or by-law (or other appropriate certifications) and a list of the names and titles of all persons authorized to give instructions and

6



approvals regarding this Account, along with specimen signatures, will be supplied to the Bank immediately. The authority of such persons will continue until written notice is received by the Bank of the revocation of such persons' authority.

XX. PLEDGE OF ASSETS AND WAIVER OF CONFLICTS

        The Customer retains the right to pledge some or all of the Account as collateral for loans to the Customer or other parties.

        The lender may be the Bank or a Bank affiliate and the Customer waives all conflicts of interest that may arise from such loans. The Customer hereby directs the Bank to follow any order of the lender directing sale or transfer of all or part of the Account, and remitting the proceeds to the lender, without further consent from or notice to the Customer. The Customer agrees to hold the Bank harmless against any and all claims, liabilities and expenses incurred by reason of compliance with such orders from the lender. The Customer understands that if the lender is the Bank or a Bank affiliate, the Bank may take action to protect its interests as lender, which could be contrary to the Customer's interests and investment objectives.

XXI.  RESOLVING DISPUTES OR CONTROVERSIES

        If the Customer or the Bank request, any controversy or claim ("Controversy") concerning this Agreement or the Account, including any claim based on or arising from an alleged tort, will be determined by arbitration, reference or trial by a judge as provided below. A Controversy that involves a dispute less than $1 Million (exclusive of punitive damages) will be determined by arbitration as described below. Any other Controversy will be determined by judicial reference of the Controversy to a referee, or by trial by a judge without a jury, as described below. The arbitration, judicial reference or trial by a judge will take place on an individual basis without resort to any form of class action.

        WHETHER THE CONTROVERSY IS DECIDED BY ARBITRATION, BY JUDICIAL REFERENCE, OR BY TRIAL BY A JUDGE, THE CUSTOMER AGREES AND UNDERSTANDS: (I) THAT THE CUSTOMER AND THE BANK ARE GIVING UP THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY, AND THERE WILL BE NO JURY AND (II) THAT THIS SECTION PRECLUDES THE CUSTOMER AND THE BANK FROM HAVING THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE OR BE REPRESENTED IN ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION OR ANY OTHER LITIGATION FILED IN COURT BY OTHERS.

7


8


FOR SIGNATURE BY A LEGAL ENTITY:

Customer:     Custodian: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
 
(Account Name)
   

By:

 

 

By:

 
 
(Its duly authorized Agent)
   
(Its duly authorized Agent)

Print Name:

 

Print Name:
 
   

Title:

 

 

Title:

 
 
   

Date:

 

 

Date:

 
 
   
Customer's fiscal year-end:    
 
   
Customer's tax identification number:
 

FOR SIGNATURE BY AN INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMER:

Customer:     Custodian:  
 
(Account Name)
   
Bank of America, N.A.

 

 

 

By:

 

(Customer's Signature)
   
(Its duly authorized Agent)

Print Name:

 

Print Name:
 
   
      Title:  
       

Date:

 

 

Accepted:

 
 
   
Customer's Social Security Number:    
 
   

9




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CUSTODIAL AGREEMENT For Fifth Street Finance Corp ("Customer")

Exhibit (k)(3)

CREDIT AGREEMENT

DATED AS OF JANUARY 15, 2008,

AMONG

FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.,

THE LENDERS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTIES HERETO,

AND

BANK OF MONTREAL,
AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

BMO CAPITAL MARKETS, AS SOLE LEAD ARRANGER AND SOLE BOOK RUNNER


TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION

  HEADING
  PAGE
SECTION 1.   THE CREDIT FACILITIES   1
  Section 1.1.   Revolving Credit Commitments   1
  Section 1.2.   Letters of Credit   1
  Section 1.3.   Applicable Interest Rates   4
  Section 1.4.   Minimum Borrowing Amounts; Maximum Eurodollar Loans   6
  Section 1.5.   Manner of Borrowing Loans and Designating Applicable Interest Rates   6
  Section 1.6.   Swing Loans   7
  Section 1.7.   Maturity of Loans   9
  Section 1.8.   Prepayments   9
  Section 1.9.   Default Rate   10
  Section 1.10.   Evidence of Indebtedness   11
  Section 1.11.   Funding Indemnity   11
  Section 1.12.   Commitment Terminations   12
  Section 1.13.   Substitution of Lenders   12

SECTION 2.

 

FEES

 

12
  Section 2.1.   Fees   12

SECTION 3.

 

PLACE AND APPLICATION OF PAYMENTS

 

13
  Section 3.1.   Place and Application of Payments   13
  Section 3.2.   Account Debit   14

SECTION 4.

 

GUARANTIES AND COLLATERAL

 

14
  Section 4.1.   Guaranties   14
  Section 4.2.   Collateral   14
  Section 4.3.   Further Assurances   15

SECTION 5.

 

DEFINITIONS; INTERPRETATION

 

15
  Section 5.1.   Definitions   15
  Section 5.2.   Interpretation   27
  Section 5.3.   Change in Accounting Principles   27

SECTION 6.

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

28
  Section 6.1.   Organization and Qualification   28
  Section 6.2.   Subsidiaries   28
  Section 6.3.   Authority and Validity of Obligations   28
  Section 6.4.   Use of Proceeds; Margin Stock   29
  Section 6.5.   Financial Reports   29
  Section 6.6.   No Material Adverse Change   29
  Section 6.7.   Full Disclosure   29
  Section 6.8.   Trademarks, Franchises, and Licenses   30
  Section 6.9.   Governmental Authority and Licensing   30
  Section 6.10.   Good Title   30
  Section 6.11.   Litigation and Other Controversies   30
  Section 6.12.   Taxes   30
  Section 6.13.   Approvals   30
  Section 6.14.   Affiliate Transactions   31
  Section 6.15.   Investment Company   31
  Section 6.16.   ERISA   31
  Section 6.17.   Compliance with Laws   31
  Section 6.18.   Solvency   31
  Section 6.19.   No Broker Fees   31
  Section 6.20.   Material Agreements   32

  Section 6.21.   Other Agreements   32
  Section 6.22.   No Default   32

SECTION 7.

 

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

32
  Section 7.1.   All Credit Events   32
  Section 7.2.   Initial Credit Event   32

SECTION 8.

 

COVENANTS

 

34
  Section 8.1.   Maintenance of Business   34
  Section 8.2.   Maintenance of Properties   34
  Section 8.3.   Taxes and Assessments   34
  Section 8.4.   Insurance   34
  Section 8.5.   Financial Reports   34
  Section 8.6.   Inspection   36
  Section 8.7.   Borrowings and Guarantees   36
  Section 8.8.   Liens   37
  Section 8.9.   Investments and Acquisitions   37
  Section 8.10.   Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations, and Sales of Assets   38
  Section 8.11.   Maintenance of Subsidiaries   39
  Section 8.12.   Dividends and Certain Other Restricted Payments   39
  Section 8.13.   ERISA   40
  Section 8.14.   Compliance with Laws   40
  Section 8.15.   RIC and BDC   40
  Section 8.16.   Investment Policies   40
  Section 8.17.   Burdensome Contracts With Affiliates   40
  Section 8.18.   No Changes in Fiscal Year   41
  Section 8.19.   Formation of Subsidiaries   41
  Section 8.20.   Change in the Nature of Business   41
  Section 8.21.   Use of Proceeds   41
  Section 8.22.   Portfolio Valuation and Diversification Etc.   41
  Section 8.23.   Calculation of Borrowing Base   43
  Section 8.24.   No Restrictions   45
  Section 8.25.   Financial Covenants   45
  Section 8.26.   Post Closing   45

SECTION 9.

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

46
  Section 9.1.   Events of Default   46
  Section 9.2.   Non-Bankruptcy Defaults   47
  Section 9.3.   Bankruptcy Defaults   47
  Section 9.4.   Collateral for Undrawn Letters of Credit   48
  Section 9.5.   Notice of Default   48

SECTION 10.

 

CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES

 

48
  Section 10.1.   Change of Law   48
  Section 10.2.   Unavailability of Deposits or Inability to Ascertain, or Inadequacy of, LIBOR   49
  Section 10.3.   Increased Cost and Reduced Return   49
  Section 10.4.   Lending Offices   50
  Section 10.5.   Discretion of Lender as to Manner of Funding   50

SECTION 11.

 

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

50
  Section 11.1.   Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent   50

ii


  Section 11.2.   Administrative Agent and its Affiliates   51
  Section 11.3.   Action by Administrative Agent   51
  Section 11.4.   Consultation with Experts   51
  Section 11.5.   Liability of Administrative Agent; Credit Decision   51
  Section 11.6.   Indemnity   52
  Section 11.7.   Resignation of Administrative Agent and Successor Administrative Agent   52
  Section 11.8.   L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender   53
  Section 11.9.   Hedging Liability and Funds Transfer and Deposit Account Liability Arrangements   53
  Section 11.10.   Designation of Additional Agents   53
  Section 11.11.   Authorization to Release or Subordinate or Limit Liens   53
  Section 11.12.   Authorization to Enter into, and Enforcement of, the Collateral Documents   54

SECTION 12.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

54
  Section 12.1.   Withholding Taxes   54
  Section 12.2.   No Waiver, Cumulative Remedies   55
  Section 12.3.   Non-Business Days   55
  Section 12.4.   Documentary Taxes   55
  Section 12.5.   Survival of Representations   55
  Section 12.6.   Survival of Indemnities   56
  Section 12.7.   Sharing of Set-Off   56
  Section 12.8.   Notices   56
  Section 12.9.   Counterparts   56
  Section 12.10.   Successors and Assigns   57
  Section 12.11.   Participants   57
  Section 12.12.   Assignments   57
  Section 12.13.   Amendments   59
  Section 12.14.   Headings   59
  Section 12.15.   Costs and Expenses; Indemnification   59
  Section 12.16.   Set-off   61
  Section 12.17.   Entire Agreement   61
  Section 12.18.   Governing Law   61
  Section 12.19.   Severability of Provisions   61
  Section 12.20.   Excess Interest   61
  Section 12.21.   Construction   62
  Section 12.22.   Lender's and L/C Issuer's Obligations Several   62
  Section 12.23.   Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial   62
  Section 12.24.   USA Patriot Act   62
  Section 12.25.   Confidentiality   62

Signature Page

 

64

EXHIBIT A—NOTICE OF PAYMENT REQUEST
EXHIBIT B—NOTICE OF BORROWING
EXHIBIT C—NOTICE OF CONTINUATION/CONVERSION
EXHIBIT D-1—REVOLVING NOTE
EXHIBIT D-2—SWING NOTE
EXHIBIT E—BORROWING BASE CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT F—COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT G—ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE

iii



SCHEDULE 1—COMMITMENTS
SCHEDULE 6.2—SUBSIDIARIES
SCHEDULE 6.10(A)—INVESTMENTS
SCHEDULE 6.10(B)—LIENS
SCHEDULE 6.20—MATERIAL AGREEMENTS

iv


CREDIT AGREEMENT

        This Credit Agreement is entered into as of January 15, 2008, by and among FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP., a Delaware corporation (the "Borrower"), the several financial institutions from time to time party to this Agreement, as Lenders, and BANK OF MONTREAL, a Canadian chartered bank acting through its Chicago branch, as Administrative Agent as provided herein. All capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the same meanings herein as such terms are defined in Section 5.1 hereof.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

        The Borrower has requested, and the Lenders have agreed to extend, certain credit facilities on the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

        NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

SECTION 1.    THE CREDIT FACILITIES.

        Section 1.1.    Revolving Credit Commitments.    Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Lender, by its acceptance hereof, severally agrees to make a loan or loans (individually a "Revolving Loan" and collectively for all the Lenders the "Revolving Loans") in U.S. Dollars to the Borrower from time to time on a revolving basis up to the amount of such Lender's Revolving Credit Commitment, subject to any reductions thereof pursuant to the terms hereof, before the Revolving Credit Termination Date. The sum of the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans, Swing Loans, and L/C Obligations at any time outstanding shall not exceed the lesser of (i) the Revolving Credit Commitments in effect at such time and (ii) the Borrowing Base as then determined and computed. Each Borrowing of Revolving Loans shall be made ratably by the Lenders in proportion to their respective Revolver Percentages. As provided in Section 1.5(a) hereof, the Borrower may elect that each Borrowing of Revolving Loans be either Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Loans. Revolving Loans may be repaid and the principal amount thereof reborrowed before the Revolving Credit Termination Date, subject to the terms and conditions hereof.

        Section 1.2.    Letters of Credit.    (a) General Terms. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, as part of the Revolving Credit, the L/C Issuer shall issue standby letters of credit (each a "Letter of Credit") for the account of the Borrower in an aggregate undrawn face amount up to the L/C Sublimit. Each Letter of Credit shall be issued by the L/C Issuer, but each Lender shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer for such Lender's Revolver Percentage of the amount of each drawing thereunder and, accordingly, each Letter of Credit shall constitute usage of the Revolving Credit Commitment of each Lender pro rata in an amount equal to its Revolver Percentage of the L/C Obligations then outstanding.

        (b)    Applications.    At any time before the Revolving Credit Termination Date, the L/C Issuer shall, at the request of the Borrower, issue one or more Letters of Credit in U.S. Dollars, in a form satisfactory to the L/C Issuer, with expiration dates no later than 12 months from the date of issuance (or which are cancelable not later than 12 months from the date of issuance and each renewal) in an aggregate face amount as set forth above, upon the receipt of an application duly executed by the Borrower for the relevant Letter of Credit in the form then customarily prescribed by the L/C Issuer for the Letter of Credit requested (each an "Application"). On the Revolving Credit Termination Date, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to 105% of the aggregate undrawn amounts on all Letters of Credit then outstanding to be held as cash collateral in the Collateral Account. Notwithstanding anything contained in any Application to the contrary: (i) the Borrower shall pay fees in connection with each Letter of Credit as set forth in Section 2.1 hereof, (ii) except as otherwise provided in Section 1.8 hereof, unless an Event of Default exists, prior to the Revolving Credit Termination Date the L/C Issuer will not call for the funding by the Borrower of any amount under a Letter of Credit before being presented with a drawing thereunder, and (iii) if the L/C



Issuer is not timely reimbursed for the amount of any drawing under a Letter of Credit on the date such drawing is paid, the Borrower's obligation to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of such drawing shall bear interest (which the Borrower hereby promises to pay) from and after the date such drawing is paid at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Applicable Margin for Reimbursement Obligations plus the Base Rate from time to time in effect (computed on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and the actual number of days elapsed). If the L/C Issuer issues any Letter of Credit with an expiration date that is automatically extended unless the L/C Issuer gives notice that the expiration date will not so extend beyond its then scheduled expiration date, unless the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders instruct the L/C Issuer otherwise, the L/C Issuer will give such notice of non-renewal before the time necessary to prevent such automatic extension if before such required notice date: (i) the Revolving Credit Commitments have been terminated or (ii) a Default or an Event of Default exists and either the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (with notice to the Administrative Agent) have given the L/C Issuer instructions not to so permit the extension of the expiration date of such Letter of Credit. The L/C Issuer agrees to issue amendments to the Letter(s) of Credit increasing the amount, or extending the expiration date, thereof at the request of the Borrower subject to the conditions of Section 7 hereof and the other terms of this Section 1.2.

        (c)    The Reimbursement Obligations.    Subject to Section 1.2(b) hereof, the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for all drawings under a Letter of Credit (a "Reimbursement Obligation") shall be governed by the Application related to such Letter of Credit, except that reimbursement shall be made by no later than 12:00 Noon (Chicago time) on the date when each drawing is to be paid if the Borrower has been informed of such drawing by the L/C Issuer on or before 11:00 a.m. (Chicago time) on the date when such drawing is to be paid or, if notice of such drawing is given to the Borrower after 11:00 a.m. (Chicago time) on the date when such drawing is to be paid, by no later than 12:00 Noon (Chicago time) on the following Business Day, in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent's principal office in Chicago, Illinois or such other office as the Administrative Agent may designate in writing to the Borrower (who shall thereafter cause to be distributed to the L/C Issuer such amount(s) in like funds). If the Borrower does not make any such reimbursement payment on the date due and the Participating Lenders fund their participations therein in the manner set forth in Section 1.2(e) below, then all payments thereafter received by the Administrative Agent in discharge of any of the relevant Reimbursement Obligations shall be distributed in accordance with Section 1.2(e) below.

        (d)    Obligations Absolute.    The Borrower's obligation to reimburse L/C Obligations as provided in subsection (c) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the relevant Application 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 the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not strictly 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. None of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, or the L/C Issuer 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 L/C Issuer; provided that the foregoing shall

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not be construed to excuse the L/C Issuer 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 the L/C Issuer'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 the L/C Issuer (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the L/C Issuer 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, the L/C Issuer 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.

        (e)    The Participating Interests.    Each Lender (other than the Lender acting as L/C Issuer in issuing the relevant Letter of Credit), by its acceptance hereof, severally agrees to purchase from the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer hereby agrees to sell to each such Lender (a "Participating Lender"), an undivided percentage participating interest (a "Participating Interest"), to the extent of its Revolver Percentage, in each Letter of Credit issued by, and each Reimbursement Obligation owed to, the L/C Issuer. Upon any failure by the Borrower to pay any Reimbursement Obligation at the time required on the date the related drawing is to be paid, as set forth in Section 1.2(c) above, or if the L/C Issuer is required at any time to return to the Borrower or to a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other Person any portion of any payment of any Reimbursement Obligation, each Participating Lender shall, not later than the Business Day it receives a certificate in the form of Exhibit A hereto from the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) to such effect, if such certificate is received before 1:00 p.m. (Chicago time), or not later than 1:00 p.m. (Chicago time) the following Business Day, if such certificate is received after such time, pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer an amount equal to such Participating Lender's Revolver Percentage of such unpaid or recaptured Reimbursement Obligation together with interest on such amount accrued from the date the related payment was made by the L/C Issuer to the date of such payment by such Participating Lender at a rate per annum equal to: (i) from the date the related payment was made by the L/C Issuer to the date two (2) Business Days after payment by such Participating Lender is due hereunder, the Federal Funds Rate for each such day and (ii) from the date two (2) Business Days after the date such payment is due from such Participating Lender to the date such payment is made by such Participating Lender, the Base Rate in effect for each such day. Each such Participating Lender shall thereafter be entitled to receive its Revolver Percentage of each payment received in respect of the relevant Reimbursement Obligation and of interest paid thereon, with the L/C Issuer retaining its Revolver Percentage thereof as a Lender hereunder. The several obligations of the Participating Lenders to the L/C Issuer under this Section 1.2 shall be absolute, irrevocable, and unconditional under any and all circumstances whatsoever and shall not be subject to any set-off, counterclaim or defense to payment which any Participating Lender may have or have had against the Borrower, the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other Person whatsoever. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such obligations shall not be affected by any Default or Event of Default or by any reduction or termination of any Commitment of any Lender, and each payment by a Participating Lender under this Section 1.2 shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

        (f)    Indemnification.    The Participating Lenders shall, to the extent of their respective Revolver Percentages, indemnify the L/C Issuer (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower) against any cost, expense (including reasonable counsel fees and disbursements), claim, demand, action, loss or liability (except such as result from such L/C Issuer's gross negligence or willful misconduct) that the L/C Issuer may suffer or incur in connection with any Letter of Credit issued by it. The obligations of the

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Participating Lenders under this Section 1.2(f) and all other parts of this Section 1.2 shall survive termination of this Agreement and of all Applications, Letters of Credit, and all drafts and other documents presented in connection with drawings thereunder.

        (g)    Manner of Requesting a Letter of Credit.    The Borrower shall provide at least five (5) Business Days' advance written notice to the Administrative Agent of each request for the issuance of a Letter of Credit, such notice in each case to be accompanied by an Application for such Letter of Credit properly completed and executed by the Borrower and, in the case of an extension or amendment or an increase in the amount of a Letter of Credit, a written request therefor, in a form acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, in each case, together with the fees called for by this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the L/C Issuer of the Administrative Agent's receipt of each such notice (and the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to assume that the conditions precedent to any such issuance, extension, amendment or increase have been satisfied unless notified to the contrary by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders) and the L/C Issuer shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of the issuance of the Letter of Credit so requested.

        (h)    Replacement of the L/C Issuer.    The L/C Issuer may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced L/C Issuer and the successor L/C Issuer. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the L/C Issuer. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced L/C Issuer. From and after the effective date of any such replacement (i) the successor L/C Issuer shall have all the rights and obligations of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term "L/C Issuer" shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous L/C Issuer, or to such successor and all previous L/C Issuers, as the context shall require. After the replacement of a L/C Issuer hereunder, the replaced L/C Issuer shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of a L/C Issuer 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.

        Section 1.3.    Applicable Interest Rates.    (a) Base Rate Loans. Each Base Rate Loan made or maintained by a Lender shall bear interest (computed on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and the actual days elapsed) on the unpaid principal amount thereof from the date such Loan is advanced, or created by conversion from a Eurodollar Loan, until maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans plus the Base Rate from time to time in effect, payable by the Borrower on each Interest Payment Date and at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise).

        "Base Rate" means for any day the greater of: (i) the rate of interest announced or otherwise established by the Administrative Agent from time to time as its prime commercial rate, or its equivalent, for U.S. Dollar loans to borrowers located in the United States as in effect on such day, with any change in the Base Rate resulting from a change in said prime commercial rate to be effective as of the date of the relevant change in said prime commercial rate (it being acknowledged and agreed that such rate may not be the Administrative Agent's best or lowest rate) and (ii) the sum of (x) the rate determined by the Administrative Agent to be the average (rounded upward, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100 of 1%) of the rates per annum quoted to the Administrative Agent at approximately 10:00 a.m. (Chicago time) (or as soon thereafter as is practicable) on such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the immediately preceding Business Day) by two or more Federal funds brokers selected by the Administrative Agent for sale to the Administrative Agent at face value of Federal funds in the secondary market in an amount equal or comparable to the principal amount for which such rate is being determined, plus (y) 1/2 of 1%.

