UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 10-K
[X] Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.
[ ] Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 For the transition period from to
Commission file number 33-55796
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PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
California 94-3168838
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization) Identification No.)
One Market, Steuart Street Tower
Suite 800, San Francisco, CA 94105-1301
(Address of principal (Zip code)
executive offices)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (415) 974-1399
-----------------------
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X No ______
Aggregate Market Value of Voting Stock: N/A
An index of exhibits filed with this Form 10-K is located at page 43.
Total number of pages in this report: 126.
<PAGE>
PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
(A) Background
In December 1992, PLM Financial Services, Inc. (FSI or the General Partner), a
wholly-owned subsidiary of PLM International, Inc. (PLM International), filed a
Registration Statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission
with respect to a proposed offering of 7,500,000 limited partnership units (the
units) in PLM Equipment Growth & Income Fund VII, a California limited
partnership (the Partnership, the registrant or EGF VII). The Partnership's
offering became effective on May 25, 1993. FSI, as General Partner, owns a 5%
interest in the Partnership. The Partnership engages in the business of
investing in a diversified equipment portfolio consisting primarily of used,
long-lived, low-obsolescence capital equipment that is easily transportable by
and among prospective users.
The Partnership's primary objectives are:
(1) Investment in equipment: To invest in a diversified portfolio of
low-obsolescence equipment having long lives and high residual values, at prices
that the General Partner believes to be below inherent values, and to place the
equipment on lease or under other contractual arrangements with creditworthy
lessees and operators of equipment. All transactions over $1.0 million must be
approved by the PLM Credit Review Committee (the Committee), which is made up of
members of PLM's senior management. In determining a lessee's creditworthiness,
the Committee will consider, among other factors, the lessee's financial
statements, internal and external credit ratings, and letters of credit;
(2) Cash distributions: To generate cash distributions, which may be
substantially tax-deferred (i.e., distributions that are not subject to current
taxation) during the early years of the Partnership, to investors beginning in
the quarter following the month in which the minimum number of units are sold, a
portion of which may represent a return of an investor's investment;
(3) Safety: To create a significant degree of safety relative to other
equipment leasing investments through the purchase of a diversified equipment
portfolio. This diversification reduces the exposure to market fluctuations in
any one sector. The purchase of used, long-lived, low-obsolescence equipment,
typically at prices that are substantially below the cost of new equipment, also
reduces the impact of economic depreciation and can create the opportunity for
appreciation in certain market situations, where supply and demand return to
balance from oversupply conditions; and
(4) Growth: To increase the Partnership's revenue base by reinvesting a
portion of its operating cash flow in additional equipment during the first six
years of the Partnership's operation in order to grow the size of its portfolio.
Since net income and distributions are affected by a variety of factors,
including purchase prices, lease rates, and costs and expenses, growth in the
size of the Partnership's portfolio does not mean that in all cases the
Partnership's aggregate net income and distributions will increase upon the
reinvestment of operating cash flow.
The offering of units of the Partnership closed on April 25, 1995. The
Partnership admitted limited partners at 24 interim closing dates during 1993
through 1995. As of December 31, 1997, there were 5,370,297 units outstanding.
The General Partner contributed $100 for its 5% General Partner interest in the
Partnership.
Beginning in the Partnership's seventh year of operation, which commences
January 1, 2002, the General Partner will stop reinvesting cash flow and surplus
funds, which, if any, less reasonable reserves, will be distributed to the
partners. In the ninth year of the operation of the Partnership, which commences
January 1, 2004, the General Partner intends to begin its dissolution and
liquidation in an orderly fashion, unless it is terminated earlier upon sale of
all of the equipment or by certain other events. Under certain circumstances,
the term of the Partnership may be extended, although in no event will the
Partnership extend beyond December 31, 2013.
<PAGE>
Table 1, below, lists the equipment and the cost of equipment in the
Partnership's portfolio as of December 31, 1997 (in thousands of dollars):
TABLE 1
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Units Type Manufacturer Cost
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Owned equipment held for operating leases:
<S> <C> <C> <C>
2 Bulk carrier marine vessels Ishikawa Jima $ 22,212
1 737-200 Stage II commercial aircraft Boeing 5,483
3 DC-9 Stage II commercial aircraft McDonnell Douglas 2,822
105 Refrigerated trailers Various 2,494
830 Dry trailers Trailmobile/Stoughton 11,250
62 Flatbed trailers Great Dane 532
250 Dry piggyback trailers Various 3,835
68 Woodchip gondola railcars National Steel 1,044
347 Pressurized tank railcars Various 9,019
7 Modular buildings Various 153
--------------
Owned equipment held for operating leases 58,844
Owned equipment held for sale:
2 DHC-8 commuter aircraft DeHavilland 7,629
--------------
Total owned equipment $ 66,473<F1>
==============
Investment in equipment owned by unconsolidated special-purpose entities:
0.80 Bulk-carrier marine vessel Tsuneishi Zosen $ 14,212<F2>
0.44 Bulk-carrier marine vessel Naikai Ship Building & Engineering Co. 5,628<F2>
0.24 767-200ER Stage III commercial
aircraft Boeing 10,248<F3>
0.33 Two trusts consisting of:
Three 737-200A Stage II commercial
aircraft Boeing 9,408<F4>
Two Stage II JT8D aircraft engines Pratt & Whitney 390<F4>
Portfolio of rotable components Various 650<F4>
0.50 Trust consisting of four 737-200A
Stage II commercial aircraft Boeing 8,987<F3>
0.25 Trust comprised of four 737-200
Stage II commercial aircraft Boeing 5,862<F3>
0.10 Mobile offshore drilling unit AT & CH de France 2,090<F3>
--------------
Total investments in unconsolidated special-purpose entities $ 57,475<F1>
==============
<FN>
<F1> Includes proceeds from capital contributions, undistributed cash flow from
operations, and Partnership borrowings invested in equipment. Includes
costs capitalized subsequent to the date of purchase and equipment
acquisition fees paid to FSI; PLM Transportation Equipment Corporation
(TEC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of FSI; or PLM Worldwide Management
Services (WMS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of PLM International.
<F2> Jointly owned: EGF VII and an affiliated program.
<F3> Jointly owned: EGF VII and two affiliated programs.
<F4> Jointly owned: EGF VII and three affiliated programs.
</FN>
</TABLE>
The equipment is generally leased under operating leases for a term of one to
six years.
As of December 31, 1997, approximately 80% of the Partnership's trailer
equipment operated in rental yards owned and maintained by PLM Rental, Inc., the
short-term trailer rental subsidiary of PLM International doing business as PLM
Trailer Leasing. Revenues collected under short-term rental agreements with the
rental yards' customers are credited to the owners of the related equipment as
received. Direct expenses associated with the equipment are charged directly to
the Partnership. An allocation of other indirect expenses of the rental yard
operations is charged to the Partnership monthly.
The lessees of the equipment include but are not limited to: Hongkong Mingwah
Shipping Co. Ltd., Wah Yuen Shipping, Inc., Pacific Carriers Ltd., SWR Brazil
767, Inc., and Action Carriers, Inc. As of December 31, 1997, all of the
equipment was on lease or operating in PLM-affiliated short-term trailer rental
yards, except for two commuter aircraft, which are currently being held for
sale, and a railcar.
(B) Management of Partnership Equipment
The Partnership has entered into an equipment management agreement with PLM
Investment Management, Inc. (IMI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of FSI, for the
management of equipment. The Partnership's management agreement with IMI is to
co-terminate with the dissolution of the Partnership, unless the partners vote
to terminate the agreement prior to that date or at the discretion of the
General Partner. IMI has agreed to perform all services necessary to manage the
transportation equipment on behalf of the Partnership and to perform or contract
for the performance of all obligations of the lessor under the Partnership's
leases. In consideration for its services and pursuant to the partnership
agreement, IMI is entitled to a monthly management fee (see financial
statements, Notes 1 and 2).
(C) Competition
(1) Operating Leases versus Full Payout Leases
Generally, the equipment owned or invested in by the Partnership is leased out
on an operating lease basis wherein rents owed during the initial noncancelable
term of the lease are insufficient to recover the purchase price of the
equipment. The short- to mid-term nature of operating leases generally commands
a higher rental rate than longer-term, full payout leases, and offers lessees
relative flexibility in their equipment commitment. In addition, the rental
obligation under an operating lease need not be capitalized on the lessee's
balance sheet.
The Partnership encounters considerable competition from lessors utilizing full
payout leases on new equipment, i.e., leases that have terms equal to the
expected economic life of the equipment. Full payout leases are written for
longer terms and for lower monthly rates than the Partnership offers. While some
lessees prefer the flexibility offered by a shorter-term operating lease, other
lessees prefer the rate advantages possible with a full payout lease.
Competitors of the Partnership may write full payout leases at considerably
lower rates, or larger competitors with a lower cost of capital may offer
operating leases at lower rates, and, as a result, the Partnership may be at a
competitive disadvantage.
(2) Manufacturers and Equipment Lessors
The Partnership also competes with equipment manufacturers that offer operating
leases and full payout leases. Manufacturers may provide ancillary services that
the Partnership cannot offer, such as specialized maintenance services
(including possible substitution of equipment), training, warranty services, and
trade-in privileges.
The Partnership competes with many equipment lessors, including ACF Industries,
Inc. (Shippers Car Line Division), GATX, General Electric Railcar Services
Corporation, General Electric Aviation Services Corporation, and other limited
partnerships that may lease the same types of equipment.
(D) Demand
The Partnership has investments in transportation-related capital equipment and
relocatable environments. Types of capital equipment owned by the Partnership
include aircraft, marine vessels, railcars, and trailers. Relocatable
environments are functionally self-contained transportable equipment, such as
mobile offshore drilling units. Except for those aircraft leased to passenger
air carriers, the Partnership's transportation equipment is used to transport
materials and commodities, rather than people
The following section describes the international and national markets in which
the Partnership's capital equipment operates:
(1) Aircraft
(a) Commercial Aircraft
The international commercial aircraft market experienced another good year in
1997, with a third consecutive year of profits by the world's airlines. Airline
managements have continued to emphasize cost reductions and a moderate increase
in capacity. However, even the limited volume of new aircraft deliveries has
caused the market to change from being in equilibrium at the end of 1996 to
having excess supply. This market imbalance is expected to continue, with the
number of surplus aircraft increasing from approximately 350 aircraft at the end
of 1996 to an estimated 600 aircraft by the end of the decade.
The changes taking place in the commercial aircraft market also reflect the
impact of noise legislation enacted in the United States and Europe. Between
1997 and the end of 2002, approximately 1,400 Stage II aircraft (aircraft that
have been shown to comply with Stage II noise levels prescribed in Federal
Aviation Regulation section C36.5) are forecast to be retired, primarily due to
noncompliance with Stage III aircraft (aircraft that have been shown to comply
with Stage III noise levels prescribed in Federal Aviation Regulation section
C36.5) noise requirements. This represents about 41% of the Stage II aircraft
now in commercial service worldwide. By 2002, about 2,000 (59%) of the current
fleet of Stage II aircraft will remain in operational service outside of Stage
III-legislated regions or as aircraft that have had hushkits installed so that
engine noise levels meet the quieter Stage III requirements. The cost to install
a hushkit is approximately $1.5 million, depending on the type of aircraft. All
aircraft currently manufactured meet Stage III requirements.
Specifically, the Partnership's fleet is positioned to provide a balance of
Stage II narrowbody, Stage III narrowbody, and Stage III widebody aircraft in
the portfolio. This strategy is intended to optimize individual aircraft and the
corresponding lease rentals with projected demand. The Stage II aircraft either
are positioned with air carriers outside Stage III-legislated areas, are
scheduled for Stage III hushkit installation in 1998-99, or are anticipated to
be sold or leased outside Stage III areas before the year 2000.
(b) Aircraft Engines and Rotables
The demand for spare engines has increased, particularly for the Pratt & Whitney
Stage II JT8D engine, which powers many of the Partnership's Stage II commercial
aircraft.
Aircraft rotables, or components, are replacement spare parts held in inventory
by an airline. These parts are components that are removed from an aircraft or
engine, undergo overhaul, and are recertified and refit to the aircraft in an
"as new" condition. Rotables carry specific identification numbers, allowing
each part to be individually tracked during its use. The types of rotables owned
and leased by the Partnership include landing gear, certain engine components,
avionics, auxiliary power units, replacement doors, control surfaces, pumps,
valves, and other comparable equipment. The Partnership expects to sell this
equipment during 1998.
(2) Marine Vessels
The Partnership owns and has investments with other affiliated programs in
medium-sized dry bulk vessels, which are traded in worldwide markets and carry
commodity cargoes. Dry bulk markets experienced flat freight rates, with supply
increases outrunning demand growth. Demand for commodity shipping closely tracks
worldwide economic growth patterns; however, economic development alters trade
patterns from time to time, causing changes in volume on trade routes.
The General Partner operates the Partnership's marine vessels under spot
charters and period charters. It is believed that this operating approach
provides the flexibility to adapt to changing demand patterns.
Freight rates for dry bulk vessels in 1997 maintained the levels experienced in
the fourth quarter of 1996. Freight rates had declined significantly in 1996
until a moderate recovery occurred late in the year due to an increase in grain
trade. The size of the overall dry bulk carrier fleet increased by 3%, as
measured by the number of vessels, and by 5%, as measured by deadweight tonnage.
Scrapping of ships was not a significant factor in 1997: 126 dry bulk ships were
scrapped while 247 were delivered. Total dry trade (as measured in deadweight
tons) grew by 3% in 1997, versus 1% in 1996. This balance of supply and demand
made market conditions soft, providing little foundation for increasing freight
rates.
Growth in 1998 is expected to be approximately 2%, with most commodity trading
flat. The majority of growth is forecast to come from grain (2%) and thermal
coal (6%). The primary variable in forecasts is Asian growth; if there is some
recovery from the economic shake-up of the second half of 1997, then there will
be prospects for improvement in 1998. Delivery of ships in 1998 is expected to
be about the same as in 1997; however, an increase in scrapping is anticipated
to strengthen the market.
Current rates do not justify any new construction of dry bulk carriers and there
should be a significant drop in orders over the next two years. If growth in
demand matches historic averages of around 3%, then the current excess supply
should be absorbed by the end of 1999, leading to the possible strengthening of
freight rates.
(3) Railcars
(a) Pressurized Tank Railcars
Pressurized tank cars are used primarily in the petrochemical and fertilizer
industries to transport liquefied petroleum gas and anhydrous ammonia. The
demand for natural gas is anticipated to grow through 1999, as the developing
world, former Communist countries, and the industrialized world all increase
their energy consumption. World demand for fertilizer is expected to increase,
based on an awareness of the necessity of fertilizing crops and improving diets,
the shortage of farm land, and population growth in developing nations. Based on
ongoing renewals with current lessees, demand for these cars continues to be
strong and is projected to remain so during 1998.
The utilization rate on the Partnership's fleet of pressurized tank cars was
over 98% during 1997.
(b) Woodchip Gondola Railcars
Woodchip cars are large-capacity (6,600 cubic foot) gondolas used to transport
woodchips from the sawmills to the pulp mills. The high-grade woodchips are used
to manufacture paper, while low-grade woodchips are used for particle board and
plywood. The demand for woodchip cars is dependent upon the demand for paper,
paper products, particle board, and plywood. Nationally, the demand for cars
carrying primary forest products decreased 4.5% in 1997.
The Partnership's woodchip cars are currently all on a renewable lease until
1999.
(4) Trailers
(a) Intermodal (Piggyback) Trailers
In all intermodal equipment areas, 1997 was a remarkably strong year. The U.S.
inventory of intermodal equipment totaled about 164,000 units in 1997, divided
between 55% intermodal trailers (piggyback) and 45% domestic containers. Trailer
loadings increased approximately 4% in 1997 due to a robust economy and a
continuing shortage of drivers in over-the-road markets. The expectation is for
flat to slightly declining utilization of intermodal trailer fleets in the near
future, with 1998 trailer loadings predicted not to exceed 1997 levels by more
than 2%.
Overall utilization in the Partnership's dry piggyback fleet was over 75% in
1997, an increase of 10% over 1996 levels. The expectation is for flat to
slightly declining utilization of the fleet in the near future.
(b) Over-the-Road Dry Trailers
The U.S. over-the-road dry trailer market began to recover in mid-1997, as an
oversupply of equipment from 1996 subsided. The strong domestic economy, a
continuing focus on integrated logistics planning by American companies, and
numerous service problems on Class I railroads contributed to the recovery in
the dry van market. In addition, federal regulations requiring antilock brake
systems on all new trailers, effective in March 1998, have helped stimulate new
trailer production, and the market is anticipated to remain strong in the near
future. There continues to be much consolidation of the trailer leasing industry
in North America, as the two largest lessors of dry vans now control over 60% of
the market. The reduced level of competition, coupled with anticipated continued
strong utilization, may lead to an increase in rates.
Utilization of the Partnership's dry van fleet increased over last year.
(c) Over-the-Road Refrigerated Trailers
The temperature-controlled over-the-road trailer market recovered in 1997;
freight levels improved and equipment oversupply was reduced as industry players
actively retired older trailers and consolidated fleets. Most refrigerated
carriers posted revenue growth of between 2% and 5% in 1997, and accordingly are
planning fleet upgrades. In addition, with refrigeration and trailer
technologies changing rapidly and industry regulations becoming tighter,
trucking companies are managing their refrigerated fleets more effectively.
As a result of these changes in the refrigerated trailer market, it is
anticipated that trucking companies will utilize short-term trailer leases more
frequently to supplement their fleets. Such a trend should benefit the
Partnership, which generally leases its equipment on a short-term basis from
rental yards owned and operated by a PLM International subsidiary. The
Partnership's utilization, especially in the second half of 1997, was higher
than 1996 levels.
(d) Flatbed Trailers
The flatbed market is a niche market that focuses on the construction and steel
industries. Production of new flatbeds has remained stable over the last few
years, so that demand has kept ahead of supply.
The Partnership has a small flatbed fleet operating in specific rental markets.
The fleet performed well in 1997, with over 80% utilization.
(5) Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (Rigs)
Worldwide demand in all sectors of the mobile offshore drilling unit industry in
1997 was a continuation of the increases experienced in 1996. This increase in
demand was spread over all the geographic regions of offshore drilling and
affected both jackup and floating rigs. Potential demand during 1997 was
difficult to estimate because of the shortage of rigs.
The tightness in the market caused significant increases in contract day rates
throughout the year. Day rates at the end of 1997 approached levels justifying
new rig construction. While continuing market improvement can be attributed to a
number of factors, the primary reason is worldwide growth in the use of oil and
natural gas for energy. Stable prices at moderate levels have encouraged such
growth, while providing adequate margins for oil and natural gas exploration and
production development.
The trend of contractor consolidation continued in 1997; three major mergers or
acquisitions initiated late in 1997 are expected to be consummated by the end of
1998. For 1998, utilization and demand are expected to remain at the levels
reached in 1997. Industry participants project that demand for both floating and
jackup rigs will continue at current high levels through 1998, with additional
rig supply absorbed by demand increases. Day rates are expected to continue to
increase; however, the rate of increase will slow, since the current high levels
have induced long-term contracting with few opportunities for increases.
The floating rig sector has experienced a strengthening in market conditions.
Technological advances and more efficient operations have improved the economics
of drilling and production in the deep-water operations for which floating rigs
are utilized. Overall, demand for floating rigs increased from 128 rig-years in
1996 to 131 rig-years in 1997, growth being constrained by a limited supply of
rigs. The increase in demand and utilization prompted significant increases in
contract day rates and floating rig market values. Twenty-five floating rigs
were ordered in 1996 and several conversion and upgrade projects were
contracted, none of which will be delivered until late 1998.
(6) Modular Buildings
The market for modular buildings of the type owned by the Partnership is
primarily California public and private schools and public school districts. The
California school population continues to expand, creating an increased need for
classroom space. However, funding for capital improvements and
permanent-capacity expansion are increasingly difficult for schools or school
districts to obtain. Schools and districts have used modular buildings to meet
temporary and, in some cases, permanent increases in the demand for classroom
space. The Partnership plans to dispose of its modular buildings during 1998.
(E) Government Regulations
The use, maintenance, and ownership of equipment are regulated by federal,
state, local, or foreign government authorities. Such regulations may impose
restrictions and financial burdens on the Partnership's ownership and operation
of equipment. Changes in government regulations, industry standards, or
deregulation may also affect the ownership, operation, and resale of the
equipment. Substantial portions of the Partnership's equipment portfolio are
either registered or operated internationally. Such equipment may be subject to
adverse political, government, or legal actions, including the risk of
expropriation or loss arising from hostilities. Certain of the Partnership's
equipment is subject to extensive safety and operating regulations, which may
require the removal from service or extensive modification of such equipment to
meet these regulations, at considerable cost to the Partnership. Such
regulations include but are not limited to:
(1) the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which established
liability for operators and owners of vessels and mobile
offshore drilling units that create environmental pollution.
This regulation has resulted in higher oil pollution liability
insurance. The lessee typically reimburses the Partnership for
these additional costs;
(2) the U.S. Department of Transportation's Aircraft Capacity Act
of 1990, which limits or eliminates the operation of
commercial aircraft in the United States that do not meet
certain noise, aging, and corrosion criteria. In addition,
under U.S. Federal Aviation Regulations, after December 31,
1999, no person shall operate an aircraft to or from any
airport in the contiguous United States unless that airplane
has been shown to comply with Stage III noise levels. The
Partnership has Stage II aircraft that do not meet Stage III
requirements;
(3) the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer and the U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, which
call for the control and eventual replacement of substances
that have been found to cause or contribute significantly to
harmful effects on the stratospheric ozone layer and which are
used extensively as refrigerants in refrigerated marine cargo
containers and over-the-road refrigerated trailers;
(4) the U.S. Department of Transportation's Hazardous Materials
Regulations, which regulate the classification and packaging
requirements of hazardous materials and which apply
particularly to the Partnership's tank cars.
As of December 31, 1997, the Partnership is in compliance with the above
government regulations. Typically, costs related to extensive equipment
modifications to meet government regulations are passed on to the lessee of that
equipment.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
The Partnership neither owns nor leases any properties other than the equipment
it has purchased for leasing purposes. At December 31, 1997, the Partnership
owned a portfolio of transportation and related equipment and investments in
equipment owned by special-purpose entities, as described in Item I, Table 1.
The Partnership acquired equipment with the proceeds of the Partnership offering
through the third quarter of 1995 and through debt proceeds (see financial
statements, Note 5).
The Partnership maintains its principal office at One Market, Steuart Street
Tower, Suite 800, San Francisco, California 94105-1301. All office facilities
are provided by FSI without reimbursement by the Partnership.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
PLM International, along with FSI, TEC, IMI, and PLM Securities (the PLM
Entities), are named as defendants in a lawsuit filed as a class action on
January 22, 1997 in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Mobile, Alabama, Case
No. CV-97-251 (the Koch action). The plaintiffs, who filed the complaint on
their own and on behalf of all class members similarly situated, are six
individuals who allegedly invested in certain California limited partnerships
for which FSI acts as the general partner, including the Partnership, PLM
Equipment Growth Fund IV, PLM Equipment Growth Fund V, and PLM Equipment Growth
Fund VI (the Growth Funds). The complaint asserts eight causes of action against
all defendants, as follows: fraud and deceit, suppression, negligent
misrepresentation and suppression, intentional breach of fiduciary duty,
negligent breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, conversion, and
conspiracy. Additionally, plaintiffs allege a cause of action against PLM
Securities for breach of third party beneficiary contracts in violation of the
National Association of Securities Dealers rules of fair practice. Plaintiffs
allege that each defendant owed plaintiffs and the class certain duties due to
their status as fiduciaries, financial advisors, agents, general partner, and
control persons. Based on these duties, plaintiffs assert liability against the
defendants for improper sales and marketing practices, mismanagement of the
Growth Funds, and concealing such mismanagement from investors in the Growth
Funds. Plaintiffs seek unspecified compensatory and recissory damages, as well
as punitive damages, and have offered to tender their limited partnership units
back to the defendants.
On March 6, 1997, the defendants removed the Koch action from the state court to
the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama, Southern
Division (Civil Action No. 97-0177-BH-C) based on the district court's diversity
jurisdiction, following which plaintiffs filed a motion to remand the action to
the state court. On September 24, 1997, the district court denied plaintiffs'
motion and dismissed without prejudice the individual claims of the California
class representative, reasoning that he had been fraudulently joined as a
plaintiff. On October 3, 1997, plaintiffs filed a motion requesting that the
district court reconsider its ruling or, in the alternative, that the court
modify its order dismissing the California plaintiff's claims so that it is a
final appealable order, as well as certify for an immediate appeal to the
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals that part of its order denying plaintiffs'
motion to remand. On October 7, 1997, the district court denied each of these
motions. In responses to such denial, plaintiffs filed a petition for writ of
mandamus with the Eleventh Circuit, which was denied on November 18, 1997. On
November 24, 1997, plaintiffs filed with the Eleventh Circuit a petition for
rehearing and en banc consideration of the court's order denying the petition
for a writ of mandamus, which petition was supplemented by plaintiffs on January
27, 1998.
On October 10, 1997, defendants filed a motion to compel arbitration of
plaintiffs' claims, based on an agreement to arbitrate contained in the limited
partnership agreement of each Growth Fund, and to stay further proceedings
pending the outcome of such arbitration. Notwithstanding plaintiffs' opposition,
the district court granted the motion on December 8, 1997. On December 15, 1997,
plaintiffs filed with the Eleventh Circuit a notice of appeal from the district
court's order granting defendants' motion to compel arbitration and to stay the
proceedings, and of the district court's September 24, 1997 order denying
plaintiffs' motion to remand and dismissing the claims of the California
plaintiff. Plaintiffs filed an amended notice of appeal on December 31, 1997.