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        (b)    Eurodollar Loans.    Each Eurodollar Loan made or maintained by a Lender shall bear interest during each Interest Period it is outstanding (computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and actual days elapsed) on the unpaid principal amount thereof from the date such Loan is advanced or continued, or created by conversion from a Base Rate Loan, until maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Loans plus the Adjusted LIBOR applicable for such Interest Period, payable by the Borrower on each Interest Payment Date and at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise).

        "Adjusted LIBOR" means, for any Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans, a rate per annum determined in accordance with the following formula:

        LIBOR
Adjusted LIBOR   =  
        1 - Eurodollar Reserve Percentage

        "Eurodollar Reserve Percentage" means, for any Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans, the daily average for the applicable Interest Period of the maximum rate, expressed as a decimal, at which reserves (including, without limitation, any supplemental, marginal, and emergency reserves) are imposed during such Interest Period by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) on "eurocurrency liabilities", as defined in such Board's Regulation D (or in respect of any other category of liabilities that includes deposits by reference to which the interest rate on Eurodollar Loans is determined or any category of extensions of credit or other assets that include loans by non-United States offices of any Lender to United States residents), subject to any amendments of such reserve requirement by such Board or its successor, taking into account any transitional adjustments thereto. For purposes of this definition, the Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to be "eurocurrency liabilities" as defined in Regulation D without benefit or credit for any prorations, exemptions or offsets under Regulation D.

        "LIBOR" means, for an Interest Period for a Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans, (a) the LIBOR Index Rate for such Interest Period, if such rate is available, and (b) if the LIBOR Index Rate cannot be determined, the arithmetic average of the rates of interest per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) at which deposits in U.S. Dollars in immediately available funds are offered to the Administrative Agent at 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) two (2) Business Days before the beginning of such Interest Period by three (3) or more major banks in the interbank eurodollar market selected by the Administrative Agent for delivery on the first day of and for a period equal to such Interest Period and in an amount equal or comparable to the principal amount of the Eurodollar Loan scheduled to be made as part of such Borrowing.

        "LIBOR Index Rate" means, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next higher one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point) for deposits in U.S. Dollars for a period equal to such Interest Period, which appears on the LIBOR01 Page as of 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) on the day 2 Business Days before the commencement of such Interest Period.

        "LIBOR01 Page" means the display designated as "Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page" (or such other page as may replace the LIBOR01 Page on that service or such other service as may be nominated by the British Bankers' Association as the information vendor for the purpose of displaying British Bankers' Association Interest Settlement Rates for U.S. Dollar deposits).

        (c)    Rate Determinations.    The Administrative Agent shall determine each interest rate applicable to the Loans and the Reimbursement Obligations hereunder, and its determination thereof shall be conclusive and binding except in the case of manifest error.

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        Section 1.4.    Minimum Borrowing Amounts; Maximum Eurodollar Loans.    Each Borrowing of Base Rate Loans advanced under a Credit shall be in an amount not less than $100,000. Each Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans advanced, continued or converted under a Credit shall be in an amount equal to $1,000,000 or such greater amount which is an integral multiple of $500,000. Without the Administrative Agent's consent, there shall not be more than eight (8) Borrowings of Eurodollar Loans outstanding hereunder at any one time.

        Section 1.5.    Manner of Borrowing Loans and Designating Applicable Interest Rates.    (a) Notice to the Administrative Agent. The Borrower shall give notice to the Administrative Agent by no later than 10:00 a.m. (Chicago time): (i) at least 3 Business Days before the date on which the Borrower requests the Lenders to advance a Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans and (ii) on the date the Borrower requests the Lenders to advance a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. The Loans included in each Borrowing shall bear interest initially at the type of rate specified in such notice of a new Borrowing. Thereafter, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may from time to time elect to change or continue the type of interest rate borne by each Borrowing or, subject to the minimum amount requirement for each outstanding Borrowing set forth in Section 1.4 hereof, a portion thereof, as follows: (i) if such Borrowing is of Eurodollar Loans, on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, the Borrower may continue part or all of such Borrowing as Eurodollar Loans or convert part or all of such Borrowing into Base Rate Loans or (ii) if such Borrowing is of Base Rate Loans, on any Business Day, the Borrower may convert all or part of such Borrowing into Eurodollar Loans for an Interest Period or Interest Periods specified by the Borrower. The Borrower shall give all such notices requesting the advance, continuation or conversion of a Borrowing to the Administrative Agent by telephone, telecopy, or other telecommunication device acceptable to the Administrative Agent (which notice shall be irrevocable once given and, if by telephone, shall be promptly confirmed in writing), substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (Notice of Borrowing) or Exhibit C (Notice of Continuation/Conversion), as applicable, or in such other form acceptable to the Administrative Agent. Notice of the continuation of a Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans for an additional Interest Period or of the conversion of part or all of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Loans must be given by no later than 10:00 a.m. (Chicago time) at least three (3) Business Days before the date of the requested continuation or conversion. All such notices concerning the advance, continuation or conversion of a Borrowing shall specify the date of the requested advance, continuation or conversion of a Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day), the amount of the requested Borrowing to be advanced, continued or converted, the type of Loans to comprise such new, continued or converted Borrowing and, if such Borrowing is to be comprised of Eurodollar Loans, the Interest Period applicable thereto. Upon notice to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, no Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans shall be advanced, continued, or created by conversion if any Default or Event of Default then exists. The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may rely on any such telephonic, telecopy or other telecommunication notice given by any person the Administrative Agent in good faith believes is an Authorized Representative without the necessity of independent investigation, and in the event any such notice by telephone conflicts with any written confirmation such telephonic notice shall govern if the Administrative Agent has acted in reliance thereon.

        (b)    Notice to the Lenders.    The Administrative Agent shall give prompt telephonic, telecopy or other telecommunication notice to each Lender of any notice from the Borrower received pursuant to Section 1.5(a) above and, if such notice requests the Lenders to make Eurodollar Loans, the Administrative Agent shall give notice to the Borrower and each Lender by like means of the interest rate applicable thereto promptly after the Administrative Agent has made such determination.

        (c)    Borrower's Failure to Notify.    If the Borrower fails to give notice pursuant to Section 1.5(a) above of the continuation or conversion of any outstanding principal amount of a Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans before the last day of its then current Interest Period within the period required by

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Section 1.5(a) and such Borrowing is not prepaid in accordance with Section 1.8(a), such Borrowing shall automatically be converted into a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. In the event the Borrower fails to give notice pursuant to Section 1.5(a) above of a Borrowing equal to the amount of a Reimbursement Obligation and has not notified the Administrative Agent by 12:00 noon (Chicago time) on the day such Reimbursement Obligation becomes due that it intends to repay such Reimbursement Obligation through funds not borrowed under this Agreement, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans under the Revolving Credit (or, at the option of the Swing Line Lender, under the Swing Line) on such day in the amount of the Reimbursement Obligation then due, which Borrowing shall be applied to pay the Reimbursement Obligation then due.

        (d)    Disbursement of Loans.    Not later than 1:00 p.m. (Chicago time) on the date of any requested advance of a new Borrowing, subject to Section 7 hereof, each Lender shall make available its Loan comprising part of such Borrowing in funds immediately available at the principal office of the Administrative Agent in Chicago, Illinois (or at such other location as the Administrative Agent shall designate). The Administrative Agent shall make the proceeds of each new Borrowing available to the Borrower at the Administrative Agent's principal office in Chicago, Illinois (or at such other location as the Administrative Agent shall designate), by depositing or wire transferring such proceeds to the credit of the Borrower's Designated Disbursement Account or as the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may otherwise agree.

        (e)    Administrative Agent Reliance on Lender Funding.    Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by a Lender prior to (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, by 1:00 p.m. (Chicago time) on) the date on which such Lender is scheduled to make payment to the Administrative Agent of the proceeds of a Loan (which notice shall be effective upon receipt) that such Lender does not intend to make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such payment when due and the Administrative Agent may in reliance upon such assumption (but shall not be required to) make available to the Borrower the proceeds of the Loan to be made by such Lender and, if any Lender has not in fact made such payment to the Administrative Agent, such Lender shall, on demand, pay to the Administrative Agent the amount made available to the Borrower attributable to such Lender together with interest thereon in respect of each day during the period commencing on the date such amount was made available to the Borrower and ending on (but excluding) the date such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent at a rate per annum equal to: (i) from the date the related advance was made by the Administrative Agent to the date two (2) Business Days after payment by such Lender is due hereunder, the Federal Funds Rate for each such day and (ii) from the date two (2) Business Days after the date such payment is due from such Lender to the date such payment is made by such Lender, the Base Rate in effect for each such day. If such amount is not received from such Lender by the Administrative Agent immediately upon demand, the Borrower will, on demand, repay to the Administrative Agent the proceeds of the Loan attributable to such Lender with interest thereon at a rate per annum equal to the interest rate applicable to the relevant Loan, but without such payment being considered a payment or prepayment of a Loan under Section 1.11 hereof so that the Borrower will have no liability under such Section with respect to such payment.

        Section 1.6.    Swing Loans.    (a) Generally. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, as part of the Revolving Credit, the Swing Line Lender may, in its discretion, make loans in U.S. Dollars to the Borrower under the Swing Line (individually a "Swing Loan" and collectively the "Swing Loans") which shall not in the aggregate at any time outstanding exceed the Swing Line Sublimit. Swing Loans may be availed of from time to time and borrowings thereunder may be repaid and used again during the period ending on the Revolving Credit Termination Date. Each Swing Loan shall be in a minimum amount of $250,000 or such greater amount which is an integral multiple of $100,000.

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        (b)    Interest on Swing Loans.    Each Swing Loan shall bear interest until maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) at a rate per annum equal to (i) the sum of the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans under the Revolving Credit as from time to time in effect (computed on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, for the actual number of days elapsed) or (ii) the Swing Line Lender's Quoted Rate (computed on the basis of a year of 360 days for the actual number of days elapsed). Interest on each Swing Loan shall be due and payable by the Borrower on each Interest Payment Date and at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise).

        (c)    Requests for Swing Loans.    The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent prior notice (which may be written or oral) no later than 12:00 Noon (Chicago time) on the date upon which the Borrower requests that any Swing Loan be made, of the amount and date of such Swing Loan, and, if applicable, the Interest Period requested therefor. The Administrative Agent shall promptly advise the Swing Line Lender of any such notice received from the Borrower. After receiving such notice, the Swing Line Lender shall in its discretion quote an interest rate to the Borrower at which the Swing Line Lender would be willing to make such Swing Loan available to the Borrower for the Interest Period so requested (the rate so quoted for a given Interest Period being herein referred to as "Swing Line Lender's Quoted Rate"). The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the interest rate quote is given for immediate and irrevocable acceptance. If the Borrower does not so immediately accept the Swing Line Lender's Quoted Rate for the full amount requested by the Borrower for such Swing Loan, the Swing Line Lender's Quoted Rate shall be deemed immediately withdrawn and such Swing Loan shall bear interest at the rate per annum determined by adding the Applicable Margin for Base Rate Loans under the Revolving Credit to the Base Rate as from time to time in effect. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the proceeds of each Swing Loan extended to the Borrower shall be deposited or otherwise wire transferred to the Borrower's Designated Disbursement Account or as the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and the Swing Line Lender may otherwise agree. Anything contained in the foregoing to the contrary notwithstanding, the undertaking of the Swing Line Lender to make Swing Loans shall be subject to all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement (provided that the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to assume that the conditions precedent to an advance of any Swing Loan have been satisfied unless notified to the contrary by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders).

        (d)    Refunding Loans.    In its sole and absolute discretion, the Swing Line Lender may at any time, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to act on its behalf for such purpose) and with notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, request each Lender to make a Revolving Loan in the form of a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such Lender's Revolver Percentage of the amount of the Swing Loans outstanding on the date such notice is given. Unless an Event of Default described in Section 9.1(j) or 9.1(k) exists with respect to the Borrower, regardless of the existence of any other Event of Default, each Lender shall make the proceeds of its requested Revolving Loan available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender), in immediately available funds, at the Administrative Agent's office in Chicago, Illinois (or such other location designated by the Administrative Agent), before 12:00 Noon (Chicago time) on the Business Day following the day such notice is given. The Administrative Agent shall promptly remit the proceeds of such Borrowing to the Swing Line Lender to repay the outstanding Swing Loans.

        (e)    Participations.    If any Lender refuses or otherwise fails to make a Revolving Loan when requested by the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 1.6(d) above (because an Event of Default described in Section 9.1(j) or 9.1(k) exists with respect to the Borrower or otherwise), such Lender will, by the time and in the manner such Revolving Loan was to have been funded to the Swing Line Lender, purchase from the Swing Line Lender an undivided participating interest in the outstanding Swing Loans in an amount equal to its Revolver Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Swing Loans that were to have been repaid with such Revolving Loans. Each Lender that so purchases a

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participation in a Swing Loan shall thereafter be entitled to receive its Revolver Percentage of each payment of principal received on the Swing Loan and of interest received thereon accruing from the date such Lender funded to the Swing Line Lender its participation in such Loan. The several obligations of the Lenders under this Section shall be absolute, irrevocable, and unconditional under any and all circumstances whatsoever and shall not be subject to any set-off, counterclaim or defense to payment which any Lender may have or have had against the Borrower, any other Lender, or any other Person whatsoever. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such obligations shall not be affected by any Default or Event of Default or by any reduction or termination of the Commitments of any Lender, and each payment made by a Lender under this Section shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding, or reduction whatsoever.

        Section 1.7.    Maturity of Loans.    

        (a)    Revolving Loans.    Each Revolving Loan, both for principal and interest not sooner paid, shall mature and be due and payable by the Borrower on the Revolving Credit Termination Date.

        (b)   Swing Loans. Each Swing Loan, both for principal and interest not sooner paid, shall mature and be due and payable by the Borrower on the Revolving Credit Termination Date.

        Section 1.8.    Prepayments.    (a) Optional.    The Borrower may prepay without premium or fee (other than funding indemnity amounts called for by Section 1.11 hereof), and in whole or in part (but, if in part, then: (i) if such Borrowing is of Base Rate Loans, in an amount not less than $100,000, (ii) if such Borrowing is of Eurodollar Loans, in an amount not less than $500,000, and (iii) in each case, in an amount such that the minimum amount required for a Borrowing pursuant to Section 1.4 and 1.6 hereof remains outstanding), any Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans at any time upon three (3) Business Days prior notice by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, notice delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent no later than 10:00 a.m. (Chicago time) on the date of prepayment (or, in any case, such shorter period of time then agreed to by the Administrative Agent), such prepayment to be made by the payment of the principal amount to be prepaid and, in the case of any Eurodollar Loans or Swing Loans, accrued interest thereon to the date fixed for prepayment plus any amounts due the Lenders under Section 1.11 hereof.

        (b)    Mandatory.    (i) Borrowing Base Deficiency.    In the event that at any time any Borrowing Base Deficiency shall exist, the Borrower shall immediately and without notice or demand prepay the Loans (and provide cash collateral for Letters of Credit as contemplated by Section 9.4) in such amounts as shall be necessary so that such Borrowing Base Deficiency is immediately cured, provided that (i) each such prepayment of the Obligations hereunder shall be applied first to the Swing Loans and then to the Revolving Loans until paid in full with any remaining balance to be held by the Administrative Agent in the Collateral Account as security for the Obligations owing with respect to the Letters of Credit, and (ii) if, within five (5) Business Days after delivery of a Borrowing Base Certificate demonstrating such Borrowing Base Deficiency (and/or at such other times as the Borrower has knowledge of such Borrowing Base Deficiency), the Borrower shall present the Administrative Agent a reasonably feasible plan to enable such Borrowing Base Deficiency to be cured within thirty (30) Business Days (which 30-Business Day period shall include the 5 Business Days permitted for delivery of such plan), then such prepayment or reduction shall not be required to be effected immediately but may be effected in accordance with such plan (with such modifications as the Borrower may reasonably determine), so long as such Borrowing Base Deficiency is cured within such 30-Business Day period.

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        (ii)    Change in Investment Policies.    In the event that at any time the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall change or modify in any material respect the Investment Policies except as permitted by Section 8.16 below, upon written notice to the Borrower from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (which notice may be provided on the same day notice of any such change or modification in the Investment Policies is brought to the attention of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders), the Commitments and the remaining obligations of the Lenders hereunder shall terminate and all outstanding Obligations (including, without limitation, all principal of and accrued interest on the Loans) shall forthwith be due and payable without further demand, presentment, protest, or notice of any kind and the Borrower shall prefund the full amount of L/C Obligations then outstanding (whether or not any drawings have been made on any such Letters of Credit, with such amount to be held in the Collateral Account referred to in Section 9.4 hereof).

        (iii)  The Borrower shall, on each date the Revolving Credit Commitments are reduced pursuant to Section 1.12 hereof, prepay the Revolving Loans, Swing Loans, and, if necessary, prefund the L/C Obligations by the amount, if any, necessary to reduce the sum of the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans, Swing Loans, and L/C Obligations then outstanding to the amount to which the Revolving Credit Commitments have been so reduced.

        (iv)  Unless the Borrower otherwise directs, prepayments of Loans under this Section 1.8(b) shall be applied first to Borrowings of Base Rate Loans until payment in full thereof with any balance applied to Borrowings of Eurodollar Loans in the order in which their Interest Periods expire. Each prepayment of Loans under this Section 1.8(b) shall be made by the payment of the principal amount to be prepaid and, in the case of any Eurodollar Loans or Swing Loans, accrued interest thereon to the date of prepayment together with any amounts due the Lenders under Section 1.11 hereof. Each prefunding of L/C Obligations shall be made in accordance with Section 9.4 hereof.

        (c)   Any amount of Revolving Loans and Swing Loans paid or prepaid before the Revolving Credit Termination Date may, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, be borrowed, repaid and borrowed again.

        Section 1.9.    Default Rate.    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, while any Event of Default exists or after acceleration, the Borrower shall pay interest (after as well as before entry of judgment thereon to the extent permitted by law) on the principal amount of all Loans and Reimbursement Obligations, and letter of credit fees at a rate per annum equal to:

provided, however, that in the absence of acceleration, any adjustments pursuant to this Section shall be made at the election of the Administrative Agent, acting at the request or with the consent of the Required Lenders, with written notice to the Borrower. While any Event of Default exists or after acceleration, interest shall be paid on demand of the Administrative Agent at the request or with the consent of the Required Lenders.

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        Section 1.10.    Evidence of Indebtedness.    (a) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

        (b)   The Administrative Agent shall also maintain accounts in which it will record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the type thereof and the Interest Period with respect thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from the Borrower and each Lender's share thereof.

        (c)   The entries maintained in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) above shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the Obligations therein recorded; provided, however, that the failure of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Obligations in accordance with their terms.

        (d)   Any Lender may request that its Loans be evidenced by a promissory note or notes in the forms of Exhibit D-1 (in the case of its Revolving Loans and referred to herein as a "Revolving Note"), or D-2 (in the case of its Swing Loans and referred to herein as a "Swing Note"), as applicable (the Revolving Notes, and Swing Note being hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Notes" and individually as a "Note"). In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a Note payable to such Lender or its registered assigns in the amount of the relevant Commitment or Swing Line Sublimit, as applicable. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such Note or Notes and interest thereon shall at all times (including after any assignment pursuant to Section 12.12) be represented by one or more Notes payable to the order of the payee named therein or any assignee pursuant to Section 12.12, except to the extent that any such Lender or assignee subsequently returns any such Note for cancellation and requests that such Loans once again be evidenced as described in subsections (a) and (b) above.

        Section 1.11.    Funding Indemnity.    If any Lender shall incur any loss, cost or expense (including, without limitation, any loss, cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or re-employment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund or maintain any Eurodollar Loan or Swing Loan or the relending or reinvesting of such deposits or amounts paid or prepaid to such Lender) as a result of:

then, upon the demand of such Lender, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such amount as will reimburse such Lender for such loss, cost or expense. If any Lender makes such a claim for compensation, it shall provide to the Borrower, with a copy to the Administrative Agent, a certificate setting forth the amount of such loss, cost or expense in reasonable detail (including an explanation of

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the basis for and the computation of such loss, cost or expense) and the amounts shown on such certificate shall be conclusive if reasonably determined, absent manifest error.

        Section 1.12.    Commitment Terminations.    (a) Optional Revolving Credit Terminations.    The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time, upon five (5) Business Days prior written notice to the Administrative Agent (or such shorter period of time agreed to by the Administrative Agent), to terminate the Revolving Credit Commitments without premium or penalty and in whole or in part, any partial termination to be (i) in an amount not less than $5,000,000 (or such greater amount which is an integral multiple of $100,000) and (ii) allocated ratably among the Lenders in proportion to their respective Revolver Percentages, provided that the Revolving Credit Commitments may not be reduced to an amount less than the sum of the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans, Swing Loans, and L/C Obligations then outstanding. Any termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments below the L/C Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit then in effect shall reduce the L/C Sublimit and Swing Line Sublimit, as applicable, by a like amount. The Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to each Lender of any such termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments.

        (b)    Mandatory Revolving Credit Termination.    In the event any prepayment is due under Section 1.8(b)(ii) hereof as a result of a change in Investment Policies, the Commitments shall terminate in full on the date stated in such notice of prepayment.

        (c)   Any termination of the Commitments pursuant to this Section 1.12 may not be reinstated.