The PLM Entities believe that the allegations of the Koch action are completely
without merit and intend to continue to defend this matter vigorously.
On June 5, 1997, the PLM Entities were named as defendants in another purported
class action filed in the San Francisco Superior Court, San Francisco,
California, Case No. 987062 (the Romei action). The plaintiff is an investor in
PLM Equipment Growth Fund V, and filed the complaint on her own behalf and on
behalf of all class members similarly situated who invested in certain
California limited partnerships for which FSI acts as the general partner,
including the Growth Funds. The complaint alleges the same facts and the same
nine causes of action as in the Koch action, plus five additional causes of
action against all of the defendants, as follows: violations of California
Business and Professions Code Sections 17200, et seq. for alleged unfair and
deceptive practices, constructive fraud, unjust enrichment, violations of
California Corporations Code Section 1507, and a claim for treble damages under
California Civil Code Section 3345.
On July 31, 1997, the PLM Entities filed with the district court for the
Northern District of California (Case No. C-97-2847 WHO) a petition under the
Federal Arbitration Act seeking to compel arbitration of plaintiff's claims and
for an order staying the state court proceedings pending the outcome of the
arbitration. In connection with this motion, plaintiff agreed to a stay of the
state court action pending the district court's decision on the petition to
compel arbitration. By memorandum and order dated October 23, 1997, the district
court denied the PLM Entities' petition to compel arbitration. On November 5,
1997, the PLM Entities filed an expedited motion for leave to file a motion for
reconsideration of this order, which motion was granted on November 14, 1997.
The parties have agreed to have oral argument on the reconsideration motion set
for April 23, 1998. The state court action has been stayed pending the district
court's decision on this motion.
In connection with her opposition to the Company's petition to compel
arbitration, on August 22, 1997, the plaintiff filed an amended complaint with
the state court alleging two new causes of action for violations of the
California Securities Law of 1968 (California Corporations Code Sections 25400
and 25500) and for violation of California Civil Code Section 1709 and 1710.
Plaintiff has also served certain discovery requests on defendants. Because of
the stay, no response to the amended complaint or to the discovery is currently
required. The PLM Entities believe that the allegations of the amended complaint
in the Romei action are completely without merit and intend to defend this
matter vigorously.
ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
No matters were submitted to a vote of the Partnership's limited partners during
the fourth quarter of its fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.
(this space intentionally left blank)
<PAGE>
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR THE PARTNERSHIP'S EQUITY AND RELATED UNITHOLDER MATTERS
Pursuant to the terms of the partnership agreement, the General Partner is
generally entitled to a 5% interest in the profits and losses and distributions
of the Partnership. The General Partner is the sole holder of such interests.
Gross income in each year of the Partnership will be specially allocated to the
General Partner in the amount equal to the lesser of (i) the deficit balance, if
any, in the General Partner's capital account, calculated under generally
accepted accounting principles using the straight-line method of depreciation,
and (ii) the deficit balance, if any, in the General Partner's capital account,
calculated under federal income tax regulations. The remaining interests in the
profits and losses and distributions of the Partnership are owned as of December
31, 1997 by the 5,785 holders of units in the Partnership.
There are several secondary markets in which limited partnership units trade.
Secondary markets are characterized as having few buyers for limited partnership
interests and, therefore, are generally viewed as inefficient vehicles for the
sale of partnership units. There is presently no public market for the units and
none is likely to develop. To prevent the units from being considered publicly
traded and thereby to avoid taxation of the Partnership as an association
treated as a corporation under the Internal Revenue Code, the units will not be
transferable without the consent of the General Partner, which may be withheld
in its absolute discretion. The General Partner intends to monitor transfers of
units in an effort to ensure that they do not exceed the percentage or number
permitted by certain safe harbors promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service. A
transfer may be prohibited if the intended transferee is not a U.S. citizen or
if the transfer would cause any portion of the units to be treated as plan
assets. The Partnership has been obligated, subject to certain term and
conditions, to redeem a certain number of units each year under the terms of the
Partnership's limited partnership agreement, beginning October 25, 1997. As of
December 31, 1997, the Partnership had agreed to purchase approximately 46,000
units for an aggregate price of approximately $0.7 million. The General Partner
anticipates that these units will be repurchased in the first and second
quarters of 1998. In addition to these units, the General Partner may purchase
additional units on behalf of the Partnership in the future.
<PAGE>
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Table 2, below, lists selected financial data for the Partnership:
TABLE 2
For the Year Ended December 31, 1997, 1996, 1995,
1994, and 1993 (In thousands, except
weighted-average unit amounts)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1997 1996 1995 1994 1993
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Operating results:
Total revenues $ 14,735 $ 12,703 $ 18,638 $ 9,217 $ 695
Net gain on disposition of equipment 1,803 42 182 22 --
Equity in net income (loss) of uncon-
solidated special-purpose entities 721 (880) -- -- --
Net income (loss) 1,101 (2,976) (1,192) (3,809) (862 )
At year end:
Total assets $ 80,469 $ 87,398 $ 98,194 $ 73,635 $ 39,628
Total liabilities 29,407 27,261 24,903 2,400 7,576
Notes payable 23,000 25,000 23,000 -- 5,123
Cash distributions 10,176 $ 10,178 $ 9,627 $ 5,370 $ 366
Cash distribution representing
a return of capital 9,075 $ 9,669 $ 9,157 $ 5,133 $ 358
Per weighted-average limited partnership unit:
Net income (loss) $ 0.11 $ (0.65) Various according to interim closings
Cash distribution $ 1.80 $ 1.80 Various according to interim closings
Cash distribution representing
a return of capital $ 1.69 $ 1.80 Various according to interim closings
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS
(A) Introduction
Management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of
operations relates to the financial statements of PLM Equipment Growth & Income
Fund VII (the Partnership). The following discussion and analysis of operations
focuses on the performance of the Partnership's equipment in various sectors of
the transportation industry and its effect on the Partnership's overall
financial condition.
(B) Results of Operations -- Factors Affecting Performance
(1) Re-leasing Activity and Repricing Exposure to Current Economic Conditions
The exposure of the Partnership's equipment portfolio to repricing risk occurs
whenever the leases for the equipment expire or are otherwise terminated and the
equipment must be remarketed. Major factors influencing the current market rate
for transportation equipment include supply and demand for similar or comparable
types of transport capacity, desirability of the equipment in the lease market,
market conditions for the particular industry segment in which the equipment is
to be leased, and various regulations concerning the use of the equipment.
Equipment that is idle or out of service between the expiration of one lease and
the assumption of a subsequent lease can result in a reduction of contribution
to the Partnership. The Partnership experienced re-leasing or repricing activity
in 1997 primarily in its air, trailer, and marine vessel portfolios.
(a) Air: The Partnership owns two DeHavilland aircraft that were off lease
throughout 1997. As of December 31, 1997 these aircraft were being marketed for
sale or re-lease.
(b) Trailers: The Partnership's trailer portfolio operates in short-term rental
facilities or with short-line railroad systems. The relatively short duration of
most leases in these operations exposes the trailers to considerable re-leasing
activity. Contributions from the Partnership's trailers were higher than
projected due to higher utilization and lease rates.
(c) Marine Vessels: Certain of the partnership's marine vessels operated at
higher re-lease rates than had been projected. Higher operating costs and repair
and maintenance, however, offset these higher revenues.
(2) Equipment Liquidations and Nonperforming Lessees
Liquidation of Partnership equipment, unless accompanied by an immediate
replacement of additional equipment earning similar rates (see Reinvestment
Risk, below), represents a reduction in the size of the equipment portfolio and
may result in a reduction of contribution to the Partnership. Lessees not
performing under the terms of their leases, either by not paying rent, not
maintaining or operating the equipment in accordance with the conditions of the
leases, or other possible departures from the leases, can result not only in
reductions in contribution, but also may require the Partnership to assume
additional costs to protect its interests under the leases, such as repossession
or legal fees.
(a) Liquidations: During the year, the Partnership received proceeds of
$4.4 million from the sale of modular buildings and trailers. The sales
proceeds represent approximately 94% of the original cost of the
assets. By year end, the Partnership had reinvested or reached
agreement to reinvest approximately all of these proceeds.
(b) Nonperforming Lessees: As of December 31, 1997, various lessees of the
modular buildings had become delinquent in their lease payments to the
Partnership. The Partnership has established reserves against these
receivables and the General Partner is in the process of taking the
necessary steps to recover the lease payments from the lessees.
(3) Reinvestment Risk
Reinvestment risk occurs when (a) the Partnership cannot generate sufficient
surplus cash after fulfillment of operating obligations and distributions to
reinvest in additional equipment during the reinvestment phase of Partnership
operations; (b) equipment is sold or liquidated for less than threshold amounts;
(c) proceeds from sales, losses, or surplus cash available for reinvestment
cannot be reinvested at the threshold lease rates; or (d) proceeds from sales or
surplus cash available for reinvestment cannot be deployed in a timely manner.
During the first seven years of operations, the Partnership intends to increase
its equipment portfolio by investing surplus cash in additional equipment after
fulfilling operating requirements and paying distributions to the partners.
Subsequent to the end of the reinvestment period, the Partnership will continue
to operate for an additional three years, then begin an orderly liquidation over
an anticipated two-year period.
During 1997, the Partnership purchased 248 trailers at a cost of $3.7 million.
An agreement to purchase an interest in an entity that owns a MD-82 Stage III
commercial aircraft for $6.8 million was reached in December 1997. This purchase
was completed in January 1998.
(4) Equipment Valuation and Write-downs
In March 1995, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement
No. 121, "Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and Long-Lived
Assets to Be Disposed Of" (SFAS 121). This standard is effective for years
beginning after December 15, 1995. The Partnership adopted SFAS 121 during 1995,
the effect of which was not material, as the method previously employed by the
Partnership was consistent with SFAS 121. In accordance with SFAS 121, the
General Partner reviews the carrying value of the Partnership's equipment
portfolio at least annually in relation to expected future market conditions for
the purpose of assessing the recoverability of the recorded amounts. If the
projected future lease revenue plus residual values are less than the carrying
value of the equipment, a loss on revaluation is recorded. No reductions to the
carrying value of equipment were required during 1997 or 1996.
As of December 31, 1997, the General Partner estimated the current fair market
value of the Partnership's equipment portfolio, including equipment owned by
USPEs, to be approximately $98.7 million.
(C) Financial Condition -- Capital Resources, Liquidity, and Unit Redemption
Plan
The General Partner purchased the Partnership's initial equipment portfolio with
capital raised from its initial equity offering and permanent debt financing of
$23.0 million. The Partnership closed its offering on April 25, 1995 and
completed its senior debt agreement on December 15, 1995. The agreement requires
the Partnership to maintain certain financial covenants related to fixed-charge
coverage and maximum debt. The Partnership relies on operating cash flow to meet
its operating obligations, make cash distributions to limited partners, and
increase the Partnership's equipment portfolio with any remaining available
surplus cash.
For the year ended December 31, 1997, the Partnership generated sufficient
operating cash (net cash provided by operating activities plus cash
distributions from unconsolidated special-purpose entities) to meet its
operating obligations and pay distributions to the partners.
Starting in 1997, the Partnership is obligated, at the sole discretion of the
General Partner, to redeem up to 2% of the outstanding limited partnership units
each year. The purchase price to be offered for such outstanding units will be
equal to 105% of the unrecovered principal attributed to the units, where
unrecovered principal is defined as the excess of the capital contributions from
any source paid with respect to a unit. At December 31, 1997, the Partnership
agreed to purchase approximately 46,000 units for an aggregate price of
approximately $0.7 million. The General Partner anticipates that these units
will be repurchased in the first and second quarters of 1998. In addition to
these units, the General Partner may purchase additional units on behalf of the
Partnership in the future.
The General Partner has entered into a joint $50.0 million credit facility (the
Committed Bridge Facility) on behalf of the Partnership, PLM Equipment Growth
Fund V (EGF V), PLM Equipment Growth Fund VI (EGF VI) and Professional Lease
Management Income Fund I (Fund I), all affiliated investment programs; TEC
Acquisub, Inc. (TECAI), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the General
Partner; and American Finance Group, Inc. (AFG), a subsidiary of PLM
International Inc., which may be used to provide interim financing of up to (i)
70% of the aggregate book value or 50% of the aggregate net fair market value of
eligible equipment owned by the Partnership , plus (ii) 50% of unrestricted cash
held by the borrower. The Committed Bridge Facility became available on December
20, 1993, and was amended and restated on December 2, 1997 to expire on November
2, 1998. The Partnership, EGF V, EGF VI, Fund I, and TECAI may collectively may
borrow up to $35.0 million of the Committed Bridge Facility and AFG may borrow
up to $50.0 million. The Committed Bridge Facility also provides for a $5.0
million Letter of Credit Facility for the eligible borrowers. Outstanding
borrowings by one borrower reduce the amount available to each of the other
borrowers under the Committed Bridge Facility. Individual borrowings for the
Partnership may be outstanding for no more than 179 days, with all advances due
no later than November 2, 1998. Interest accrues at either the prime rate or
adjusted LIBOR plus 1.625% at the borrower's option, and is set at the time of
an advance of funds. Borrowings by the Partnership are guaranteed by the General
Partner. As of December 31, 1997, AFG had $23.0 million in outstanding
borrowings. No other eligible borrower had any outstanding borrowings. The
General Partner believes it will renew the Committed Bridge Facility upon its
expiration with similar terms as those in the current Committed Bridge Facility.
The General Partner has not planned any expenditures, nor is it aware of any
contingencies that would cause it to require any additional capital to that
mentioned above.
(D) Results of Operations -- Year-to-Year Detailed Comparison
(1) Comparison of the Partnership's Operating Results for the Years Ended
December 31, 1997 and 1996
(a) Owned Equipment Operations
Lease revenues less direct expenses (defined as repair and maintenance,
equipment operation, and asset-specific insurance expenses) on owned equipment
increased during the year ended December 31, 1997, when compared to the same
period of 1996. The following table presents lease revenues less direct expenses
by owned equipment type (in thousands of dollars):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For the Year Ended
December 31,
1997 1996
------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Marine vessels $ 3,314 $ 3,551
Trailers 3,275 2,290
Aircraft 2,001 2,082
Rail equipment 1,994 1,926
Modular buildings 426 582
</TABLE>
Marine Vessels: Marine vessel lease revenues and direct expenses were $3.5
million and $0.2 million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 1997,
compared to $3.9 million and $0.3 million, respectively, during the same period
of 1996. The decrease in marine vessel contribution was due to a lower lease
rate earned on one marine vessel during 1997 when compared to 1996 partially
offset by lower repairs and maintenance expense.
Trailers: Trailer lease revenues and direct expenses were $3.8 million and $0.6
million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 1997, compared to $2.9
million and $0.6 million, respectively, during the same period of 1996. The
increase in trailer contribution was due to the purchase of additional trailer
equipment during 1997 and 1996.
Aircraft: Aircraft lease revenues and direct expenses were $2.0 million and
$20,000, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 1997, compared to $2.1
million and $41,000, respectively, during the same period of 1996. The decrease
in aircraft contribution was due to the off-lease status of two commuter
aircraft during 1997 that were on lease during 1996, which was offset in part by
the revenues earned on a commercial aircraft that was purchased during the third
quarter of 1996.
Rail Equipment: Rail equipment lease revenues and direct expenses were $2.8
million and $0.8 million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 1997,
compared to $2.6 million and $0.7 million, respectively, during the same period
of 1996. The increase in railcar contribution was due to the purchase of
additional equipment during 1996.
Modular Buildings: Modular building lease revenues and direct expenses were $0.4
million and $12,000, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 1997,
compared to $0.7 million and $0.1 million, respectively, during the same period
of 1996. The primary reason for the decrease in modular building contribution
was due to the sale of the majority of this equipment during the second quarter
of 1997.
(b) Indirect Expenses Related to Owned Equipment Operations
Total indirect expenses of $12.7 million for the year ended December 31, 1997
decreased from $13.0 million for the same period of 1996. The significant
variances are explained as follows:
(i) A $0.3 million decrease in administrative expenses was due to
lower costs associated with the transportation and inspection
of certain equipment that was purchased during 1996. Similar
costs and expenses were not required during 1997. This
decrease was offset in part by an increase in rental yard
costs incurred during 1997, due to the increase in the number
of trailers in the PLM-affiliated short-term rental yards,
when compared to the same period of 1996.
(ii) A $0.1 million increase in the allowance for bad debts was due
to an increase in the Partnership's estimate of uncollectible
amounts due from certain lessees during 1997. In addition,
during 1996, the Partnership was able to collect some of the
past due receivables that had previously been reserved for as
bad debt.
(c) Net Gain on Disposition of Owned Equipment
The net gain on disposition of equipment for the year ended December 31, 1997
totaled $1.8 million, and resulted from the sale of trailers and modular
buildings, with an aggregate net book value of $2.6 million, for proceeds of
$4.4 million. Net gain on disposition of equipment for the year ended December
31, 1996 totaled $42,000, and resulted from the sale of modular buildings and
trailers, with an aggregate net book value of $0.2 million, for proceeds of $0.3
million.
(d) Interest and Other Income
Interest and other income decreased $0.1 million during the year ended December
31, 1997, due primarily to lower average cash balances available for investment
throughout most of the year when compared to the same period of 1996.
(e) Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Unconsolidated Special-Purpose Entities
Net income (loss) generated from the operation of jointly-owned assets accounted
for under the equity method is shown in the following table by equipment type
(in thousands of dollars):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For the Year Ended
December 31,
1997 1996
------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Aircraft, rotable components, and aircraft engines $ 1,721 $ (486 )
Mobile offshore drilling unit 1 (10 )
Marine vessels (1,001 ) (384 )
</TABLE>
Aircraft, Rotable Components, and Aircraft Engines: As of December 31, 1997, the
Partnership had an interest in a trust owning a commercial aircraft and an
interest in four trusts that own 11 commercial aircraft, 2 aircraft engines, and
a portfolio of rotable components. As of December 31, 1996, the Partnership had
an interest in a trust owning a commercial aircraft and an interest in four
trusts that own 13 commercial aircraft, 2 aircraft engines, and a portfolio of
rotable components. During the year ended December 31, 1997, revenues of $8.2
million were offset by depreciation and administrative expenses of $6.5 million.
During the same period of 1996, lease revenues of $7.9 million were offset by
depreciation and administrative expenses of $8.4 million. Revenues increased
during 1997 by $0.3 million because the interest in a trust owning aircraft was
purchased late in the first quarter of 1996. This equipment was on lease for the
full year of 1997, compared to only nine months during the same period of 1996.
The decline in expenses of $1.9 million was due to the double-declining balance
method of depreciation.
Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit: As of December 31, 1997, the Partnership owned an
interest in a mobile offshore drilling unit that was purchased during the fourth
quarter of 1996. During the year ended December 31, 1997, revenues of $0.4
million were offset by depreciation and administrative expenses of $0.4 million.
During the same period of 1996, lease revenues of $21,000 were offset by
depreciation and administrative expenses of $31,000. The year ended 1997
represents a full year of revenues and expenses, compared to one month of
revenues and expenses during the same period of 1996.
Marine Vessels: As of December 31, 1997 and 1996, the Partnership had interests
in two entities owning dry bulk carrier marine vessels. During the year ended
December 31, 1997, revenues of $3.6 million were offset by depreciation and
administrative expenses of $4.6 million. During the same period of 1996,
revenues of $4.0 million were offset by depreciation and administrative expenses
of $4.4 million. The primary reason revenues decreased during 1997 was because
of the lower day rates earned while on lease. Expenses increased $0.2 million
during 1997; a lower depreciation expense of $0.4 million due to the
double-declining balance method of depreciation was offset by an increase in
repairs and maintenance of $0.2 million due to repairs needed to one of the
marine vessels during 1997 that were not needed during 1996. In addition, there
was an increase in insurance expense of $0.3 million due to higher cost to
insure marine vessels and an increase in administrative cost of $0.1 million.
(f) Net Income (Loss)
As a result of the foregoing, the Partnership's net income for the year ended
December 31, 1997 was $1.1 million, compared to a net loss of $3.0 million
during the same period of 1996. The Partnership's ability to operate, acquire,
and liquidate assets, secure leases, and re-lease those assets whose leases
expire is subject to many factors, and the Partnership's performance in the year
ended December 31, 1997 is not necessarily indicative of future periods. In the
year ended December 31, 1997, the Partnership distributed $9.7 million to the
limited partners, or $1.80 per weighted-average limited partnership unit.
(2) Comparison of the Partnership's Operating Results for the Years Ended
December 31, 1996 and 1995
(a) Owned Equipment Operations
Lease revenues less direct expenses (defined as repair and maintenance,
equipment operation, and asset-specific insurance expenses) on owned equipment
increased during the year ended December 31, 1996, when compared to the same
period of 1995. The following table presents lease revenues less direct expenses
by owned equipment type (in thousands of dollars):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For the Year Ended
December 31,
1996 1995
------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Marine vessels $ 3,551 $ 3,473
Trailers 2,290 2,537
Aircraft 2,082 1,381
Rail equipment 1,926 2,002
Modular buildings 582 763
</TABLE>
Marine Vessels: Marine vessel lease revenues and direct expenses were $3.9
million and $0.3 million, respectively, for the year ended 1996, compared to
$3.9 million and $0.4 million, respectively, during the same period of 1995. The
decrease in direct expenses was due to the lower marine operating expenses and a
small insurance refund due to an overpayment in a prior year.
Trailers: Trailer lease revenues and direct expenses were $2.9 million and $0.6,
respectively, for the year ended 1996, compared to $2.8 million and $0.2
million, respectively, during the same period of 1995. Although revenues appear
to be relatively consistent for both periods, the Partnership purchased
additional trailers during 1996, which increased lease revenues; however, the
increase caused by these additional trailers, was offset by the trailer fleet in
the PLM-affiliated short-term rental yards, which experienced lower utilization
of its equipment. The increase of $0.4 million in direct expenses is due to
repairs needed to the trailers in the above-mentioned rental yards to maintain
rental-ready status.
Aircraft: Aircraft lease revenues and direct expenses were $2.1 million and
$41,000, respectively, for the year ended 1996, compared to $1.4 million and
$31,000, respectively, during the same period of 1995. The increase was due
primarily to the purchase of three DC-9 aircraft and two Dash 8-100 aircraft
during the latter half of the second quarter of 1995, resulting in 12 full
months of lease revenues during 1996, compared to 7 months of lease revenues
during 1995. Additionally, the Partnership purchased and leased a Boeing 737-200
during the third quarter of 1996.
Rail Equipment: Railcar lease revenues and direct expenses were $2.6 million and
$0.7 million, respectively, for the year ended 1996, compared to $2.5 million
and $0.5 million, respectively, during the same period of 1995. The increase in
lease revenues during the year ended 1996 was due to the purchase of additional
railcars during 1996. This increase was offset by an increase in repairs needed
during 1996 that were not needed during the same period of 1995.
Modular Buildings: Modular building lease revenues and direct expenses were $0.7
million and $0.1 million, respectively, for the year ended 1996, compared to
$0.8 million and $12,000, respectively, during the same period of 1995. The
number of modular buildings owned by the Partnership declined in 1996 due to
sales and dispositions. The decrease caused by these dispositions was partially
offset by higher lease rates earned on the remaining units. Direct expenses
increased $0.1 million during the year ended 1996, due to required repairs
needed to maintain building standards.
(b) Indirect Expenses Related to Owned Equipment Operations
Total indirect expenses of $13.0 million for the year ended December 31, 1996
increased from $10.9 million for the same period in 1995. The variances are
explained as follows:
(i) A $1.4 million increase in interest expense from 1995 levels
reflects an increase in long-term debt of $23.0 million
outstanding for the year of 1996, when compared to the same
period of 1995. During 1995, the Partnership had lower average
outstanding debt when compared to 1996;
(ii) A $0.5 million increase in depreciation and amortization
expense during the year ended 1996 was due to the purchase of
a commercial aircraft, 209 trailers, and 35 railcars during
1996. The increase was offset in part by a decrease in
depreciation expense caused by the double-declining balance
method of depreciation;
(iii) A $0.3 million increase in administrative expenses from 1995
levels was due to repositioning, inspection, and storage costs
of equipment, which were not needed during the same period of
1995;
(iv) These increases were offset in part by a decrease of $0.1
million in bad debt expense, due to an increase in the
allowance for doubtful accounts in 1995 to provide for
potentially uncollectible receivables.
(c) Net Gain on Disposition of Owned Equipment
The net gain on disposition of equipment for the year ended December 31, 1996
totaled $42,000, which resulted from the sale of modular buildings and trailers,
with an aggregate net book value of $0.2 million, for proceeds of $0.3 million.
The Partnership also sold trailers, which were held for sale as of December 31,
1995, with a net book value of $0.2 million at the date of sale, for proceeds of
$0.2 million. For the year ended December 31, 1995, the $0.2 million net gain on
disposition of equipment resulted from the sale of modular buildings and
trailers, with an aggregate net book value of $1.2 million, for proceeds of $1.4
million.
(d) Interest and Other Income
Interest and other income increased $0.1 million during the year ended December
31, 1996, due primarily to higher cash balances available for investments during
certain periods of 1996, when compared to the same periods of 1995.
(e) Equity in Net Loss of Unconsolidated Special-Purpose Entities
Equity in net loss of unconsolidated special-purpose entities represents net
loss generated from the operation of jointly-owned assets accounted for under
the equity method (see Note 4 to the financial statements) (in thousands of
dollars):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
For the Year Ended
December 31,
1996 1995
------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Aircraft, rotable components, and aircraft engines $ (486 ) $ (709)
Marine vessels (384 ) (489)
Mobile offshore drilling unit (10 ) --
</TABLE>
Aircraft, Rotable Components, and Aircraft Engines: As of December 31, 1996, the
Partnership had an interest in a trust owning a commercial aircraft and an
interest in four trusts that owned 13 commercial aircraft, 2 aircraft engines,
and a portfolio of rotable components. During the same period of 1995, the
Partnership had the interest in the trust owning the commercial aircraft and had
just purchased an interest in three additional trusts that contained 10
commercial aircraft, 2 aircraft engines, and a portfolio of rotable components.
The Partnership's share of lease revenues for this equipment increased to $7.9
million during the year ended December 31, 1996, compared to $2.6 million during
the same period of 1995. Operating expenses, which were comprised primarily of
depreciation and administrative expenses, increased to $8.4 million during the
year ended December 31, 1996, from $3.3 million during the same period of 1995,
due to the Partnership's increased investments.
Marine Vessels: As of December 31, 1996 and 1995, the Partnership had interests
in two entities owning dry bulk carrier marine vessels. The Partnership's share
of lease revenues decreased to $4.0 million during the year ended December 31,
1996, from $4.1 million during the same period of 1995. This decrease was due to
lower day rates in effect for the marine vessel on a time charter in the pool,
when compared to the same period of 1995. This decrease was offset in part by
the change in the lease of the other marine vessel from bareboat charter to time
charter, which earned higher revenues during 1996 when compared to the same
period of 1995. As a result of these changes, direct operating expenses
increased to $2.0 million during the year ended December 31, 1996, from $1.6
million for the same period of 1995. Indirect operating expenses, which were
comprised primarily of depreciation and administrative expenses, decreased to
$2.4 million during the year ended December 31, 1996, from $3.0 million during
the same period of 1995. The decrease of $0.6 million was due primarily to the
use of the double-declining balance method of depreciation.
Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit: As of December 31, 1996, the Partnership had an
interest in an entity that owns a rig, which was purchased during the last month
of 1996. During 1996, lease revenues of $21,000 were offset by depreciation and
administrative expenses of $31,000.
(f) Net Loss
As a result of the foregoing, the Partnership's net loss of $3.0 million for the
year ended December 31, 1996 increased from a net loss of $1.2 million during
the same period in 1995. The Partnership's ability to operate, acquire, and
liquidate assets, secure leases, and re-lease those assets whose leases expire
during the life of the Partnership is subject to many factors, and the
Partnership's performance during the year ended December 31, 1996 is not
necessarily indicative of future periods. During the year ended December 31,
1996, the Partnership distributed $9.7 million to the limited partners, or $1.80
per weighted-average limited partnership unit.
(E) Geographic Information
Certain of the Partnership's equipment operates in international markets.
Although these operations expose the Partnership to certain currency, political,
credit, and economic risks, the General Partner believes these risks are minimal
or has implemented strategies to control the risks. Currency risks are at a
minimum because all invoicing, with the exception of a small number of railcars
operating in Canada, is conducted in U.S. dollars. Political risks are minimized
by avoiding operations in countries that do not have a stable judicial system
and established commercial business laws. Credit support strategies for lessees
range from letters of credit supported by U.S. banks to cash deposits. Although
these credit support mechanisms generally allow the Partnership to maintain its
lease yield, there are risks associated with slow-to-respond judicial systems
when legal remedies are required to secure payment or repossess equipment.
Economic risks are inherent in all international markets and the General Partner
strives to minimize this risk with market analysis prior to committing equipment
to a particular geographic area. Refer to Note 3 to the financial statements for
information on the revenues, income, and net book value of equipment in various
geographic regions.
Revenues and net operating income by geographic region are impacted by the time
period the asset is owned and the useful life ascribed to the asset for
depreciation purposes. Net income (loss) from equipment is significantly
impacted by depreciation charges, which are greatest in the early years of
ownership due to the use of the double-declining balance method of depreciation.
The relationships of geographic revenues, net income (loss), and net book value
of equipment are expected to change significantly in the future, as assets come
off lease and decisions are made to either redeploy the assets in the most
advantageous geographic location or sell the assets.
The Partnership's owned equipment on lease to U.S.-domiciled lessees consists of
aircraft, modular buildings, trailers, and railcars. During 1997, U.S. lease
revenues accounted for 24% of the total lease revenues of wholly and partially
owned equipment and accounted for $1.9 million of the aggregate net income for
the Partnership.
The Partnership's owned equipment and investments in equipment owned by USPEs on
lease to Canadian-domiciled lessees consisted of various aircraft and railcars.
During 1997, Canadian lease revenues accounted for 18% of the total lease
revenues of wholly and partially owned equipment and accounted for $0.3 million
of the total aggregate net income for the Partnership. These aircraft will be on
lease beyond the year 2000, and are expected to generate higher net profit in
the future as depreciation charges
decline.
The Partnership's owned equipment and investments in equipment owned by USPEs on
lease to South American-domiciled lessees consisted of aircraft. During 1997,
South American lease revenues accounted for 13% of the total lease revenues of
wholly and partially owned equipment and generated a net loss of $0.5 million.
The Partnership's investment in equipment owned by a USPE, on lease to a lessee
in Europe, consisted of commercial aircraft, aircraft engines, and aircraft
rotable components, and accounted for 14% of lease revenues of wholly and
partially owned equipment. This operation generated net income of $1.5 million.
The Partnership's owned equipment and investments in equipment owned by USPEs on
lease to lessees in the rest of the world consisted of marine vessels and a rig.
During 1997, lease revenues for these operations accounted for 31% of the total
lease revenues of wholly and partially owned equipment and generated a net loss
of $0.3 million.
(F) Year 2000 Compliance
The General Partner is currently addressing the Year 2000 computer software
issue. The General Partner is creating a timetable for carrying out any program
modifications that may be required. The General Partner does not anticipate that
the cost of these modifications allocable to the Partnership will be material.
(G) Accounting Pronouncements
In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued two new
statements: SFAS No. 130, "Reporting Comprehensive Income," which requires
enterprises to report, by major component and in total, all changes in equity
from nonowner sources; and SFAS No. 131, "Disclosures about Segments of an
Enterprise and Related Information," which establishes annual and interim
reporting standards for a public company's operating segments and related
disclosures about its products, services, geographic areas, and major customers.
Both statements are effective for the Partnership's fiscal year ended December
31, 1998, with earlier application permitted. The effect of adoption of these
statements will be limited to the form and content of the Partnership's
disclosures and will not impact the Partnership's results of operations, cash
flow, or financial position.
(H) Inflation
There was no significant impact on the Partnership's operations as a result of
inflation during 1997, 1996, or 1995.
(I) Forward-Looking Information
Except for historical information contained herein, the discussion in this Form
10-K contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties,
such as statements of the Partnership's plans, objectives, expectations, and
intentions. The cautionary statements made in this Form 10-K should be read as
being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear
in this Form 10-K. The Partnership's actual results could differ materially from
those discussed here.
(J) Outlook for the Future
Several factors may affect the Partnership's operating performance in 1998 and
beyond, including changes in the markets for the Partnership's equipment and
changes in the regulatory environment in which that equipment operates.
The Partnership's operation of a diversified equipment portfolio in a broad base
of markets is intended to reduce its exposure to volatility in individual
equipment sectors. In 1997, market conditions, supply and demand equilibrium,
and other factors varied in several markets. In the dry over-the-road trailer
markets, strong demand produced high utilization and returns. The rail markets
can be generally categorized by increasing rates, as the demand for equipment is
increasing faster than new additions net of retirements. The marine vessel
market generally remained soft with supply growth outpacing demand. Finally,
demand for narrowbody Stage II aircraft, such as those owned by the Partnership,
has increased, as expected savings from newer narrowbody aircraft have not
materialized and deliveries of the newer aircraft have slowed down. These
different markets have had individual effects on the performance of Partnership
equipment, in some cases resulting in declining performance and in others in
improved performance.
The ability of the Partnership to realize acceptable lease rates on its
equipment in the different equipment markets is contingent on many factors, such
as specific market conditions and economic activity, technological obsolescence,
and government or other regulations. The unpredictability of some of these
factors makes it difficult for the General Partner to clearly define trends or
influences that may impact the performance of the Partnership's equipment. The
General Partner continually monitors both the equipment markets and the
performance of the Partnership's equipment in these markets. The General Partner
may make an evaluation to reduce the Partnership's exposure to those equipment
markets in which it determines that it cannot operate equipment and achieve
acceptable rates of return. Alternatively, the General Partner may make a
determination to enter those equipment markets in which it perceives
opportunities to profit from supply/demand instabilities or other market
imperfections.
The Partnership intends to use excess cash flow, if any, after payment of
expenses, loan principal, and cash distributions to acquire additional equipment
during the first seven years of Partnership operations. The General Partner
believes that these acquisitions may cause the Partnership to generate
additional earnings and cash flow for the Partnership.
(1) Repricing and Reinvestment Risk
Certain of the Partnership's aircraft, marine vessels, and trailers will be
remarketed in 1998 as existing leases expire, exposing the Partnership to some
repricing risk/opportunity. Additionally, the General Partner may elect to sell
certain underperforming equipment or equipment whose continued operation may
become prohibitively expensive. In either case, the General Partner intends to
re-lease or sell equipment at prevailing market rates; however, the General
Partner cannot predict these future rates with any certainty at this time, and
cannot accurately assess the effect of such activity on future Partnership
performance. The proceeds from the sold or liquidated equipment will be
redeployed to purchase additional equipment, as the Partnership is in its
reinvestment phase.
(2) Impact of Government Regulations on Future Operations
The General Partner operates the Partnership's equipment in accordance with
current applicable regulations (see Item 1, Section E, Government Regulations).
However, the continuing implementation of new or modified regulations by some of
the authorities mentioned previously, or others, may adversely affect the
Partnership's ability to continue to own or operate equipment in its portfolio.
Additionally, regulatory systems vary from country to country, which may
increase the burden to the Partnership of meeting regulatory compliance for the
same equipment operated between countries. Currently, the General Partner has
observed rising insurance costs to operate certain vessels in U.S. ports,
resulting from implementation of the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Ongoing
changes in the regulatory environment, both in the United States and
internationally, cannot be predicted with accuracy, and preclude the General
Partner from determining the impact of such changes on Partnership operations,
purchases, or sale of equipment.
(3) Additional Capital Resources and Distribution Levels
The Partnership's initial contributed capital was composed of the proceeds from
its initial offering, supplemented later by permanent debt in the amount of
$23.0 million. The General Partner has not planned any expenditures, nor is it
aware of any contingencies that would cause it to require any additional capital
to that mentioned above. The Partnership intends to rely on operating cash flow
to meet its operating obligations, make cash distributions to limited partners,
and increase the Partnership's equipment portfolio with any remaining surplus
cash available.
Pursuant to the limited partnership agreement, the Partnership will cease to
reinvest surplus cash in additional equipment beginning in its seventh year of
operations, which commences on January 1, 2002. The General Partner intends to
continue its strategy of selectively redeploying equipment to achieve
competitive returns. By the end of the reinvestment period, the General Partner
intends to have assembled an equipment portfolio capable of achieving a level of
operating cash flow for the remaining life of the Partnership sufficient to meet
its obligations and sustain a predictable level of distributions to the
partners.
The General Partner believes the current level of distributions to the partners
can be maintained throughout 1998 using cash from operations and undistributed
available cash from prior periods, if necessary. Subsequent to this period, the
General Partner will evaluate the level of distributions the Partnership can
sustain over extended periods of time and, together with other considerations,
may adjust the level of distributions accordingly. In the long term, the
difficulty in predicting market conditions precludes the General Partner from
accurately determining the impact of changing market conditions on liquidity or
distribution levels.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
The financial statements for the Partnership are listed in the Index to
Financial Statements included in Item 14(a) of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.
<PAGE>
PART III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE PLM INTERNATIONAL AND PLM
FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
As of the date of this annual report, the directors and executive officers of
PLM International (and key executive officers of its subsidiaries) and of PLM
Financial Services, Inc. are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Name Age Position
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Robert N. Tidball 59 Chairman of the Board, Director, President,
and Chief Executive Officer, PLM International, Inc.;
Director, PLM Financial Services, Inc.;
Vice President, PLM Railcar Management Services, Inc.;
President, PLM Worldwide Management Services Ltd.
Randall L.-W. Caudill 50 Director, PLM International, Inc.
Douglas P. Goodrich 51 Director and Senior Vice President, PLM International;
Director and President, PLM Financial Services, Inc.;
President, PLM Transportation Equipment Corporation;
President, PLM Railcar Management Services, Inc.
Harold R. Somerset 63 Director, PLM International, Inc.
Robert L. Witt 57 Director, PLM International, Inc.
J. Michael Allgood 49 Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,
PLM International, Inc. and PLM Financial Services, Inc.
Stephen M. Bess 51 President, PLM Investment Management, Inc.
and PLM Securities Corp.;
Vice President and Director,
PLM Financial Services, Inc.
Richard K Brock 35 Vice President and Corporate Controller,
PLM International, Inc. and PLM Financial Services, Inc.
Frank Diodati 43 President, PLM Railcar Management Services Canada Limited
Steven O. Layne 43 Vice President, PLM Transportation Equipment Corporation;
Vice President, PLM Worldwide Management Services Ltd.
Susan C. Santo 35 Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel,
PLM International, Inc. and PLM Financial Services, Inc.
Thomas L. Wilmore 55 Vice President, PLM Transportation Equipment Corporation;
Vice President, PLM Railcar Management Services, Inc.
</TABLE>
Robert N. Tidball was appointed Chairman of the Board in August 1997 and
President and Chief Executive Officer of PLM International in March 1989. At the
time of his appointment to President and Chief Executive Officer, he was
Executive Vice President of PLM International. Mr. Tidball became a director of
PLM International in April 1989. Mr. Tidball was appointed Director of PLM
Financial Services, Inc. in July 1997 and was elected President of PLM Worldwide
Management Services Limited in February 1998. He has served as an officer of PLM
Railcar Management Services, Inc. since June 1987. Mr. Tidball was Executive
Vice President of Hunter Keith, Inc., a Minneapolis-based investment banking
firm, from March 1984 to January 1986. Prior to Hunter Keith, he was Vice
President, General Manager, and Director of North American Car Corporation and a
director of the American Railcar Institute and the Railway Supply Association.
Randall L.-W. Caudill was elected to the Board of Directors in September 1997.
He is President of Dunsford Hill Capital Partners, a San Francisco-based
financial consulting firm serving emerging growth companies in the United States
and abroad, as well as a senior advisor to the investment banking firm of
Prudential Securities, where he has been employed since 1987. Mr. Caudill also
serves as a director of VaxGen, Inc. and SBE, Inc.
Douglas P. Goodrich was elected to the Board of Directors in July 1996,
appointed Senior Vice President of PLM International in March 1994, and
appointed Director and President of PLM Financial Services, Inc. in June 1996.
Mr. Goodrich has also served as Senior Vice President of PLM Transportation
Equipment Corporation since July 1989 and as President of PLM Railcar Management
Services, Inc. since September 1992, having been a senior vice president since
June 1987. Mr. Goodrich was an executive vice president of G.I.C. Financial
Services Corporation, a subsidiary of Guardian Industries Corporation of
Chicago, Illinois, from December 1980 to September 1985.
Harold R. Somerset was elected to the Board of Directors of PLM International in
July 1994. From February 1988 to December 1993, Mr. Somerset was President and
Chief Executive Officer of California & Hawaiian Sugar Corporation (C&H Sugar),
a recently acquired subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. Mr. Somerset joined
C&H Sugar in 1984 as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer,
having served on its Board of Directors since 1978, a position in which he
continues to serve. Between 1972 and 1984, Mr. Somerset served in various
capacities with Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., a publicly held land and agriculture
company headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, including Executive Vice President of
Agriculture and Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary. In addition to a
law degree from Harvard Law School, Mr. Somerset also holds degrees in civil
engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and in marine engineering
from the US Naval Academy. Mr. Somerset also serves on the boards of directors
for various other companies and organizations, including Longs Drug Stores,
Inc., a publicly held company.
Robert L. Witt was elected to the Board of Directors in June 1997. Since 1993,
Mr. Witt has been a principal with WWS Associates, a consulting and investment
group specializing in start-up situations and private organizations about to go
public. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
of Hexcel Corporation, an international advanced materials company with sales
primarily in the aerospace, transportation, and general industrial markets. Mr.
Witt also serves on the boards of directors for various other companies and
organizations.
J. Michael Allgood was appointed Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of
PLM International in October 1992 and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
of PLM Financial Services, Inc. in December 1992. Between July 1991 and October
1992, Mr. Allgood was a consultant to various private and public-sector
companies and institutions specializing in financial operations systems
development. In October 1987, Mr. Allgood co-founded Electra Aviation Limited
and its holding company, Aviation Holdings Plc of London, where he served as
Chief Financial Officer until July 1991. Between June 1981 and October 1987, Mr.
Allgood served as a first vice president with American Express Bank Ltd. In
February 1978, Mr. Allgood founded and until June 1981 served as a director of
Trade Projects International/Philadelphia Overseas Finance Company, a joint
venture with Philadelphia National Bank. From March 1975 to February 1978, Mr.
Allgood served in various capacities with Citibank, N.A.
Stephen M. Bess was appointed Director of PLM Financial Services, Inc. in July
1997. Mr. Bess was appointed President of PLM Securities Corporation in June
1996 and President of PLM Investment Management, Inc. in August 1989, having
served as Senior Vice President of PLM Investment Management, Inc. beginning in
February 1984 and as Corporate Controller of PLM Financial Services, Inc.
beginning in October 1983. Mr. Bess served as Corporate Controller of PLM, Inc.
beginning in December 1982. Mr. Bess was Vice President-Controller of Trans
Ocean Leasing Corporation, a container leasing company, from November 1978 to
November 1982, and Group Finance Manager with the Field Operations Group of
Memorex Corporation, a manufacturer of computer peripheral equipment, from
October 1975 to November 1978.
Richard K Brock was appointed Vice President and Corporate Controller of PLM
International and PLM Financial Services, Inc. in June 1997, having served as an
accounting manager beginning in September 1991 and as Director of Planning and
General Accounting beginning in February 1994. Mr. Brock was a division
controller of Learning Tree International, a technical education company, from
February 1988 through July 1991.
Frank Diodati was appointed President of PLM Railcar Management Services Canada
Limited in 1986. Previously, Mr. Diodati was Manager of Marketing and Sales for
G.E. Railcar Services Canada Limited.
Steven O. Layne was appointed Vice President of PLM Transportation Equipment
Corporation's Air Group in November 1992, and was appointed Vice President and
Director of PLM Worldwide Management Services Limited in September 1995. Mr.
Layne was its Vice President, Commuter and Corporate Aircraft beginning in July
1990. Prior to joining PLM, Mr. Layne was Director of Commercial Marketing for
Bromon Aircraft Corporation, a joint venture of General Electric Corporation and
the Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico. Mr. Layne is a major in the
United States Air Force Reserves and a senior pilot with 13 years of accumulated
service.
Susan C. Santo became Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel of PLM
International and PLM Financial Services, Inc. in November 1997. She has worked
as an attorney for PLM International since 1990 and served as its Senior
Attorney since 1994. Previously, Ms. Santo was engaged in the private practice
of law in San Francisco. Ms. Santo received her J.D. from the University of
California, Hastings College of the Law.
Thomas L. Wilmore was appointed Vice President, Rail of PLM Transportation
Equipment Corporation in March 1994, and has served as Vice President of
Marketing for PLM Railcar Management Services, Inc. since May 1988. Prior to
joining PLM, Mr. Wilmore was Assistant Vice President and Regional Manager for
MNC Leasing Corporation in Towson, Maryland from February 1987 to April 1988.
From July 1985 to February 1987, he was President and co-owner of Guardian
Industries Corporation, Chicago, and between December 1980 and July 1985, Mr.
Wilmore was an executive vice president for its subsidiary, G.I.C. Financial
Services Corporation. Mr. Wilmore also served as Vice President of Sales for
Gould Financial Services, located in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, from June 1978
to December 1980.
The directors of PLM International are elected for a three-year term and the
directors of PLM Financial Services, Inc. are elected for a one-year term or
until their successors are elected and qualified. No family relationships exist
between any director or executive officer of PLM International or PLM Financial
Services, Inc.
<PAGE>
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The Partnership has no directors, officers, or employees. The Partnership had no
pension, profit sharing, retirement, or similar benefit plan in effect as of
December 31, 1997.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
(A) Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
The General Partner is generally entitled to a 5% interest in the profits and
losses and distributions of the Partnership. As of December 31, 1997, no
investor was known by the General Partner to beneficially own more than 5% of
the units of the Partnership.
(B) Security Ownership of Management
Neither the General Partner and its affiliates nor any executive
officer or director of the General Partner and its affiliates owned any units of
the Partnership as of December 31, 1997.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
(A) Transactions with Management and Others
During 1997, the Partnership paid or accrued the following fees to FSI
or its affiliates: management fees, $0.7 million; equipment acquisition
fees, $0.2 million; and lease negotiation fees, $36,000. The
Partnership reimbursed FSI or its affiliates $0.6 million for
administrative and data processing services performed on behalf of the
Partnership during 1997.
During 1997, the USPEs paid or accrued the following fees to FSI or its
affiliates (based on the Partnership's proportional share of
ownership): management fees, $0.5 million, and administrative and data
processing services, $0.2 million. The USPEs also paid Transportation
Equipment Indemnity Company Ltd. (TEI), a wholly owned, Bermuda-based
subsidiary of PLM International, $0.2 million for insurance coverages
during 1997; these amounts were paid substantially to third-party
reinsurance underwriters or placed in risk pools managed by TEI on
behalf of affiliated partnerships and PLM International, which provide
threshold coverages on marine vessel loss of hire and hull and
machinery damage. All pooling arrangement funds are either paid out to
cover applicable losses or refunded pro rata by TEI.
(B) Certain Business Relationships
None.
(C) Indebtedness of Management
None.
(D) Transactions with Promoters
None.
<PAGE>
PART IV
ITEM 14. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES, AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K
(A) 1. Financial Statements
The financial statements listed in the accompanying Index to
Financial Statements are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(B) Reports on Form 8-K
None.
(C) Exhibits
4. Limited Partnership Agreement of Partnership. Incorporated by
reference to the Partnership's Registration Statement on Form S-1
(Reg. No. 33-55796), which became effective with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on May 25, 1993.
10.1 Management Agreement between Partnership and PLM Investment
Management, Inc., incorporated by reference to the Partnership's
Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Reg. No. 33-55796), which became
effective with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 25,
1993.
10.2 Note Agreement, dated as of December 1, 1995, regarding $23.0
million of 7.27% senior notes due December 21, 2005
10.3 Third Amended and Restated Warehousing Credit Agreement, dated as of
December 2, 1997, with First Union National Bank of North Carolina
and others.
24. Powers of Attorney.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the Partnership has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
The Partnership has no directors or officers. The General Partner has signed on
behalf of the Partnership by duly authorized officers.
Dated: March 20, 1998 PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
PARTNERSHIP
By: PLM Financial Services, Inc.
General Partner
By: /s/ Douglas P. Goodrich
---------------------------
Douglas P. Goodrich
President and Director
By: /s/ Richard K Brock
---------------------------
Richard K Brock
Vice President and
Corporate Controller
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report
has been signed below by the following directors of the Partnership's General
Partner on the dates indicated.
Name Capacity Date
*_______________________
Robert N. Tidball Director, FSI March 20, 1998
*_______________________
Douglas P. Goodrich Director, FSI March 20, 1998
*_______________________
Stephen M. Bess Director, FSI March 20, 1998
*Susan Santo, by signing her name hereto, does sign this document on behalf of
the persons indicated above, pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by
such persons and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/ Susan Santo
- ---------------------
Susan Santo
Attorney-in-Fact
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Item 14(a))
Page
Report of Independent Auditors 29
Balance sheets as of December 31, 1997 and 1996 30
Statements of operations for the years ended
December 31, 1997, 1996, and 1995 31
Statements of changes in partners' capital for the
years ended December 31, 1997, 1996, and 1995 32
Statements of cash flows for the years ended December 31, 1997,
1996, and 1995 33
Notes to financial statements 34 - 42
All other financial statement schedules have been omitted, as the required
information is not pertinent to the registrant or is not material, or because
the information required is included in the financial statements and notes
thereto.
<PAGE>
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
The Partners
PLM Equipment Growth & Income Fund VII:
We have audited the accompanying financial statements of PLM Equipment Growth &
Income Fund VII as listed in the accompanying index to financial statements.
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Partnership's
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial
statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of PLM Equipment Growth & Income
Fund VII as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, and the results of its operations and
its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31,
1997, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
/S/ KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP
- -----------------------------------
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
March 12, 1998
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
BALANCE SHEETS
December 31,
(in thousands of dollars, except unit amounts)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1997 1996
------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Assets:
Equipment held for operating leases, at cost $ 58,844 $ 67,441
Less accumulated depreciation (24,650) (21,494)
------------------------------------
34,194 45,947
Equipment held for sale 4,148 --
----------------------------------
Net equipment 38,342 45,947
Cash and cash equivalents 9,327 2,468
Restricted cash 191 158
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts
of $522 in 1997 and $330 in 1996 887 1,214
Investments in unconsolidated special-purpose entities 31,377 37,141
Lease negotiation fees to affiliate, less accumulated
amortization of $222 in 1997 and $466 in 1996 93 184
Debt issuance costs, less accumulated amortization
of $52 in 1997 and $27 in 1996 203 228
Prepaid expenses 49 58
------------------------------------
Total assets $ 80,469 $ 87,398
====================================
Liabilities and partners' capital:
Liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 367 $ 296
Due to affiliates 4,563 605
Short-term note payable -- 2,000
Lessee deposits and reserve for repairs 1,477 1,360
Notes payable 23,000 23,000
------------------------------------
Total liabilities 29,407 27,261
------------------------------------
Partners' capital:
Limited partners (5,370,297 limited partnership units
as of December 31, 1997 and 1996) 51,062 60,137
General Partner -- --
------------------------------------
Total partners' capital 51,062 60,137
------------------------------------
Total liabilities and partners' capital $ 80,469 $ 87,398
====================================
</TABLE>
See accompanying notes to financial
statements.