        Section 1.13.    Substitution of Lenders.    In the event (a) the Borrower receives a claim from any Lender for compensation under Section 10.3 or 12.1 hereof, (b) the Borrower receives notice from any Lender of any illegality pursuant to Section 10.1 hereof, (c) any Lender is in default in any material respect with respect to its obligations under the Loan Documents, or (d) a Lender fails to consent to an amendment or waiver requested under Section 12.13 hereof at a time when the Required Lenders have approved such amendment or waiver (any such Lender referred to in clause (a), (b), (c), or (d) above being hereinafter referred to as an "Affected Lender"), the Borrower may, in addition to any other rights the Borrower may have hereunder or under applicable law, require, at its expense, any such Affected Lender to assign, at par, without recourse, all of its interest, rights, and obligations hereunder (including all of its Commitments and the Loans and participation interests in Letters of Credit and other amounts at any time owing to it hereunder and the other Loan Documents) to an Eligible Assignee specified by the Borrower, provided that (i) such assignment shall not conflict with or violate any law, rule or regulation or order of any court or other governmental authority, (ii) the Borrower shall have paid to the Affected Lender all monies (together with amounts due such Affected Lender under Section 1.11 hereof as if the Loans owing to it were prepaid rather than assigned) other than such principal owing to it hereunder, and (iii) the assignment is entered into in accordance with, and subject to the consents required by, Section 12.12 hereof (provided any assignment fees and reimbursable expenses due thereunder shall be paid by the Borrower).

SECTION 2.    FEES.

        Section 2.1.    Fees.    (a) Revolving Credit Commitment Fee.    The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders in accordance with their Revolver Percentages a commitment fee at the rate per annum equal to the Applicable Margin for commitment fees (computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and the actual number of days elapsed) on the average daily Unused Revolving Credit Commitments. Such commitment fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each March, June, September, and December in each year (commencing on the first such date occurring after the date hereof) and on the Revolving Credit Termination Date, unless the Revolving Credit Commitments are terminated in whole on an earlier date, in which event the commitment fee for the period to the date of such termination in whole shall be paid on the date of such termination.

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        (b)    Letter of Credit Fees.    On the date of issuance or extension, or increase in the amount, of any Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 1.2 hereof, the Borrower shall pay to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee equal to 0.125% of the face amount of (or of the increase in the face amount of) such Letter of Credit. Quarterly in arrears, on the last day of each March, June, September, and December, commencing on the first such date occurring after the date hereof, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders in accordance with their Revolver Percentages, a letter of credit fee at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Margin for Letters of Credit (computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and the actual number of days elapsed) in effect during each day of such quarter applied to the daily average face amount of Letters of Credit outstanding during such quarter. In addition, the Borrower shall pay to the L/C Issuer for its own account the L/C Issuer's standard issuance, drawing, negotiation, amendment, assignment, and other administrative fees for each Letter of Credit as established by the L/C Issuer from time to time.

        (c)    Administrative Agent Fees.    The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own use and benefit, the fees agreed to between the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in a fee letter dated January 15, 2008, or as otherwise agreed to in writing between them.

        (d)    Audit Fees.    The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for its own use and benefit charges for audits of the Collateral performed by the Administrative Agent or its agents or representatives in such amounts as the Administrative Agent may from time to time request (the Administrative Agent acknowledging and agreeing that such charges shall be computed in the same manner as it at the time customarily uses for the assessment of charges for similar collateral audits); provided, however, that in the absence of any Default and Event of Default, the Borrower shall not be required to pay the Administrative Agent for more than one (1) such audit per calendar year.

SECTION 3.    PLACE AND APPLICATION OF PAYMENTS.

        Section 3.1.    Place and Application of Payments.    All payments of principal of and interest on the Loans and the Reimbursement Obligations, and of all other Obligations payable by the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, shall be made by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent by no later than 12:00 Noon (Chicago time) on the due date thereof at the office of the Administrative Agent in Chicago, Illinois (or such other location as the Administrative Agent may designate to the Borrower) for the benefit of the Lender(s) or L/C Issuer entitled thereto. Any payments received after such time shall be deemed to have been received by the Administrative Agent on the next Business Day. All such payments shall be made in U.S. Dollars, in immediately available funds at the place of payment, in each case without set-off or counterclaim. The Administrative Agent will promptly thereafter cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest on Loans and on Reimbursement Obligations in which the Lenders have purchased Participating Interests ratably to the Lenders and like funds relating to the payment of any other amount payable to any Lender to such Lender, in each case to be applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. If the Administrative Agent causes amounts to be distributed to the Lenders in reliance upon the assumption that the Borrower will make a scheduled payment and such scheduled payment is not so made, each Lender shall, on demand, repay to the Administrative Agent the amount distributed to such Lender together with interest thereon in respect of each day during the period commencing on the date such amount was distributed to such Lender and ending on (but excluding) the date such Lender repays such amount to the Administrative Agent, at a rate per annum equal to: (i) from the date the distribution was made to the date two (2) Business Days after payment by such Lender is due hereunder, the Federal Funds Rate for each such day and (ii) from the date two (2) Business Days after the date such payment is due from such Lender to the date such payment is made by such Lender, the Base Rate in effect for each such day.

        Anything contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding (including, without limitation, Section 1.8(b) hereof), all payments and collections received in respect of the Obligations and all

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proceeds of the Collateral received, in each instance, by the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders after acceleration or the final maturity of the Obligations or termination of the Commitments as a result of an Event of Default shall be remitted to the Administrative Agent and distributed as follows:

        Section 3.2.    Account Debit.    The Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent to charge any of the Borrower's deposit accounts maintained with the Administrative Agent for the amounts from time to time necessary to pay any then due interest or fee payments hereunder; provided that the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent shall not be under an obligation to do so and the Administrative Agent shall not incur any liability to the Borrower or any other Person for the Administrative Agent's failure to do so.

SECTION 4.    GUARANTIES AND COLLATERAL.

        Section 4.1.    Guaranties.    The payment and performance of the Secured Obligations shall at all times be guaranteed by each direct and indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower pursuant to the Guarantee and Security Agreement (each such Subsidiary executing and delivering the Guarantee and Security Agreement or a supplement thereto being referred to herein as a "Guarantor" and collectively the "Guarantors"); provided, however, that no Financing Subsidiary shall be required to be a Guarantor hereunder.

        Section 4.2.    Collateral.    The Secured Obligations shall be secured by valid, perfected, and enforceable Liens on all right, title, and interest of each Credit Party in all of the Collateral. The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the Liens on the Collateral shall be granted to the

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Administrative Agent for the benefit of the holders of the holders of the Secured Obligations and shall be valid and perfected first priority Liens subject only to Permitted Liens.

        Section 4.3.    Further Assurances.    The Borrower agrees that it shall, and shall cause each other Credit Party to, from time to time at the request of the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, execute and deliver such documents and do such acts and things as the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request in order to provide for or perfect or protect such Liens on the Collateral. In the event any Credit Party forms or acquires any other Subsidiary after the date hereof, except as otherwise provided in Section 4.1 above, the Borrower shall promptly upon such formation or acquisition cause such newly formed or acquired Subsidiary to execute a supplement to the Guarantee and Security Agreement and such other Collateral Documents as the Administrative Agent may then require, and the Borrower shall also deliver to the Administrative Agent, or cause such Credit Party to deliver to the Administrative Agent, at the Borrower's cost and expense, such other instruments, documents, certificates, and opinions reasonably required by the Administrative Agent in connection therewith.

SECTION 5.    DEFINITIONS; INTERPRETATION.

        Section 5.1.    Definitions.    The following terms when used herein shall have the following meanings:

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        Section 5.2.    Interpretation.    The foregoing definitions are equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. The words "hereof", "herein", and "hereunder" and words of like import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. All references to time of day herein are references to Chicago, Illinois, time unless otherwise specifically provided. Where the character or amount of any asset or liability or item of income or expense is required to be determined or any consolidation or other accounting computation is required to be made for the purposes of this Agreement, it shall be done in accordance with GAAP except where such principles are inconsistent with the specific provisions of this Agreement.

        Section 5.3.    Change in Accounting Principles.    If, after the date of this Agreement, there shall occur any change in GAAP from those used in the preparation of the financial statements referred to in Section 6.5 hereof and such change shall result in a change in the method of calculation of any financial covenant, standard or term found in this Agreement, either the Borrower or the Required Lenders may by notice to the Lenders and the Borrower, respectively, require that the Lenders and the Borrower negotiate in good faith to amend such covenants, standards, and terms so as equitably to reflect such change in accounting principles, with the desired result being that the criteria for evaluating the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be the same as if such

27


change had not been made. No delay by the Borrower or the Required Lenders in requiring such negotiation shall limit their right to so require such a negotiation at any time after such a change in accounting principles. Until any such covenant, standard, or term is amended in accordance with this Section 5.3, financial covenants shall be computed and determined in accordance with GAAP in effect prior to such change in accounting principles. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower shall neither be deemed to be in compliance with any financial covenant hereunder nor out of compliance with any financial covenant hereunder if such state of compliance or noncompliance, as the case may be, would not exist but for the occurrence of a change in accounting principles after the date hereof.

SECTION 6.    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.

        The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, and the L/C Issuer as follows:

        Section 6.1.    Organization and Qualification.    The Borrower is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware, has full and adequate power to own its Property and conduct its business as now conducted, and is duly licensed or qualified and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or the nature of the Property owned or leased by it requires such licensing or qualifying, except where the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

        Section 6.2.    Subsidiaries.    Each Subsidiary is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized, has full and adequate power to own its Property and conduct its business as now conducted, and is duly licensed or qualified and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or the nature of the Property owned or leased by it requires such licensing or qualifying, except where the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Schedule 6.2 hereto identifies each Subsidiary, the jurisdiction of its organization, 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' qualifying shares as required by law), a description of each class of its authorized capital stock and other equity interests and the number of shares 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 6.2 as owned by the Borrower or another Subsidiary are owned, beneficially and of record, by the Borrower or such Subsidiary free and clear of all Liens. There are no outstanding commitments or other obligations of 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 any Subsidiary.

        Section 6.3.    Authority and Validity of Obligations.    The Borrower has full right and authority to enter into this Agreement and the other Loan Documents executed by it, to make the borrowings herein provided for, to grant to the Administrative Agent the Liens described in the Collateral Documents executed by the Borrower, and to perform all of its obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents executed by it. Each Guarantor has full right and authority to enter into the Loan Documents executed by it, to guarantee the Obligations, Hedging Liability, and Funds Transfer and Deposit Account Liability, to grant to the Administrative Agent the Liens described in the Collateral Documents executed by such Person, and to perform all of its obligations under the Loan Documents executed by it. The Loan Documents delivered by a Credit Party have been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by such Credit Party and constitute valid and binding obligations of such Credit Party enforceable against it in accordance with their terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and general principles of equity (regardless of whether the application of such principles is

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considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and this Agreement and the other Loan Documents do not, nor does the performance or observance by any Credit Party of any of the matters and things herein or therein provided for, (a) contravene or constitute a default under any provision of law or any judgment, injunction, order or decree binding upon such Credit Party or any provision of the organizational documents (e.g., charter, certificate or articles of incorporation and by-laws, certificate or articles of association and operating agreement, partnership agreement, or other similar organizational documents) of such Credit Party, (b) contravene or constitute a default under any covenant, indenture or agreement of or affecting such Credit Party or any of its Property, in each case where such contravention or default, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (c) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any Property of such Credit Party other than the Liens granted in favor of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Collateral Documents.

        Section 6.4.    Use of Proceeds; Margin Stock.    The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Revolving Credit only for its general corporate purposes in the ordinary course of business as are consistent with all applicable laws, including the acquisition and funding (either directly or through one or more wholly-owned Subsidiaries) of leveraged loans, senior loans, junior lien loans, mezzanine loans, high-yield securities, convertible securities, preferred stock, common stock and other Portfolio Investments (provided that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any responsibility as to the use of any of such proceeds) but specifically not including the funding or carrying of Margin Stock. No part of the proceeds of any extension of credit hereunder will be used in violation of applicable law or, directly or indirectly, for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying any Margin Stock. Margin Stock shall be purchased by the Credit Parties only with the proceeds of Indebtedness not directly or indirectly secured by Margin Stock, or with the proceeds of equity capital of the Borrower. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying Margin Stock, and no part of the proceeds of any extension of credit hereunder will be used to buy or carry any Margin Stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any such Margin Stock. Margin Stock constitutes less than 25% of the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries which are subject to any limitation on sale, pledge or other restriction hereunder.

        Section 6.5.    Financial Reports.    The consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at September 30, 2007, and the related consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended, and accompanying notes thereto, which financial statements are accompanied by the audit report of Grant Thornton LLP, independent public accountants, heretofore furnished to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, fairly present the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at said dates and the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for the periods then ended in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has contingent liabilities which are material to it other than as indicated on such financial statements or, with respect to future periods, on the financial statements furnished pursuant to Section 8.5 hereof.

        Section 6.6.    No Material Adverse Change.    Since September 30, 2007 (or, if later, the date of the most recent financial statements of the Borrower delivered under Section 8.5 hereof), there has been no change in the business, Portfolio Investments and other assets, liabilities, condition (financial or otherwise) or business prospects of the Borrower or any Subsidiary except those occurring in the ordinary course of business, none of which individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

        Section 6.7.    Full Disclosure.    The statements and information furnished to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the commitments by the Lenders to provide all or part of the financing contemplated

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hereby do not contain any untrue statements of a material fact or omit a material fact necessary to make the material statements contained herein or therein not misleading, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledging that as to any projections furnished to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, the Borrower only represents that the same were prepared on the basis of information and estimates the Borrower believed to be reasonable.

        Section 6.8.    Trademarks, Franchises, and Licenses.    The Borrower and its Subsidiaries own, possess, or have the right to use all necessary patents, licenses, franchises, trademarks, trade names, trade styles, copyrights, trade secrets, know how, and confidential commercial and proprietary information to conduct their businesses as now conducted, without known conflict with any patent, license, franchise, trademark, trade name, trade style, copyright or other proprietary right of any other Person.

        Section 6.9.    Governmental Authority and Licensing.    The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have received all licenses, permits, and approvals of all federal, state, and local governmental authorities, if any, necessary to conduct their businesses, in each case where the failure to obtain or maintain the same could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No investigation or proceeding which, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in revocation or denial of any material license, permit or approval is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened.

        Section 6.10.    Good Title.    The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have good and defensible title (or valid leasehold interests) to their assets as reflected on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries furnished to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (except for sales of assets in the ordinary course of business), subject to no Liens other than such thereof as are permitted by Section 8.8 hereof. Set forth on Schedule 6.10(a) hereof is a complete and correct list of all Investments (other than Investments of the types referred to in subsections (b), (c) and (d) of Section 8.9) held by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in any Person on the Closing Date hereof and, for each such Investment, (x) the identity of the Person or Persons holding such Investment and (y) the nature of such Investment. Except as disclosed therein, each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, free and clear of all Liens (other than Liens created pursuant to the Collateral Documents), all such Investments. Schedule 6.10(b) is a complete and correct list of each Lien securing Indebtedness of any Person outstanding on the Closing Date covering any Property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and the aggregate Indebtedness secured (or that may be secured) by each such Lien and the Property covered by each such Lien is correctly described therein.

        Section 6.11.    Litigation and Other Controversies.    There is no litigation or governmental or arbitration proceeding or labor controversy pending, nor to the knowledge of the Borrower threatened, against the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their Property which if adversely determined, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

        Section 6.12.    Taxes.    All tax returns required to be filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in any jurisdiction have, in fact, been filed, and all taxes, assessments, fees, and other governmental charges upon the Borrower or any Subsidiary or upon any of its Property, income or franchises, which are shown to be due and payable in such returns, have been paid, except such taxes, assessments, fees and governmental charges, if any, as are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings which prevent enforcement of the matter under contest and as to which adequate reserves established in accordance with GAAP have been provided. The Borrower does not know of any proposed additional tax assessment against it or its Subsidiaries for which adequate provisions in accordance with GAAP have not been made on their accounts. Adequate provisions in accordance with GAAP for taxes on the books of the Borrower and each Subsidiary have been made for all open years, and for its current fiscal period.

        Section 6.13.    Approvals.    No authorization, consent, license or exemption from, or filing or registration with, any court or governmental department, agency or instrumentality, nor any approval or

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consent of any other Person, is or will be necessary to the valid execution, delivery or performance by the Borrower or any other Credit Party of any Loan Document, except for such approvals which have been obtained prior to the date of this Agreement and remain in full force and effect.

        Section 6.14.    Affiliate Transactions.    Other than the Affiliate Agreements, neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is a party to any contracts or agreements with any of its Affiliates on terms and conditions which are less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than would be usual and customary in similar contracts or agreements between Persons not affiliated with each other. The Borrower has heretofore delivered to each of the Lenders true and complete copies of each of the Affiliate Agreements (including and schedules and exhibits thereto, and any amendments, supplements or waivers executed and delivered thereunder) in effect on the Closing Date, each of which is in full force and effect.

        Section 6.15.    Investment Company. (a) Status as Business Development Company.    The Borrower is an "investment company" that has elected to be regulated as a "business development company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act and treated as a RIC under the Code.

        (b)    Compliance with Investment Company Act.    The business and other activities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, do not result in a violation or breach in any material respect of the provisions of the Investment Company Act or any rules, regulations or orders issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

        (c)    Investment Policies.    The Borrower is in compliance in all material respects with the Investment Policies, and, except as expressly permitted by Section 8.16 below, there have been no material changes or modifications in the Investment Policies.

        Section 6.16.    ERISA.    The Borrower and each other member of its Controlled Group has fulfilled its obligations under the minimum funding standards of and is in compliance in all material respects with ERISA and the Code to the extent applicable to it and has not incurred any liability to the PBGC or a Plan under Title IV of ERISA other than a liability to the PBGC for premiums under Section 4007 of ERISA. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has any contingent liabilities with respect to any post-retirement benefits under a Welfare Plan, other than liability for continuation coverage described in article 6 of Title I of ERISA.

        Section 6.17.    Compliance with Laws.    The Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the requirements of all federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations applicable to or pertaining to their Property or business operations (including, without limitation, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and laws and regulations establishing quality criteria and standards for air, water, land and toxic or hazardous wastes and substances), where any such non-compliance, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has received notice to the effect that its operations are not in compliance with any of the requirements of applicable federal, state or local environmental, health, and safety statutes and regulations or is the subject of any governmental investigation evaluating whether any remedial action is needed to respond to a release of any toxic or hazardous waste or substance into the environment, where any such non-compliance or remedial action, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

        Section 6.18.    Solvency.    The Borrower and its Subsidiaries are solvent, able to pay their debts as they become due, and have sufficient capital to carry on their business and all businesses in which they are about to engage.

        Section 6.19.    No Broker Fees.    No broker's or finder's fee or commission will be payable with respect hereto or any of the transactions contemplated thereby; and the Borrower hereby agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders against, and agree that they will hold the Administrative Agent and the Lenders harmless from, any claim, demand, or liability for any such

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broker's or finder's fees alleged to have been incurred in connection herewith or therewith and any expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising in connection with any such claim, demand, or liability.

        Section 6.20.    Material Agreements.    Schedule 6.20 is a complete and correct list of each credit agreement, loan agreement, indenture, purchase agreement, guarantee, letter of credit or other arrangement providing for or otherwise relating to any Indebtedness or any extension of credit (or commitment for any extension of credit) to, or guarantee by, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries outstanding on the Closing Date, and the aggregate principal or face amount outstanding or that is, or may become, outstanding under each such arrangement is correctly described therein.

        Section 6.21.    Other Agreements.    Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in default under the terms of any covenant, indenture or agreement of or affecting such Person or any of its Property, which default if uncured could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

        Section 6.22.    No Default.    No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

SECTION 7.    CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.

        Section 7.1.    All Credit Events.    At the time of each Credit Event hereunder:

        Each request for a Borrowing hereunder and each request for the issuance of, increase in the amount of, or extension of the expiration date of, a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date on such Credit Event as to the facts specified in subsections (a) through (d), both inclusive, of this Section; provided, however, that the Lenders may continue to make advances under the Revolving Credit, in the sole discretion of the Lenders with Revolving Credit Commitments, notwithstanding the failure of the Borrower to satisfy one or more of the conditions set forth above and any such advances so made shall not be deemed a waiver of any Default or Event of Default or other condition set forth above that may then exist.

        Section 7.2.    Initial Credit Event.    Before or concurrently with the initial Credit Event:

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SECTION 8.    COVENANTS.

        The Borrower agrees that, so long as any credit is available to or in use by the Borrower hereunder, except to the extent compliance in any case or cases is waived in writing pursuant to the terms of Section 12.13 hereof:

        Section 8.1.    Maintenance of Business.    The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, preserve and maintain its existence, except as otherwise provided in Section 8.10 hereof. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, preserve and keep in force and effect all licenses, permits, franchises, approvals, patents, trademarks, trade names, trade styles, copyrights, and other proprietary rights necessary to the proper conduct of its business where the failure to do so could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

        Section 8.2.    Maintenance of Properties.    The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, maintain, preserve, and keep its property, plant, and equipment in good repair, working order and condition (ordinary wear and tear excepted), and shall from time to time make all needful and proper repairs, renewals, replacements, additions, and betterments thereto so that at all times the efficiency thereof shall be fully preserved and maintained, except to the extent that, in the reasonable business judgment of such Person, any such Property is no longer necessary for the proper conduct of the business of such Person.

        Section 8.3.    Taxes and Assessments.    The Borrower shall duly pay and discharge, and shall cause each Subsidiary to duly pay and discharge, all taxes, rates, assessments, fees, and governmental charges upon or against it or its Property, in each case before the same become delinquent and before penalties accrue thereon, unless and to the extent that the same are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings which prevent enforcement of the matter under contest and adequate reserves are provided therefor.

        Section 8.4.    Insurance.    The Borrower shall insure and keep insured, and shall cause each Subsidiary to insure and keep insured, with good and responsible insurance companies, all insurable Property owned by it which is of a character usually insured by Persons similarly situated and operating like Properties against loss or damage from such hazards and risks, and in such amounts, as are insured by Persons similarly situated and operating like Properties; and the Borrower shall insure, and shall cause each Subsidiary to insure, such other hazards and risks (including, without limitation, business interruption, employers' and public liability risks) with good and responsible insurance companies as and to the extent usually insured by Persons similarly situated and conducting similar businesses. The Borrower shall, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a certificate setting forth in summary form the nature and extent of the insurance maintained pursuant to this Section.

        Section 8.5.    Financial Reports.    The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, maintain a standard system of accounting in accordance with GAAP and shall furnish to the Administrative Agent, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their duly authorized representatives such information respecting the business and financial condition of the Borrower and each Subsidiary as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may reasonably request; and without any request, shall furnish to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, and L/C Issuer:

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        Section 8.6.    Inspection.    The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, permit the Administrative Agent, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their duly authorized representatives and agents to visit and inspect any of its Property, corporate books, and financial records, to examine and make copies of its books of accounts and other financial records, and to discuss its affairs, finances, and accounts with, and to be advised as to the same by, its officers, employees and independent public accountants (and by this provision the Borrower hereby authorizes such accountants to discuss with the Administrative Agent, such Lenders, and L/C Issuer the finances and affairs of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries) at such reasonable times and intervals as the Administrative Agent or any such Lender or L/C Issuer may designate and, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, with reasonable prior notice to the Borrower.

        Section 8.7.    Borrowings and Guarantees.    The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, issue, incur, assume, create or have outstanding any Indebtedness, or be or become liable as endorser, guarantor, surety or otherwise for any debt, obligation or undertaking of any other Person, or otherwise agree to provide funds for payment of the obligations of another, or supply funds thereto or invest therein or otherwise assure a creditor of another against loss, or apply for or become liable to the issuer of a letter of credit which supports an obligation of another; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not restrict nor operate to prevent:

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        Section 8.8.    Liens.    The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur or permit to exist any Lien of any kind on any Property owned by any such Person or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to nor operate to prevent:

        Section 8.9.    Investments and Acquisitions.    The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, make, retain or have outstanding any Investments in or to any other Person, or acquire all or any substantial part of the assets or business of any other Person or division thereof; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to nor operate to prevent:

In determining the amount of Investments permitted under this Section, the aggregate amount of an Investment at any time shall be deemed to be equal to (x) the aggregate amount of cash, together with the aggregate fair market value of property, loaned, advanced, contributed, transferred or otherwise

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invested that gives rise to such Investment minus (y) the aggregate amount of dividends, distributions or other payments received in cash in respect of such Investment, provided that in no event shall the aggregate amount of such Investment be deemed to be less than zero; and the amount of an Investment shall not in any event be reduced by reason of any write-off of such Investment nor increased by any increase in the amount of earnings retained in the Person in which such Investment is made that have not been dividended, distributed or otherwise paid out.

        Section 8.10.    Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations, and Sales of Assets.    The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries (other than Financing Subsidiaries) to, enter into any transaction of merger or consolidation or amalgamation, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution). The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries (other than Financing Subsidiaries) to, acquire any business or property from, or capital stock of, or be a party to any acquisition of, any Person, except for purchases or acquisitions of Portfolio Investments and other assets in the normal course of the day-to-day business activities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and not in violation of the terms and conditions of this Agreement or any other Loan Document. The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries (other than Financing Subsidiaries) to, convey, sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of, in one transaction or a series of transactions, any part of its assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, but excluding (x) assets (other than Portfolio Investments) sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business (including to make expenditures of cash in the normal course of the day-to-day business activities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries) and (y) subject to the provisions of subsections (d) and (e) below, Portfolio Investments. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section:

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        So long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise as a result thereof, upon the written request of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall release its Lien on any Property sold pursuant to the foregoing provisions.

        Section 8.11.    Maintenance of Subsidiaries.    The Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, take such action from time to time as shall be necessary to ensure that each of its Subsidiaries is a Wholly owned Subsidiary except as provided in subsection (a) below. The Borrower shall not assign, sell or transfer, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to issue, assign, sell or transfer, any shares of capital stock or other equity interests of a Subsidiary; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not operate to prevent (a) the issuance, sale and transfer to any person of any shares of capital stock of a Subsidiary solely for the purpose of qualifying, and to the extent legally necessary to qualify, such person as a director of such Subsidiary, and (b) any transaction permitted by Section 8.10(a) above.

        Section 8.12.    Dividends and Certain Other Restricted Payments.    The Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not operate to prevent:

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        Section 8.13.    ERISA.    The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, promptly pay and discharge all obligations and liabilities arising under ERISA of a character which if unpaid or unperformed could reasonably be expected to result in the imposition of a Lien against any of its Property. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender of: (a) the occurrence of any reportable event (as defined in ERISA) with respect to a Plan, (b) receipt of any notice from the PBGC of its intention to seek termination of any Plan or appointment of a trustee therefor, (c) its intention to terminate or withdraw from any Plan, and (d) the occurrence of any event with respect to any Plan which would result in the incurrence by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any material liability, fine or penalty, or any material increase in the contingent liability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary with respect to any post-retirement Welfare Plan benefit.

        Section 8.14.    Compliance with Laws.    The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Subsidiary to, comply in all material respects with the requirements of all federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances and orders applicable to or pertaining to its Property or business operations, where any such non-compliance, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or result in a Lien upon any of its Property. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, conduct its business and other activities in compliance in all material respects with the provisions of the Investment Company Act and any applicable rules, regulations or orders issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

        Section 8.15.    RIC and BDC.    The Borrower shall at all times maintain its status as a RIC under the Code, and as a "business development company" under the Investment Company Act.

        Section 8.16.    Investment Policies.    The Borrower shall at all times be in compliance in all material respects with its Investment Policies; provided that it shall not be deemed a material change in the Investment Policies if (a) investment size (which as of the Closing Date is to normally range from between $5,000,000 and $50,000,000) proportionately increases as the size of the Borrower's capital base changes, (b) to the extent permitted by applicable law and consistent with this Agreement, Portfolio Investments are expanded to include sale-leaseback transactions, or (c) such changes or amendments are required to comply with the provisions of applicable law, including the Investment Company Act.

        Section 8.17.    Burdensome Contracts With Affiliates.    Except as otherwise set forth for in the Affiliate Agreements as in effect on the date hereof, the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any contract, agreement or business arrangement with any of its Affiliates on terms and conditions which are less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than would be usual and customary in similar contracts, agreements or business arrangements between Persons not affiliated with each other.

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        Section 8.18.    No Changes in Fiscal Year.    The fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries ends on September 30th of each year; and the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, change its fiscal year from its present basis.

        Section 8.19.    Formation of Subsidiaries.    Promptly upon the formation or acquisition of any Subsidiary, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent and the Lenders notice thereof and timely comply with the requirements of Section 4 hereof (at which time Schedule 6.2 shall be deemed amended to include reference to such Subsidiary).

        Section 8.20.    Change in the Nature of Business.    Except as permitted pursuant to Section 8.16 hereof, the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, engage in any business or activity if as a result the general nature of the business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary would be changed in any material respect from the general nature of the business engaged in by it as of the Closing Date.

        Section 8.21.    Use of Proceeds.    The Borrower shall use the credit extended under this Agreement solely for the purposes set forth in, or otherwise permitted by, Section 6.4 hereof.

        Section 8.22.    Portfolio Valuation and Diversification Etc..    (a) Industry Classification Groups. For purposes of this Agreement, the Borrower shall assign each Portfolio Investment to an Industry Classification Group. To the extent that any Portfolio Investment is not correlated with the risks of other Portfolio Investments in an Industry Classification Group established by Moody's, such Portfolio Investment may be assigned by the Borrower to an Industry Classification Group that is more closely correlated to such Portfolio Investment.

        (b)    Portfolio Valuation Etc.    

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        (c)    Investment Company Diversification Requirements.    The Borrower will, and will cause its Subsidiaries (other than Financing Subsidiaries that are exempt from the Investment Company Act) at all times to (i) comply in all material respects with the portfolio diversification and similar requirements set forth in the Investment Company Act applicable to business development companies and (ii) subject

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to applicable grace periods set forth in the Code, comply with the portfolio diversification and similar requirements set forth in the Code applicable to RIC's. It is hereby mutually acknowledged that the valuation and diversification requirements of this section are for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with, among other things, determination of the Borrowing Base and nothing contain herein shall modify the Borrower's requirements at law or otherwise be deemed the valuation of the Borrower's assets for the purposes of the Investment Company Act or any public reporting requirements (for example, an asset may have a value of zero dollars ($0.00) for the purposes of this Section 8.22 and this Agreement, but may have a different value for the purposes of the Borrower's valuation required by law).

        Section 8.23.    Calculation of Borrowing Base.    For purposes of this Agreement, the "Borrowing Base" shall be determined, as at any date of determination, as the sum of the Advance Rates of the Value of each Portfolio Investment (excluding any cash held by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.4), provided that:

        (a)   The Advance Rate applicable to that portion of the aggregate Value of the Portfolio Investments in a consolidated group of corporations or other entities (collectively, a "Consolidated Group"), in accordance with GAAP, that exceeds 10% of Shareholders' Equity of the Borrower (which, for purposes of this calculation shall exclude the aggregate amount of investments in, and advances to, Financing Subsidiaries) shall be 50% of the Advance Rate otherwise applicable;

        (b)   The Advance Rate applicable to that portion of the aggregate Value of the Portfolio Investments of all issuers in a consolidated group of corporations or other entities, exceeding 20% of Shareholders' Equity of the Borrower (which, for purposes of this calculation shall exclude the aggregate amount of investments in, and advances to, Financing Subsidiaries) shall be 0%;

        (c)   The Advance Rate applicable to that portion of the aggregate Value of the Portfolio Investments in any single Industry Classification Group that exceeds 20% of Shareholders' Equity of the Borrower (which for purposes of this calculation shall exclude the aggregate amount of investments in, and advances to, Financing Subsidiaries) shall be 0%;

        (d)   No Portfolio Investment may be included in the Borrowing Base if the obligor or issuer thereof, or any guarantor of the obligations relating thereto, is an Affiliate of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or a director, officer, employee, or family member of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary or Affiliate; and

        (e)   No Portfolio Investment may be included in the Borrowing Base unless the Administrative Agent maintains a first priority, perfected Lien on such Portfolio Investment and, at all times on and after the 30th day after the Closing Date, such Portfolio Investment has been Delivered (as defined in the Guarantee and Security Agreement) to the Administrative Agent, and then only for so long as such Portfolio Investment continues to be Delivered as contemplated therein.

        As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings:

Portfolio Investment

  Quoted
  Unquoted
 
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term U.S. Government Securities   100 % n.a.  
Long-Term U.S. Government Securities   95 % n.a.  
Performing First Lien Bank Loans   50 % 50 %
Performing Second Lien Bank Loans   35 % 35 %
Performing Cash Pay High Yield Securities   30 % 30 %
Performing Cash Pay Mezzanine Investments   25 % 25 %

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        Section 8.24.    No Restrictions.    Except as provided herein, the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction of any kind on the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to: (a) pay dividends or make any other distribution on any Subsidiary's capital stock or other equity interests owned by the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, (b) pay any indebtedness owed to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, (c) make loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, (d) transfer any of its Property to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or (e) guarantee the Obligations, Hedging Liability, and Funds Transfer and Deposit Account Liability and/or grant Liens on its assets to the Administrative Agent as required by the Loan Documents.

        Section 8.25.    Financial Covenants.    (a) Minimum Shareholders' Equity. The Borrower will not permit Shareholders' Equity at any time to be less than $155,000,000.

        (b)    Asset Coverage Ratio.    The Borrower will not permit the Asset Coverage Ratio to be less than 3.5 to 1 at any time.

        (c)    Liquidity Test.    The Borrower will not permit the aggregate Value of the Portfolio Investments that can be converted to Cash in fewer than 10 Business Days without more than a 5% change in price to be less than 10% of the Covered Debt Amount during any period when the Adjusted Covered Debt Balance is greater than 90% of the Adjusted Borrowing Base.

        (d)    Interest Coverage Ratio.    As of the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, the Borrower shall maintain a ratio of (i) EBIT for the four fiscal quarters of the Borrower then ended, to (ii) Interest Expense for the same four fiscal quarters then ended of not less than 1.10 to 1.0.

        Section 8.26.    Post Closing    The Borrower shall cause to be executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent within thirty (30) days after the Closing Date (a) a Custody and Securities Account Control Agreement duly executed and delivered by the Credit Parties, the Administrative Agent, and the Custodian (as such term is defined in the Guarantee and Security Agreement), which Custody and Securities Account Control Agreement shall be in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent and (b) deposit account, securities account, and commodity account control

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agreements relating to the existing Collateral, which shall be in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 9.    EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES.

        Section 9.1.    Events of Default.    Any one or more of the following shall constitute an "Event of Default" hereunder:

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        Section 9.2.    Non-Bankruptcy Defaults.    When any Event of Default (other than those described in subsection (j) or (k) of Section 9.1 hereof with respect to the Borrower) has occurred and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, by written notice to the Borrower: (a) if so directed by the Required Lenders, terminate the remaining Commitments and all other obligations of the Lenders hereunder on the date stated in such notice (which may be the date thereof); (b) if so directed by the Required Lenders, declare the principal of and the accrued interest on all outstanding Loans to be forthwith due and payable and thereupon all outstanding Loans, including both principal and interest thereon, shall be and become immediately due and payable together with all other amounts payable under the Loan Documents without further demand, presentment, protest or notice of any kind; and (c) if so directed by the Required Lenders, demand that the Borrower immediately pay to the Administrative Agent the full amount then available for drawing under each or any Letter of Credit, and the Borrower agrees to immediately make such payment and acknowledges and agrees that the Lenders would not have an adequate remedy at law for failure by the Borrower to honor any such demand and that the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, shall have the right to require the Borrower to specifically perform such undertaking whether or not any drawings or other demands for payment have been made under any Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent, after giving notice to the Borrower pursuant to Section 9.1(c) or this Section 9.2, shall also promptly send a copy of such notice to the other Lenders, but the failure to do so shall not impair or annul the effect of such notice.

        Section 9.3.    Bankruptcy Defaults.    When any Event of Default described in subsections (j) or (k) of Section 9.1 hereof with respect to the Borrower has occurred and is continuing, then all outstanding Loans shall immediately become due and payable together with all other amounts payable

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under the Loan Documents without presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind, the obligation of the Lenders to extend further credit pursuant to any of the terms hereof shall immediately terminate and the Borrower shall immediately pay to the Administrative Agent the full amount then available for drawing under all outstanding Letters of Credit, the Borrower acknowledging and agreeing that the Lenders would not have an adequate remedy at law for failure by the Borrower to honor any such demand and that the Lenders, and the Administrative Agent on their behalf, shall have the right to require the Borrower to specifically perform such undertaking whether or not any draws or other demands for payment have been made under any of the Letters of Credit.

        Section 9.4.    Collateral for Undrawn Letters of Credit.    (a) If the prepayment of the amount available for drawing under any or all outstanding Letters of Credit is required under Section 1.8(b) or under Section 9.2 or 9.3 above, the Borrower shall forthwith pay the amount required to be so prepaid (not to exceed 105% of the L/C Obligations then outstanding), to be held by the Administrative Agent as provided in subsection (b) below.

        (b)   All amounts prepaid pursuant to subsection (a) above shall be held by the Administrative Agent in one or more separate collateral accounts (each such account, and the credit balances, properties, and any investments from time to time held therein, and any substitutions for such account, any certificate of deposit or other instrument evidencing any of the foregoing and all proceeds of and earnings on any of the foregoing being collectively called the "Collateral Account") as security for, and for application by the Administrative Agent (to the extent available) to, the reimbursement of any payment under any Letter of Credit then or thereafter made by the L/C Issuer, and to the payment of the unpaid balance of all other Secured Obligations. The Collateral Account shall be held in the name of and subject to the exclusive dominion and control of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, and the L/C Issuer. If and when requested by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall invest funds held in the Collateral Account from time to time in direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America with a remaining maturity of one year or less, provided that the Administrative Agent is irrevocably authorized to sell investments held in the Collateral Account when and as required to make payments out of the Collateral Account for application to amounts due and owing from the Borrower to the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders; provided, however, that (i) if the Borrower shall have made payment of all obligations referred to in subsection (a) above required under Section 1.8(b) hereof, at the request of the Borrower the Administrative Agent shall release to the Borrower amounts held in the Collateral Account so long as at the time of the release and after giving effect thereto no Default or Event of Default exists, and (ii) if the Borrower shall have made payment of all obligations referred to in subsection (a) above required under Section 9.2 or 9.3 hereof, so long as no Letters of Credit, Commitments, Loans or other Secured Obligations remain outstanding, at the request of the Borrower the Administrative Agent shall release to the Borrower any remaining amounts held in the Collateral Account.

        Section 9.5.    Notice of Default.    The Administrative Agent shall give notice to the Borrower under Section 9.1(c) hereof promptly upon being requested to do so by any Lender and shall thereupon notify all the Lenders thereof.

SECTION 10.    CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES.

        Section 10.1.    Change of Law.    Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, if at any time any change in applicable law or regulation or in the interpretation thereof makes it unlawful for any Lender to make or continue to maintain any Eurodollar Loans or to perform its obligations as contemplated hereby, such Lender shall promptly give notice thereof to the Borrower and such Lender's obligations to make or maintain Eurodollar Loans under this Agreement shall be suspended until it is no longer unlawful for such Lender to make or maintain Eurodollar Loans. The Borrower shall prepay on demand the outstanding principal amount of any such affected

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Eurodollar Loans, together with all interest accrued thereon and all other amounts then due and payable to such Lender under this Agreement; provided, however, subject to all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Borrower may then elect to borrow the principal amount of the affected Eurodollar Loans from such Lender by means of Base Rate Loans from such Lender, which Base Rate Loans shall not be made ratably by the Lenders but only from such affected Lender.

        Section 10.2.    Unavailability of Deposits or Inability to Ascertain, or Inadequacy of, LIBOR.    If on or prior to the first day of any Interest Period for any Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans:

then the Administrative Agent shall forthwith give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders, whereupon until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such suspension no longer exist, the obligations of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended.

        Section 10.3.    Increased Cost and Reduced Return.    (a) If, on or after the date hereof, the adoption of any applicable law, rule or regulation, or any change therein, or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any Lender (or its Lending Office) or the L/C Issuer with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency:

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and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the cost to such Lender (or its Lending Office) or the L/C Issuer of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan, issuing or maintaining a Letter of Credit, or participating therein, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender (or its Lending Office) or the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document with respect thereto, by an amount deemed by such Lender or L/C Issuer to be material, then, within 15 days after demand by such Lender or L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall be obligated to pay to such Lender or L/C Issuer such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or L/C Issuer for such increased cost or reduction.

        (b)   If, after the date hereof, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent shall have determined that the adoption of any applicable law, rule or regulation regarding capital adequacy, or any change therein, or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any Lender (or its Lending Office) or the L/C Issuer or any corporation controlling such Lender or L/C Issuer with any request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency, has had the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender's or L/C Issuer or such corporation's capital as a consequence of its obligations hereunder to a level below that which such Lender or L/C Issuer or such corporation could have achieved but for such adoption, change or compliance (taking into consideration such Lender's or L/C Issuer's or such corporation's policies with respect to capital adequacy) by an amount deemed by such Lender or L/C Issuer to be material, then from time to time, within 15 days after demand by such Lender or L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender or L/C Issuer, as applicable, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or L/C Issuer for such reduction.

        (c)   A certificate of a Lender or L/C Issuer claiming compensation under this Section 10.3 and setting forth the additional amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder shall be conclusive if reasonably determined, absent manifest error. In determining such amount, such Lender or L/C Issuer may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods.

        Section 10.4.    Lending Offices.    Each Lender may, at its option, elect to make its Loans hereunder at the branch, office or affiliate specified on the appropriate signature page hereof (each a "Lending Office") for each type of Loan available hereunder or at such other of its branches, offices or affiliates as it may from time to time elect and designate in a written notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. To the extent reasonably possible, a Lender shall designate an alternative branch or funding office with respect to its Eurodollar Loans to reduce any liability of the Borrower to such Lender under Section 10.3 hereof or to avoid the unavailability of Eurodollar Loans under Section 10.2 hereof, so long as such designation is not otherwise disadvantageous to the Lender.

        Section 10.5.    Discretion of Lender as to Manner of Funding.    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, each Lender shall be entitled to fund and maintain its funding of all or any part of its Loans in any manner it sees fit, it being understood, however, that for the purposes of this Agreement all determinations hereunder with respect to Eurodollar Loans shall be made as if each Lender had actually funded and maintained each Eurodollar Loan through the purchase of deposits in the interbank eurodollar market having a maturity corresponding to such Loan's Interest Period, and bearing an interest rate equal to LIBOR for such Interest Period.

SECTION 11.    THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT.

        Section 11.1.    Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent.    Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby appoints Bank of Montreal as the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents and hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as Administrative Agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under the Loan Documents as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The Lenders and

50



L/C Issuer expressly agree that the Administrative Agent is not acting as a fiduciary of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer in respect of the Loan Documents, the Borrower or otherwise, and nothing herein or in any of the other Loan Documents shall result in any duties or obligations on the Administrative Agent or any of the Lenders or L/C Issuer except as expressly set forth herein.

        Section 11.2.    Administrative Agent and its Affiliates.    The Administrative Agent shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as any other Lender and may exercise or refrain from exercising such rights and power as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent and its affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower as if it were not the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents. The term "Lender" as used herein and in all other Loan Documents, unless the context otherwise clearly requires, includes the Administrative Agent in its as a Lender (if applicable).