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
For the Years Ended December 31,
(In thousands of dollars, except weighted-average unit amounts)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1997 1996 1995
---------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Revenues:
Lease revenue $ 12,605 $ 12,227 $ 18,081
Interest and other income 327 434 375
Net gain on disposition of equipment 1,803 42 182
---------------------------------------------------
Total revenues 14,735 12,703 18,638
Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization 8,994 9,041 14,409
Repairs and maintenance 1,492 1,692 1,483
Interest expense 1,691 1,681 291
Management fees to affiliate 709 744 971
Equipment operating expenses 50 48 915
Insurance expense to affiliate -- -- 141
Other insurance expenses 87 88 225
General and administrative expenses to affiliates 649 582 616
Other general and administrative expenses 429 780 534
Bad debt expense 254 143 245
---------------------------------------------------
Total expenses 14,355 14,799 19,830
---------------------------------------------------
Equity in net income (loss) of unconsolidated
special-purpose entities 721 (880) --
---------------------------------------------------
Net income (loss) $ 1,101 $ (2,976) $ (1,192)
===================================================
Partners' share of net income (loss):
Limited partners $ 593 $ (3,485) $ (1,662)
General Partner 508 509 470
---------------------------------------------------
Total $ 1,101 $ (2,976) $ (1,192)
===================================================
Net income (loss) per weighted-average limited
partnership unit (5,370,297 units as of
December 31, 1997, 1996, and 1995) $ 0.11 $ (0.65) $ (0.31)
===================================================
Cash distribution $ 10,176 $ 10,178 $ 9,627
===================================================
Cash distribution per weighted-average
limited partnership unit $ 1.80 $ 1.80 $ N/A
===================================================
</TABLE>
See accompanying notes to financial
statements.
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership) STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN PARTNERS' CAPITAL For the Years
Ended December 31, 1997, 1996, and 1995
(In thousands of dollars)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Limited General
Partners Partners Total
--------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Partners' capital as of December 31, 1994 $ 66,996 $ -- $ 66,996
Partners' capital contribution 18,874 -- 18,874
Underwriting commission to affiliate (1,320) -- (1,320 )
Syndication costs to affiliates (440) -- (440 )
--------------------------------------------------------
Partners' capital contribution, net 17,114 -- 17,114
Net income (loss) (1,662) 470 (1,192 )
Cash distribution (9,157) (470) (9,627 )
--------------------------------------------------------
Partners' capital as of December 31, 1995 73,291 -- 73,291
Net income (loss) (3,485) 509 (2,976 )
Cash distribution (9,669) (509) (10,178 )
--------------------------------------------------------
Partners' capital as of December 31, 1996 60,137 -- 60,137
Net income 593 508 1,101
Cash distribution (9,668) (508) (10,176 )
--------------------------------------------------------
Partners' capital as of December 31, 1997 $ 51,062 $ -- $ 51,062
========================================================
</TABLE>
See accompanying notes to financial
statements.
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS For the Years Ended December 31, (In thousands of
dollars)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1997 1996 1995
-----------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Operating activities:
Net income (loss) $ 1,101 $ (2,976 ) $ (1,192)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss)
to net cash provided by (used in ) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization 8,994 9,041 14,409
Net gain on disposition of equipment (1,803) (42 ) (182)
Equity in net (income) loss from unconsolidated
special-purpose entities (721) 880 --
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash (33) 243 --
Accounts receivable, net 324 (505 ) (1,493)
Prepaid expenses 9 (18 ) (30)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses 71 26 239
Due to affiliates 376 92 39
Lessee deposits and reserve for repairs 117 240 1,211
-------------------------------------------------
Net cash provided by operating activities 8,435 6,981 13,001
-------------------------------------------------
Investing activities:
Payments for purchase of equipment (3,700) (9,020 ) (29,737)
Investment in and equipment purchased and placed in
unconsolidated special-purpose entities (683) (8,029 ) --
Distribution from unconsolidated special-purpose entities 7,168 8,697 --
Payments of acquisition fees to affiliate (162) (402 ) (1,690)
Payments of lease negotiation fees to affiliate (36) (90 ) (375)
Proceeds from equipment disposals 4,431 569 1,210
-------------------------------------------------
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 7,018 (8,275 ) (30,592)
-------------------------------------------------
Financing activities:
Partners' capital contributions, net of
syndication and underwriting costs -- -- 17,114
Increase (decrease) due to affiliates 3,582 -- (262)
Cash distribution paid to limited partners (9,668) (9,669 ) (9,157)
Cash distribution paid to General Partner (508) (509 ) (470)
Decrease in subscriptions in escrow -- -- (4,239)
Decrease in restricted cash from subscriptions in escrow -- -- 4,010
Proceeds from notes payable -- -- 23,000
Proceeds from short-term note payable -- 2,000 --
Principal payments on short-term note payable (2,000) -- --
Payments of debt issuance costs -- (25 ) (230)
------------------
---------------------------------
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (8,594) (8,203 ) 29,766
-------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 6,859 (9,497 ) 12,175
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period (see Note 4) 2,468 11,965 199
-------------------------------------------------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 9,327 $ 2,468 $ 12,374
=================================================
Supplemental information:
Interest paid $ 1,664 $ 1,774 $ 188
=================================================
Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Sale proceeds included in accounts receivable $ 47 $ 50 $ 213
=================================================
</TABLE>
See accompanying notes to financial
statements.
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 1997
1. Basis of Presentation
Organization
PLM Equipment Growth & Income Fund VII, a California limited partnership (the
Partnership), was formed on December 2, 1992 to engage in the business of
owning, leasing, or otherwise investing in predominately used
transportation-related equipment. PLM Financial Services, Inc. (FSI) is the
General Partner of the Partnership. FSI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PLM
International, Inc. (PLM International).
The Partnership will terminate on December 31, 2013, unless terminated earlier
upon sale of all equipment or by certain other events. Beginning in the
Partnership's seventh year of operations, which commences on January 1, 2002,
the General Partner will stop reinvesting excess cash, if any, which, less
reasonable reserves, will be distributed to the partners. Beginning in the
Partnership's ninth year of operations, the General Partner intends to begin an
orderly liquidation of the Partnership's assets. The General Partner anticipates
that the liquidation of the assets will be completed by the end of the
Partnership's tenth year of operations.
FSI manages the affairs of the Partnership. The net income (loss) and
distributions of the Partnership are generally allocated 95% to the limited
partners and 5% to the General Partner, subject to certain special allocations
(see Net Income (Loss) and Distribution per Limited Partnership Unit, below).
The General Partner is also entitled to receive a subordinated incentive fee
after the limited partners receive a minimum return on, and a return of, their
invested capital.
The partnership agreement includes a redemption provision. Upon the conclusion
of the 30-month period immediately following the termination of the offering,
beginning October 25, 1997, the Partnership may, at the General Partner's sole
discretion, redeem up to 2% of the outstanding units each year. The purchase
price to be offered by the Partnership for outstanding units will be equal to
105% of the amount unitholders paid for the units, less the amount of cash
distributions unitholders have received relating to such units.
As of December 31, 1997, the Partnership agreed to repurchase approximately
46,000 units for an aggregate price of approximately $0.7 million. The General
Partner anticipates that these units will be repurchased in the first and second
quarters of 1998.
These financial statements have been prepared on the accrual basis of accounting
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. This requires
management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of
assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at
the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and
expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those
estimates.
Operations
The equipment of the Partnership is managed, under a continuing management
agreement, by PLM Investment Management, Inc. (IMI), a wholly-owned subsidiary
of the General Partner. IMI receives a monthly management fee from the
Partnership for managing the equipment (see Note 2). FSI, in conjunction with
its subsidiaries, sells transportation equipment to investor programs and third
parties, manages pools of transportation equipment under agreements with
investor programs, and is a general partner of other programs.
Accounting for Leases
The Partnership's leasing operations generally consist of operating leases.
Under the operating lease method of accounting, the leased asset is recorded at
cost and depreciated over its estimated useful life. Rental payments are
recorded as revenue over the lease term. Lease origination costs are capitalized
and amortized over the term of the lease.
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 1997
1. Basis of Presentation (continued)
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation of transportation equipment held for operating leases is
computed on the double- declining balance method, taking a full month's
depreciation in the month of acquisition, based upon estimated useful lives
of 15 years for railcars and 12 years for all other types of equipment. The
depreciation method is changed to straight line when annual depreciation
expense using the straight- line method exceeds that calculated by the
double-declining balance method. Certain aircraft are depreciated under the
double-declining balance depreciation method over the lease term.
Acquisition fees and other acquisition costs have been capitalized as part
of the cost of the equipment. Lease negotiation fees are amortized over the
initial equipment lease term. Debt issuance costs are amortized over the
term of the related debt (see Note 5). Major expenditures that are expected
to extend the useful lives or reduce future operating expenses of equipment
are capitalized and amortized over the estimated remaining life of the
equipment.
Transportation Equipment
In March 1995, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement
No. 121, "Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived
Assets to Be Disposed Of" (SFAS 121). In accordance with SFAS 121, the General
Partner reviews the carrying value of the Partnership's equipment at least
annually in relation to expected future market conditions for the purpose of
assessing recoverability of the recorded amounts. If projected future lease
revenue plus residual values are less than the carrying value of the equipment,
a loss on revaluation is recorded. No reductions to the carrying value of
equipment were required during either 1997 or 1996.
Equipment held for operating leases is stated at cost. Equipment held for sale
is stated at the lower of the equipment's depreciated cost or fair value, less
cost to sell, and is subject to a pending contract for sale.
Investments in Unconsolidated Special-Purpose Entities (USPEs)
The Partnership has interests in unconsolidated special-purpose entities that
own transportation and related equipment. These interests are accounted for
using the equity method.
The Partnership's investment in unconsolidated special-purpose entities includes
acquisition and lease negotiation fees paid by the Partnership to PLM
Transportation Equipment Corporation (TEC) and PLM Worldwide Management Services
(WMS). TEC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of FSI and WMS is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of PLM International. The Partnership's equity interest in the net
income of USPEs is reflected net of management fees paid or payable to IMI and
the amortization of acquisition and lease negotiation fees paid to TEC or WMS.
Repairs and Maintenance
Maintenance costs are usually the obligation of the lessee. If they are not
covered by the lessee, they are generally charged against operations as
incurred. To meet the maintenance requirements of certain aircraft airframes and
engines, reserve accounts are prefunded by the lessee. Estimated costs
associated with marine vessel dry docking are accrued and charged to income
ratably over the period prior to such dry docking. The reserve accounts are
included in the balance sheet as lessee deposits and reserve for repairs.
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 1997
1. Basis of Presentation (continued)
Net Income (Loss) and Distribution per Limited Partnership Unit
The net income (loss) and distributions of the Partnership are generally
allocated 95% to the limited partners and 5% to the General Partner. Gross
income in each year is specially allocated to the General Partner in an
amount equal to the lesser of (i) the deficit balance, if any, in the
General Partner's capital account, calculated under generally accepted
accounting principles using the straight-line method of depreciation, and
(ii) the deficit balance, if any, in the General Partner's capital account,
calculated under federal income tax regulations. The limited partners' net
income (loss) and distribution are allocated among the limited partners
based on the number of units owned by each limited partner and on the
number of days of the year each limited partner is in the Partnership. The
Partnership began computing net income (loss) per unit beginning in the
first calendar year after the closing of the offering. The Partnership
believes disclosure of per unit data prior to this date is not meaningful.
Cash distributions are recorded when paid. Monthly unitholders receive a
distribution check 15 days after the close of the previous month's business and
quarterly unitholders receive a distribution check 45 days after the close of
the quarter.
Cash distributions to investors in excess of net income are considered to
represent a return of capital. Cash distributions to the limited partners of
$9.1 million in 1997 were deemed to be a return of capital. All cash
distributions to the limited partners in 1996 and 1995 were deemed to be a
return of capital.
Cash distributions relating to the fourth quarter of 1997, 1996, and 1995, of
$1.4 million for each year, were paid during the first quarter of 1998, 1997,
and 1996, respectively.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Partnership considers highly liquid investments that are readily convertible
to known amounts of cash with original maturities of three months or less as
cash equivalents.
Restricted Cash
At December 31, 1997 and 1996, restricted cash represents lessee security
deposits held by the Partnership.
2. General Partner and Transactions with Affiliates
An officer of PLM Securities Corp. (PLM Securities), a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the General Partner, contributed $100 of the Partnership's
initial capital. Under the equipment management agreement, IMI, subject to
certain reductions, receives a monthly management fee attributable to
either owned equipment or interests in equipment owned by the USPEs equal
to the lesser of (i) the fees that would be charged by an independent third
party for similar services for similar equipment or (ii) the total (A) for
that equipment for which IMI provides only basic equipment management
services, (a) 2% of the gross lease revenues, as defined in the agreement,
attributable to equipment that is subject to full payout net leases and (b)
5% of the gross lease revenues attributable to equipment that is subject to
operating leases, and (B) for that equipment for which IMI provides
supplemental equipment management services, 7% of the gross lease revenues
attributable to such equipment. Partnership management fees payable were
$0.1 million as of December 31, 1997 and 1996. The Partnership's
proportional share of USPE management fees of $0.2 million and $0.1 million
were payable as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. The
Partnership's proportional share of USPE management fees expense during
1997 and 1996 was $0.5 million and
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 1997
2. General Partner and Transactions with Affiliates (continued)
$0.5 million, respectively. The Partnership reimbursed FSI $0.6 million
during 1997, 1996, and 1995 for data processing expenses and administrative
services performed on behalf of the Partnership. The Partnership's
proportional share of USPE data processing and administrative expenses was
$0.2 million and $0.1 million during 1997 and 1996, respectively. The
Partnership paid Transportation Equipment Indemnity Company, Ltd. (TEI),
which provides marine insurance coverage and other insurance brokerage
services, $0.1 million in 1995. No fees for owned equipment were paid to
TEI in 1997 or 1996. The Partnership's proportional share of USPE marine
insurance coverage paid to TEI was $0.2 during 1997 and 1996. TEI is an
affiliate of the General Partner. A substantial portion of this amount was
paid to third-party reinsurance underwriters or placed in risk pools
managed by TEI on behalf of affiliated partnerships and PLM International,
which provide threshold coverages on marine vessel loss of hire and hull
and machinery damage. All pooling arrangement funds are either paid out to
cover applicable losses or refunded pro rata by TEI. PLM Securities earned
underwriting commissions relating to the sale of limited partnership units
of $1.3 million, including amounts paid relating to subscriptions in escrow
(see Note 1) in 1995 (of which $1.2 million was paid to third-party broker
dealers in 1995).
The Partnership and USPEs paid or accrued lease negotiation and equipment
acquisition fees of $0.2 million, $0.9 million, and $1.6 million during
1997, 1996, and 1995, respectively, to TEC and WMS. Also, organization and
syndication costs of $440,000, including amounts paid relating to
subscriptions in escrow (see Note 1), were paid or accrued to FSI and PLM
Securities as reimbursement for costs incurred by them related to the
formation of the Partnership in 1995.
TEC will also be entitled to receive an equipment liquidation fee equal to
the lesser of (i) 3% of the sales price of equipment sold on behalf of the
Partnership or (ii) 50% of the "Competitive Equipment Sale Commission," as
defined in the agreement, if certain conditions are met. In certain
circumstances, the General Partner will be entitled to a monthly re-lease
fee for re-leasing services following the expiration of the initial lease,
charter, or other contract for certain equipment equal to the lesser of (a)
the fees that would be charged by an independent third party for comparable
services for comparable equipment or (b) 2% of gross lease revenues derived
from such re-lease, provided, however, that no re-lease fee shall be
payable if such re-lease fee would cause the combination of the equipment
management fee paid to IMI and the re-lease fee with respect to such
transaction to exceed 7% of gross lease revenues. In certain circumstances
the General Partner will be entitled to a debt placement fee equal to 1% of
the principal balance borrowed.
As of December 31, 1997, approximately 80% of the Partnership's trailer
equipment operated in rental yards owned and maintained by PLM Rental,
Inc., the short-term trailer rental subsidiary of PLM International doing
business as PLM Trailer Leasing. Revenues collected under short-term rental
agreements with the rental yards' customers are credited to the owners of
the related equipment as received. Direct expenses associated with the
equipment are charged directly to the Partnership. An allocation of other
indirect expenses of the rental yard operations is charged to the
Partnership monthly.
The Partnership owned certain equipment in conjunction with affiliated
partnerships during 1997 and 1996 (see Note 4).
The balance due to affiliates as of December 31, 1997 includes $0.1 million
due to FSI and its affiliates for management fees and $4.5 million due to
affiliated USPEs. During January 1998, $3.5 million was paid to the affiliated
USPE. The balance due to affiliates at December 31, 1996 includes $0.1 million
due to FSI and its affiliates for management fees and a net of $0.5 million due
to USPEs.
<PAGE>
PLM Equipment Growth & Income Fund VII
(A Limited Partnership)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 1997
3. Equipment
The components of equipment as of December 31, 1997 and 1996 are as follows
(in thousands of dollars):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Equipment Held for Operating Leases 1997 1996
- --------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
Marine vessels $ 22,212 $ 22,212
Trailers 18,111 14,547
Railcars 10,063 10,053
Aircraft 8,305 15,933
Modular buildings 153 4,696
-----------------------------------
58,844 67,441
Less accumulated depreciation (24,650) (21,494 )
-----------------------------------
34,194 45,947
Equipment held for sale 4,148 --
------------------------------------
Net equipment $ 38,342 $ 45,947
===================================
</TABLE>
Revenues are earned by placing the equipment under operating leases. As of
December 31, 1997, all equipment in the Partnership's portfolio was on
lease or operating in PLM-affiliated short-term trailer rental yards,
except for two commuter aircraft that are currently being held for sale,
with a net book value of $4.1 million, and a railcar with a net book value
of $17,000. As of December 31, 1996, all equipment in the Partnership's
portfolio was on lease or operating in PLM-affiliated short-term trailer
rental yards, except for five railcars with a net book value of $0.1
million.
During 1997, the Partnership sold or disposed of modular buildings and
trailers with an aggregate net book value of $2.6 million for proceeds of $4.4
million.
During 1996, the Partnership sold or disposed of modular buildings and
trailers with an aggregate net book value of $0.2 million for proceeds of
$0.3 million. The Partnership also sold trailers, which were held for sale
as of December 31, 1995, with a net book value of $0.2 million at the date
of sale, for proceeds of $0.2 million.
Periodically, PLM International will purchase groups of assets whose
ownership may be allocated among affiliated partnerships and PLM
International. Generally in these cases, only assets that are on lease will
be purchased by the affiliated partnerships. PLM International will
generally assume the ownership and remarketing risks associated with
off-lease equipment. Allocation of the purchase price will be determined by
a combination of third-party industry sources and recent transactions or
published fair market value references. During 1996, PLM International
realized $0.7 million of gains on the sale of 69 off-lease railcars
purchased by PLM International as part of a group of assets in 1994 that
had been allocated to the Partnership, PLM Equipment Growth Funds IV and
VI, Professional Lease Management Income Fund I, LLC (Fund I), and PLM
International. As of December 31, 1995, PLM International included these
assets as held for sale. During 1995, PLM International realized $1.3
million in gains on sales of railcars and aircraft purchased by PLM
International in 1994 and 1995 as part of a group of assets that had been
allocated to the Partnership; PLM Equipment Growth Funds IV, V, and VI;
Fund I; and PLM International.
All leases are being accounted for as operating leases. Future minimum rent
under noncancelable operating leases as of December 31, 1997 for the owned
and partially owned equipment during each of the next five years are
approximately $8.0 million, 1998; $5.6 million, 1999; $5.0 million, 2000;
$3.6 million, 2001; $0.4 million, 2002; and $0.1 million, thereafter.
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 1997
3. Equipment (continued)
The Partnership owns certain equipment that is leased and operated
internationally. A limited number of the Partnership's transactions are
denominated in a foreign currency. Gains or losses resulting from foreign
currency transactions are included in the results of operations and are not
material.
The Partnership leases or leased its aircraft, modular buildings, railcars,
and trailers to lessees domiciled in four geographic regions: the United
States, Canada, South America, and Europe. Marine vessels and the mobile
offshore drilling unit are leased to multiple lessees in different regions
that operate worldwide. The tables below set forth geographic information
about the Partnership's owned equipment and investments in USPEs, grouped
by domicile of the lessee as of and for the years ended December 31, 1997,
1996, and 1995 (in thousands of dollars):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Region Investments in USPEs Owned Equipment
----------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------
Lease Revenues 1997 1996 1997 1996 1995
------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
United States $ -- $ -- $ 5,985 $ 7,522 $ 6,866
Canada 3,423 3,189 1,061 826 883
South America 1,181 1,181 2,021 -- 1,181
Europe 3,530 3,530 -- -- 1,177
Rest of the world 3,999 4,004 3,538 3,879 7,974
------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------
Total lease revenues $ 12,133 $ 11,904 $ 12,605 $ 12,227 $ 18,081
=============================== ================================================
</TABLE>
The following table sets forth identifiable net income (loss) information
by region for the owned equipment and investments in USPEs for the years ended
December 31, 1997, 1996, and 1995 (in thousands of dollars):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Region Investments in USPE Owned Equipment
------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Net Income (Loss) 1997 1996 1997 1996 1995
------------------------------- ----------------------------- ---------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
United States $ -- $ -- $ 1,885 $ (590) $ 669
Canada 91 (1,370) 258 89 (332)
South America 85 (97) (544) -- (348)
Europe 1,545 981 -- -- 25
Rest of the world (1,000) (394) 720 431 (597)
----------------------------- -----------------------------------------------
Total identifiable income 721 (880) 2,319 (70) (583)
Administrative and other -- -- (1,939) (2,026) (609)
----------------------------- -----------------------------------------------
Total net income (loss) $ 721 $ (880) $ 380 $ (2,096) $ (1,192)
============================= ===============================================
</TABLE>
The net book value of these assets as of December 31, 1997, 1996, and 1995
are as follows (in thousands of dollars):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Region Investments in USPEs Owned Equipment
------------------------------ --------------------------------------- -------------------------------------
Net Book Value 1997 1996 1995 1997 1996 1995
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
United States $ 682 $ -- $ -- $ 15,500 $ 29,199 $ 26,565
Canada 7,669 9,612 8,285 2,519 2,608 2,004
South America 4,824 5,798 7,001 4,392 -- --
Europe 8,036 9,127 10,664 -- -- --
Rest of the world 10,166 12,604 12,739 11,783 14,140 16,968
----------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------
31,377 37,141 38,689 34,194 45,947 45,537
Equipment held for sale -- -- -- 4,148 -- 156
----------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------
Total net book value $ 31,377 $ 37,141 $ 38,689 $ 38,342 $ 45,947 $ 45,693
========================================= =========================================
</TABLE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 1997
3. Equipment (continued)
There were no lessees during 1997 and 1996 whose rent was 10% or greater of
total revenues. The only lessee accounting for 10% or more of total revenues
during 1995 was Wah Yuen Shipping, Inc. (21% in 1995).
4. Investments in Unconsolidated Special-Purpose Entities (USPEs)
During the second half of 1995, the Partnership began to increase the level
of its participation in the ownership of large-ticket transportation assets to
be owned and operated jointly with affiliated programs.
Prior to 1996, the Partnership accounted for operating activities
associated with joint ownership of transportation equipment as undivided
interests, including its proportionate share of each asset with similar
wholly-owned assets in its financial statements. Under generally accepted
accounting principles, the effects of such activities, if material, should
be reported using the equity method of accounting. Therefore, effective
January 1, 1996, the Partnership adopted the equity method to account for
its investment in such jointly-held assets.
The principal differences between the previous accounting method and the
equity method concern the presentation of activities relating to these
assets in the statement of operations. Whereas under the equity method of
accounting the Partnership's proportionate share is presented as a single
net amount, "equity in net income (loss) of unconsolidated special-purpose
entities," under the previous method the Partnership's statement of
operations reflected its proportionate share of each individual item of
revenue and expense. Accordingly, the effect of adopting the equity method
of accounting has no cumulative effect on previously reported partners'
capital or on the Partnership's net income (loss) for the period of
adoption. Because the effects on previously issued financial statements of
applying the equity method of accounting to investments in jointly-owned
assets are not considered to be material to such financial statements taken
as a whole, previously issued financial statements have not been restated.
However, certain items have been reclassified in the previously issued
balance sheet to conform to the current-period presentation. The beginning
cash and cash equivalent for 1996 is different from the ending cash and
cash equivalent for 1995 on the statement of cash flows due to this
reclassification.
During the year ended December 31, 1997, the Partnership committed to
purchase a 50% interest in a entity that will own a MD-82 Stage III
commercial aircraft (the remaining interest to be held by an affiliated
program) for $6.8 million. The Partnership made a deposit of $0.7 million
toward this purchase that is included in the balance sheet as investments
in USPEs as of December 31, 1997. The purchase of equipment was completed
during January 1998. FSI was paid $0.4 million in 1998 for acquisition and
lease negotiation fees for this equipment.
During the year ended December 31, 1996, the Partnership purchased an
interest in a trust owning five commercial aircraft for $5.6 million and an
interest in an entity owning a rig (the remaining interest in this rig is held
by two affiliated programs) for $2.0 million, and incurred acquisition and lease
negotiation fees of $0.4 million to WMS.