        Section 11.3.    Action by Administrative Agent.    If the Administrative Agent receives from the Borrower a written notice of an Event of Default pursuant to Section 8.5 hereof, the Administrative Agent shall promptly give each of the Lenders and L/C Issuer written notice thereof. The obligations of the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents are only those expressly set forth therein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action hereunder with respect to any Default or Event of Default, except as expressly provided in Sections 9.2 and 9.5. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall take such action to enforce its Lien on the Collateral and to preserve and protect the Collateral as may be directed by the Required Lenders. Unless and until the Required Lenders give such direction, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take or refrain from taking such actions as it deems appropriate and in the best interest of all the Lenders and L/C Issuer. In no event, however, shall the Administrative Agent be required to take any action in violation of applicable law or of any provision of any Loan Document, and the Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully justified in failing or refusing to act hereunder or under any other Loan Document unless it first receives any further assurances of its indemnification from the Lenders that it may require, including prepayment of any related expenses and any other protection it requires against any and all costs, expense, and liability which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to assume that no Default or Event of Default exists unless notified in writing to the contrary by a Lender, the L/C Issuer, or the Borrower. In all cases in which the Loan Documents do not require the Administrative Agent to take specific action, the Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in using its discretion in failing to take or in taking any action thereunder. Any instructions of the Required Lenders, or of any other group of Lenders called for under the specific provisions of the Loan Documents, shall be binding upon all the Lenders and the holders of the Obligations.

        Section 11.4.    Consultation with Experts.    The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel, independent public accountants, and other experts selected by it and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts.

        Section 11.5.    Liability of Administrative Agent; Credit Decision.    Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its directors, officers, agents or employees shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in connection with the Loan Documents: (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its directors, officers, agents or employees shall be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into or verify: (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any Credit Event; (ii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants or agreements of the Borrower or any Subsidiary contained herein or in any other Loan Document; (iii) the satisfaction of any condition specified in Section 7

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hereof, except receipt of items required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent; or (iv) the validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability, perfection, value, worth or collectibility hereof or of any other Loan Document or of any other documents or writing furnished in connection with any Loan Document or of any Collateral; and the Administrative Agent makes no representation of any kind or character with respect to any such matter mentioned in this sentence. The Administrative Agent may execute any of its duties under any of the Loan Documents by or through employees, agents, and attorneys-in-fact and shall not be answerable to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, the Borrower, or any other Person for the default or misconduct of any such agents or attorneys-in-fact selected with reasonable care. The Administrative Agent shall not incur any liability by acting in reliance upon any notice, consent, certificate, other document or statement (whether written or oral) believed by it to be genuine or to be sent by the proper party or parties. In particular and without limiting any of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall have no responsibility for confirming the accuracy of any compliance certificate or other document or instrument received by it under the Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent may treat the payee of any Obligation as the holder thereof until written notice of transfer shall have been filed with the Administrative Agent signed by such payee in form satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. Each Lender and L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or L/C Issuer, and based upon such information, investigations and inquiries as it deems appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to extend credit to the Borrower in the manner set forth in the Loan Documents. It shall be the responsibility of each Lender and L/C Issuer to keep itself informed as to the creditworthiness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and the Administrative Agent shall have no liability to any Lender or L/C Issuer with respect thereto.

        Section 11.6.    Indemnity.    The Lenders shall ratably, in accordance with their respective Percentages, indemnify and hold the Administrative Agent, and its directors, officers, employees, agents, and representatives harmless from and against any liabilities, losses, costs or expenses suffered or incurred by it under any Loan Document or in connection with the transactions contemplated thereby, regardless of when asserted or arising, except to the extent they are promptly reimbursed for the same by the Borrower and except to the extent that any event giving rise to a claim was caused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the party seeking to be indemnified. The obligations of the Lenders under this Section shall survive termination of this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to offset amounts received for the account of a Lender under this Agreement against unpaid amounts due from such Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder (whether as fundings of participations, indemnities or otherwise), but shall not be entitled to offset against amounts owed to the Administrative Agent by any Lender arising outside of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

        Section 11.7.    Resignation of Administrative Agent and Successor Administrative Agent.    The Administrative Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation of the Administrative Agent, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor Administrative Agent. If no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders, and shall have accepted such appointment, within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent's giving of notice of resignation then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which may be any Lender hereunder or any commercial bank, or an Affiliate of a commercial bank, having an office in the United States of America and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $200,000,000. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as the Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor Administrative Agent shall thereupon succeed to and become vested with all the rights and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations thereunder. After any retiring Administrative Agent's resignation hereunder as Administrative Agent, the provisions of this Section 11 and all protective provisions of the other Loan Documents shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Administrative Agent, but no successor

52



Administrative Agent shall in any event be liable or responsible for any actions of its predecessor. If the Administrative Agent resigns and no successor is appointed, the rights and obligations of such Administrative Agent shall be automatically assumed by the Required Lenders and (i) the Borrower shall be directed to make all payments due each Lender and L/C Issuer hereunder directly to such Lender or L/C Issuer and (ii) the Administrative Agent's rights in the Collateral Documents shall be assigned without representation, recourse or warranty to the Lenders and L/C Issuer as their interests may appear.

        Section 11.8.    L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender.    The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the Swing Line Lender shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to the Swing Loans made hereunder. The L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender shall each have all of the benefits and immunities (i) provided to the Administrative Agent in this Section 11 with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and the Applications pertaining to such Letters of Credit or by the Swing Line Lender in connection with Swing Loans made or to be made hereunder as fully as if the term "Administrative Agent", as used in this Section 11, included the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender with respect to such acts or omissions and (ii) as additionally provided in this Agreement with respect to such L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as applicable.

        Section 11.9.    Hedging Liability and Funds Transfer and Deposit Account Liability Arrangements.    By virtue of a Lender's execution of this Agreement or an assignment agreement pursuant to Section 12.12 hereof, as the case may be, any Affiliate of such Lender with whom any Credit Party has entered into an agreement creating Hedging Liability or Funds Transfer and Deposit Account Liability shall be deemed a Lender party hereto for purposes of any reference in a Loan Document to the parties for whom the Administrative Agent is acting, it being understood and agreed that the rights and benefits of such Affiliate under the Loan Documents consist exclusively of such Affiliate's right to share in payments and collections out of the Collateral and the guaranties as more fully set forth in Section 3.1 hereof. In connection with any such distribution of payments and collections, or any request for the release of the guaranties and the Administrative Agent's Liens in connection with the termination of the Commitments and the payment in full of the Obligations, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to assume no amounts are due to any Lender or its Affiliate with respect to Hedging Liability or Funds Transfer and Deposit Account Liability unless such Lender has notified the Administrative Agent in writing of the amount of any such liability owed to it or its Affiliate prior to such distribution or payment or release of guaranties and Liens.

        Section 11.10.    Designation of Additional Agents.    The Administrative Agent shall have the continuing right, for purposes hereof, at any time and from time to time to designate one or more of the Lenders (and/or its or their Affiliates) as "syndication agents," "documentation agents," "book runners," "lead arrangers," "arrangers" or other designations for purposes hereto, but such designation shall have no substantive effect, and such Lenders and their Affiliates shall have no additional powers, duties or responsibilities as a result thereof.

        Section 11.11.    Authorization to Release or Subordinate or Limit Liens.    The Administrative Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized by each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer to (a) release any Lien covering any Collateral that is sold, transferred, or otherwise disposed of in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the relevant Collateral Documents (including a sale, transfer, or disposition permitted by the terms of Section 8.10 hereof or which has otherwise been consented to in accordance with Section 12.13 hereof), (b) release or subordinate any Lien on Collateral consisting of goods financed with purchase money indebtedness or under a Capital Lease to the extent such Indebtedness is permitted by Sections 8.7(h) hereof, and (c) release Liens on the Collateral following termination or expiration of the Commitments and payment in full in cash of the Obligations and, if then due, Hedging Liability and Funds Transfer and Deposit Account Liability.

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        Section 11.12.    Authorization to Enter into, and Enforcement of, the Collateral Documents.    The Administrative Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized by each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer to execute and deliver the Collateral Documents on behalf of each of the Lenders and their Affiliates and the L/C Issuer and to take such action and exercise such powers under the Collateral Documents as the Administrative Agent considers appropriate, provided the Administrative Agent shall not amend the Collateral Documents unless such amendment is agreed to in writing by the Required Lenders. Each Lender and L/C Issuer acknowledges and agrees that it will be bound by the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents upon the execution and delivery thereof by the Administrative Agent. Except as otherwise specifically provided for herein, no Lender (or its Affiliates) or L/C Issuer, other than the Administrative Agent, shall have the right to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law for the foreclosure or other realization upon any Collateral or for the execution of any trust or power in respect of the Collateral or for the appointment of a receiver or for the enforcement of any other remedy under the Collateral Documents; it being understood and intended that no one or more of the Lenders (or their Affiliates) or L/C Issuer shall have any right in any manner whatsoever to affect, disturb or prejudice the Lien of the Administrative Agent (or any security trustee therefor) under the Collateral Documents by its or their action or to enforce any right thereunder, and that all proceedings at law or in equity shall be instituted, had, and maintained by the Administrative Agent (or its security trustee) in the manner provided for in the relevant Collateral Documents for the benefit of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, and their Affiliates.

SECTION 12.    MISCELLANEOUS.

        Section 12.1.    Withholding Taxes.    (a) Payments Free of Withholding. Except as otherwise required by law and subject to Section 12.1(b) hereof, each payment by the Borrower under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents shall be made without withholding for or on account of any present or future taxes (other than overall net income taxes on the recipient) imposed by or within the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is domiciled, any jurisdiction from which the Borrower makes any payment, or (in each case) any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein. If any such withholding is so required, the Borrower shall make the withholding, pay the amount withheld to the appropriate governmental authority before penalties attach thereto or interest accrues thereon, and forthwith pay such additional amount as may be necessary to ensure that the net amount actually received by each Lender, the L/C Issuer, and the Administrative Agent free and clear of such taxes (including such taxes on such additional amount) is equal to the amount which that Lender, L/C Issuer, or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) would have received had such withholding not been made. If the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, or any Lender pays any amount in respect of any such taxes, penalties or interest, the Borrower shall reimburse the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, or such Lender for that payment on demand in the currency in which such payment was made. If the Borrower pays any such taxes, penalties or interest, it shall deliver official tax receipts evidencing that payment or certified copies thereof to the Lender, the L/C Issuer or Administrative Agent on whose account such withholding was made (with a copy to the Administrative Agent if not the recipient of the original) on or before the thirtieth day after payment.

        (b)    U.S. Withholding Tax Exemptions.    Each Lender or L/C Issuer that is not a United States person (as such term is defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) shall submit to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or before the date the initial Credit Event is made hereunder or, if later, the date such financial institution becomes a Lender or L/C Issuer hereunder, two duly completed and signed copies of (i) either Form W-8 BEN (relating to such Lender or L/C Issuer and entitling it to a complete exemption from withholding under the Code on all amounts to be received by such Lender or L/C Issuer, including fees, pursuant to the Loan Documents and the Obligations) or Form W-8 ECI (relating to all amounts to be received by such Lender or L/C Issuer, including fees, pursuant to the Loan Documents and the Obligations) of the United States Internal Revenue Service or (ii) solely if such Lender is claiming exemption from United States withholding tax under Section 871(h) or 881(c)

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of the Code with respect to payments of "portfolio interest", a Form W-8 BEN, or any successor form prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service, and a certificate representing that such Lender is not a bank for purposes of Section 881(c) of the Code, is not a 10-percent shareholder (within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code) of the Borrower and is not a controlled foreign corporation related to the Borrower (within the meaning of Section 864(d)(4) of the Code). Thereafter and from time to time, each Lender and L/C Issuer shall submit to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent such additional duly completed and signed copies of one or the other of such Forms (or such successor forms as shall be adopted from time to time by the relevant United States taxing authorities) and such other certificates as may be (i) requested by the Borrower in a written notice, directly or through the Administrative Agent, to such Lender or L/C Issuer and (ii) required under then-current United States law or regulations to avoid or reduce United States withholding taxes on payments in respect of all amounts to be received by such Lender or L/C Issuer, including fees, pursuant to the Loan Documents or the Obligations. Upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, each Lender and L/C Issuer that is a United States person (as such term is defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) shall submit to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a certificate to the effect that it is such a United States person.

        (c)    Inability of Lender to Submit Forms.    If any Lender or L/C Issuer determines, as a result of any change in applicable law, regulation or treaty, or in any official application or interpretation thereof, that it is unable to submit to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent any form or certificate that such Lender or L/C Issuer is obligated to submit pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section 12.1 or that such Lender or L/C Issuer is required to withdraw or cancel any such form or certificate previously submitted or any such form or certificate otherwise becomes ineffective or inaccurate, such Lender or L/C Issuer shall promptly notify the Borrower and Administrative Agent of such fact and the Lender or L/C Issuer shall to that extent not be obligated to provide any such form or certificate and will be entitled to withdraw or cancel any affected form or certificate, as applicable.

        Section 12.2.    No Waiver, Cumulative Remedies.    No delay or failure on the part of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, or any Lender, or on the part of the holder or holders of any of the Obligations, in the exercise of any power or right under any Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof or as an acquiescence in any default, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any power or right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other power or right. The rights and remedies hereunder of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Lenders, and of the holder or holders of any of the Obligations are cumulative to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies which any of them would otherwise have.

        Section 12.3.    Non-Business Days.    If any payment hereunder becomes due and payable on a day which is not a Business Day, the due date of such payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day on which date such payment shall be due and payable. In the case of any payment of principal falling due on a day which is not a Business Day, interest on such principal amount shall continue to accrue during such extension at the rate per annum then in effect, which accrued amount shall be due and payable on the next scheduled date for the payment of interest.

        Section 12.4.    Documentary Taxes.    The Borrower agrees to pay on demand any documentary, stamp or similar taxes payable in respect of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including interest and penalties, in the event any such taxes are assessed, irrespective of when such assessment is made and whether or not any credit is then in use or available hereunder.

        Section 12.5.    Survival of Representations.    All representations and warranties made herein or in any other Loan Document or in certificates given pursuant hereto or thereto shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and shall continue in full force and effect with respect to the date as of which they were made as long as any credit is in use or available hereunder.

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        Section 12.6.    Survival of Indemnities.    All indemnities and other provisions relative to reimbursement to the Lenders and L/C Issuer of amounts sufficient to protect the yield of the Lenders and L/C Issuer with respect to the Loans and Letters of Credit, including, but not limited to, Sections 1.11, 10.3, and 12.15 hereof, shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the payment of the Obligations.

        Section 12.7.    Sharing of Set-Off.    Each Lender agrees with each other Lender a party hereto that if such Lender shall receive and retain any payment, whether by set-off or application of deposit balances or otherwise, on any of the Loans or Reimbursement Obligations in excess of its ratable share of payments on all such Obligations then outstanding to the Lenders, then such Lender shall purchase for cash at face value, but without recourse, ratably from each of the other Lenders such amount of the Loans or Reimbursement Obligations, or participations therein, held by each such other Lenders (or interest therein) as shall be necessary to cause such Lender to share such excess payment ratably with all the other Lenders; provided, however, that if any such purchase is made by any Lender, and if such excess payment or part thereof is thereafter recovered from such purchasing Lender, the related purchases from the other Lenders shall be rescinded ratably and the purchase price restored as to the portion of such excess payment so recovered, but without interest. For purposes of this Section, amounts owed to or recovered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Reimbursement Obligations in which Lenders have been required to fund their participation shall be treated as amounts owed to or recovered by the L/C Issuer as a Lender hereunder.

        Section 12.8.    Notices.    Except as otherwise specified herein, all notices hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall be in writing (including, without limitation, notice by telecopy) and shall be given to the relevant party at its address or telecopier number set forth below, or such other address or telecopier number as such party may hereafter specify by notice to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower given by courier, by United States certified or registered mail, by telecopy or by other telecommunication device capable of creating a written record of such notice and its receipt. Notices under the Loan Documents to any Lender shall be addressed to its address or telecopier number set forth on its Administrative Questionnaire; and notices under the Loan Documents to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, or L/C Issuer shall be addressed to its respective address or telecopier number set forth below:


to the Borrower (or any Guarantor):

 

to the Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer:

Fifth Street Finance Corp.
445 Hamilton Avenue, 12th Floor
White Plains, New York 10601
Attention: Leonard Tannenbaum
Telephone: (914) 286-6800
Telecopy: (914) 328-4214

 

Bank of Montreal
111 West Monroe Street
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Attention: Catherine Grycz
Telephone: (312) 461-7875
Telecopy: (312) 765-8382

Each such notice, request or other communication shall be effective (i) if given by telecopier, when such telecopy is transmitted to the telecopier number specified in this Section or in the relevant Administrative Questionnaire and a confirmation of such telecopy has been received by the sender, (ii) if given by mail, 5 days after such communication is deposited in the mail, certified or registered with return receipt requested, addressed as aforesaid or (iii) if given by any other means, when delivered at the addresses specified in this Section or in the relevant Administrative Questionnaire; provided that any notice given pursuant to Section 1 hereof shall be effective only upon receipt.

        Section 12.9.    Counterparts.    This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, and by the different parties hereto on separate counterpart signature pages, and all such counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

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        Section 12.10.    Successors and Assigns.    This Agreement shall be binding upon the Borrower and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, and each of the Lenders, and the benefit of their respective successors and assigns, including any subsequent holder of any of the Obligations. The Borrower may not assign any of its rights or obligations under any Loan Document without the written consent of all of the Lenders and, with respect to any Letter of Credit or the Application therefor, the L/C Issuer.

        Section 12.11.    Participants.    Each Lender shall have the right at its own cost to grant participations (to be evidenced by one or more agreements or certificates of participation) in the Loans made and Reimbursement Obligations and/or Commitments held by such Lender at any time and from time to time to one or more other Persons; provided that no such participation shall relieve any Lender of any of its obligations under this Agreement, and, provided, further that no such participant shall have any rights under this Agreement except as provided in this Section, and the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation or responsibility to such participant. Any agreement pursuant to which such participation is granted shall provide that the granting Lender shall retain the sole right and responsibility to enforce the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents including, without limitation, the right to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of the Loan Documents, except that such agreement may provide that such Lender will not agree to any modification, amendment or waiver of the Loan Documents that would reduce the amount of or postpone any fixed date for payment of any Obligation in which such participant has an interest. Any party to which such a participation has been granted shall have the benefits of Section 1.11 and Section 10.3 hereof. The Borrower authorizes each Lender to disclose to any participant or prospective participant under this Section any financial or other information pertaining to the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

        Section 12.12.    Assignments.    (a) Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible Assignees 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 at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

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Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 12.12(b) hereof, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, 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 Acceptance, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance 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 12.6 and 12.15 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with Section 12.11 hereof.

        (b)    Register.    The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in Chicago, Illinois, a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the "Register"). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, 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 and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

        (c)   Any Lender may at any time pledge or grant a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any such pledge or grant to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or grant of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or grant of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of

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its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or secured party for such Lender as a party hereto; provided further, however, the right of any such pledgee or grantee (other than any Federal Reserve Bank) to further transfer all or any portion of the rights pledged or granted to it, whether by means of foreclosure or otherwise, shall be at all times subject to the terms of this Agreement.

        (d)   Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if at any time the Swing Line Lender assigns all of its Revolving Credit Commitments and Revolving Loans pursuant to subsection (a) above, the Swing Line Lender may terminate the Swing Line. In the event of such termination of the Swing Line, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint another Lender to act as the successor Swing Line Lender hereunder (with such Lender's consent); provided, however, that the failure of the Borrower to appoint a successor shall not affect the resignation of the Swing Line Lender. If the Swing Line Lender terminates the Swing Line, it shall retain all of the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided hereunder with respect to Swing Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such termination, including the right to require Lenders to make Revolving Loans or fund participations in outstanding Swing Loans pursuant to Section 1.6 hereof.

        Section 12.13.    Amendments.    Any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents may be amended or waived if, but only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and is signed by (a) the Borrower, (b) the Required Lenders, and (c) if the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, or the Swing Line Lender are affected thereby, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable; provided that:

        Section 12.14.    Headings.    Section headings used in this Agreement are for reference only and shall not affect the construction of this Agreement.