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 1997
4. Investments in Unconsolidated Special-Purpose Entities (continued)
The following summarizes the financial information for the USPEs and the
Partnership's interest therein as of and for the year ended December 31, 1997
and 1996 (in thousands of dollars):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1997 1996
------------ -----------
Net Interest of Partnership Net Interest of Partnership
Total Total
USPEs USPEs
-------------------------------- --------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Net investments $ 103,497 $ 31,377 $ 115,015 $ 37,141
Lease revenues 35,974 12,133 33,850 11,904
Net income (loss) 10,130 721 (3,606 ) (880 )
</TABLE>
The net investment in USPEs includes the following jointly-owned equipment
(and related assets and liabilities) as of December 31, 1997 and 1996 (in
thousands of dollars):
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1997 1996
---------------------------------
<S> <C> <C>
33% interest in two trusts that own three 737-200A commercial
aircraft, two aircraft engines, and a portfolio of
aircraft rotable $ 8,036 $ 9,126
80% interest in an entity owning a bulk-carrier marine vessel 6,014 7,362
24% in a trust owning a 767-200ER commercial aircraft 4,824 5,798
50% interest in a trust that owns four 737-200A commercial aircraft 4,362 --
25% interest in a trust that owns four 737-200A commercial aircraft 3,308 4,206
44% interest in an entity owning a bulk-carrier marine vessel 2,439 3,142
10% interest in an entity owning a mobile offshore drilling unit 1,712 2,100
50% interest in an entity committed to purchase
a DC-9 commercial aircraft 682 --
33% interest in a trust that owns six 737-200A commercial aircraft -- 5,407
---------------------------------------------------- ------------
Net investments $ 31,377 $ 37,141
============= ============
</TABLE>
The Partnership has beneficial interests in two USPEs that own multiple
aircraft (Trusts). These Trusts contain provisions, under certain
circumstances, for allocating specific aircraft to the beneficial owners.
During December 1997, PLM Equipment Growth Funds IV and VI, both of which
are affiliated partnerships and also held a beneficial interest in the
Trusts, sold the commercial aircraft designated to them. During September
1996, PLM Equipment Growth Fund V, an affiliated partnership that also had
a beneficial interest in the Trusts, renegotiated its senior loan agreement
and was required, for loan collateral purposes, to withdraw the aircraft
designated to it from the Trusts. The result was to restate the percentage
ownership of the remaining beneficial owners of the Trusts beginning
December 31, 1997 and September 30, 1996. This change had no effect on the
income or loss recognized during 1997 or 1996.
5. Notes Payable
In December 1995, the Partnership entered into an agreement to issue
long-term notes totaling $23.0 million to five institutional investors. The
notes bear interest at a fixed rate of 7.27% per annum and have a final
maturity in 2005. During 1995, the Partnership paid lender fees of $0.2
million in connection with this loan.
Interest on the notes is payable semiannually. The notes will be repaid in
five principal payments of $3.0 million on December 31, 1999, 2000, 2001,
2002, and 2003 and two principal payments of $4.0 million on December 31,
2004 and 2005. The agreement requires the Partnership to maintain certain
financial covenants related to fixed-charge coverage and maximum debt.
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
(A Limited Partnership)
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 1997
5. Notes Payable (continued)
Proceeds from the notes were used to fund additional equipment acquisitions
and to repay any obligations of the Partnership under the Committed Bridge
Facility (see below).
The General Partner estimates, based on recent transactions, that the fair
value of the $23.0 million fixed-rate note is $22.8 million.
The General Partner has entered into a joint $50.0 million credit facility
(the Committed Bridge Facility) on behalf of the Partnership, PLM Equipment
Growth Fund V (EGF V), PLM Equipment Growth Fund VI (EGF VI) and
Professional Lease Management Income Fund I (Fund I), all affiliated
investment programs; TEC Acquisub, Inc. (TECAI), an indirect wholly-owned
subsidiary of the General Partner; and American Finance Group, Inc. (AFG),
a subsidiary of PLM International Inc., which may be used to provide
interim financing of up to (i) 70% of the aggregate book value or 50% of
the aggregate net fair market value of eligible equipment owned by the
Partnership , plus (ii) 50% of unrestricted cash held by the borrower. The
Committed Bridge Facility became available on December 20, 1993, and was
amended and restated on December 2, 1997, to expire on November 2, 1998.
The Partnership, EGF V, EGF VI, Fund I, and TECAI collectively may borrow
up to $35.0 million of the Committed Bridge Facility and AFG may borrow up
to $50.0 million. The Committed Bridge Facility also provides for a $5.0
million Letter of Credit Facility for the eligible borrowers. Outstanding
borrowings by one borrower reduce the amount available to each of the other
borrowers under the Committed Bridge Facility. Individual borrowings may be
outstanding for no more than 179 days, with all advances due no later than
November 2, 1998. Interest accrues at either the prime rate or adjusted
LIBOR plus 1.625% at the borrower's option and is set at the time of an
advance of funds. Borrowings by the Partnership are guaranteed by the
General Partner. As of December 31, 1997, AFG had $23.0 million in
outstanding borrowings. No other eligible borrower had outstanding
borrowings. The General Partner believes it will renew the Committed Bridge
Facility upon its expiration with similar terms as those in the current
Committed Bridge Facility.
The Partnership received waivers from its senior lenders related to its
maximum debt covenant as of December 31, 1996. Without this waiver, the
Partnership would not have been able to borrow on the short-term warehouse
facility and remain in compliance with the loan covenant.
During January 1997, the Partnership repaid all borrowings outstanding as
of December 31, 1996 from the Committed Bridge Facility.
6. Income Taxes
The Partnership is not subject to income taxes, as any income or loss is
included in the tax returns of the individual partners. Accordingly, no
provision for income taxes has been made in the financial statements of the
Partnership.
As of December 31, 1997, there were temporary differences of approximately
$39.5 million between the financial statement carrying values of certain assets
and liabilities and the income tax basis of such assets and liabilities,
primarily due to differences in depreciation methods and equipment reserves and
the tax treatment of underwriting commissions and syndication costs.
<PAGE>
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
Exhibit Page
4. Limited Partnership Agreement of Partnership. *
10.1 Management Agreement between Partnership and
PLM Investment Management, Inc. *
10.2 Note Agreement, dated as of December 1, 1995, regarding
$23.0 million of 7.27% senior notes due December 21, 2005 *
10.3 Third Amended and Restated Warehousing Credit Agreement, dated as of
December 2, 1997, with First Union National Bank of North
Carolina and others 44-123
24. Powers of Attorney 124-126
- -------* Incorporated by reference. See page 26 of this report.
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
WAREHOUSING CREDIT AGREEMENT
AMONG
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH FUND V
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH FUND VI
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
PROFESSIONAL LEASE MANAGEMENT INCOME FUND I, L.L.C.
PLM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
AND
FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK OF NORTH CAROLINA,
BANK OF MONTREAL
AND SUCH OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
AS SHALL BECOME LENDERS HEREUNDER
AND
FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK OF NORTH CAROLINA,
AS AGENT
December 2, 1997
<PAGE>
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
WAREHOUSING CREDIT AGREEMENT
THIS THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED WAREHOUSING CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered
into as of December 2, 1997, by and among PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH FUND V, a
California limited partnership ("EGF V"), PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH FUND VI, a
California limited partnership ("EGF VI"), PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND
VII, a California limited partnership ("EGF VII"), and PROFESSIONAL LEASE
MANAGEMENT INCOME FUND I, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company ("Income
Fund I") (EGF V, EGF VI, EGF VII and Income Fund I each individually being a
"Borrower" and, collectively, the "Borrowers"), and PLM FINANCIAL SERVICES,
INC., a Delaware corporation and the sole general partner, in the case of EGF V,
EGF VI and EGF VII, and the sole manager, in the case of Income Fund I ("FSI"),
and FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK OF NORTH CAROLINA ("FUNB"), BANK OF MONTREAL
("BMO") and each other financial institution which may hereafter execute and
deliver an instrument of assignment with respect to this Agreement pursuant to
Section 11.10 (each individually being a "Lender," and collectively, the
"Lenders"), and FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK OF NORTH CAROLINA, as agent on behalf
and for the benefit of the Lenders (not in its individual capacity, but solely
as agent, the "Agent"). This Agreement amends, restates and supersedes the
Growth Fund Agreement (as defined below).
RECITALS
A. Borrowers, FSI, PLM Equipment Growth Fund III, a California limited
partnership ("EGF III"), PLM Equipment Growth Fund IV, a California limited
partnership ("EGF IV"), FUNB and Fleet Bank, N.A. (the "Prior Lenders") and
Agent, as agent for the Prior Lenders, entered into that Second Amended and
Restated Warehousing Credit Agreement dated as of May 31, 1996, as amended by
that Amendment No. 1 to Second Amended and Restated Warehousing Credit Agreement
dated as of November 5, 1996, that Amendment No. 2 to Second Amended and
Restated Warehousing Credit Agreement dated as of October 3, 1997 and that
Amendment No. 3 to Second Amended and Restated Warehousing Credit Agreement
dated as of November 3, 1997 (as so amended to, the "Growth Fund Agreement"),
pursuant to which the Prior Lenders have agreed to extend and make available to
Borrowers certain advances of credit.
B. Borrowers and FUNB, as the sole remaining Prior Lender having a
Commitment under the Growth Fund Agreement, and FSI desire to amend and restate
the Growth Fund Agreement and to, among other things, increase the aggregate
Commitments set forth on Schedule A of the Growth Fund Agreement, remove EGF III
and EGF IV as borrowers under the revolving credit facility, extend the
commitment Termination Date and reduce the Applicable Margin, as more fully set
forth herein.
C. On the terms and conditions set forth below, BMO desires, as of and
from the Closing Date, to become a Lender under this Agreement.
D. Lenders have agreed to make such credit available to Borrowers, but
only upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth and in
reliance on the representations and warranties set forth herein.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals and the
mutual covenants hereinafter set forth, and intending to be legally bound, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.
1.1 Defined Terms. As used herein, the following terms have the
following meanings:
"Acquisition" means, with respect to any Borrower, any transaction, or
any series of related transactions, by which such Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's
Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, TEC AcquiSub, directly or
indirectly (a) acquires any ongoing business or all or substantially all of the
assets of any Person or division thereof, whether through a purchase of assets,
merger or otherwise, or (b) acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent
transaction in a series of transactions) control of at least a majority of the
stock of a corporation having ordinary voting power for the election of
directors, or (c) acquires control of at least a majority of the ownership
interests in any partnership or joint venture.
"Adjusted LIBOR" means, for each Interest Period in respect of LIBOR
Loans, an interest rate per annum (rounded upward to the nearest 1/16th of one
percent (0.0625%)) determined pursuant to the following formula:
[GRAPHIC OMITTED]The Adjusted LIBOR shall be adjusted automatically as of the
effective date of any change in the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage.
"Advance" means any Advance made or to be made by any Lender to any
Borrower as set forth in Section 2.1.1.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, (a) each Person that,
directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, owns or controls,
whether beneficially or as a trustee, guardian or other fiduciary, five percent
(5.0%) or more of the stock having ordinary voting power in the election of
directors of such Person or of the ownership interests in any partnership or
joint venture, (b) each Person that controls, is controlled by or is under
common control with such Person or any Affiliate of such Person, or (c) each of
such Person's officers, directors, joint venturers and partners; provided,
however, that in no case shall any Lender or Agent be deemed to be an Affiliate
of any Borrower or FSI for purposes of this Agreement. For the purpose of this
definition, "control" of a Person shall mean the possession, directly or
indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of its management or
policies, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
"AFG" means American Finance Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
"AFG Agreement" means the Amended and Restated Warehousing Credit
Agreement dated as of November 3, 1997, by and among AFG, Lenders and Agent, as
the same from time to time may be amended, modified, supplemented, renewed,
extended or restated.
"Agent" means FUNB solely when acting in its capacity as the Agent
under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and any successor
Agent.
"Agent's Side Letter" means the side letter agreement dated November 3,
1997, by and between Borrowers, TEC AcquiSub, AFG and Agent.
"Agreement" means this Third Amended and Restated Warehousing Credit
Agreement dated as of November 3, 1997, including all amendments, modifications
and supplements hereto, renewals, extensions or restatements hereof, and all
appendices, exhibits and schedules to any of the foregoing, and shall refer to
the Agreement as the same may be in effect from time to time.
"Aircraft" means any corporate, commuter, or commercial aircraft or
helicopters, with modifications (as applicable) and replacement or spare parts
used in connection therewith, including, without limitation, engines, rotables
or propellers, and any engines, rotables and propellers used on a stand-lone
basis.
"Applicable Margin" means:
(a) with respect to Prime Rate Loans, zero percent (0.00%); and
(b) with respect to LIBOR Loans, one and five-eighths percent
(1.625%).
"Assignment and Acceptance" has the meaning set forth in Section
11.10.2.
"Bank Affiliate" means a Person engaged primarily in the business of
commercial banking and that is an Affiliate of a Lender or of a Person of which
a Lender is an Affiliate.
"Bankruptcy Code" means the Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, as
codified under Title 11 of the United States Code, and the Bankruptcy Rules
promulgated thereunder, as the same may be in effect from time to time.
"Borrowing Base" means, as calculated separately for each Borrower
individually as at any date of determination, an amount not to exceed the sum
of:
(a) fifty percent (50.0%) of the unrestricted cash available for the
purchase of Eligible Inventory by such Borrower,
plus
(b) an amount equal to the lesser of (i) seventy percent
(70.0%) of the aggregate net book value or (ii) fifty percent (50.0%) of the
aggregate net fair market value of all Eligible Inventory then owned by such
Borrower or a Marine Subsidiary or owned of record by an Owner Trustee for the
beneficial interest of such Borrower or any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower
(provided, however, that there shall be excluded from this clause (b) the
aggregate net book value or aggregate net fair market value, as the case may be,
of all items of Eligible Inventory which are either (i) off-lease or (ii)
subject to a Lease under which any applicable lease or rental payment is more
than ninety (90) days past due, but only to the extent and in the amount that
the aggregate net book value or net fair market value, as the case may be, of
such otherwise excluded Eligible Inventory exceeds fifteen percent (15.0%) of
the respective net book value or net fair market value of all Eligible Inventory
included in this clause (b) notwithstanding this proviso),
less
(c) the aggregate Consolidated Funded Debt of such Borrower then
outstanding, excluding the aggregate principal amounts of the Loans outstanding
for such Borrower under the Facility,
in each case computed, (1) with respect to any requested Loan, as of the
requested Funding Date (and shall include the item(s) of Eligible Inventory to
be acquired with the proceeds of the requested Loan), and (2) with respect to
the delivery of any monthly Borrowing Base Certificate to be furnished pursuant
to Section 5.1.3, as of the last day of the calendar month for which such
Borrowing Base Certificate is furnished (provided, that for the purpose of
computing the Borrowing Base, in the event that any Borrower or a Marine
Subsidiary of such Borrower shall own less than one hundred percent (100.0%) of
the record or beneficial interests in any item of Eligible Inventory, with one
or more of the other Equipment Growth Funds owning of record or beneficially the
remaining interests, there shall be included only such Borrower's or such Marine
Subsidiary's, as the case may be, ratable interest in such item of Eligible
Inventory).
"Borrowing Base Certificate" means, with respect to any Borrower, a
certificate with appropriate insertions setting forth the components of the
Borrowing Base of such Borrower as of the last day of the month for which such
certificate is submitted or as of a requested Funding Date, as the case may be,
which certificate shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B and
certified by a Responsible Officer of such Borrower.
"Business Day" means any day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or a legal
holiday under the laws of the States of California or North Carolina or is not a
day on which banking institutions located in the States of California or North
Carolina are authorized or permitted by law or other governmental action to
close and, with respect to LIBOR Loans, means any day on which dealings in
foreign currencies and exchanges may be carried on by Agent and Lenders in the
London interbank market.
"Casualty Loss" means any of the following events with respect to any
item of Eligible Inventory: (a) the actual total loss or compromised total loss
of such item of Eligible Inventory; (b) such item of Eligible Inventory shall
become lost, stolen, destroyed, damaged beyond repair or permanently rendered
unfit for use for any reason whatsoever; (c) the seizure of such item of
Eligible Inventory for a period exceeding sixty (60) days or the condemnation or
confiscation of such item of Eligible Inventory; or (d) such item of Eligible
Inventory shall be deemed under its lease to have suffered a casualty loss as to
the entire item of Eligible Inventory.
"Charges" means, with respect to any Borrower, all federal, state,
county, city, municipal, local, foreign or other governmental taxes, levies,
assessments, charges or claims, in each case then due and payable, upon or
relating to (a) the Loans made to such Borrower hereunder, (b) such Borrower's
employees, payroll, income or gross receipts, (c) such Borrower's ownership or
use of any of its Properties or assets or (d) any other aspect of such
Borrower's business.
"Closing" means the time at which each of the conditions precedent set
forth in Section 3 to the making of the first Loan hereunder shall have been
duly fulfilled or satisfied by each Borrower.
"Closing Date" means the date on which Closing occurs.
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the
Treasury Regulations adopted thereunder and the Treasury Regulations proposed
thereunder (to the extent Requisite Lenders, in their sole discretion,
reasonably determine that such proposed regulations set forth the regulations
that apply in the circumstances), as the same may be in effect from time to
time.
"Commitment" means with respect to each Lender the amounts set forth on
Schedule A and "Commitments" means all such amounts collectively, as each may be
amended from time to time upon the execution and delivery of an instrument of
assignment pursuant to Section 11.10, which amendments shall be evidenced on
Schedule 1.1.
"Commitment Termination Date" means November 2, 1998.
"Compliance Certificate" means, with respect to any Borrower, a
certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of such Borrower, substantially in
the form of Exhibit E, with such changes as Agent may from time to time
reasonably request for the purpose of having such certificate disclose the
matters certified therein and the method of computation thereof.
"Consolidated EBITDA" means, for any Borrower, as measured as at any
date of determination for any period on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) the
Consolidated Net Income of such Borrower, plus (b) all amounts treated as
expenses for depreciation and the amortization of intangibles of any kind, plus
(c) all accrued taxes on or measured by income, plus (d) Consolidated Interest
Expense, and in the cases of clauses (b), (c) and (d), above, each to the extent
included in the determination of Consolidated Net Income.
"Consolidated Funded Debt" means, for any Borrower, as measured at any
date of determination on a consolidated basis, the total amount of all interest
bearing obligations (including Indebtedness for borrowed money) of such
Borrower, capital lease obligations of such Borrower as a lessee and the stated
amount of all outstanding undrawn letters of credit issued on behalf of such
Borrower or for which such Borrower is liable.
"Consolidated Intangible Assets" means, for any Person, as measured at
any date of determination on a consolidated basis, all intangible assets of such
Person.
"Consolidated Interest Expense" means, for any Borrower, as measured at
any date of determination for any period on a consolidated basis, the gross
interest expense of such Borrower for the period (including all commissions,
discounts, fees and other charges in connection with standby letters of credit
and similar instruments), less interest income for that period.
"Consolidated Net Income" means, for any Borrower, as measured at any
date of determination for any period on a consolidated basis, the net income (or
loss) of such Borrower for such period taken as a single accounting period.
"Consolidated Net Worth" means, for any Person, as measured at any date
of determination, the difference between Consolidated Total Assets and
Consolidated Total Liabilities.
"Consolidated Tangible Net Worth" means, for any Person, as measured at
any date of determination, the difference between Consolidated Net Worth and
Consolidated Intangible Assets.
"Consolidated Total Assets" means, for any Person, as measured at any
date of determination on a consolidated basis, all assets of such Person.
"Consolidated Total Liabilities" means, for any Person, as measured at
any date of determination on a consolidated basis, all liabilities of such
Person.
"Contingent Obligation" means, as to any Person, (a) any Guaranty
Obligation of that Person and (b) any direct or indirect obligation or
liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person, (i) in respect of any letter
of credit or similar instrument issued for the account of that Person or as to
which that Person is otherwise liable for reimbursement of drawings, (ii) with
respect to the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture of which such
Person is a partner or a joint venturer, (iii) to purchase any materials,
supplies or other property from, or to obtain the services of, another Person if
the relevant contract or other related document or obligation requires that
payment for such materials, supplies or other property, or for such services,
shall be made regardless of whether delivery of such materials, supplies or
other property is ever made or tendered, or such services are ever performed or
tendered, or (iv) in respect of any interest rate protection contract that is
not entered into in connection with a bona fide hedging operation that provides
offsetting benefits to such Person. The amount of any Contingent Obligation
shall (subject, in the case of Guaranty Obligations, to the last sentence of the
definition of "Guaranty Obligation") be deemed equal to the maximum reasonably
anticipated liability in respect thereof, and shall, with respect to clause
(b)(iv) of this definition, be marked to market on a current basis.
"Debt Service Ratio" means, as measured separately for each Borrower as
at any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA to (b) the
sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Expense plus (ii) an amount equal to three and
one-eighths percent (3.125%) of Consolidated Funded Debt (Consolidated EBITDA
and Consolidated Interest Expense to be measured on a quarterly basis for the
current fiscal quarter).
"Default Rate" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.
"Designated Deposit Account" means a demand deposit account maintained
by Borrowers with FUNB designated by written notice from Borrowers to Agent.
"Dollars" and the sign "$" means lawful money of the United States of
America.
"EGF" means PLM Equipment Growth Fund, a California limited
partnership.
"EGF II" means PLM Equipment Growth Fund, a California limited
partnership.
"EGF III" means PLM Equipment Growth Fund III, a California limited
partnership.
"EGF IV" has the meaning set forth in the Preamble to this Agreement.
"EGF V" has the meaning set forth in the Preamble to this Agreement
"EGF VI" has the meaning set forth in the Preamble to this Agreement
"EGF VII" has the meaning set forth in the Preamble to this Agreement.
"Eligible Assignee" means (a) a commercial bank organized under the
laws of the United States, or any state thereof, and having a combined capital
and surplus of at least $100,000,000, (b) a commercial bank organized under the
laws of any other country which is a member of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, or a political subdivision of any such country, and
having a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000, provided that
such bank is acting through a branch or agency located in the United States, and
(c) any Bank Affiliate.
"Eligible Inventory" means, with respect to any Borrower, all Trailers,
Aircraft and Aircraft engines, Railcars, cargo-containers, marine vessels and,
if approved by Requisite Lenders, other related Equipment, in each case owned by
such Borrower or a Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower (or jointly by such
Borrower and one or more of the other Equipment Growth Funds) or, subject to the
approval of Agent, any owner trust of which such Borrower is the sole
beneficiary or owner (or is the beneficiary or owner jointly with one or more of
the other Equipment Growth Funds), as applicable, or solely with respect to any
marine vessel registered in Liberia, The Bahamas, Hong Kong, Singapore or other
registry acceptable to Agent in its sole discretion, any nominee entity of which
such Borrower or a Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower is the sole beneficiary or
direct or indirect owner (or as the beneficiary or direct or indirect owner
jointly with one or more of the other Equipment Growth Funds).
"Employee Benefit Plan" means, with respect to any Borrower, any
Pension Plan and any employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(1)
of ERISA, that is maintained for the employees of such Borrower, FSI or any of
FSI's Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate of such Borrower.
"Environmental Claims" means, with respect to any Borrower, all claims,
however asserted, by any Governmental Authority or other Person alleging
potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law or
for release or injury to the environment or threat to public health, personal
injury (including sickness, disease or death), property damage, natural
resources damage, or otherwise alleging liability or responsibility for damages
(punitive or otherwise), cleanup, removal, remedial or response costs,
restitution, civil or criminal penalties, injunctive relief, or other type of
relief, resulting from or based upon (a) the presence, placement, discharge,
emission or release (including intentional and unintentional, negligent and
non-negligent, sudden or non-sudden, accidental or non-accidental placement,
spills, leaks, discharges, emissions or releases) of any Hazardous Material at,
in, or from Property, whether or not owned by such Borrower, FSI or any
Subsidiary of FSI, or (b) any other circumstances forming the basis of any
violation, or alleged violation, of any Environmental Law.
"Environmental Laws" means all foreign, federal, state or local laws,
statutes, common law duties, rules, regulations, ordinances and codes, together
with all administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses,
authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental
Authorities, in each case relating to environmental, health, safety and land use
matters, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act of 1980, the Clean Air Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act of 1972, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Federal Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Emergency Planning and
Community Right-to-Know Act.
"Environmental Permit" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.15.
"Equipment" means, with respect to any Borrower, all items of
transportation related equipment owned directly or beneficially by such Borrower
or by any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower and held for lease or rental, and
shall include items of equipment legal or record title to which is held by any
owner trust or nominee entity in which such Borrower or any Marine Subsidiary of
such Borrower holds the sole beneficial interest.
"Equipment Growth Funds" means any and all of EGF, EGF II, EGF III, EGF
IV, EGF V, EGF VI, EGF VII and Income Fund I.
"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended, as the same may be in effect from time to time, and any successor
statute.
"ERISA Affiliate" means, as applied to any Person, any trade or
business (whether or not incorporated) which is a member of a group of which
that Person is a member and which is under common control within the meaning of
the regulations promulgated under Section 414 of the Code.
"Eurodollar Reserve Percentage" means the maximum reserve percentage
(expressed as a decimal, rounded upward to the nearest 1/100th of one percent
(0.01%)) in effect from time to time (whether or not applicable to any Lender)
under regulations issued by the Federal Reserve Board for determining the
maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other
marginal reserve requirement) with respect to Eurocurrency liabilities having a
term comparable to such Interest Period.
"Event of Default" means any of the events set forth in Section 8.1.
"Facility" means the total Commitments described in Schedule A, as such
Schedule A may be amended from time to time as set forth on Schedule 1.1, for
the revolving credit facility described in Section 2.1.1 to be provided by
Lenders to Borrowers, on a several but not joint basis, according to each
Lender's Pro Rata Share.
"Federal Funds Rate" means, for any day, the rate set forth in the
weekly statistical release designated as H.15(519), or any successor
publication, published by the Federal Reserve Board (including any such
successor, "H.15(519)") for such day opposite the caption "Federal Funds
(Effective)". If on any relevant day such rate is not yet published in
H.15(519), the rate for such day will be the rate set forth in the daily
statistical release designated as the Composite 3:30 p.m. Quotations for U.S.
Government Securities, or any successor publication, published by the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York (including any such successor, the "Composite 3:30 p.m.
Quotation") for such day under the caption "Federal Funds Effective Rate". If on
any relevant day the appropriate rate for such previous day is not yet published
in either H.15(519) or the Composite 3:30 p.m. Quotation, the rate for such day
will be the arithmetic mean of the rates for the last transaction in overnight
Federal funds arranged prior to 9:00 a.m. (New York time) on that day by each of
three leading brokers of Federal funds transactions in New York City selected by
Agent.
"Federal Reserve Board" means the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System and any successor thereto.
"Form 1001" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14.6.
"Form 4224" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14.6.
"FSI" means PLM Financial Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
"Funded Debt Ratio" means, as measured separately for each Borrower as
at any date of determination, the ratio of (a) the Consolidated Funded Debt of
such Borrower to (b) the sum of (i) the aggregate net fair market value of the
Equipment owned of record and beneficially by such Borrower or any Marine
Subsidiary of such Borrower or owned of record by an Owner Trustee for the
beneficial interest of such Borrower or any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower
plus (ii) the unrestricted cash available for the purchase of Eligible Inventory
for such Borrower (provided, that for the purpose of computing the Funded Debt
Ratio, in the event that any Borrower or a Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower
shall own less than one hundred percent (100.0%) of the record or beneficial
interests in any item of Equipment, with one or more of the other Equipment
Growth Funds owning of record or beneficially the remaining interests, there
shall be included any such Borrower's or such Marine Subsidiary's, as the case
may be, ratable interest in such item of Equipment).
"Funding Date" means with respect to any proposed borrowing hereunder,
the date funds are advanced to any Borrower for any Loan requested by such
Borrower.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles set forth from
time to time in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles
Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements
and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or agencies with
similar function of comparable stature and authority within the accounting
profession), or in such other statements by such other entity as may be in
general use by significant segments of the U.S. accounting profession, which are
applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination.
"Governmental Authority" means (a) any federal, state, county,
municipal or foreign government, or political subdivision thereof, (b) any
governmental or quasi-governmental agency, authority, board, bureau, commission,
department, instrumentality or public body, (c) any court or administrative
tribunal or (d) with respect to any Person, any arbitration tribunal or other
non-governmental authority to whose jurisdiction that Person has consented.
"Guaranty" means that certain Guaranty dated as of September 27, 1995,
executed by FSI in favor of Lenders and Agent.
"Guaranty Obligation" means, as applied to any Person, any direct or
indirect liability of that Person with respect to any Indebtedness, lease for
capital equipment other than Equipment, dividend, letter of credit or other
obligation (the "primary obligations") of another Person (the "primary
obligor"), including any obligation of that Person, whether or not contingent,
(a) to purchase, repurchase or otherwise acquire such primary obligations or any
property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, or (b) to advance or
provide funds (i) for the payment or discharge of any such primary obligation,
or (ii) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or
otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency or any balance sheet item, level
of income or financial condition of the primary obligor, or (c) to purchase
property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner
of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make
payment of such primary obligation, or (d) otherwise to assure or hold harmless
the holder of any such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof. The
amount of any Guaranty Obligation shall be deemed equal to the stated or
determinable amount of the primary obligation in respect of which such Guaranty
Obligation is made or, if not stated or if indeterminable, the maximum
reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof.
"Hazardous Materials" means all those substances which are regulated
by, or which may form the basis of liability under, any Environmental Law,
including all substances identified under any Environmental Law as a pollutant,
contaminant, hazardous waste, hazardous constituent, special waste, hazardous
substance, hazardous material, or toxic substance, or petroleum or petroleum
derived substance or waste.
"IMI" means PLM Investment Management, Inc., a California corporation
and a wholly-owned Subsidiary of FSI.
"Income Fund I" has the meaning set forth in the Preamble to this
Agreement.
"Indebtedness" means, as to any Person, (a) all indebtedness of such
Person for borrowed money, (b) all leases of equipment of such Person as lessee,
(c) to the extent not included in clause (b), above, all capital leases of such
Person as lessee, (d) any obligation of such Person for the deferred purchase
price of Property or services (other than trade or other accounts payable in the
ordinary course of business and not more than ninety (90) days past due), (e)
any obligation of such Person that is secured by a Lien on assets of such
Person, whether or not that Person has assumed such obligation or whether or not
such obligation is non-recourse to the credit of such Person, (f) obligations of
such Person arising under acceptance facilities or under facilities for the
discount of accounts receivable of such Person and (g) any obligation of such
Person to reimburse the issuer of any letter of credit issued for the account of
such Person upon which a draw has been made.
"Indemnified Liability" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.2.
"Indemnified Person" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.2.
"Interest Differential" means, with respect to any prepayment of a
LIBOR Loan on a day other than an Interest Payment Date on which such LIBOR Loan
matures, the difference between (a) the per annum interest rate payable with
respect to such LIBOR Loan as of the date of the prepayment and (b) the Adjusted
LIBOR on, or as near as practicable to, the date of the prepayment for a LIBOR
Loan commencing on such date and ending on the last day of the applicable
Interest Period. The determination of the Interest Differential by Agent shall
be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.
"Interest Payment Date" means, with respect to any LIBOR Loan, the last
day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and, with respect to Prime
Rate Loans, the first Business Day of each calendar month following the Funding
Date of such Prime Rate Loan; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for
a LIBOR Loan exceeds three (3) months, interest shall also be paid on the date
which falls three (3) months after the beginning of such Interest Period.
"Interest Period" means, with respect to any LIBOR Loan, the one-month,
two-month or three-month period selected by the Requesting Borrower pursuant to
Section 2, in each instance commencing on the applicable Funding Date of the
Loan; provided, however, that any Interest Period which would otherwise end on a
day that is not a Business Day shall end on the next succeeding Business Day
except that in the instance of any LIBOR Loan, if such next succeeding Business
Day falls in the next calendar month, the Interest Period shall end on the next
preceding Business Day.
"Investment Company Act" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (15 U.S.C. ss. 80a-1 et seq.), as the same may be in effect from time to
time, or any successor statute thereto.
"IRS" means the Internal Revenue Service and any successor thereto.
"Lease" means, for any Borrower, each and every item of chattel paper,
installment sales agreement, equipment lease or rental agreement (including
progress payment authorizations) relating to an item of Equipment of which such
Borrower is the record or beneficial lessor and in respect of which the lessee
and lease terms (including, without limitation, as to rental rate, maturity and
insurance coverage) are acceptable to Agent, in its reasonable discretion. The
term "Lease" includes (a) all payments to be made thereunder, (b) all rights of
such Borrower therein, and (c) any and all amendments, renewals, extensions or
guaranties thereof.
"Lender's Side Letter" means the fee letter agreement dated November 3,
1997, by and among Borrowers, TEC AcquiSub, AFG and BMO.
"Lending Office" means, with respect to any Lender, the office or
offices of the Lender specified as its lending office opposite its name on the
applicable signature page hereto, or such other office or offices of the Lender
as it may from time to time notify Borrowers and Agent.
"LIBOR" means, with respect to any Loan to be made, continued as or
converted into a LIBOR Loan, the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (determined
solely by Agent), rounded upward to the nearest 1/16th of one percent (0.0625%),
at which Dollar deposits are offered to Agent by major banks in the London
interbank market at or about 11:00 a.m., London time, on the second Business Day
prior to the first day of the related Interest Period with respect to such Loan
in an aggregate amount approximately equal to the amount of such Loan and for a
period of time comparable to the number of days in the applicable Interest
Period. The determination of LIBOR by Agent shall be conclusive in the absence
of manifest error.
"LIBOR Loan" means a Loan that bears interest based on Adjusted LIBOR.
"Lien" means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment for
security, security interest, encumbrance, levy, lien or charge of any kind,
whether voluntarily incurred or arising by operation of law or otherwise,
affecting any Property, including any agreement to grant any of the foregoing,
any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature
of a security interest, and the filing of or agreement to file or deliver any
financing statement (other than a precautionary financing statement with respect
to a lease that is not in the nature of a security interest) under the UCC or
comparable law of any jurisdiction.
"Limited Partnership Agreement" means (a) for EGF V, the Limited
Partnership Agreement dated as of November 14, 1989, (b) for EGF VI, the Amended
and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement dated as of December 20, 1991 and (c)
for EGF VII, the Third Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of EGF
VII dated as of May 10, 1993, as amended by the First Amendment to the Third
Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement dated May 28, 1993 and by the
Second Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement
dated as of January 21, 1994.
"Loan" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.1.
"Loan Document" when used in the singular and "Loan Documents" when
used in the plural means any and all of this Agreement, the Notes, the Lockbox
Agreement and the Guaranty and any and all other agreements, documents and
instruments executed and delivered by or on behalf or support of any Borrower to
Agent or any Lender or any of their respective authorized designees evidencing
or otherwise relating to the Advances and the Liens granted to Agent, on behalf
of Lenders, with respect to the Advances, as the same may from time to time be
amended, modified, supplemented or renewed.
"Lockbox" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.9.
"Lockbox Agreement" means the Lockbox Agreement dated May 31, 1996,
among Borrowers, FUNB and Agent on behalf of Lenders, relating to the Lockbox.
"Marine Subsidiary" means, for any Borrower, a Subsidiary of such
Borrower (in which the remaining record or beneficial ownership interests may be
held by TEC AcquiSub or any Equipment Growth Fund) organized for the purpose of
holding legal record title to one or more marine vessels or to aircraft rotables
and spare parts.
"Material Adverse Effect" means, with respect to any Borrower, any set
of circumstances or events which (a) has or could reasonably be expected to have
any material adverse effect whatsoever upon the validity or enforceability of
any Loan Document, (b) is or could reasonably be expected to be material and
adverse to the condition (financial or otherwise) or business operations of such
Borrower or FSI, (c) materially impairs or could reasonably be expected to
materially impair the ability of such Borrower or FSI to perform its
Obligations, or (d) materially impairs or could reasonably be expected to
materially impair the ability of Agent or any Lender to enforce any of its or
their legal remedies pursuant to the Loan Documents.
"Maturity Date" means, with respect to each Loan advanced by Lenders
hereunder, the date which is one hundred seventy-nine (179) days after the
Funding Date of such Loan or such earlier or later date as requested by the
Requesting Borrower and approved by Requisite Lenders, in their sole and
absolute discretion; provided, however, in no event shall any Maturity Date be a
date which is later than the Commitment Termination Date.
"Maximum Availability" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.1.
"Multiemployer Plan" means, with respect to any Borrower, a
"multiemployer plan" as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, and to which
such Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate of such
Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries is making, or is obligated to make,
contributions or has made, or been obligated to make, contributions within the
preceding five (5) years.
"Note" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.1(a)(i), and any and
all replacements, substitutions and renewals thereof.
"Notice of Borrowing" means a notice given by any Borrower to Agent in
accordance with Section 2.7, substantially in the form of Exhibit F, with
appropriate insertions.
"Notice of Conversion/Continuation" means a notice given by any
Borrower to Agent in accordance with Section 2.8, substantially in the form of
Exhibit G, with appropriate insertions.
"Obligations" means, with respect to any Borrower, all loans, advances,
liabilities and obligations for monetary amounts owing by such Borrower to any
Lender or Agent, whether due or to become due, matured or unmatured, liquidated
or unliquidated, contingent or non-contingent, and all covenants and duties
regarding such amounts, of any kind or nature, arising under any of the Loan
Documents. This term includes, without limitation, all principal, interest
(including interest that accrues after the commencement of a case or proceeding
against such Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code), fees, including, without
limitation, any and all prepayment fees, facility fees, commitment fees,
arrangement fees, agent fees and attorneys' fees and any and all other fees,
expenses, costs or other sums chargeable to such Borrower under any of the Loan
Documents.
"Operating Agreement" means the Fifth Amended and Restated Operating
Agreement of Income Fund I, entered into as of January 24, 1995.
"Opinion of Counsel" means the favorable written legal opinion of Susan
Santo, general counsel of FSI, on behalf of FSI for itself and as the sole
general partner or managing member, as applicable, of each Borrower,
substantially in the form of Exhibit D.
"Other Taxes" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14.2.
"Overadvance" has the meaning set forth in Sections 2.1.1(a)(iii) and
(iv).
"Owner Trustee" means any Person acting in the capacity of (a) a
trustee for any owner trust or (b) a nominee entity, in each case holding title
to any Eligible Inventory pursuant to a trust or similar agreement with any
Borrower or FSI.
"PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and any successor
thereto.
"Pension Plan" means, with respect to any Borrower, any employee
pension benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, that is maintained
for the employees of such Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries or any
ERISA Affiliate of such Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries, other than a
Multiemployer Plan.
"Permitted Liens" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.
"Permitted Rights of Others" means, as to any Property in which a
Person has an interest, (a) an option or right to acquire a Lien that would be a
Permitted Lien, (b) the reversionary interest of a lessor under a lease of such
Property and (c) an option or right of the lessee under a lease of such Property
to purchase such property at fair market value.
"Person" means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, joint
venture, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization,
association, corporation, institution, public benefit corporation, firm, joint
stock company, estate, entity or Governmental Authority.
"PLMI" means PLM International, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
"Potential Event of Default" means a condition or event which, after
notice or lapse of time or both, will constitute an Event of Default.
"Prepayment Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.2.
"Prime Rate" means, at any time, the rate of interest per annum
publicly announced from time to time by FUNB as its prime rate. Each change in
the Prime Rate shall be effective as of the opening of business on the day such
change in the Prime Rate occurs. The parties hereto acknowledge that the rate
announced publicly by FUNB as its Prime Rate is an index or base rate and shall
not necessarily be its lowest rate charged to FUNB's customers or other banks.
"Prime Rate Loan" means any borrowing which bears interest at a rate
determined with reference to the Prime Rate.
"Property" means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether
real, personal or mixed, whether tangible or intangible.
"Pro Rata Share" means, for any Lender, the proportion such Lender's
Commitment with respect to the Facility has to the aggregate of all Commitments
with respect to the Facility.
"Public Utility Holding Company Act" means the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 1935, as amended (15 U.S.C. ss. 79 et seq.) as the same shall be
in effect from time to time, and any successor statute thereto.
"Railcar" means all railroad rolling stock, including, without
limitation, all coal, timber, plastic pellet, tank, hopper, flat and box cars
and locomotives.
"Reaffirmation of Guaranty" means the Acknowledgement and Reaffirmation
of Guaranty, dated as of November 3, 1997, executed by each of FSI and PMI in
favor of Lenders reaffirming its obligations under its respective Guaranty.
"Regulations G, T, U and X" means, collectively, Regulations G, T, U
and X adopted by the Federal Reserve Board (12 C.F.R. Parts 207, 220, 221 and
224, respectively) and any other regulation in substance substituted therefor.
"Requesting Borrower" means any Borrower requesting a Loan pursuant to
Section 2.1.1.
"Requirement of Law" means, as to any Person, any law (statutory or
common), treaty, rule, regulation, guideline or determination of an arbitrator
or of a Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon the
Person or any of its property or to which the Person or any of its property is
subject.
"Requisite Lenders" means any combination of Lenders whose combined Pro
Rata Share (and voting interest with respect thereto) of all amounts outstanding
under this Agreement, or, in the event there are no amounts outstanding, the
Commitments, is greater than sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of all
such amounts outstanding or the total Commitments, as the case may be; provided,
however, that in the event there are only two (2) Lenders, Requisite Lenders
means both Lenders.
"Responsible Officer" means for (i) FSI, any of the President,
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary or Corporate
Controller of FSI having authority to request Advances or perform other duties
required hereunder, and (ii) Borrowers, any of the President, Executive Vice
President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary or Corporate Controller of FSI as
the sole general partner of EGF V, EGF VI or EGF VII, as the case may be, or
sole manager of Income Fund I, in each case having authority to request Advances
or perform other duties required hereunder
"SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission and any successor
thereto.
"Solvent" means, as to any Person at any time, that (a) the fair value
of the Property of such Person is greater than the amount of such Person's
liabilities (including disputed, contingent and unliquidated liabilities) as
such value is established and liabilities evaluated for purposes of Section
101(31) of the Bankruptcy Code; (b) the present fair saleable value of the
Property in an orderly liquidation of such Person is not less than the amount
that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts
as they become absolute and matured; (c) such Person is able to realize upon its
Property and pay its debts and other liabilities (including disputed, contingent
and unliquidated liabilities) as they mature in the normal course of business;
(d) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur
debts or liabilities beyond such Person's ability to pay as such debts and
liabilities mature; and (e) such Person is not engaged in business or a
transaction, and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which
such Person's property would constitute unreasonably small capital.
"Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, any corporation,
association, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity
(other than Equipment Growth Funds) of which an aggregate of fifty percent
(50.0%) or more of the beneficial interest (in the case of a partnership) or
fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding stock, units or other voting
interest having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the directors,
managers or trustees of such Person (irrespective of whether, at the time, the
stock, units or other voting interest of any other class or classes of such
Person shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any
contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned legally or
beneficially by such Person and/or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.
"Taxes" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14.1.
"TEC" means PLM Transportation Equipment Corporation, a California
corporation and a wholly-owned Subsidiary of FSI.
"TEC AcquiSub" means TEC AcquiSub, Inc., a California special purpose
corporation and a wholly-owned Subsidiary of TEC.
"TEC AcquiSub Agreement" means the Second Amended and Restated
Warehousing Credit Agreement dated as of November 3, 1997, by and among TEC
AcquiSub, Lenders and Agent, and as the same may from time to time be further
amended, modified, supplemented, renewed, extended or restated.
"Termination Event" means, with respect to any Borrower, (a) a
"reportable event" described in Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations issued
thereunder (other than a reportable event not subject to the provision for
30-day notice to the PBGC under such regulations), or (b) the withdrawal of such
Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates from
a Pension Plan during a plan year in which any of them was a "substantial
employer" as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA, or (c) the filing of a
notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan or the treatment of a Pension Plan
amendment as a termination under Section 4041 of ERISA, or (d) the institution
of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan by the PBGC, or (e) any other event
or condition which might constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the
termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan.
"Trailer" means (a) vehicles having a minimum length of twenty (20)
feet used in trailer or freight car service and constructed for the transport of
commodities or containers from point to point and (b) associated equipment.
"UCC" means the Uniform Commercial Code as the same may, from time to
time, be in effect in the State of North Carolina; provided, however, in the
event that, by reason of mandatory provisions of law, any and all of the
attachment, perfection or priority of the Lien of Agent, on behalf of Lenders,
in and to any collateral is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect
in a jurisdiction other than the State of North Carolina, the term "UCC" shall
mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such other jurisdiction for
purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such attachment, perfection or
priority and for purposes of definitions related to such provisions.
"Utilization Leases" means Leases for Equipment held for lease in
pooling or similar arrangements where the actual rental payments under such
Lease is based on and for the actual period of utilization of such item of
Equipment rather than the Lease term.
1.2 Accounting Terms. Any accounting term used in this Agreement shall
have, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, the meaning customarily
given such term in accordance with GAAP, and all financial data required to be
submitted by this Agreement shall be prepared and computed, unless otherwise
specifically provided herein, in accordance with GAAP. That certain terms or
computations are explicitly modified by the phrase "in accordance with GAAP"
shall in no way be construed to limit the foregoing. In the event that GAAP
changes during the term of this Agreement such that the covenants contained in
Section 7 would then be calculated in a different manner or with different
components, (a) the parties hereto agree to amend this Agreement in such
respects as are necessary to conform those covenants as criteria for evaluating
each Borrower's financial condition to substantially the same criteria as were
effective prior to such change in GAAP and (b) each Borrower shall be deemed to
be in compliance with the covenants contained in the aforesaid subsections
during the sixty (60) day period following any such change in GAAP if and to the
extent that each Borrower would have been in compliance therewith under GAAP as
in effect immediately prior to such change.
1.3 Other Terms. All other undefined terms contained in this Agreement
shall, unless the context indicates otherwise, have the meanings provided for by
the UCC to the extent the same are used or defined therein. The words "herein,"
"hereof" and "hereunder" and other words of similar import refer to this
Agreement as a whole, including the Exhibits and Schedules hereto, all of which
are by this reference incorporated into this Agreement, as the same may from
time to time be amended, modified or supplemented, and not to any particular
section, subsection or clause contained in this Agreement. The term "including"
shall not be limiting or exclusive, unless specifically indicated to the
contrary. The term "or" is disjunctive; the term "and" is conjunctive. The term
"shall" is mandatory; the term "may" is permissive. Wherever from the context it
appears appropriate, each term stated in either the singular or plural shall
include the singular and plural, and pronouns stated in the masculine, feminine
or neuter gender shall include the masculine, feminine and the neuter.
1.4 Schedules And Exhibits. Any reference to a "Section," "Subsection,"
"Exhibit," or "Schedule" shall refer to the relevant Section or Subsection of or
Exhibit or Schedule to this Agreement, unless specifically indicated to the
contrary.
SECTION 2. AMOUNT AND TERMS OF CREDIT.
2.1 Commitment To Lend.
2.1.1 Revolving Facility. Subject to the terms and conditions
of this Agreement and in reliance upon the representations and warranties of
Borrowers set forth herein, Lenders hereby agree to make Advances (as defined
below) of immediately available funds to Borrowers, on a revolving basis, from
the Closing Date until the Business Day immediately preceding the Commitment
Termination Date, in the aggregate principal amount outstanding at any time not
to exceed the lesser of (a the total Commitments for the Facility less the
aggregate principal amount then outstanding under the TEC AcquiSub Agreement and
under the AFG Agreement or (b) for any one Borrower, its respective Borrowing
Base, or (c) $35,000,000 (such lesser amount being the "Maximum Availability"),
as more fully set forth in this Section 2.1.1. The obligation of Borrowers to
repay the Advances made to any Borrower shall be several but not joint.
(a) Facility Commitments.
(i) On the Funding Date requested by any Borrower (the "Requesting
Borrower"), after such Borrower shall have satisfied all applicable conditions
precedent set forth in Section 3, each Lender shall advance immediately
available funds to Agent (each such advance being an "Advance") evidencing such
Lender's Pro Rata Share of a loan ("Loan"). Agent shall immediately advance such
immediately available funds to such Borrower at the Designated Deposit Account
(or such other deposit account at FUNB or such other financial institution as to
which such Borrower and Agent shall agree at least three (3) Business Days prior
to the requested Funding Date) on the Funding Date with respect to such Loan.
The Requesting Borrower shall pay interest accrued on the Loan at the rates and
in the manner set forth in Section 2.1.1(b). Subject to the terms and conditions
of this Agreement, the unpaid principal amount of each Loan and all unpaid
interest accrued thereon, together with all other fees, expenses, costs and
other sums chargeable to the Requesting Borrower incurred in connection
therewith shall be due and payable no later than the Maturity Date of such Loan.
Each Loan advanced hereunder by each Lender shall be evidenced by the Requesting
Borrower's revolving promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit A
(each a "Note").
(ii) The obligation of Lenders to make any Loan from time to time
hereunder shall be limited to the then applicable Maximum Availability. For the
purpose of determining the amount of the Borrowing Base available at any one
time, the amount available shall be the total amount of the Borrowing Base as
set forth in the Borrowing Base Certificate delivered to Agent pursuant to
Section 3.2.1 with respect to such requested Loan. Nothing contained in this
Agreement shall under any circumstance be deemed to require any Lender to make
any Advance under the Facility which, in the aggregate principal amount, either
(1) taking into account such Lender's portion of the principal amounts
outstanding under this Agreement and the making of such Advance, exceeds the
lesser of (A) such Lender's Commitment for the Facility and (B) such Lender's
Pro Rata Share of the Requesting Borrower's Borrowing Base, or (2) taking into
account such Lender's portion of the aggregate principal amounts outstanding
under this Agreement, under the TEC AcquiSub Agreement, under the AFG Agreement
and the making of such Advance, exceeds such Lender's Commitment for the
Facility.
If at any time and for any reason the aggregate principal amount of the
Loan(s) then outstanding to any Borrower shall exceed the Maximum
Availability for such Borrower (the amount of such excess, if any,
being an "Overadvance"), such Borrower shall immediately repay the full
amount of such Overadvance, together with all interest accrued thereon;
provided, however, that if such Overadvance occurs solely as a result
of a decrease in the amount of the Borrowing Base due solely to a
decrease in the computation of the Borrowing Base under clause (b), as
set forth on a Borrowing Base Certificate delivered to Agent pursuant
to Section 5.1.3, then, to the extent of such decrease, such Borrower
shall not be required under this Section 2.1.1(a)(iii) to prepay such
Overadvance but Lenders shall have no obligation to make or fund any
Loans hereunder so long as such Overadvance condition shall remain in
effect.
Amounts borrowed by Borrowers under this Facility may be repaid and,
prior to the Commitment Termination Date and subject to the applicable terms and
conditions precedent to borrowings hereunder, reborrowed; provided, however,
that no Loan shall have a Maturity Date which is later than the Commitment
Termination Date and no LIBOR Loan shall have an Interest Period ending after
the Maturity Date.
Each request for a Loan hereunder shall constitute a reaffirmation by
the Requesting Borrower and the Responsible Officer requesting the same
that the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement are
true, correct and complete in all material respects to the same extent
as though made on and as of the date of the request, except to the
extent such representations and warranties specifically relate to an
earlier date, in which event they shall be true, correct and complete
in all material respects as of such earlier date.
(b) Each Loan. Each Loan made by Lenders hereunder shall, at the
Requesting Borrower's option in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, be
either in the form of a Prime Rate Loan or a LIBOR Loan. Subject to the terms
and conditions of this Agreement, each Loan shall bear interest on the sum of
the unpaid principal balance thereof outstanding on each day from the date when
made, continued or converted until such Loan shall have been fully repaid at a
rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate, as the same may fluctuate on a daily
basis, or the Adjusted LIBOR, as the case may be, plus the Applicable Margin.