        Section 12.15.    Costs and Expenses; Indemnification.    (a) The Borrower agrees to pay all costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, negotiation, and administration (excluding internal overhead costs of the Administrative Agent) of the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent, in connection with the preparation and execution of the Loan Documents (not to exceed $75,000 plus out-of-pocket costs and expenses of attorneys' fees of the Administrative Agent in connection with the Loan Documents delivered on the Closing Date), and any amendment, waiver or consent related thereto, whether or not the transactions contemplated herein are consummated,

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together with any fees and charges suffered or incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with periodic collateral filing fees and lien searches; provided that, absent a Default or Event of Default, the Borrower shall only be required to reimburse the Administrative for lien searches once per calendar year. For clarity, the Borrower shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by any Lender in connection with its assignment or participation of rights under the Loan Documents (except as otherwise provided for in Section 1.13 hereof). The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, and each Lender, and any other holder of any Obligations outstanding hereunder, all costs and expenses reasonably incurred or paid by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, such Lender, or any such holder, including reasonable attorneys' fees and disbursements and court costs, in connection with any Default or Event of Default hereunder or in connection with the enforcement of any of the Loan Documents (including all such costs and expenses incurred in connection with any proceeding under the United States Bankruptcy Code involving the Borrower or any Guarantor as a debtor thereunder). The Borrower further agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender, and any security trustee therefor, and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, financial advisors, and consultants (each such Person being called an "Indemnitee") against all losses, claims, damages, penalties, judgments, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, all reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any such Indemnitee and all reasonable expenses of litigation or preparation therefor, whether or not the Indemnitee is a party thereto, or any settlement arrangement arising from or relating to any such litigation) which any of them may pay or incur arising out of or relating to any Loan Document or any of the transactions contemplated thereby or the direct or indirect application or proposed application of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit, other than those which arise from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the party claiming indemnification. The Borrower, upon demand by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, or a Lender at any time, shall reimburse the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, or such Lender for any legal or other expenses (including, without limitation, all reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any such Indemnitee) incurred in connection with investigating or defending against any of the foregoing (including any settlement costs relating to the foregoing) except if the same is directly due to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the party to be indemnified. 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 the other Loan Documents or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof. The obligations of the Borrower under this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

        (b)   The Borrower unconditionally agrees to forever indemnify, defend and hold harmless, and covenants not to sue for any claim for contribution against, each Indemnitee for any damages, costs, loss or expense, including without limitation, response, remedial or removal costs and all fees and disbursements of counsel for any such Indemnitee, arising out of any of the following: (i) any presence, release, threatened release or disposal of any hazardous or toxic substance or petroleum by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or otherwise occurring on or with respect to its Property (whether owned or leased), (ii) the operation or violation of any environmental law, whether federal, state, or local, and any regulations promulgated thereunder, by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or otherwise occurring on or with respect to its Property (whether owned or leased), (iii) any claim for personal injury or property damage in connection with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or otherwise occurring on or with respect to its Property (whether owned or leased), and (iv) the inaccuracy or breach of any environmental representation, warranty or covenant by the Borrower or any Subsidiary made herein or in any other Loan Document evidencing or securing any Obligations or setting forth terms and conditions applicable thereto or otherwise relating thereto, except for damages arising from the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the relevant Indemnitee. This indemnification shall survive the payment and satisfaction

60



of all Obligations and the termination of this Agreement, and shall remain in force beyond the expiration of any applicable statute of limitations and payment or satisfaction in full of any single claim under this indemnification. This indemnification shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the Borrower and shall inure to the benefit of each Indemnitee and its successors and assigns.

        Section 12.16.    Set-off.    In addition to any rights now or hereafter granted under the Loan Documents or applicable law and not by way of limitation of any such rights, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default, each Lender, the L/C Issuer, each subsequent holder of any Obligation, and each of their respective affiliates, is hereby authorized by the Borrower at any time or from time to time, without notice to the Borrower or to any other Person, any such notice being hereby expressly waived, to set-off and to appropriate and to apply any and all deposits (general or special, including, but not limited to, indebtedness evidenced by certificates of deposit, whether matured or unmatured, and in whatever currency denominated, but not including trust accounts) and any other indebtedness at any time held or owing by that Lender, L/C Issuer, subsequent holder, or affiliate, to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower, whether or not matured, against and on account of the Obligations of the Borrower to that Lender, L/C Issuer, or subsequent holder under the Loan Documents, including, but not limited to, all claims of any nature or description arising out of or connected with the Loan Documents, irrespective of whether or not (a) that Lender, L/C Issuer, or subsequent holder shall have made any demand hereunder or (b) the principal of or the interest on the Loans and other amounts due hereunder shall have become due and payable pursuant to Section 9 and although said obligations and liabilities, or any of them, may be contingent or unmatured.

        Section 12.17.    Entire Agreement.    The Loan Documents constitute the entire understanding of the parties thereto with respect to the subject matter thereof and any prior agreements, whether written or oral, with respect thereto are superseded hereby.

        Section 12.18.    Governing Law.    This Agreement and the other Loan Documents (except as otherwise specified therein), and the rights and duties of the parties hereto, shall be construed and determined in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Illinois.

        Section 12.19.    Severability of Provisions.    Any provision of any Loan Document which is unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction. All rights, remedies and powers provided in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be exercised only to the extent that the exercise thereof does not violate any applicable mandatory provisions of law, and all the provisions of this Agreement and other Loan Documents are intended to be subject to all applicable mandatory provisions of law which may be controlling and to be limited to the extent necessary so that they will not render this Agreement or the other Loan Documents invalid or unenforceable.

        Section 12.20.    Excess Interest.    Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, no such provision shall require the payment or permit the collection of any amount of interest in excess of the maximum amount of interest permitted by applicable law to be charged for the use or detention, or the forbearance in the collection, of all or any portion of the Loans or other obligations outstanding under this Agreement or any other Loan Document ("Excess Interest"). If any Excess Interest is provided for, or is adjudicated to be provided for, herein or in any other Loan Document, then in such event (a) the provisions of this Section shall govern and control, (b) neither the Borrower nor any guarantor or endorser shall be obligated to pay any Excess Interest, (c) any Excess Interest that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have received hereunder shall, at the option of the Administrative Agent, be (i) applied as a credit against the then outstanding principal amount of Obligations hereunder and accrued and unpaid interest thereon (not to exceed the maximum amount permitted by applicable law), (ii) refunded to the Borrower, or (iii) any combination of the foregoing, (d) the interest rate payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be

61



automatically subject to reduction to the maximum lawful contract rate allowed under applicable usury laws (the "Maximum Rate"), and this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be deemed to have been, and shall be, reformed and modified to reflect such reduction in the relevant interest rate, and (e) neither the Borrower nor any guarantor or endorser shall have any action against the Administrative Agent or any Lender for any damages whatsoever arising out of the payment or collection of any Excess Interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if for any period of time interest on any of Borrower's Obligations is calculated at the Maximum Rate rather than the applicable rate under this Agreement, and thereafter such applicable rate becomes less than the Maximum Rate, the rate of interest payable on the Borrower's Obligations shall remain at the Maximum Rate until the Lenders have received the amount of interest which such Lenders would have received during such period on the Borrower's Obligations had the rate of interest not been limited to the Maximum Rate during such period.

        Section 12.21.    Construction.    The parties acknowledge and agree that the Loan Documents shall not be construed more favorably in favor of any party hereto based upon which party drafted the same, it being acknowledged that all parties hereto contributed substantially to the negotiation of the Loan Documents. The provisions of this Agreement relating to Subsidiaries shall only apply during such times as the Borrower has one or more Subsidiaries. NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED OR CONSTRUED TO PERMIT ANY ACT OR OMISSION WHICH IS PROHIBITED BY THE TERMS OF ANY COLLATERAL DOCUMENT, THE COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS CONTAINED HEREIN BEING IN ADDITION TO AND NOT IN SUBSTITUTION FOR THE COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS CONTAINED IN THE COLLATERAL DOCUMENTS.

        Section 12.22.    Lender's and L/C Issuer's Obligations Several.    The obligations of the Lenders and L/C Issuer hereunder are several and not joint. Nothing contained in this Agreement and no action taken by the Lenders or L/C Issuer pursuant hereto shall be deemed to constitute the Lenders and L/C Issuer a partnership, association, joint venture or other entity.

        Section 12.23.    Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.    The Borrower hereby submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and of any Illinois State court sitting in the City of Chicago for purposes of all legal proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. The Borrower irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE L/C ISSUER, AND THE LENDERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED THEREBY.

        Section 12.24.    USA Patriot Act.    Each Lender and L/C Issuer 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 or L/C Issuer to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.

        Section 12.25.    Confidentiality.    Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, and the L/C Issuer severally 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 to the extent any such Person has a need to know such Information (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will first be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information

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confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (A) any assignee of or participant in, or any prospective assignee of or participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (B) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary and its obligations, (g) with the prior written consent of the Borrower, (h) to the extent such Information (A) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (B) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their directors, officers, employees or agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors, (i) to rating agencies if requested or required by such agencies in connection with a rating relating to the Loans or Commitments hereunder, or (j) to entities which compile and publish information about the syndicated loan market, provided that only basic information about the pricing and structure of the transaction evidenced hereby may be disclosed pursuant to this subsection (j). For purposes of this Section, "Information" means all information received from the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries or from any other Person on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or from any other Person on behalf of the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries.

[SIGNATURE PAGES TO FOLLOW]

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        This Credit Agreement is entered into between us for the uses and purposes hereinabove set forth as of the date first above written.

    "BORROWER"

 

 

FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

 

 

By

/s/  
BERNANRD D. BERMAN      
Name Bernard D. Berman
Title Executive Vice President

 

 

"ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND L/C ISSUER"

 

 

BANK OF MONTREAL, as L/C Issuer and as Administrative Agent

 

 

By

/s/  
SCOTT M. FERRIS      
Name Scott M. Ferris
Title Managing Director

 

 

"LENDERS"

 

 

BMO CAPITAL MARKETS FINANCING, INC.

 

 

By

/s/  
SCOTT M. FERRIS      
Name Scott M. Ferris
Title Managing Director



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EXHIBIT (K)(4)


GUARANTEE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

        GUARANTEE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT dated as of January 15, 2008, among FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP., a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Borrower"), each entity that becomes a "GUARANTOR" after the date hereof pursuant to Section 5.4 hereof (collectively, the "Guarantors" and, together with the Borrower, the "Obligors"), and BANK OF MONTREAL, as administrative agent under the Credit Agreement for the Secured Parties referred to below (in such capacity, together with its successors in such capacity, the "Agent").


PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

        A.    Concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement the Borrower, certain lenders and letter of credit issuer(s), and the Agent are entering into a Credit Agreement dated as of the date hereof (the "Credit Agreement"), pursuant to which such lenders have agreed to extend credit to the Borrower from time to time.

        B.    To induce such lenders and letter of credit issuer(s) to extend credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement, (a) the Guarantors have agreed to guarantee the payment of the Guaranteed Obligations (as hereinafter defined), and (b) the Borrower and the Guarantors have agreed to provide collateral security for the Secured Obligations (as hereinafter defined).

        D.    The Obligors are engaged in related businesses and integrated to such an extent that the financial strength and flexibility of the Borrower has a direct impact on the success of each Guarantor. Each Guarantor will derive substantial direct and indirect benefit from the extensions of credit hereunder and the execution and delivery of this Agreement (or an Guarantee Assumption Agreement as provided for herein), and the performance of such Guarantor's obligations hereunder, is necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of such Guarantor's business.

        NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:

SECTION 1.    DEFINITIONS, ETC.

        Section 1.1.    Certain Uniform Commercial Code Terms.    As used herein, the terms "Account", "Chattel Paper", "Commercial Tort Claims", "Commodity Account", "Commodity Contract", "Deposit Account", "Document", "Electronic Chattel Paper", "Equipment", "Fixtures", "General Intangible", "Goods", "Instrument", "Inventory", "Investment Property", "Letter-of-Credit Right", "Payment Intangibles", "Proceeds", "Promissory Note", and "Tangible Chattel Paper" have the respective meanings set forth in Article 9 of the ILUCC, and the terms "Certificated Security", "Clearing Corporation", "Entitlement Holder", "Financial Asset", "Indorsement", "Securities Account", "Security", "Security Entitlement" and "Uncertificated Security" have the respective meanings set forth in Article 8 of the ILUCC.

        Section 1.2.    Additional Definitions.    Except as otherwise provided herein, all capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the same meanings herein as such terms have in the Credit Agreement. In addition, as used herein:


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        Section 1.3.    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 Sections, Exhibits and Annexes shall be construed to refer to Sections of, and Exhibits and Annexes 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 2.    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.

        Each Obligor represents and warrants to the Secured Parties that:

        Section 2.1.    Organization.    Such Obligor is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization.

        Section 2.2.    Authorization; Enforceability.    The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the granting of the Liens contemplated hereunder, are within such Obligor's corporate or other powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by such Obligor and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Obligor, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws of general applicability affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights and (b) the application of general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

        Section 2.3.    Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts.    The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the granting of the Liens contemplated hereunder, (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except for (i) such as have been or will be obtained or made and are in full force and effect and (ii) filings and recordings in respect of the Liens created pursuant hereto, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Obligor or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default in any material respect under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Obligor or any of its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any such Person, and (d) except for the Liens created pursuant hereto, will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of any Obligor.

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        Section 2.4.    Title.    Such Obligor is the sole beneficial owner of the Collateral in which a security interest is granted by such Obligor hereunder and no Lien exists upon such Collateral other than (a) the security interest created or provided for herein, which security interest constitutes a valid first and prior perfected Lien on the Collateral and (b) other Permitted Liens.

        Section 2.5.    Names, Etc.    The full and correct legal name, type of organization, jurisdiction of organization, organizational ID number (if applicable) and mailing address of each Obligor are correctly set forth in Annex 1 (and, for any additional Obligor, as set forth in the supplement to Annex 1 in Appendix A to the Guarantee Assumption Agreement executed and delivered by such Obligor). No Obligor has transacted business at any time during the immediately preceding five-year period, and does not currently transact business, under any other legal names or trade names other than the prior legal names and trade names (if any) set forth in Annex 1 (and, for any additional Obligor, as set forth in the supplement to Annex 1 in Exhibit A to the Guarantee Assumption Agreement executed and delivered by such Obligor).

        Section 2.6.    Chances in Circumstances.    No Obligor has (a) within the period of four months prior to the date hereof (or, for any additional Obligor, within the period of four months prior to the date it becomes a party hereto pursuant to a Guarantee Assumption Agreement), changed its location (as defined in Section 9-307 of the ILUCC), (b) as of the date hereof (or, for any additional Obligor, as of the date it becomes a party hereto pursuant to a Guarantee Assumption Agreement), changed its name, or (c) as of the date hereof (or, for any additional Obligor, as of the date it becomes a party hereto pursuant to a Guarantee Assumption Agreement), become a "new debtor" (as defined in Section 9-102(a)(56) of the ILUCC) with respect to a currently effective security agreement previously entered into by any other Person and binding upon such Obligor, in each case except as notified in writing to the Agent prior to the date hereof (or, for any additional Obligor, prior to the date it becomes a party hereto pursuant to a Guarantee Assumption Agreement).

        Section 2.7.    Location of Collateral.    Annex 1 sets forth a complete and correct list of all locations of the Borrower's tangible Collateral on the date hereof (and, for any additional Obligor, on the date it becomes a party hereto pursuant to a Guarantee Assumption Agreement) (collectively, the "Permitted Collateral Locations"), except for tangible Collateral held by the Custodian or the Agent or tangible Collateral aggregating less than $250,000 in value at any one time outstanding. If for any reason any tangible Collateral is at any time kept or located at a location other than a Permitted Collateral Location, the Agent shall nevertheless have and retain a security interest therein. Except to the extent otherwise disclosed on Annex 1, the Obligors own the Permitted Collateral Locations. No Obligor shall permit any tangible Collateral to be located at a location other than a Permitted Collateral Location or as permitted above, in each case without first providing the Agent at least 30 days prior written notice of the Obligor's intent to do so; provided that each Obligor shall at all times maintain the Permitted Collateral Locations in the United States of America unless specifically agreed to in writing by the Agent and such Obligor shall have taken all action reasonably requested by the Agent to maintain the security interest of the Agent in the Collateral at all times fully perfected and in full force and effect. If any Collateral is in the possession or control of any agents or processors of an Obligor and the Agent so requests, such Obligor agrees to notify such agents or processors in writing of the Agent's security interest therein and instruct them to hold all such Collateral for the Agent's account and subject to the Agent's instructions. Each Obligor will, upon the written request of the Agent, authorize and instruct all bailees and any other parties, if any, at any time processing, labeling, packaging, holding, storing, shipping or transferring all or any part of the Collateral to permit the Agent and its representatives to examine and inspect any of the Collateral then in such party's possession and to verify from such party's own books and records any information concerning the Collateral or any part thereof which the Agent or its representatives may seek to verify. Each Obligor warrants and agrees that none of its Inventory is or will be consigned to any other person without the Agent's prior written consent.

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        Section 2.8.    Promissory Notes.    Annex 2 sets forth a complete and correct list of all Promissory Notes (other than any previously delivered to the Custodian or held in a Securities Account referred to in Annex 3) held by the Borrower on the date hereof (or held by a Guarantor on the date it becomes a party hereto pursuant to a Guarantee Assumption Agreement) and having an aggregate unpaid principal amount in excess of $500,000.

        Section 2.9.    Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts.    Annex 3 sets forth a complete and correct list of all Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts, and Commodity Accounts of the Borrower on the date hereof (and of any Guarantor on the date it becomes a party hereto pursuant to a Guarantee Assumption Agreement), except for any Deposit Account specially and exclusively used for payroll, payroll taxes and other employee wage and benefit payments. Each Obligor represents that on the date of this Agreement, none of its Investment Property consists of margin stock (as such term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) except to the extent such Obligor has delivered to the Agent a duly executed and completed Form U-1 with respect to such stock. If at any time the Investment Property or any part thereof consists of margin stock, the relevant Obligor shall promptly so notify the Agent and deliver to the Agent a duly executed and completed Form U-1 and such other instruments and documents reasonably requested by the Agent in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.

        Section 2.10.    Fixtures.    Except for Equipment from time to time located on the real estate described on Annex 4, none of the Equipment is or will be attached to real estate in such a manner that the same may become a Fixture.

        Section 2.11.    Intellectual Property.    Annex 5 attached hereto contains a true, complete, and current listing of all patents, trademarks, tradestyles, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights (including all registrations and applications therefor) owned by each of the Obligors as of the date hereof that are registered with any governmental authority. Each Obligor owns or possesses rights to use all franchises, licenses, patents, trademarks, trade names, tradestyles, copyrights, and rights with respect to the foregoing which are required to conduct its business and which do not, to the best of such Obligor's knowledge, infringe on the rights of any third party. No event has occurred which permits, or after notice or lapse of time or both would permit, the revocation or termination of any such rights, and the Obligors are not liable to any person for infringement under applicable law with respect to any such rights as a result of its business operations, where such revocation or termination could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

        Section 2.12.    Commercial Tort Claims.    Annex 6 attached hereto contains a true, complete and current listing of all Commercial Tort Claims held by the Obligors as of the date hereof, each described by referring to a specific incident giving rise to the claim.

SECTION 3.    GUARANTEE.

        Section 3.1.    The Guarantee.    The Guarantors hereby jointly and severally guarantee to each of the Secured Parties and their respective successors and assigns the prompt payment in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the Guaranteed Obligations. The Guarantors hereby further jointly and severally agree that if the Borrower shall fail to pay in full when due (whether at stated or extended maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the Guarantors will jointly and severally pay the same without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.

        Section 3.2.    Obligations Unconditional.    The obligations of the Guarantors under this Section 3 are irrevocable, absolute and unconditional, joint and several, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement, the other

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Debt Documents or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or therein, or any substitution, release or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 3 that the obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances. Without limitation, the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of the Guarantors hereunder, which shall remain absolute and unconditional as described above:

        The Guarantors hereby expressly waive diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that any Secured Party exhaust any right power or remedy or proceed against the Borrower under this Agreement, the other Debt Documents or any other agreement or instrument referred to herein or therein, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Guaranteed Obligations.

        Section 3.3.    Reinstatement.    The obligations of the Guarantors under this Section 3 shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower in respect of the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, whether as a result of any proceedings in bankruptcy or reorganization or otherwise, and the Guarantors jointly and severally agree that they will indemnify the Secured Parties on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable fees and other charges of counsel) incurred by the Secured Parties in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law.

        Section 3.4.    Subrogation.    The Guarantors hereby jointly and severally agree that until the payment and satisfaction in full of all Guaranteed Obligations, and the expiration and termination of all commitments to extend credit under all Debt Documents and of all letters of credit issued under the Debt Documents, they shall not exercise any right or remedy arising by reason of any performance by them of their guarantee in Section 3.1, whether by subrogation or otherwise, against the Borrower or any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations.

        Section 3.5.    Remedies.    The Guarantors jointly and severally agree that, as between the Guarantors and the Secured Parties, a Guaranteed Obligation may be declared to be forthwith due and

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payable as provided in the respective Debt Document therefor including, in the case of the Credit Agreement, Section 9 thereof (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances provided therein including, in the case of the Credit Agreement, such Section 9) for purposes of this Section, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or such obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against the Borrower or any Guarantors and that, in the event of such declaration (or such obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), such obligations (whether or not due and payable by the Borrower) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for purposes of Section 3.1.

        Section 3.6.    Continuing Guarantee.    The guarantee in this Section 3 is a continuing guarantee of payment (and not of collection), and shall apply to all Guaranteed Obligations whenever arising.

        Section 3.7.    Rights of Contribution.    The Obligors hereby agree, as between themselves, that if any Guarantor shall become an Excess Funding Guarantor (as defined below) by reason of the payment by such Guarantor of any Guaranteed Obligations, then each other Guarantor shall, on demand of such Excess Funding Guarantor (but subject to the next sentence), pay to such Excess Funding Guarantor an amount equal to such Guarantor's Pro Rata Share (as defined below and determined, for this purpose, without reference to the properties, debts and liabilities of such Excess Funding Guarantor) of the Excess Payment (as defined below) in respect of such Guaranteed Obligations. The payment obligation of a Guarantor to any Excess Funding Guarantor under this Section shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of the obligations of such Guarantor under the other provisions of this Section 3 and such Excess Funding Guarantor shall not exercise any right or remedy with respect to such excess until payment and satisfaction in full of all of such obligations.

        For purposes of this Section, (i) "Excess Funding Guarantor" means, in respect of any Guaranteed Obligations, a Guarantor that has paid an amount in excess of its Pro Rata Share of such Guaranteed Obligations, (ii) "Excess Payment" means, in respect of any Guaranteed Obligations, the amount paid by an Excess Funding Guarantor in excess of its Pro Rata Share of such Guaranteed Obligations, and (iii) "Pro Rata Share" means, for any Guarantor, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of (x) the amount by which the aggregate fair saleable value of all properties of such Guarantor (excluding any shares of stock or other equity interest of any other Guarantor) exceeds the amount of all the debts and liabilities of such Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder and any obligations of any other Guarantor that have been Guaranteed by such Guarantor) to (y) the amount by which the aggregate fair saleable value of all properties of the Borrower and all of the Guarantors exceeds the amount of all the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Obligors hereunder) of the Borrower and all of the Guarantors, determined (A) with respect to any Guarantor that is a party hereto on the date hereof, as of the date hereof, and (B) with respect to any other Guarantor, as of the date such Guarantor becomes a Guarantor hereunder.