Interest on each Loan funded hereunder shall be due and payable by the
Requesting Borrower in arrears on each Interest Payment Date, with all accrued
but unpaid interest on such Loan being due and payable on the date such Loan is
repaid, whether by prepayment or at maturity, and with all accrued but unpaid
interest being due and payable by the Requesting Borrower on the Maturity Date
for such Loan.
Each Advance made by a Lender as part of a Loan hereunder and all
repayments of principal with respect to such Advance shall be evidenced by
notations made by such Lender on the books and records of such Lender; provided,
however, that the failure by such Lender to make such notations shall not limit
or otherwise affect the obligations of any Borrower with respect to the
repayments of principal or payments of interest on any Advance or Loan. The
aggregate unpaid amount of each Advance set forth on the books and records of a
Lender shall be presumptive evidence of such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the
principal amount owing and unpaid by any Borrower under its Note.
2.1.2 Funding. Promptly following the receipt of such documents
required pursuant to Section 3.2.1 and approval of a Loan by the Agent, Agent
shall notify by telephone, telecopier, facsimile or telex each Lender of the (a)
Requesting Borrower, (b) the principal amount (including Lender's Pro Rata Share
thereof) and (c) Funding Date of the Loan requested by such Requesting Borrower.
Not later than 1:00 p.m., North Carolina time, on the Funding Date for any Loan,
each Lender shall make an Advance to Agent for the account of Requesting
Borrower in the amount of its Pro Rata Share of the Loan being requested. Upon
satisfaction of the applicable conditions precedent set forth in Section 3, all
Advances shall be credited in immediately available funds to the Designated
Deposit Account.
2.1.3 Utilization Of The Loans. The Loans made under the Facility may
be used solely for the purpose of acquiring the specific items of Equipment.
2.2 Repayment And Prepayment.
2.2.1 Repayment. Unless prepaid pursuant to Section 2.2.2, the
principal amount of each Loan hereunder made to a Requesting Borrower shall be
repaid by the Requesting Borrower to Lenders not later than the Maturity Date of
such Loan.
2.2.2 Voluntary Prepayment. Subject to Section 2.18, any Borrower may
in the ordinary course of such Borrower's business, upon at least three (3)
Business Days' written notice, or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in
writing to Agent, which notice shall be irrevocable, prepay any Loan in whole or
in part. Such notice of prepayment shall specify the date and amount of such
prepayment and whether such prepayment is of Prime Rate Loans or LIBOR Loans, or
any combination thereof. Such prepayment of Loans, together with any amounts
required pursuant to Section 2.18, shall be in immediately available funds and
delivered to Agent not later than 1:00 p.m., North Carolina time, on the date
for prepayment stated in such notice (the "Prepayment Date"). With respect to
any prepayment under this Section 2.2.2, all interest on the amount prepaid
accrued up to but excluding the date of such prepayment shall be due and payable
on the Prepayment Date.
2.2.3 Mandatory Prepayments.
(a) In the event that any item of Eligible Inventory shall be sold or
assigned by any Borrower or any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower, or the
ownership interests (whether Stock or otherwise) of any Borrower in any Marine
Subsidiary of such Borrower owning record or beneficial title to any item of
Eligible Inventory shall be sold or transferred, then such Borrower shall
immediately prepay the Loan made with respect to such Eligible Inventory so sold
or assigned or with respect to the Eligible Inventory owned by such Marine
Subsidiary so sold or transferred, together with any accrued interest on such
Loan to the date of prepayment and any amounts required pursuant to Section
2.18. The sale or assignment of Eligible Inventory by an Owner Trustee, or the
sale or assignment of any Borrower's or any Marine Subsidiary's beneficial
interest in any owner trust (or nominee entity) holding title to Eligible
Inventory, shall be considered a sale or assignment, as the case may be, of such
Eligible Inventory by such Borrower or such Marine Subsidiary, as the case may
be.
(b) In the event that any of the Eligible Inventory shall have
sustained a Casualty Loss, the applicable Borrower shall promptly notify Agent
and Lenders of such Casualty Loss and make arrangements reasonably acceptable to
the Agent to cause any and all cash proceeds received by such Borrower to be
paid to Lenders as a prepayment hereunder. To the extent not so prepaid, the
Loan funded with respect to such Eligible Inventory will nevertheless be paid by
such Borrower as provided in Section 2.2.1.
2.3 Calculation Of Interest; Post-Maturity Interest. Interest on the
Loans shall be computed on the basis of a 365/366-day year for all Prime Rate
Loans and a 360-day year for all LIBOR Loans and the actual number of days
elapsed in the period during which such interest accrues. In computing interest
on any Loan, the date of the making of such Loan shall be included and the date
of payment shall be excluded. Each change in the interest rate of Prime Rate
Loans based on changes in the Prime Rate and each change in the Adjusted LIBOR
based on changes in the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage shall be effective on the
effective date of such change and to the extent of such change. Agent shall give
Borrowers notice of any such change in the Prime Rate; provided, however, that
any failure by Agent to provide Borrowers with notice hereunder shall not affect
Agent's right to make changes in the interest rate of any Loan based on changes
in the Prime Rate. Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any Event
of Default under this Agreement, Advances under this Agreement will, at the
option of Requisite Lenders, bear interest at a rate per annum which is
determined by adding two percent (2.00%) to the Applicable Margin for such Loan
(the "Default Rate"). This may result in the compounding of interest. The
imposition of a Default Rate will not constitute a waiver of any Event of
Default.
2.4 Manner Of Payments. All repayments or prepayments of principal and
all payments of interest, fees, costs, expenses and other sums chargeable to
Borrowers under this Agreement, the Notes or any of the other Loan Documents
shall be in lawful money of the United States of America in immediately
available funds and delivered to Agent, for the account of Lenders, not later
than 1:00 p.m., North Carolina time, on the date due at First Union National
Bank of North Carolina, One First Union Center, 301 South College Street,
Charlotte, North Carolina 28288, Attention: Hannah Carmody, or such other place
as shall have been designated in writing by Agent.
2.5 Payment On Non-Business Days. Whenever any payment to be made under
this Agreement, the Note or any of the other Loan Documents shall be stated to
be due on a day which is not a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the
next succeeding Business Day and such extension of time shall in such case be
included in the computation of the payment of interest thereon; provided,
however, that no Loan shall have remained outstanding after the Maturity Date of
such Loan.
2.6 Application Of Payments. All payments to or for the benefit of
Lenders hereunder shall be applied to the Obligations of any Borrower making
payment in the following order: (a) then due and payable fees as set forth in
Section 2.1.1(a)(i) and, at the direction of such Borrower or upon prior notice
given to such Borrower by Agent, other then due and payable fees, expenses and
costs; (b) then due and payable interest payments and mandatory prepayments; and
(c) then due and payable principal payments and optional prepayments; provided
that if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, Lenders shall
have the exclusive right to apply any and all such payments against the then due
and owing Obligations of such Borrower as Lenders may deem advisable. To the
extent any Borrower fails to make payment required hereunder or under any of the
other Loan Documents, each Lender is authorized to, and at its sole option may,
make such payments on behalf of such Borrower. To the extent permitted by law,
all amounts advanced by any Lender hereunder or under other provisions of the
Loan Documents shall accrue interest at the same rate as Loans hereunder.
s2.7 Procedure For The Borrowing Of Loans.
2.7.1 Notice Of Borrowing. Each borrowing of Loans shall be made upon
any Requesting Borrower's irrevocable written notice delivered to Agent in the
form of a Notice of Borrowing, executed by a Responsible Person of such
Requesting Borrower, with appropriate insertions (which Notice of Borrowing must
be received by Lender prior to 12:00 noon, Charlotte, North Carolina time, three
(3) Business Days prior to the requested Funding Date) specifying:
(a) the amount of the requested borrowing, which, if a LIBOR Loan is
requested, shall be not less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000);
(b) the requested Funding Date, which shall be a Business Day;
(c) whether the borrowing is to be comprised of one or more LIBOR Loans
or Prime Rate Loans; and
(d) the duration of the Interest Period applicable to any such LIBOR
Loans included in such Notice of Borrowing. If the Notice of Borrowing shall
fail to specify the duration of the Interest Period for any borrowing comprised
of LIBOR Loans, such Interest Period shall be three (3) months.
2.7.2 Unavailability Of LIBOR Loans. Unless Agent shall otherwise
consent, during the existence of an Event of Default or Potential Event of
Default, Borrowers may not elect to have a Loan made as a LIBOR Loan.
2.8 Conversion And Continuation Elections.
2.8.1 Election. Each Borrower may, upon irrevocable written notice to
Agent:
(a) elect to convert on any Business Day, any Prime Rate Loan (or any
portion thereof in an amount equal to at least One Million Dollars ($1,000,000))
into a LIBOR Loan; or
(b) elect to convert on any Interest Payment Date any LIBOR Loan
maturing on such Interest Payment Date (or any portion thereof) into a Prime
Rate Loan; or
(c) elect to continue on any Interest Payment Date any LIBOR Loan
maturing on such Interest Payment Date (or any portion thereof in an amount
equal to at least One Million Dollars ($1,000,000));
provided, that if the aggregate amount of LIBOR Loans outstanding to such
Borrower shall have been reduced, by payment, prepayment, or conversion of
portion thereof, to be less than $1,000,000, such LIBOR Loans shall
automatically convert into Prime Rate Loans, and on and after such date the
right of such Borrower to continue such Loans as, and convert such Loans into,
LIBOR Loans shall terminate.
2.8.2 Notice Of Conversion. Each conversion or continuation of Loans
shall be made upon any Borrower's irrevocable written notice delivered to Agent
in the form of a Notice of Conversion/Continuation, executed by a Responsible
Person of such Borrower, with appropriate insertions (which Notice of
Conversion/Continuation must be received by Lender prior to 12:00 noon,
Charlotte, North Carolina time, at least three (3) Business Days in advance of
the proposed conversion date or continuation date specifying:
(a) the proposed conversion date or continuation date;
(b) the aggregate amount of Loans to be converted or continued;
(c) the nature of the proposed conversion or continuation; and
(d) the duration of the requested Interest Period.
2.8.3 Interest Period. If upon the expiration of any Interest Period
applicable to any LIBOR Loan, the Requesting Borrower has failed to select a new
Interest Period to be applicable to such LIBOR Loan, such Borrower shall be
deemed to have elected to convert such LIBOR Loan into a Prime Rate Loan
effective as of the last day of such current Interest Period.
2.8.4 Unavailability Of LIBOR Loans. Unless Agent shall otherwise
consent, during the existence of an Event of Default or Potential Event of
Default, Borrowers may not elect to have a Loan converted into or continued as a
LIBOR Loan.
2.9 Discretion Of Lenders As To Manner Of Funding2.9 Discretion Of
Lenders As To Manner Of Funding. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement
to the contrary, each Lender shall be entitled to fund and maintain its funding
of all or any part of its LIBOR Loans in any manner it elects, it being
understood, however, that for the purposes of this Agreement all determinations
hereunder shall be made as if such Lender actually funded and maintained each
LIBOR Loan through the purchase of deposits having a maturity corresponding to
the maturity of the LIBOR Loan and bearing an interest rate equal to the LIBOR
rate (whether or not, in any instance, Lender shall have granted any
participations in such Loan). Each Lender may, if it so elects, fulfill any
commitment to make LIBOR Loans by causing a foreign branch or affiliate to make
or continue such LIBOR Loans; provided, however, that in such event such Loans
shall be deemed for the purposes of this Agreement to have been made by such
Lender, and the obligation of Borrowers to repay such Loans shall nevertheless
be to such Lender and shall be deemed held by such Lender, to the extent of such
Loans, for the account of such branch or affiliate.
2.10 Distribution Of Payments2.10 Distribution Of Payments. Agent shall
immediately distribute to each Lender, at such address as each Lender shall
designate, its respective interest in all repayments and prepayments of
principal and all payments of interest and all fees, expenses and costs received
by Agent on the same day and in the same type of funds as payment was received.
In the event Agent does not distribute such payments on the same day received,
if such payments are received by Agent by 1:00 p.m., North Carolina time, or if
received after such time, on the next succeeding Business Day, such payment
shall accrue interest at the Federal Funds Rate.
2.11 Agent's Right To Assume Funds Available For Advances2.11 Agent's
Right To Assume Funds Available For Advances. Unless Agent shall have been
notified by any Lender no later than the Business Day prior to the respective
Funding Date of a Loan that such Lender does not intend to make available to
Agent an Advance in immediately available funds equal to such Lender's Pro Rata
Share of the total principal amount of such Loan, Agent may assume that such
Lender has made such Advance to Agent on the date of the Loan and Agent may, in
reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Requesting Borrower a
corresponding Advance. If Agent has made funds available to such Borrower based
on such assumption and such Advance is not in fact made to Agent by such Lender,
Agent shall be entitled to recover the corresponding amount of such Advance on
demand from such Lender. If such Lender does not promptly pay such corresponding
amount upon Agent's demand, Agent shall notify such Requesting Borrower and such
Requesting Borrower shall repay such Advance to Agent. Agent also shall be
entitled to recover from such Lender interest on such Advance in respect of each
day from the date such Advance was made by Agent to such Requesting Borrower to
the date such corresponding amount is recovered by Agent at the Federal Funds
Rate. Nothing in this Section 2.11 shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from
its obligation to fulfill its Commitment or to prejudice any rights which Agent
or such Requesting Borrower may have against such Lender as a result of any
default by such Lender under this Agreement.
2.12 Agent's Right To Assume Payments Will Be Made By Borrower2.12
Agent's Right To Assume Payments Will Be Made By Borrower. Unless Agent shall
have been notified by any Borrower prior to the date on which any payment to be
made by such Borrower hereunder is due that such Borrower does not intend to
remit such payment, Agent may, in its sole discretion, assume that such Borrower
has remitted such payment when so due and Agent may, in its sole discretion and
in reliance upon such assumption, make available to each Lender on such payment
date an amount equal to such Lender's Pro Rata Share of such assumed payment. If
such Borrower has not in fact remitted such payment to Agent, each Lender shall
forthwith on demand repay to Agent the amount of such assumed payment made
available to such Lender, together with interest thereon in respect of each date
from and including the date such amount was made available by Agent to such
Lender to the date such amount is repaid to Agent at the Federal Funds Rate.
2.13 Capital Requirements. If any Lender determines that compliance
with any law or regulation or with any guideline or request from any central
bank or other Governmental Authority (whether or not having the force of law)
has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on the capital of
such Lender or any corporation controlling such Lender as a consequence of, or
with reference to, such Lender's Commitment or its making or maintaining its Pro
Rata Share of the Loans below the rate which such Lender or such other
corporation could have achieved but for such compliance (taking into account the
policies of such Lender or corporation with regard to capital), then each
Borrower shall, from time to time, upon written demand by such Lender (with a
copy of such demand to Agent), immediately pay to such Lender (a) such
additional amounts as shall be sufficient to compensate such Lender or other
corporation for such reduction resulting from such Borrower's Loans or (b) in
the case where such reduction results from compliance with any such law,
regulation, guideline or request affecting only the Commitments and not the
Loans, such additional amounts as shall be sufficient to compensate such Lender
or other corporation for such reduction based on each Borrower's percentage of
average usage of the Commitments versus the total average usage by all
Borrowers. A certificate submitted by such Lender to any Borrower, stating that
the amounts set forth as payable to such Lender are true and correct, shall be
conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. Each Lender
agrees promptly to notify effected Borrowers and Agent of any circumstances that
would cause any Borrower to pay additional amounts pursuant to this section,
provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect Borrowers'
obligation to pay any such additional amounts.
2.14 Taxes.
2.14.1 No Deductions. Subject to Subsection 2.14.7, any and all
payments by each Borrower to each Lender or Agent under this Agreement shall be
made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for, any and all
present or future taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges or withholdings,
and all liabilities with respect thereto, excluding, in the case of each Lender
and Agent, such taxes (including income taxes or franchise taxes) as are imposed
on or measured by each Lender's net income (all such non-excluded taxes, levies,
imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities being hereinafter
referred to as "Taxes").
2.14.2 Miscellaneous Taxes. In addition, Borrowers shall pay any
present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property
taxes, charges or similar levies which arise from any payment made hereunder or
from the execution, delivery or registration of, or otherwise with respect to,
this Agreement or any other Loan Documents (hereinafter referred to as "Other
Taxes").
2.14.3 Indemnity. Subject to Subsection 2.14.7, each Borrower shall
indemnify and hold harmless each Lender and Agent for the full amount of Taxes
or Other Taxes (including any Taxes or Other Taxes imposed by any jurisdiction
on amounts payable under this Section 2.14) paid by such Lender or Agent in
relation to any payments made by or Obligations of such Borrower and any
liability (including penalties, interest, additions to tax and expenses) arising
therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes or Other Taxes were
correctly or legally asserted. Payment under this indemnification shall be made
within thirty (30) days from the date any Lender or Agent makes written demand
therefor.
2.14.4 Required Deductions. If any Borrower shall be required by law to
deduct or withhold any Taxes or Other Taxes from or in respect of any sum
payable hereunder to any Lender or Agent, then, subject to Subsection 2.14.7:
(a) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after
making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional
sums payable under this Section 2.14) such Lender or Agent, as the case may be,
receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such
deductions been made;
(b) such Borrower shall make such deductions, and
(c) such Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant
taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law.
2.14.5 Evidence of Payment. Within thirty (30) days after the date of
any payment by any Borrower of Taxes or Other Taxes, such Borrower shall furnish
to Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing payment
thereof, or other evidence of payment satisfactory to Agent.
2.14.6 Foreign Persons. Each Lender which is a foreign person (i.e., a
person other than a United States person for United States Federal income tax
purposes) shall:
(a) No later than the date upon which such Lender becomes a party
hereto deliver to Borrowers through Agent two (2) accurate and complete signed
originals of IRS Form 4224 or any successor thereto ("Form 4224"), or two
accurate and complete signed originals of IRS Form 1001 or any successor thereto
("Form 1001"), as appropriate, in each case indicating that such Lender is on
the date of delivery thereof entitled to receive payments of principal, interest
and fees under this Agreement free from withholding of United States Federal
income tax;
(b) If at any time such Lender makes any changes necessitating a new
Form 4224 or Form 1001, with reasonable promptness deliver to Borrowers through
Agent in replacement for, or in addition to, the forms previously delivered by
it hereunder, two accurate and complete signed originals of Form 4224; or two
accurate and complete signed originals of Form 1001, as appropriate, in each
case indicating that the Lender is on the date of delivery thereof entitled to
receive payments of principal, interest and fees under this Agreement free from
withholding of United States Federal income tax;
(c) Before or promptly after the occurrence of any event (including the
passing of time but excluding any event mentioned in (ii) above) requiring a
change in or renewal of the most recent Form 4224 or Form 1001 previously
delivered by such Lender, deliver to Borrowers through Agent two accurate and
complete original signed copies of Form 4224 or Form 1001 in replacement for the
forms previously delivered by the Lender; and
(d) Promptly upon any Borrower's or Agent's reasonable request to that
effect, deliver to such Borrower or Agent (as the case may be) such other forms
or similar documentation as may be required from time to time by any applicable
law, treaty, rule or regulation in order to establish such Lender's tax status
for withholding purposes.
2.14.7 Income Taxes. Borrowers will not be required to pay any
additional amounts in respect of United States Federal income tax pursuant to
Subsection 2.14.4 to Lender for the account of any Lending Office of such
Lender:
(a) If the obligation to pay such additional amounts would not have
arisen but for a failure by such Lender to comply with its obligations under
Subsection 2.14.6 in respect of such Lending Office;
(b) If such Lender shall have delivered to Borrowers a Form 4224 in
respect of such Lending Office pursuant to Subsection 2.14.6 and such Lender
shall not at any time be entitled to exemption from deduction or withholding of
United States Federal income tax in respect of payments by Borrowers hereunder
for the account of such Lending Office for any reason other than a change in
United States law or regulations or in the official interpretation of such law
or regulations by any Governmental Authority charged with the interpretation or
administration thereof (whether or not having the force of law) after the date
of delivery of such Form 4224; or
(c) If such Lender shall have delivered to Borrowers a Form 1001 in
respect of such Lending Office pursuant to Subsection 2.14.6, and such Lender
shall not at any time be entitled to exemption from deduction or withholding of
United States Federal income tax in respect of payments by Borrowers hereunder
for the account of such Lending Office for any reason other than a change in
United States law or regulations or any applicable tax treaty or regulations or
in the official interpretation of any such law, treaty or regulations by any
Governmental Authority charged with the interpretation or administration thereof
(whether or not having the force of law) after the date of delivery of such Form
1001.
2.14.8 Reimbursement Of Costs. If, at any time, any Borrower requests
any Lender to deliver any forms or other documentation pursuant to Subsection
2.14.6(a), then such Borrower shall, on demand of such Lender through Agent,
reimburse such Lender for any costs and expenses (including reasonable attorney
fees) reasonably incurred by such Lender in the preparation or delivery of such
forms or other documentation.
2.14.9 Jurisdiction. If any Borrower is required to pay additional
amounts to any Lender or Agent pursuant to Subsection 2.14.4, then such Lender
shall use its reasonable good faith efforts (consistent with legal and
regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Lending Office so as
to eliminate any such additional payment by such Borrower which may thereafter
accrue if such change, in the judgment of such Lender, is not otherwise
disadvantageous to such Lender.
2.15 Illegality.
2.15.1 LIBOR Loans. If any Lender shall determine that the introduction
of any Requirement of Law, or any change in any Requirement of Law or in the
interpretation or administration thereof, has made it unlawful, or that any
central bank or other Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful,
for such Lender or its Lending Office to make LIBOR Loans, then, on notice
thereof by Lender to the Requesting Borrower, the obligation of such Lender to
make LIBOR Loans shall be suspended until such Lender shall have notified the
Requesting Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no
longer exists.
2.15.2 Prepayment. If a Lender shall determine that it is unlawful to
maintain any LIBOR Loan, Borrowers shall prepay in full all LIBOR Loans of such
Lender then outstanding, together with interest accrued thereon, either on the
last day of the Interest Period thereof if such Lender may lawfully continue to
maintain such LIBOR Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not
lawfully continue to maintain such LIBOR Loans, together with any amounts
required to be paid in connection therewith pursuant to Section 2.18.
2.15.3 Prime Rate Borrowing. If any Borrower is required to prepay any
LIBOR Loan immediately as provided in Section 2.2.3, then concurrently with such
prepayment, such Borrower shall borrow, in the amount of such prepayment, a
Prime Rate Loan.
2.16 Increased Costs. If any Lender shall determine that, due to either
(a) the introduction of or any change (other than any change by way of
imposition of or increase in reserve requirements included in the calculation of
the LIBOR) in or in the interpretation of any Requirement of Law or (b) the
compliance with any guideline or request from any central bank or other
Governmental Authority (whether or not having the force of law), there shall be
any increase in the cost to such Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding
or maintaining any LIBOR Loans, then Borrowers shall be liable on a joint and
several basis for, and shall from time to time, upon demand therefor by such
Lender, pay to such Lender such additional amounts as are sufficient to
compensate such Lender for such increased costs.
2.17 Inability To Determine Rates. If Agent shall have determined that
for any reason adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the
LIBOR for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed LIBOR Loan or
that the LIBOR applicable for any requested Interest Period with respect to a
proposed LIBOR Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to Lenders
of funding such Loan, Agent will forthwith give notice of such determination to
Borrowers and each Lender. Thereafter, the obligation of Lenders to make or
maintain LIBOR Loans, as the case may be, hereunder shall be suspended until
Agent, upon instruction from Requisite Lenders, revokes such notice in writing.
Upon receipt of such notice, Borrowers may revoke any Notice of Borrowing or
Notice of Conversion/Continuation then submitted. If a Borrower does not revoke
such notice, Lenders shall make, convert or continue the Loans, as proposed by
such Borrower, in the amount specified in the applicable notice submitted by
such Borrower, but such Loans shall be made, converted or continued as Prime
Rate Loans instead of LIBOR Loans, as the case may be.
2.18 Prepayment Of LIBOR Loans. Each Borrower agrees, severally but not
jointly, that in the event that such Borrower prepays or is required to prepay
any LIBOR Loan by acceleration or otherwise or fails to draw down or convert to
a LIBOR Loan after giving notice thereof, it shall reimburse each Lender for its
funding losses due to such prepayment or failure to draw. Borrowers and Lenders
hereby agree that such funding losses shall consist of the sum of the discounted
monthly differences for each month during the applicable or requested Interest
Period, calculated as follows for each such month:
(a) Principal amount of such LIBOR Loan times (number of days between
the date of prepayment and the last day in the applicable Interest Period
divided by 360), times the applicable Interest Differential, plus
(b) all actual out-of-pocket expenses (other than those taken into
account in the calculation of the Interest Differential) incurred by Lenders and
Agent (excluding allocation of any expense internal to Lenders and Agent) and
reasonably attributable to such payment, prepayment or failure to draw down or
convert as described above; provided that no prepayment fee shall be payable
(and no credit or rebate shall be required) if the product of the foregoing
formula is not a positive number.
3. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE MAKING
OF LOANS.
3.1 Effectiveness of This Agreement. The effectiveness of this
Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
3.1.1 Partnership, Company And Corporate Documents. Agent shall have
received, in form and substance satisfactory to Lenders and their respective
counsel a certified copy of the records of all actions taken by each Borrower,
FSI and PLMI, including all resolutions of each Borrower and corporate
resolutions of FSI and PLMI, authorizing or relating to the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
3.1.2 Notes. Agent shall have received new Notes, in form and substance
satisfactory to Lenders, and duly executed and delivered by each Borrower, which
Notes shall replace and supersede the Notes issued by Borrowers to Agent
pursuant to the Growth Fund Agreement.