        Section 3.8.    General Limitation on Guarantee Obligations.    In any action or proceeding involving any state corporate or other law or any Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other law affecting the rights of creditors generally, if the obligations of any Guarantor under Section 3.1 would otherwise, taking into account the provisions of Section 3.8, be held or determined to be void, invalid or unenforceable, or subordinated to the claims of any other creditors, on account of the amount of its liability under Section 3.1, then, notwithstanding any other provision hereof to the contrary, the amount of such liability shall, without any further action by such Guarantor, any Secured Party or any other Person, be automatically limited and reduced to the highest amount that is valid and enforceable and not subordinated to the claims of other creditors as determined in such action or proceeding.

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        Section 3.9.    Credit Agreement.    Each Guarantor agrees to perform, comply with and be bound by the covenants contained in the Credit Agreement applicable to such Guarantor as if each Guarantor were a signatory to the Credit Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, each Guarantor shall take such action as the Borrower is required by the Credit Agreement to cause such Guarantor to take, and shall refrain from taking such action as the Borrower is required by the Credit Agreement to prohibit such Guarantor from taking.

SECTION 4.    COLLATERAL

        As collateral security for prompt payment and performance of its Secured Obligations, each Obligor hereby pledges and grants to the Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties as hereinafter provided a security interest in all of such Obligor's right, title and interest in, to and under the following property, in each case whether tangible or intangible, wherever located, and whether now owned by such Obligor or hereafter acquired and whether now existing or hereafter coming into existence (all of the property described in this Section 4 being collectively referred to herein as "Collateral"):

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        IT BEING UNDERSTOOD, HOWEVER, that in no event shall the security interest granted under this Section 4 attach to any contract, property rights, obligation, instrument or agreement to which an Obligor is a party (or to any of its rights or interests thereunder) if the grant of such security interest would constitute or result in either the abandonment, invalidation or unenforceability of any right, title or interest of such Obligor therein or in a breach or termination pursuant to the terms of, or a default under, any such contract, property rights, obligation, instrument or agreement (in each case, other than to the extent that any such term would be rendered ineffective by Section 9-406, 9-407, 9-408 or 9-409 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the relevant jurisdiction).

SECTION 5.    COVENANTS OF THE OBLIGORS.

        In furtherance of the grant of the security interest pursuant to Section 4, each Obligor hereby agrees with the Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties as follows:

        Section 5.1.    Delivery and Other Perfection.    (a) Within twenty (20) days after the acquisition by an Obligor of any Portfolio Investment constituting part of the Collateral as to which physical possession by the Agent or the Custodian is required in order for such Portfolio Investment to have been "Delivered" (subject to the definition of "Delivery" for the first thirty (30) days after the date hereof), such Obligor shall take such actions as shall be necessary to effect Delivery of such Portfolio Investment. As to all other Portfolio Investments constituting part of the Collateral, such Obligor shall cause the same to be Delivered within five (5) Business Days of the acquisition thereof (subject to the definition of "Delivery" for the first thirty (30) days after the date hereof). In addition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Obligor shall, upon the Agent's written request, promptly from time to time give, execute, deliver, file, record, authorize or obtain all such financing statements, continuation statements, notices, instruments, documents, account control agreements or any other agreements or consents or other papers as may be necessary in the judgment of the Agent to create, preserve, perfect, maintain the perfection of or validate the security interest granted pursuant hereto or to enable the Agent to exercise and enforce its rights hereunder with respect to such security interest, and without limiting the foregoing, shall:

        (b)   Unless released from the Collateral pursuant to the Credit Agreement, once any Portfolio Investment has been Delivered, the Obligors shall not take or permit any action that would result in such Portfolio Investment no longer being Delivered hereunder and shall, upon the Agent's written

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request, promptly from time to time give, execute, deliver, file, record, authorize or obtain all such financing statements, continuation statements, notices, instruments, documents, account control agreements or any other agreements or consents or other papers as may be necessary or desirable in the judgment of the Agent to continue the Delivered status of any Collateral. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligors shall not terminate any arrangement with the Custodian unless and until a successor Custodian satisfactory to the Agent has been appointed and has executed all documentation necessary to continue the Delivered status of the Collateral, which documentation shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

        Section 5.2.    Name; Jurisdiction of Organization, Etc.    Each Obligor agrees that (a) without providing at least ten (10) days prior written notice to the Agent, such Obligor will not change its name, its place of business or, if more than one, chief executive office, or its mailing address or organizational identification number if it has one, (b) if such Obligor does not have an organizational identification number and later obtains one, such Obligor will forthwith notify the Agent of such organizational identification number, and (c) such Obligor will not change its type of organization, jurisdiction of organization or other legal structure.

        Section 5.3.    Other Financing Statements or Control.    Except as permitted under Section 8.8 of the Credit Agreement, the Obligors shall not (a) file or suffer to be on file, or authorize or permit to be filed or to be on file, in any jurisdiction, any financing statement or like instrument with respect to any of the Collateral in which the Agent is not named as the sole Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, or (b) cause or permit any Person other than the Agent to have Control of any Deposit Account, Electronic Chattel Paper, Investment Property or Letter-of-Credit Right constituting part of the Collateral.

        Section 5.4.    Additional Guarantors.    As contemplated by Section 4.1 of the Credit Agreement, new Subsidiaries of the Borrower formed or acquired by the Borrower after the date hereof (other than Financing Subsidiaries) are required to become a "Guarantor" under this Agreement, by executing and delivering to the Agent a Guarantee Assumption Agreement in the form of Exhibit A hereto. Accordingly, upon the execution and delivery of any such Guarantee Assumption Agreement by any such Subsidiary, such new Subsidiary shall automatically and immediately, and without any further action on the part of any Person, become a "Guarantor" and an "Obligor" for all purposes of this Agreement, and Annexes 1 through 6, inclusive, hereto shall be deemed to be supplemented in the manner specified in such Guarantee Assumption Agreement. In addition, upon execution and delivery of any such Guarantee Assumption Agreement, the new Guarantor makes the representations and warranties set forth in Section 2 as of the date of such Guarantee Assumption Agreement.

        Section 5.5.    Control Agreements.    No Obligor shall open any account with any bank, securities intermediary or commodities intermediary (other than (i) any payroll account, (ii) any withholding tax and fiduciary accounts, and (iii) any account in which the aggregate value of deposits therein, together with all other such accounts under this clause (iii), does not at any time exceed $250,000) unless such Obligor has notified the Agent of such new account and the Agent has Control over such account pursuant to a control agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.

        Section 5.6.    Collection of Payments.    Each Obligor shall make collection of all sums due with respect to the Collateral (collectively, "Collateral Payments") unless notified to the contrary by the Agent after the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default to pay the same over to the Agent (which proceeds shall be held, applied, or otherwise distributed in accordance with Section 6 hereof); provided that, other than in the ordinary course of such Obligor's business and consistent with past practice and its commercially reasonable discretion, no Obligor shall, without the prior written consent of the Agent, grant any extension of the time of payment of any Collateral Payment, compromise or settle any Collateral Payment for less than the full amount thereof, release (in

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whole or in part) any person or property liable for the payment thereof or granted as collateral security therefor, or allow any credit, discount, modification, rescission, or cancellation whatsoever thereon.

        Section 5.7.    Use of Collateral.    Each Obligor agrees it will not waste or destroy the Collateral or any part thereof and will not be negligent in the care or use of any Collateral. Each Obligor agrees it will not use, manufacture, sell or distribute any Collateral in violation of any statute, ordinance or other governmental requirement. Each Obligor will perform in all material respects its obligations under any contract or other agreement constituting part of the Collateral, it being understood and agreed that the Secured Parties have no responsibility to perform such obligations.

        Section 5.8.    Dispositions of Collateral.    Except as permitted by the Credit Agreement, each Obligor agrees it will not, without the Agent's prior written consent, sell, assign, mortgage, lease, or otherwise dispose of the Collateral or any interest therein.

        Section 5.9.    Insurance.    To the extent an Obligor has any material portions of Collateral consisting of tangible personal property, such Obligor will insure such Collateral against such risks and hazards as other companies similarly situated insure against, and including in any event loss or damage by fire, theft, burglary, pilferage, and loss in transit, in amounts and under policies containing loss payable clauses to the Agent as its interest may appear (and, if the Agent requests, naming the Secured Parties as additional insureds therein) by insurers reasonably acceptable to the Agent. All premiums on such insurance shall be paid by the Obligors and the policies of such insurance (or certificates therefor) delivered to the Agent. All insurance required hereby shall provide that any loss shall be payable notwithstanding any act or negligence of the relevant Obligor, shall provide that no cancellation thereof shall be effective until at least 30 days after receipt by the relevant Obligor and the Agent of written notice thereof, and shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Agent in all other respects. In case of any material loss, damage to or destruction of the Collateral or any part thereof, the relevant Obligor shall promptly give written notice thereof to the Agent generally describing the nature and extent of such damage or destruction. In case of any loss, damage to or destruction of the Collateral or any part thereof, the relevant Obligor, whether or not the insurance proceeds, if any, received on account of such damage or destruction shall be sufficient for that purpose, at such Obligor's cost and expense, will promptly repair or replace the Collateral so lost, damaged or destroyed, except to the extent such Collateral is not necessary to the conduct of such Obligor's business in the ordinary course. In the event any Obligor shall receive any proceeds of such insurance, such Obligor shall immediately pay over such proceeds of insurance to the Agent which will thereafter be applied to the reduction of the Secured Obligations (whether or not then due) or held as collateral security therefor, as the Agent may then determine or as otherwise provided for in the Credit Agreement; provided, however, that the Agent agrees to release such insurance proceeds to the relevant Obligor for replacement or restoration of the portion of the Collateral lost, damaged or destroyed if, but only if, (i) at the time of release no Default or Event of Default exists, (ii) written application for such release is received by the Agent from the relevant Debtor within 30 days of the receipt of such proceeds, and (iii) the Agent has received evidence reasonably satisfactory to it that the collateral lost, damaged or destroyed has been or will be replaced or restored to its condition immediately prior to the loss, destruction or other event giving rise to the payment of such insurance proceeds. Each Obligor hereby authorizes the Agent, at the Agent's option, to adjust, compromise, and settle any losses under any insurance afforded at any time after the occurrence and during the continuation of any Default or Event of Default, and such Obligor does hereby irrevocably constitute the Agent, its officers, agents, and attorneys, as such Obligor's attorneys-in-fact, with full power and authority after the occurrence and during the continuation of any Default or Event of Default to effect such adjustment, compromise, and/or settlement and to endorse any drafts drawn by an insurer of the Collateral or any part thereof and to do everything necessary to carry out such purposes and to receive and receipt for any unearned premiums due under policies of such insurance. Unless the Agent elects to adjust, compromise or settle losses as aforesaid, any adjustment, compromise, and/or settlement of any losses under any insurance shall be made by the

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relevant Obligor subject to final approval of the Agent (regardless of whether or not an Event of Default shall have occurred) in the case of losses exceeding $250,000. All insurance proceeds shall be subject to the lien and security interest of the Agent hereunder.

UNLESS THE OBLIGORS PROVIDE THE AGENT WITH EVIDENCE OF THE INSURANCE COVERAGE REQUIRED BY THIS AGREEMENT, THE AGENT MAY PURCHASE INSURANCE AT THE OBLIGORS' EXPENSE TO PROTECT THE AGENT'S INTERESTS IN THE COLLATERAL. THIS INSURANCE MAY, BUT NEED NOT, PROTECT ANY OBLIGOR'S INTERESTS IN THE COLLATERAL. THE COVERAGE PURCHASED BY THE AGENT MAY NOT PAY ANY CLAIMS THAT ANY OBLIGOR MAKES OR ANY CLAIM THAT IS MADE AGAINST SUCH OBLIGOR IN CONNECTION WITH THE COLLATERAL. THE OBLIGORS MAY LATER CANCEL ANY SUCH INSURANCE PURCHASED BY THE AGENT, BUT ONLY AFTER PROVIDING THE AGENT WITH EVIDENCE THAT THE OBLIGORS HAVE OBTAINED INSURANCE AS REQUIRED BY THIS AGREEMENT. IF THE AGENT PURCHASES INSURANCE FOR THE COLLATERAL, THE OBLIGORS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS OF THAT INSURANCE, INCLUDING INTEREST AND ANY OTHER CHARGES THAT THE AGENT MAY IMPOSE IN CONNECTION WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE INSURANCE, UNTIL THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CANCELLATION OR EXPIRATION OF THE INSURANCE. THE COSTS OF THE INSURANCE MAY BE ADDED TO THE SECURED OBLIGATIONS SECURED HEREBY. THE COSTS OF THE INSURANCE MAY BE MORE THAN THE COST OF INSURANCE THE OBLIGORS MAY BE ABLE TO OBTAIN ON THEIR OWN.

        Section 5.10.    Collateral Information.    Each Obligor agrees from time to time to deliver to the Agent such evidence of the existence, identity, and location of its Collateral and of its availability as collateral security pursuant hereto, in each case as the Agent may reasonably request in writing. The Agent shall have the right to verify all or any part of the Collateral in any manner, and through any medium, which the Agent considers appropriate and reasonable, and each Obligor agrees to furnish all assistance and information, and perform any acts, which the Agent may require in connection therewith. The Obligors shall promptly notify the Agent in writing of any additions after the date hereof to the information provided on Annexes 1-6, and shall submit to the Agent a supplement to Annexes 1-6, as applicable, to reflect such additions (provided any Obligor's failure to do so shall not impair the Agent's security interest in the Collateral).

        Section 5.11.    First Priority Liens.    The Collateral and every part thereof is and shall be free and clear of all security interests, liens (including, without limitation, mechanics', laborers' and statutory liens), attachments, levies, and encumbrances of every kind, nature, and description and whether voluntary or involuntary, except for the security interest of the Agent therein and other Permitted Liens. Each Obligor shall warrant and defend the Collateral against any claims and demands of all Persons at any time claiming the same or any interest in the Collateral adverse to the Secured Parties.

        Section 5.12.    Further Assurances.    Upon Agent's written request, each Obligor agrees to execute and deliver to the Agent such further agreements, assignments, instruments, and documents, and to do all such other things, as the Agent may reasonably deem necessary or appropriate to assure the Agent its lien and security interest hereunder, including, without limitation, (i) such financing statements or other instruments and documents as the Agent may from time to time reasonably require to comply with the UCC and any other applicable law, (ii) such agreements with respect to patents, trademarks, copyrights, and similar intellectual property rights as the Agent may from time to time reasonably require to comply with the filing requirements of the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office, and (iii) such control agreements with respect to Deposit Accounts, Investment Property, Letter-of-Credit Rights, and electronic Chattel Paper, and to cause the relevant depository institutions, financial intermediaries, and issuers to execute and deliver such control agreements, as the Agent may from time to time reasonably require. Upon the Agent's written request, each Obligor shall at its own cost and expense cause the lien of the Agent in and to any portion of the Collateral subject to a certificate of title law to be duly noted on such certificate of title or to be otherwise filed in such manner as is prescribed by law in order to perfect such lien and will cause all such certificates of title and evidences of lien to be deposited with the Agent. Each Obligor agrees to

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execute and deliver to the Agent an agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, or in such other form reasonably acceptable to the Agent, promptly upon becoming aware of any Commercial Tort Claim of such Obligor arising after the date hereof (provided any Obligor's failure to do so shall not impair the Agent's security interest therein). Each Obligor hereby authorizes the Agent to file any and all financing statements covering the Collateral or any part thereof as the Agent may require, including financing statements describing the Collateral as "all assets" or "all personal property" or words of like meaning. The Agent may order lien searches from time to time against any Obligor and the Collateral, and the Obligors shall promptly reimburse the Agent for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with such lien searches (subject to Section 12.15 of the Credit Agreement). In the event for any reason the law of any jurisdiction other than Illinois becomes or is applicable to the Collateral or any part thereof, or to any of the Secured Obligations, each Obligor agrees to execute and deliver all such agreements, assignments, instruments, and documents and to do all such other things as the Agent deems necessary or appropriate to preserve, protect, and enforce the security interest of the Agent under the law of such other jurisdiction.

        Section 5.13.    Right to Perform; Right to Reimbursement.    On failure of any Obligor to perform any of the covenants and agreements herein contained, the Agent may, at its option, perform the same and in so doing may expend such sums as the Agent deems advisable in the performance thereof, including, without limitation, the payment of any insurance premiums, the payment of any taxes, liens, and encumbrances, expenditures made in defending against any adverse claims, and all other expenditures which the Agent may be compelled to make by operation of law or which the Agent may make by agreement or otherwise for the protection of the security hereof. All such sums and amounts so expended shall be repayable by the Obligors upon written demand, shall constitute additional Secured Obligations secured hereunder, and shall bear interest from the date said amounts are expended at the rate per annum (computed on the basis of a year of 360 days for the actual number of days elapsed) determined by adding 2.0% per annum to the Base Rate from time to time in effect plus the Applicable Margin from time to time in effect for Base Rate Loans under the Revolving Credit, with any change in such rate per annum as so determined by reason of a change in such Base Rate to be effective on the date of such change in said Base Rate (such rate per annum as so determined being hereinafter referred to as the "Default Rate"). No such performance of any covenant or agreement by the Agent on behalf of a Obligor, and no such advancement or expenditure therefor, shall relieve any Obligor of any default under the terms of this Agreement or in any way obligate any Secured Party to take any further or future action with respect thereto. The Agent, in making any payment hereby authorized, may do so according to any bill, statement or estimate procured from the appropriate public office or holder of the claim to be discharged without inquiry into the accuracy of such bill, statement or estimate or into the validity of any tax assessment, sale, forfeiture, tax lien or title or claim. The Agent, in performing any act hereunder, shall be the sole judge of whether the relevant Obligor is required to perform the same under the terms of this Agreement. The Agent is hereby authorized to charge any account of any Obligor maintained with any Secured Party for the amount of such sums and amounts so expended.

SECTION 6.    EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES.

        Section 6.1.    Events of Default, Etc.    The occurrence of any event or the existence of any condition specified as an "Event of Default" under the Credit Agreement shall constitute an "Event of Default" hereunder. During the period during which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing:

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        THE OBLIGORS RECOGNIZE THAT, BY REASON OF CERTAIN PROHIBITIONS CONTAINED IN THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, THE AGENT MAY BE COMPELLED, WITH RESPECT TO ANY SALE OF ALL OR ANY PART OF THE COLLATERAL, TO LIMIT PURCHASERS TO THOSE WHO WILL AGREE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO ACQUIRE THE COLLATERAL FOR THEIR OWN ACCOUNT, FOR INVESTMENT AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO THE DISTRIBUTION OR RESALE THEREOF. THE OBLIGORS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ANY SUCH PRIVATE SALES MAY BE AT PRICES AND ON TERMS LESS FAVORABLE TO THE AGENT THAN THOSE OBTAINABLE THROUGH A PUBLIC SALE WITHOUT SUCH RESTRICTIONS, AND, NOTWITHSTANDING SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, AGREE THAT TO THE EXTENT ANY SUCH PRIVATE SALE IS CONDUCTED BY THE AGENT IN A COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE MANNER, THE AGENT SHALL HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO ENGAGE IN PUBLIC SALES AND NO OBLIGATION TO DELAY THE SALE OF ANY COLLATERAL FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME NECESSARY TO PERMIT THE OBLIGORS, OR THE ISSUER THEREOF, TO REGISTER IT FOR PUBLIC SALE. IN THE EVENT THE AGENT IN GOOD FAITH BELIEVES ANY OF THE COLLATERAL CONSTITUTES RESTRICTED SECURITIES WITHIN THE MEANING OF ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS, ANY DISPOSITION THEREOF IN COMPLIANCE WITH SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT RENDER THE DISPOSITION COMMERCIALLY UNREASONABLE.

        Section 6.2.    Private Sale.    The Agent and the Secured Parties shall incur no liability as a result of the sale of the Collateral, or any part thereof, at any private sale conducted in a commercially reasonable manner. Each Obligor hereby waives any claims against the Agent or any other Secured Party arising by reason of the fact that the price at which the Collateral may have been sold at such a private sale was less than the price which might have been obtained at a public sale or was less than the aggregate amount of the Secured Obligations, even if the Agent accepts the first offer received and does not offer the Collateral to more than one offeree, so long as such private sale was conducted in a commercially reasonable manner.

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        Section 6.3.    Attorney-in-Fact.    Without limiting any rights or powers granted by this Agreement to the Agent, each Obligor hereby appoints the Agent, its nominee, or any other person whom the Agent may designate as such Obligor's attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any Event of Default to sign such Obligor's name on verifications of Receivables and other Collateral; to send requests for verification of Collateral to such Obligor's customers, account debtors, and other obligors; to endorse such Obligor's name on any checks, notes, acceptances, money orders, drafts, and any other forms of payment or security that may come into the Agent's possession; to endorse the Collateral in blank or to the order of the Agent or its nominee; to sign such Obligor's name on any invoice or bill of lading relating to any Collateral, on claims to enforce collection of any Collateral, on notices to and drafts against customers and account debtors and other obligors, on schedules and assignments of Collateral, on notices of assignment and on public records; to notify the post office authorities to change the address for delivery of such Obligor's mail to an address designated by the Agent; to receive, open, and dispose of all mail addressed to such Obligor; and to do all things necessary to carry out this Agreement. Each Obligor hereby ratifies and approves all acts of any such attorney and agrees that neither the Agent nor any such attorney will be liable for any acts or omissions or for any error of judgment or mistake of fact or law other than such person's gross negligence or willful misconduct. The foregoing powers of attorney, being coupled with an interest, are irrevocable until the Secured Obligations have been fully paid and satisfied and the commitments of the Lenders to extend credit to or for the account of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement have expired or otherwise terminated.

        Section 6.4.    Application of Proceeds; Deficiency; Surplus.    The proceeds and avails of the Collateral at any time received by the Agent upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any Event of Default shall, when received by the Agent in cash or its equivalent, be applied by the Agent in reduction of, or held as collateral security for, the Secured Obligations in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement. The Obligors shall remain liable to the Secured Parties for any deficiency. Any surplus remaining after the full payment and satisfaction of the Secured Obligations shall be returned to the Borrower, as agent for the Obligors, or to whomsoever the Agent reasonably determines is lawfully entitled thereto.

        Section 6.5.    Preservation of Rights.    The powers conferred upon the Secured Parties hereunder are solely to protect their interest in the Collateral and shall not impose on them any duty to exercise such powers. The Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of the Collateral in its possession or control if such Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equivalent to that which the Agent accords its own property, consisting of similar type assets, it being understood, however, that the Agent shall have no responsibility for (i) ascertaining or taking any action with respect to calls, conversions, exchanges, maturities, tenders or other matters relating to any Collateral, whether or not the Agent has or is deemed to have knowledge of such matters, (ii) taking any necessary steps to preserve rights against any parties with respect to any Collateral, or (iii) initiating any action to protect the Collateral or any part thereof against the possibility of a decline in market value. This Agreement constitutes an assignment of rights only and not an assignment of any duties or obligations of the Obligors in any way related to the Collateral, and the Agent shall have no duty or obligation to discharge any such duty or obligation. Neither any Secured Party nor any party acting as attorney for any Secured Party shall be liable for any acts or omissions or for any error of judgment or mistake of fact or law other than such person's gross negligence or willful misconduct.

        Section 6.6.    Direct and Primary Security.    The security interest herein created and provided for stand as direct and primary security for the Secured Obligations. No application of any sums received by the Secured Parties in respect of the Collateral or any disposition thereof to the reduction of the Secured Obligations or any part thereof shall in any manner entitle any Obligor to any right, title or interest in or to the Secured Obligations or any collateral or security therefor, whether by subrogation

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or otherwise, unless and until all Secured Obligations have been fully paid and satisfied and all commitments to extend credit to or for the account of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement have expired or otherwise terminated. Each Obligor acknowledges and agrees that the security interest hereby created and provided are absolute and unconditional and shall not in any manner be affected or impaired by any acts of omissions whatsoever of any Secured Party or any other holder of any Secured Obligations, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the security interest hereof shall not be impaired by any acceptance by any Secured Party or any other holder of any Secured Obligations of any other security for or guarantors upon any of the Secured Obligations or by any failure, neglect or omission on the part of any Secured Party or any other holder of any of the Secured Obligations to realize upon or protect any of the Secured Obligations or any collateral or security therefor. The security interest hereof shall not in any manner be impaired or affected by (and the Secured Parties, without notice to anyone, are hereby authorized to make from time to time) any sale, pledge, surrender, compromise, settlement, release, renewal, extension, indulgence, alteration, substitution, exchange, change in, modification or disposition of any of the Secured Obligations or of any collateral or security therefor, or of any guaranty thereof, or of any instrument or agreement setting forth the terms and conditions pertaining to any of the foregoing. The Secured Parties may at their discretion at any time grant credit to the Borrower without notice to the other Obligors in such amounts and on such terms as the Secured Parties may elect without in any manner impairing the security interest created and provided for. In order to realize hereon and to exercise the rights granted the Secured Parties hereunder and under applicable law, there shall be no obligation on the part of any Secured Party or any other holder of any Secured Obligations at any time to first resort for payment to the Borrower or any other Obligor or to any guaranty of the Secured Obligations or any portion thereof or to resort to any other collateral, security, property, liens or any other rights or remedies whatsoever, and the Secured Parties shall have the right to enforce this Agreement against any Obligor or its Collateral irrespective of whether or not other proceedings or steps seeking resort to or realization upon or from any of the foregoing are pending.

SECTION 7.    THE AGENT.

        Section 7.1.    The Agent.    In acting under or by virtue of this Agreement, the Agent shall be entitled to all the rights, authority, privileges, and immunities provided in the Credit Agreement, all of which provisions of said Credit Agreement (including, without limitation, Section 11 thereof) are incorporated by reference herein with the same force and effect as if set forth herein in their entirety. The Agent hereby disclaims any representation or warranty to the Secured Parties or any other holders of the Secured Obligations concerning the perfection of the liens and security interests granted hereunder or in the value of any of the Collateral.

SECTION 8.    MISCELLANEOUS.

        Section 8.1.    Notices.    Except as otherwise specified herein, all notices hereunder shall be in writing (including, without limitation, notice by telecopy) and shall be given to the relevant party as set forth in Section 12.8 of the Credit Agreement.

        Section 8.2.    No Waiver.    Failure by the Agent to exercise any right, remedy or option under this Agreement or any other agreement between any Obligor and the Agent or provided by law, or delay by the Agent in exercising the same, shall not operate as a waiver; and no waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing, signed by the party against whom such waiver is sought to be enforced and then only to the extent specifically stated. The rights and remedies of the Secured Parties under this Agreement shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any other right or remedy which any Secured Party may have.

        Section 8.3.    Amendments, Etc.    Except as otherwise provided in any Collateral Document, the terms of this Agreement and the other Collateral Documents may be waived, altered or amended only by an instrument in writing duly executed by each Obligor and the Agent with the consent of the requisite Lenders (as determined in accordance with the Credit Agreement), provided that the Agent is

21



authorized to release any Collateral and/or any Guarantor to the extent permitted by or otherwise provided for in the Credit Agreement. Any such amendment or waiver shall be binding upon the Agent, each Secured Party and each Obligor.

        Section 8.4.    Continuing Agreement.    This Agreement shall be a continuing agreement in every respect and shall remain in full force and effect until all of the Secured Obligations and the Guaranteed Obligations, both for principal and interest, have been fully paid and satisfied and the commitments of the Lenders to extend credit to or for the account of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement have expired or otherwise terminated. Upon such termination of this Agreement, the Agent shall, upon the request and at the expense of the Obligors, forthwith release its liens and security interests hereunder.

        Section 8.4.    Expenses: Indemnity.    

        (a)    Costs and Expenses.    The Obligors hereby jointly and severally agree to reimburse the Agent and each of the other Secured Parties and their respective affiliates for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by them (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of legal counsel) in connection with (i) any Default or Event of Default and any enforcement or collection proceeding resulting therefrom, including all manner of participation in or other involvement with (w) performance by the Agent of any obligations of the Obligors in respect of the Collateral that the Obligors have failed or refused to perform in the time period required under this Agreement, (x) bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership, foreclosure, winding up or liquidation proceedings of any Obligor, or any actual or attempted sale, or any exchange, enforcement, collection, compromise or settlement in respect of any of the Collateral, and for the care of the Collateral and defending or asserting rights and claims of the Agent in respect thereof, by litigation or otherwise, including expenses of insurance, (y) judicial or regulatory proceedings arising from or related to this Agreement and (z) workout, restructuring or other negotiations or proceedings (whether or not the workout, restructuring or transaction contemplated thereby is consummated) and (ii) the enforcement of this Section, and all such costs and expenses shall be Secured Obligations entitled to the benefits of the collateral security provided pursuant to Section 4.

        (b)    Indemnification by the Obligors.    The Obligors shall indemnify the Agent, the other Secured Parties, any security trustee therefor, and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, financial advisors, and consultants (each such Person being called an "Indemnitee") against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses including the 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 (ii) 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, liabilities or related expenses resulted from the willful misconduct or gross negligence of such Indemnitee.

        Section 8.5.    Successors and Assigns.    This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the respective successors and assigns of the Obligors and the Secured Parties (provided that none of the Obligors shall assign or transfer its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Agent). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject to the provisions of the Credit Agreement, any Secured Party may assign or otherwise transfer any indebtedness held by it secured or guaranteed by this Agreement to any other person, and such other person shall thereupon become vested with all the benefits of the security and guarantees provided for herein.

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        Section 8.6.    Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.    

        (a)    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. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by telecopy or electronic mail shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire contract between and 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. Each Obligor acknowledges that this Agreement is and shall be effective upon its execution and delivery by such Obligor to the Agent, and it shall not be necessary for the Agent or any Secured Party to execute this Agreement or any other acceptance hereof or otherwise to signify or express its acceptance hereof.

        (b)    Electronic Execution of Assignments.    The words "execution," "signed," "signature" shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper- based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act of Illinois, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

        Section 8.7.    Severability.    In the event and to the extent that any provision hereof shall be deemed to be invalid or unenforceable by reason of the operation of any law or by reason of the interpretation placed thereon by any court, this Agreement shall to such extent be construed as not containing such provision, but only as to such jurisdictions where such law or interpretation is operative, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of any remaining provisions hereof, and any and all other provisions hereof which are otherwise lawful and valid shall remain in full force and effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that this Agreement shall be deemed to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable with respect to any Obligor, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity of this Agreement with respect to the other Obligors.

        Section 8.8.    Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction.    

        (a)    Governing Law.    This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of Illinois.

        (b)    Submission to Jurisdiction.    Each Obligor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and of any Illinois state court sitting in the City of 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 State court or, to the extent permitted bylaw, 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 any Secured Party may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against any Obligor or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

        (c)    Waiver of Venue.    Each Obligor 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,

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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.

        Section 8.9.    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.

        Section 8.10.    Headings.    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.

[SIGNATURE PAGES TO FOLLOW]

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        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Guarantee and Security Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written.

    FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

 

 

By

 

    

        Name       
        Title       

        Accepted and agreed to in Chicago, Illinois, as of the date first above written.

    BANK OF MONTREAL, as Agent

 

 

By

 

    

        Name       
        Title       



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GUARANTEE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

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EXHIBIT (K)(5)


FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

        This First Amendment to Credit Agreement (herein, the "Amendment") is entered into as of May 1, 2008, by and among FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP., a Delaware corporation (the "Borrower"), the several financial institutions party to this Amendment, as Lenders, and BANK OF MONTREAL, as Administrative Agent.


PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

        A.    The Borrower, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent are parties to a certain Credit Agreement, dated as of January 15, 2008 (the "Credit Agreement"). All capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the same meanings herein as such terms have in the Credit Agreement.

        B.    The Borrower has requested that the Credit Amendment be amended, and the Required Lenders are willing to do so under the terms and conditions set forth in this Amendment.

        NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

SECTION 1.    AMENDMENT.

        Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 2 below, the Credit Agreement shall be and hereby is amended as follows:

        1.1.  The definitions of "Affiliate Agreements" and "Change of Control" set forth in Section 5.1 of the Credit Agreement (Definitions) shall each be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

        1.2.  Subsection (d) of Section 8.12 of the Credit Agreement (Dividends and Certain Other Restricted Payments) shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:


        1.3.  The phrase "Except as otherwise set forth for in the Affiliate Agreements as in effect on the date hereof," appearing at the beginning of Section 8.17 of the Credit Agreement (Burdensome Contracts With Affiliates) shall be deleted and the phrase "Except as otherwise set forth for in the Affiliate Agreements," shall be inserted in lieu thereof.

        1.4.  Section 8.26 of the Credit Agreement (Post Closing) shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

SECTION 2.    CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.

        The effectiveness of this Amendment is subject to the satisfaction of all of the following conditions precedent:

        2.1.  The Borrower and the Required Lenders shall have executed and delivered this Amendment.

        2.2.  The Borrower shall have executed and delivered a First Amendment to Guarantee and Security Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

        2.3.  The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent true and correct copies of (i) the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement dated as of April 30, 2008, between the Borrower and Fifth Street Management LLC, (ii) the Certificate of Amendment to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Fifth Street Finance Corp. filed April 24, 2008, with the Secretary of State of Delaware and (iii) the side letter dated April 25, 2008, between the Borrower and the holder of Borrower's Series A preferred stock.

        2.4.  Legal matters incident to the execution and delivery of this Amendment shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

SECTION 3.    REPRESENTATIONS.

        In order to induce the Lenders to execute and deliver this Amendment, the Borrower hereby represents to the Lenders that as of the date hereof, after giving effect to the amendment set forth in Section 1 above, (a) the representations and warranties set forth in Section 6 of the Credit Agreement and in the other Loan Documents are and shall be and remain true and correct in all materials respects (except that the representations contained in Section 6.5 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent financial statements of the Borrower delivered to the Lenders) and (b) the Borrower is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and no Default or Event of Default exists or shall result after giving effect to this Amendment.


SECTION 4.    MISCELLANEOUS.

        4.1.  The Borrower heretofore executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders the Collateral Documents. The Borrower hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Liens created and provided for by the Collateral Documents continue to secure, among other things, the Obligations arising under the Credit Agreement as amended hereby; and the Collateral Documents and the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereunder, the obligations of the Borrower thereunder, and the Liens created and provided for thereunder remain in full force and effect and shall not be affected, impaired or discharged hereby. Nothing herein contained shall in any manner affect or impair the priority of the Liens created and provided for by the Collateral Documents as to the indebtedness which would be secured thereby prior to giving effect to this Amendment.

        4.2.  Except as specifically amended herein, the Credit Agreement shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with its original terms. Reference to this specific Amendment need not be made in the Credit Agreement, the Notes, or any other instrument or document executed in connection therewith, or in any certificate, letter or communication issued or made pursuant to or with respect to the Credit Agreement, any reference in any of such items to the Credit Agreement being sufficient to refer to the Credit Agreement as amended hereby.

        4.3.  The Borrower agrees to pay on demand all reasonable costs and expenses of or incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution and delivery of this Amendment and the other instruments and documents to be executed and delivered in connection herewith, including the fees and expenses of counsel for the Administrative Agent.

        4.4.  This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, and by the different parties on different counterpart signature pages, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Any of the parties hereto may execute this Amendment by signing any such counterpart and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original. Delivery of a counterpart hereof by facsimile transmission or by e-mail transmission of an Adobe Portable Document Format File (also known as an "PDF" file) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof. This Amendment shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Illinois (without regard to principles of conflicts of laws).

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO FOLLOW]


        This First Amendment to Credit Agreement is entered into as of the date and year first above written.

    FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

 

 

By

 

 

 
       
        Name  
         
        Title  
         
 
    Accepted and agreed to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BANK OF MONTREAL, as Administrative Agent

 

 

By

 

 

 
       
        Name  
         
        Title  
         

 

 

BMO CAPITAL MARKETS FINANCING, INC.

 

 

By

 

 

 
       
        Name  
         
        Title  
         



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FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

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EXHIBIT (k)(6)

FIRST AMENDMENT TO GUARANTEE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

        This First Amendment to Guarantee and Security Agreement (herein, the "Amendment") is entered into as of May 1, 2008, by and among FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP., a Delaware corporation (the "Borrower"), and BANK OF MONTREAL, as Agent.


PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

        A.    The Borrower and the Agent are parties to a certain Guarantee and Security Agreement, dated as of January 15, 2008 (the "Guarantee and Security Agreement"). All capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the same meanings herein as such terms have in the Guarantee and Security Agreement.

        B.    The Borrower and the Administrative Agent (acting at the direction of the Required Lenders) have agreed to amend the Guarantee and Security Amendment under the terms and conditions set forth in this Amendment.

        NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

SECTION 1.    AMENDMENT.

        Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 2 below, the Credit Agreement shall be and hereby is amended as follows:

        1.1.  The definition of "Deliver", "Delivered" or "Delivery" set forth in Section 1.2 of the Guarantee and Security Agreement (Additional Definitions) shall be amended by striking the phrase "and within thirty (30) days of the date hereof" appearing in the lead-in sentence and inserting the phrase "and at all times on and after May 15, 2008" in lieu thereof.

        1.2.  Section 5.1 of the Guarantee and Security Agreement (Control Agreements) shall be amended by striking the phrase "(subject to the definition of "Delivery" for the first thirty (30) days after the date hereof)" and inserting the phase "(subject to the definition of "Delivery" for periods prior to May 15, 2008)" in lieu thereof.

        1.3.  Section 5.5 of the Guarantee and Security Agreement (Control Agreements) shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

        1.4.  Annex 3 to the Guarantee and Security Agreement shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read asset forth on Annex 3 attached hereto and made a part hereof.


SECTION 2.    CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.

        The effectiveness of this Amendment is subject to the satisfaction of all of the following conditions precedent:

        2.1.  The Borrower and the Agent shall have executed and delivered this Amendment.

        2.2.  Legal matters incident to the execution and delivery of this Amendment shall be satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel.

SECTION 3.    MISCELLANEOUS.

        3.1.  The Borrower hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Liens created and provided for by the Guarantee and Security Agreement continue to secure, among other things, the Secured Obligations; and the Guarantee and Security Agreement, and the rights and remedies of the Agent and the Lenders thereunder, the obligations of the Borrower thereunder, and the Liens created and provided for thereunder remain in full force and effect and shall not be affected, impaired or discharged hereby. Nothing herein contained shall in any manner affect or impair the priority of the Liens created and provided for by the Guarantee and Security Agreement as to the indebtedness which would be secured thereby prior to giving effect to this Amendment.

        3.2.  Except as specifically amended herein, the Guarantee and Security Agreement shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with its original terms. Reference to this specific Amendment need not be made in the Guarantee and Security Agreement, the Credit Agreement, or any other instrument or document executed in connection therewith, or in any certificate, letter or communication issued or made pursuant to or with respect to the Guarantee and Security Agreement, any reference in any of such items to the Guarantee and Security Agreement being sufficient to refer to the Guarantee and Security Agreement as amended hereby.

        3.3.  The Borrower agrees to pay on demand all reasonable costs and expenses of or incurred by the Agent in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution and delivery of this Amendment and the other instruments and documents to be executed and delivered in connection herewith, including the fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent.

        3.4.  This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, and by the different parties on different counterpart signature pages, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Any of the parties hereto may execute this Amendment by signing any such counterpart and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original. Delivery of a counterpart hereof by facsimile transmission or by e-mail transmission of an Adobe Portable Document Format File (also known as an "PDF" file) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof. This Amendment shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Illinois (without regard to principles of conflicts of laws).

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO FOLLOW]


        This First Amendment to Guarantee and Security Agreement is entered into as of the date and year first above written.

    FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.

 

 

By

 

 
     

 

 

 

Name

 
       

 

 

 

Title

 
       

        Accepted and agreed to.

    BANK OF MONTREAL, as Agent

 

 

By

 

 
     

 

 

 

Name

 
       

 

 

 

Title

 
       



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FIRST AMENDMENT TO GUARANTEE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

Exhibit (l)

[Letterhead of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP]

June 6, 2008

Fifth Street Finance Corp.
White Plains Plaza
445 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 1206
White Plains, NY 10601

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        We have acted as counsel to Fifth Street Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-146743) (the "Registration Statement") filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), relating to 11,500,000 shares of the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Shares"), together with any additional Shares that may be issued by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act (as prescribed by the Commission pursuant to the Act) in connection with the offering described in the Registration Statement.

        As counsel to the Company, we have participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement and have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction by public officials or officers of the Company as authentic copies of originals, of (i) the Company's restated certificate of incorporation, as amended to date (the "Certificate of Incorporation"), and its amended and restated bylaws (the "Bylaws"), (ii) a Certificate of Good Standing, dated June 4, 2008, with respect to the Company issued by the Delaware Secretary of State; (iii) resolutions of the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") relating to the authorization and approval of the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement and the authorization, issuance, offer and sale of the Common Stock pursuant to the Registration Statement (the "Resolutions"), and (iv) such other documents or matters of law as in our judgment were necessary to enable us to render the opinions expressed below.

        With respect to such examination and our opinion expressed herein, we have assumed, without any independent investigation or verification (i) the genuineness of all signatures on all documents submitted to us for examination, (ii) the legal capacity of all natural persons, (iii) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (iv) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as conformed or reproduced copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copied documents, and (v) that all certificates issued by public officials have been properly issued. We also have assumed without independent investigation or verification the accuracy and completeness of all corporate records made available to us by the Company.

        Where factual matters material to this opinion letter were not independently established, we have relied upon certificates and/or representations of officers of the Company. We have also relied on certificates of public officials. Except as otherwise stated herein, we have not independently established the facts, or in the case of certificates of public officials, the other statements, so relied upon.

        This opinion is limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as in effect on the date hereof, and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws of the State of Delaware or the laws of any other jurisdiction. We express no opinion as to any state securities or broker-dealer laws or regulations thereunder relating to the offer, issuance and sale of the Shares.


        Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

        Assuming that (i) the final terms and conditions of the issuance, offer and sale of the Shares, including those relating to price and amount of Shares to be issued, offered and sold, have been duly authorized and determined or otherwise established by proper action of the Board in accordance with the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws and the Resolutions, and are consistent with the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, (ii) the Shares have been delivered to, and the agreed consideration has been fully paid in accordance with the Resolutions at the time of such delivery by, the purchasers thereof, and (iii) the Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and remains effective at the time of the offer and sale of the Shares, the Shares will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

        This opinion is limited to the matters expressly set forth herein, and no opinion may be implied or inferred beyond those expressly stated. Our opinions and other statements expressed herein are as of the date hereof, and we have no obligation to update this letter or to advise you of any changes in applicable law or any other matters that may come to our attention after the date hereof.

        We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm in the "Legal Matters" section of the Registration Statement. We do not admit by giving this consent that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act.

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