3.1.3 Opinion Of Counsel. Agent shall have received an originally
executed Opinion of Counsel, in form and substance satisfactory to Lenders,
dated as of the Closing Date and addressed to Lenders, together with copies of
any officer's certificate or legal opinion of other counsel or law firm
specifically identified and expressly relied upon by such counsel.
3.1.4 Reaffirmation of Guaranty. Agent shall have received the
Reaffirmation of Guaranty, in form and substance satisfactory to Lenders, duly
executed and delivered by PLMI.
3.1.5 TEC AcquiSub Amendment. Agent shall have received the TEC
AcquiSub Agreement, duly executed and delivered by TEC AcquiSub, and all
conditions precedent to the effectiveness of the TEC AcquiSub Agreement shall
have been satisfied.
3.1.6 AFG Agreement. Agent shall have received the AFG Agreement, duly
executed and delivered by AFG, and all conditions precedent to the effectiveness
of the AFG Agreement shall have been satisfied.
3.1.7 Bringdown Certificate. Separate certificates, dated as of the
Closing Date, of the Chief Financial Officer or Corporate Controller of FSI, in
its capacity as the sole general partner of EGF V, EGF VI and EGF VII and as the
sole manager of Income Fund I, to the effect that (i) the representations and
warranties of each Borrower contained in Section 4 are true, accurate and
complete in all material respects as of the Closing Date as though made on such
date and (ii) no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default under this
Agreement has occurred.
3.1.8 Fees. Agent shall have received the Agent's Side Letter and BMO
shall have received the Lender's Side Letter, each duly executed by Borrowers,
TEC AcquiSub and AFG, and Agent and BMO shall have received the fees described
in the Agent's Side Letter and Lender's Side Letter, respectively.
3.1.9 Other Documents. Agent shall have received such other documents,
information and items from Borrowers and FSI as reasonably requested by Agent.
3.2 All Loans3.2 All Loans. Unless waived in writing by Requisite Lenders, the
obligation of any Lender to make any Advance is subject to the satisfaction of
the following further conditions precedent:
3.2.1 Notice Of Borrowing. At least three (3) Business Days before each
Loan hereunder with respect to any acquisition of Equipment by any Borrower,
Agent shall have received (i) Notice of Borrowing and (ii) a Borrowing Base
Certificate, with appropriate insertions, executed by the Chief Financial
Officer or Corporate Controller of such Borrower.
3.2.2 No Event Of Default. No event shall have occurred and be
continuing or would result from the making of any Loan on such Funding Date
which constitutes an Event of Default or Potential Event of Default under this
Agreement or under (and as separately defined in) the TEC AcquiSub Agreement or
under (and as separately defined in) the AFG Agreement, or which with notice or
lapse of time or both would constitute an Event of Default or Potential Event of
Default under this Agreement or under the TEC AcquiSub Agreement or the AFG
Agreement.
3.2.3 Representations And Warranties. All representations and
warranties contained in the Loan Documents shall be true, accurate and complete
in all material respects with the same effect as though such representations and
warranties had been made on and as of such Funding Date (except to the extent
such representations and warranties specifically relate to an earlier date, in
which case they shall be true, accurate and complete in all material respects as
of such earlier date).
3.2.4 Insurance. The insurance required to be maintained by such
Borrower pursuant to the Loan Documents shall be in full force and effect.
3.2.5 Other Instruments. Agent shall have received such other
instruments and documents as it may have reasonably requested from Borrowers in
connection with the Loans to be made on such date.
3.3 Further Conditions To All Loans. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in this Agreement, unless waived in writing by Requisite
Lenders, no Lender shall have any obligation hereunder to make any Advance if
any of the following events shall occur:
3.3.1 General Partner Or Manager. FSI shall have ceased to be the sole
general partner of any of EGF V, EGF VI or EGF VII or the sole manager of Income
Fund I, whether due to the voluntary or involuntary withdrawal, substitution,
removal or transfer of FSI from or of all or any portion of FSI's general
partnership interest or capital contribution in such Borrower.
3.3.2 Removal Of General Partner Or Manager. Twenty five percent
(25.0%) or more of the limited partners (measured by such partners' percentage
interest) of any Equipment Growth Fund shall at any time vote to remove FSI as
the general partner of such Equipment Growth Fund or a majority in interest of
Class A members, as that term is defined in the Operating Agreement, of Income
Fund I shall at any time vote to remove FSI as manager of Income Fund I, in each
case, regardless of whether FSI is actually removed.
3.3.3 Purchaser. Requesting Borrower, TEC AcquiSub, FSI or their
Subsidiaries shall have ceased to be the purchaser of Eligible Inventory for
such Requesting Borrower.
4. BORROWERS' AND FSI'S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
4.1 General Representations And Warranties. Each Borrower, severally,
as to itself, but not jointly as to the other Borrowers and FSI, and FSI,
jointly and severally with each Borrower as to each such Borrower and as to
itself, hereby warrant and represent to Agent and each Lender as follows, and
agree that each of said warranties and representations shall be deemed to
continue until full, complete and indefeasible payment and performance of the
Obligations and shall apply anew to each borrowing hereunder:
4.1.1 Existence And Power. Each Borrower is a limited partnership or,
in the case of Income Fund I, a limited liability company, and FSI is a
corporation, each duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under
the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and is duly qualified and
licensed as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as
applicable, and authorized to do business in each jurisdiction within the United
States where its ownership of Property and assets or conduct of business
requires such qualification. Each Borrower and FSI has the power and authority,
rights and franchises to own their Property and assets and to carry on their
businesses as now conducted. Each Borrower and FSI has the power and authority
to execute and deliver the Loan Documents (to the extent each is a party
thereto) and all other instruments and documents contemplated hereby or thereby.
4.1.2 Loan Documents And Notes Authorized; Binding Obligations. The
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and each of the other Loan
Documents to which any Borrower is a party and delivery and payment of such
Borrower's respective Note have been duly authorized by all necessary and proper
action on the part of such Borrower. The execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents to which FSI is a party have
been duly authorized by all necessary and proper corporate action on the part of
FSI. The Loan Documents constitute legally valid and binding obligations of each
Borrower and FSI, as the case may be, enforceable against each Borrower and FSI,
to the extent any one of them is a party thereto, in accordance with their
respective terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency or other laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights
generally.
4.1.3 No Conflict; Legal Compliance. (a) The execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement, and each of the other Loan Documents and the
execution, delivery and payment of the Notes will not: (i) contravene any
provision of FSI's certificate of incorporation or bylaws; (ii) contravene any
provision of any Borrowers' Limited Partnership Agreements or, in the case of
Income Fund I, Operating Agreement or other formation or organization document;
or (iii) contravene, conflict with or violate any applicable law or regulation,
or any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any
Governmental Authority, which contravention, conflict or violation, in the
aggregate, may have Material Adverse Effect; and (b) the execution and delivery
of this Agreement, and each of the other Loan Documents and the execution and
delivery of the Notes will not violate or result in the breach of, or constitute
a default under any indenture or other loan or credit agreement, or other
agreement or instrument which are, in the aggregate, material and to which any
Borrower or FSI is a party or by which any Borrower, FSI or their Property and
assets may be bound or affected. Neither any Borrower nor FSI is in violation or
breach of or default under any law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment,
injunction, decree, determination or award or any contract, agreement, lease,
license, indenture or other instrument to which any one of them is a party, the
non-compliance with, the violation or breach of or the default under which
would, with reasonable likelihood, have a Material Adverse Effect.
4.1.4 Financial Condition. Each Borrower's and FSI's audited
consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 1996 and Borrowers' and
FSI's unaudited consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 1997, copies of
which heretofore have been delivered to Agent by such Borrower and FSI,
respectively, and all other financial statements and other data submitted in
writing by any Borrower and FSI to Agent or any Lender in connection with the
request for credit granted by this Agreement, are true, accurate and complete in
all material respects, and said financial statements and other data fairly
present the consolidated financial condition of such Borrower and FSI, as of the
date thereof, and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, subject to fiscal
year-end audit adjustments. There has been no material adverse change in the
business, properties or assets, operations, prospects, profitability or
financial or other condition of any Borrower or FSI since December 31, 1996.
4.1.5 Executive Offices. The current location of each Borrower's and
FSI's chief executive offices and principal places of business is set forth on
Schedule 4.1.5.
4.1.6 Litigation. Except as disclosed on Schedule 4.1.6, there are no
claims, actions, suits, proceedings or other litigation pending or, to the best
of each Borrower's and FSI's knowledge, after due inquiry, threatened against
any Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries, including, without limitation,
TEC AcquiSub, at law or in equity before any Governmental Authority or, to the
best of each Borrower's and FSI's knowledge, after due inquiry, any
investigation by any Governmental Authority of any Borrower's or FSI's or any of
FSI's Subsidiaries', including, without limitation, TEC AcquiSub's, affairs,
Properties or assets which would, with reasonable likelihood, if adversely
determined, have a Material Adverse Effect. Other than any liability incident to
the litigation or proceedings disclosed on Schedule 4.1.6, neither any Borrower,
nor FSI nor any of FSI's Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, TEC
AcquiSub, has any Contingent Obligations which are not provided for or disclosed
in the financial statements delivered to Agent pursuant to Sections 4.1.4 and
5.1.
4.1.7 Material Contracts. Schedule 4.1.7 lists all currently effective
contracts and agreements (whether written or oral) to which each Borrower is a
party and which (i) could involve the payment or receipt by such Borrower after
the date of this Agreement of more than $250,000 or (ii) otherwise materially
affect the business, operations or financial condition of any Borrower (the
"Material Contracts"). Except as disclosed on Schedule 4.1.7, there are no
material defaults under any such Material Contract by any Borrower, to the best
of each Borrower's knowledge, by any other party to any such Material Contract.
Each Borrower has delivered to Agent true and correct copies of all such
contracts or agreements (or, with respect to oral contracts or agreements,
written descriptions of the material terms thereof).
4.1.8 Consents And Approvals. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.1.8,
all consents and approvals of, filings and registrations with, and other actions
in respect of, all Governmental Authorities required to be obtained by any
Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries in order to make or consummate the
transactions contemplated under the Loan Documents have been, or prior to the
time when required will have been, obtained, given, filed or taken and are or
will be in full force and effect.
4.1.9 Other Agreements. Neither any Borrower, FSI nor any of FSI's
Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, TEC AcquiSub, is a party to or is
bound by any agreement, contract, lease, license or instrument, or is subject to
any restriction under its respective charter or formation documents, which has,
or is likely in the foreseeable future to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
Neither any Borrower nor FSI has entered into and, as of the Closing Date does
not contemplate entering into, any material agreement or contract with any
Affiliate of any Borrower or FSI on terms that are less favorable to such
Borrower or FSI than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons who
are not such Affiliates.
4.1.10 Employment And Labor Agreements. There are no collective
bargaining agreements or other labor agreements covering any employees of any
Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries.
4.1.11 ERISA. No Borrower has an Employee Benefit Plan subject to
ERISA. All Pension Plans of FSI and any of FSI's Subsidiaries, that are intended
to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code have been determined by the IRS
to be qualified or FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries will obtain such
determination prior to instituting such a Pension Plan. All Pension Plans
existing as of the date hereof continue to be so qualified. No "reportable event
(as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) has occurred and is continuing with
respect to any Pension Plan for which the thirty-day notice requirement may not
be waived other than those of which the appropriate Governmental Authority has
been notified. All Employee Benefit Plans of FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries
have been operated in all material respects in accordance with their terms and
applicable law, including ERISA, and no "prohibited transaction" (as defined in
ERISA and the Code) that would result in any material liability to FSI or any of
FSI's Subsidiaries has occurred with respect to any such Employee Benefit Plan.
4.1.12 Labor Matters. There are no strikes or other labor disputes
against any Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries or, to the best of each
Borrower's and FSI's knowledge, after due inquiry, threatened against any
Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries, which would, with reasonable
likelihood, have a Material Adverse Effect. All payments due from any Borrower
or FSI on account of employee health and welfare insurance which would, with
reasonable likelihood, have a Material Adverse Effect if not paid have been paid
or, if not due, accrued as a liability on the books of such Borrower or FSI.
4.1.13 Margin Regulations. Neither any Borrower nor FSI own any "margin
security", as that term is defined in Regulations G and U of the Federal Reserve
Board, and the proceeds of the Loans under this Agreement will be used only for
the purposes contemplated hereunder. None of the Loans will be used, directly or
indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for
the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally
incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which
might cause any of the Loans under this Agreement to be considered a "purpose
credit" within the meaning of Regulations G, T, U and X. Neither any Borrower
nor FSI will take or permit any agent acting on its behalf to take any action
which might cause this Agreement or any document or instrument delivered
pursuant hereto to violate any regulation of the Federal Reserve Board.
4.1.14 Taxes. All federal, state, local and foreign tax returns,
reports and statements required to be filed by any Borrower, FSI and, to the
best of each Borrower's and FSI's knowledge, after due inquiry, by any of FSI's
Subsidiaries have been filed with the appropriate Governmental Authorities where
failure to file would, with reasonable likelihood, have a Material Adverse
Effect, and all material Charges and other impositions shown thereon to be due
and payable by any Borrower, FSI or such Subsidiary have been paid prior to the
date on which any fine, penalty, interest or late charge may be added thereto
for nonpayment thereof, or any such fine, penalty, interest, late charge or loss
has been paid, or such Borrower, FSI or such Subsidiary is contesting its
liability therefore in good faith and has fully reserved all such amounts
according to GAAP in the financial statements provided to Agent pursuant to
Section 5.1. Each Borrower, FSI and, to the best of each Borrower's and FSI's
knowledge, after due inquiry, each of FSI's Subsidiaries has paid when due and
payable all material Charges upon the books of any Borrower, FSI or such
Subsidiary and no Government Authority has asserted any Lien against any
Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries with respect to unpaid Charges.
Proper and accurate amounts have been withheld by each Borrower, FSI and, to the
best of each Borrower's and FSI's knowledge, after due inquiry, each of FSI's
Subsidiaries from its employees for all periods in full and complete compliance
with the tax, social security and unemployment withholding provisions of
applicable federal, state, local and foreign law and such withholdings have been
timely paid to the respective Governmental Authorities.
4.1.15 Environmental Quality.
(a) Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 4.1.15, the on-going
operations of each Borrower, FSI and each of FSI's Subsidiaries comply in all
material respects with all Environmental Laws, except such non-compliance which
would not (if enforced in accordance with applicable law) result in liability in
excess of $250,000 in the aggregate.
(b) Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 4.1.15, each Borrower,
FSI and each of FSI's Subsidiaries has obtained all licenses, permits,
authorizations and registrations required under any Environmental Law
("Environmental Permits") and necessary for its ordinary course operations, all
such Environmental Permits are in good standing, and each Borrower, FSI and each
of FSI's Subsidiaries is in compliance with all material terms and conditions of
such Environmental
Permits.
(c) Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 4.1.15, neither any
Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries nor any of their respective present
Property or operations is subject to any outstanding written order from or
agreement with any Governmental Authority nor subject to any judicial or
docketed administrative proceeding, respecting any Environmental Law,
Environmental Claim or Hazardous Material.
(d) Except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 4.1.15, there are no
Hazardous Materials or other conditions or circumstances existing with respect
to any Property, or arising from operations prior to the Closing Date, of any
Borrower, FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to
give rise to Environmental Claims with a potential liability of any Borrower,
FSI or any of FSI's Subsidiaries in excess of $250,000 in the aggregate for any
such condition, circumstance or Property.
4.1.16 Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights, Franchises And Licenses. Each
Borrower and FSI and, to the best of their knowledge, after due inquiry, each of
FSI's Subsidiaries possess and owns all necessary trademarks, trade names,
copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises and licenses which are material
to the conduct of their business as now operated.
4.1.17 Full Disclosure. As of the Closing Date, no information
contained in this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or any other documents or
written materials furnished by or on behalf of any Borrower or FSI to Agent or
any Lender pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any of the other Loan
Documents contains any untrue or inaccurate statement of a material fact or
omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statement contained herein
or therein not misleading in light of the circumstances under which made.
4.1.18 Other Regulations. Neither any Borrower nor FSI is: (a) a
"public utility company" or a "holding company," or an "affiliate" or a
"subsidiary company" of a "holding company," or an "affiliate" of such a
"subsidiary company," as such terms are defined in the Public Utility Holding
Company Act or (b) an "investment company," or an "affiliated person" of, or a
"promoter" or "principal underwriter" for, an "investment company," as such
terms are defined in the Investment Company Act. The making of the Loans
hereunder and the application of the proceeds and repayment thereof by each
Borrower and the performance of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
and the other Loan Documents will not violate any provision of the Investment
Company Act or the Public Utility Holding Company Act, or any rule, regulation
or order issued by the SEC thereunder.
4.1.19 Solvency. Each Borrower and FSI are Solvent.
4.2 Representations And Warranties At Time Of First Advance4.2
Representations And Warranties At Time Of First Advance. At the time any
Borrower makes a request for an initial borrowing hereunder, each such Borrower,
severally, as to itself, but not jointly as to the other Borrowers and FSI, and
FSI, jointly and severally with each Borrower as to each such Borrower and as to
itself, hereby warrant and represent to Agent and each Lender as follows, and
agree that each of said warranties and representations shall be deemed to
continue until full, complete and indefeasible payment and performance of the
Obligations and shall apply anew to each additional borrowing hereunder:
4.2.1 Power And Authority. Each Borrower and FSI has the power and
authority to perform the terms of the Loan Documents (to the extent each is a
party thereto) and all other instruments and documents contemplated hereby or
thereby.
4.2.2 No Conflict. The performance of this Agreement, and each of the
other Loan Documents and the payment of the Notes will not violate or result in
the breach of, or constitute a default under any indenture or other loan or
credit agreement, or other agreement or instrument which are, in the aggregate,
material and to which any Borrower or FSI is a party or by which any Borrower,
FSI or their Property and assets may be bound or affected.
4.2.3 Consents And Approvals. No approval, authorization or consent of
any trustee or holder of any indebtedness or obligation of any Borrower or FSI
or of any other Person under any such material agreement, contract, lease or
license or similar document or instrument to which such Borrower, FSI or any of
FSI's Subsidiaries is a party or by which such Borrower, FSI or any such
Subsidiary is bound, is required to be obtained by any such Borrower, FSI or any
such Subsidiary in order to make or consummate the transactions contemplated
under the Loan Documents.
4.3 Survival Of Representations And Warranties. So long as any of the
Commitments shall be available and until payment and performance in full of the
Obligations, the representations and warranties contained herein shall have a
continuing effect as having been true when made.
5. BORROWERS' AND FSI'S AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS.
Each Borrower, severally, as to itself, but not jointly as to the other
Borrowers and FSI, and FSI, jointly and severally with each Borrower as to each
Borrower and as to itself (and, where applicable, PLMI) covenant and agree that,
so long as any of the Commitments shall be available and until full, complete
and indefeasible payment and performance of the Obligations, unless Requisite
Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, each Borrower and FSI shall do or
cause to have done all of the following:
5.1 Records And Reports. Maintain, and cause each of FSI's Subsidiaries
to maintain, a system of accounting administered in accordance with sound
business practices to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity
with GAAP, and deliver to Agent or caused to be delivered to Agent:
5.1.1 Quarterly Statements. As soon as practicable and in any event
within sixty (60) days after the end of each quarterly accounting period of each
Borrower, FSI and PLMI, except with respect to the final fiscal quarter of each
fiscal year, in which case as soon as practicable and in any event within one
hundred twenty (120) days after the end of such fiscal quarter, consolidated and
consolidating balance sheets of FSI and PLMI and a balance sheet of each
Borrower as at the end of such period and the related consolidated (and, as to
statements of income only for FSI, consolidating) statements of income and
stockholders' or members' equity of each Borrower and FSI and the related
consolidated statements of income, stockholders' or members' equity and cash
flows of PLMI (and, as to statements of income only, consolidating) for such
quarterly accounting period, setting forth in each case in comparative form the
consolidated figures for the corresponding periods of the previous year, all in
reasonable detail and certified by the Chief Financial Officer or Corporate
Controller of the general partner or manager of each Borrower, as applicable,
FSI and PLMI that they (i) are complete and fairly present the financial
condition of such Borrower, FSI and PLMI as at the dates indicated and the
results of their operations and changes in their cash flow for the periods
indicated, (ii) disclose all liabilities of each Borrower, FSI and PLMI that are
required to be reflected or reserved against under GAAP, whether liquidated or
unliquidated, fixed or contingent and (iii) have been prepared in accordance
with GAAP, subject to changes resulting from audit and normal year-end
adjustment;
5.1.2 Annual Statements. As soon as practicable and in any event within
one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year of each Borrower
and PLMI, consolidated and consolidating balance sheets of PLMI and a balance
sheet of each Borrower as at the end of such year and the related consolidated
(and, as to statements of income only for PLMI, consolidating) statements of
income, stockholders' or members' equity and cash flows of each Borrower, if
applicable, and PLMI for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case, in
comparative form the consolidated figures for the previous year, all in
reasonable detail and (i) in the case of such consolidated financial statements,
accompanied by a report thereon of an independent public accountant of
recognized national standing selected by each Borrower and PLMI and satisfactory
to Agent, which report shall contain an opinion which is not qualified in any
manner or which otherwise is satisfactory to Requisite Lenders, in their sole
discretion, and (ii) in the case of such consolidating financial statements,
certified by the Chief Financial Officer or Corporate Controller of PLMI;
5.1.3 Borrowing Base Certificate. As soon as practicable, and in any
event not later than fifteen (15) days after the end of each calendar month in
which a Loan has been, or is, outstanding, a Borrowing Base Certificate dated as
of the last day of such month, duly executed by a Chief Financial Officer or
Corporate Controller of the general partner or manager of each Borrower, with
appropriate insertions;
5.1.4 Compliance Certificate. As soon as practicable, and in any event
not later than forty-five (45) days after the end of each fiscal quarter of each
Borrower, a Compliance Certificate dated as of the last day of such fiscal
quarter, and executed by the Chief Financial Officer or Corporate Controller of
the general partner or manager of such Borrower, with appropriate insertions.
5.1.5 Reports. At Agent's request, promptly upon receipt thereof,
copies of all reports submitted to each Borrower, FSI or PLMI by independent
public accountants in connection with each annual, interim or special audit of
the financial statements of such Borrower, FSI or PLMI made by such accountants;
5.1.6 Insurance Reports. (i) On the date six months after the Closing
Date and thereafter upon Agent's reasonable request, which request will not be
made more than once during any calendar year (unless an Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing), a report from each Borrower's insurance
broker, in such detail as Agent may reasonably request, as to the insurance
maintained or caused to be maintained by each Borrower pursuant to this
Agreement, demonstrating compliance with the requirements hereof and thereof,
and (ii) as soon as possible and in no event later than fifteen (15) days prior
to the expiration date of any insurance policy of any Borrower, a written
confirmation that such policy is in process of renewal and is not terminated or
subject to a notice of non-renewal from such Borrower's insurance broker;
provided, however, that such Borrower shall give Agent prompt written notice if
changes affecting risk coverage will be made to such policy or if the policy
will be terminated;
5.1.7 Certificate Of Responsible Officer. Promptly upon any officer of
any Borrower or FSI obtaining knowledge (a) of any condition or event which
constitutes an Event of Default or Potential Event of Default under this
Agreement, (b) that any Person has given any notice to any Borrower, FSI, TEC,
TEC AcquiSub or PLMI or taken any other action with respect to a claimed default
or event or condition of the type referred to in Section 8.1.2, (c) of the
institution of any litigation or of the receipt of written notice from any
Governmental Authority as to the commencement of any formal investigation
involving an alleged or asserted liability of any Borrower, FSI, TEC, TEC
AcquiSub or PLMI equal to or greater than $500,000 or any adverse judgment in
any litigation involving a potential liability of any Borrower, FSI, TEC, TEC
AcquiSub or PLMI equal to or greater than $500,000, or (d) of a material adverse
change in the business, operations, properties, assets or condition (financial
or otherwise) of any Borrower, FSI, TEC, TEC AcquiSub or PLMI, a certificate of
a Responsible Officer of any Borrower or FSI, as applicable, specifying the
notice given or action taken by such Person and the nature of such claimed
default, Event of Default, Potential Event of Default, event or condition and
what action such Borrower, FSI, TEC, TEC AcquiSub or PLMI has taken, is taking
and proposes to take with respect thereto;
5.1.8 Employee Benefit Plans. Promptly upon becoming aware of the
occurrence of any (a) Termination Event in connection with any Pension Plan or
(b) "prohibited transaction" (as such term is defined in ERISA and the Code) in
connection with any Employee Benefit Plan or any trust created thereunder, a
written notice specifying the nature thereof, what action any Borrower or any of
its ERISA Affiliates has taken, is taking or proposes to take with respect
thereto, and, when known, any action taken or threatened by the IRS or the PBGC
with respect thereto;
5.1.9 ERISA Notices. With reasonable promptness, copies of (a) all
notices received by any Borrower, FSI, any of FSI's Subsidiaries or any of their
ERISA Affiliates of the PBGC's intent to terminate any Pension Plan or to have a
trustee appointed to administer any Pension Plan, (b) each Schedule B (Actuarial
Information) to the annual report (Form 5500 Series) filed by any Borrower, FSI,
any of FSI's Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates with the IRS with
respect to each Pension Plan covering employees of any Borrower, FSI or any of
FSI's Subsidiaries, and (c) all notices received by any Borrower, FSI, any of
FSI's Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates from a Multiemployer Plan
sponsor concerning the imposition or amount of withdrawal liability pursuant to
Section 4202 of ERISA;
5.1.10 Pension Plans. Promptly upon receipt by any Borrower, FSI or any
of FSI's Subsidiaries, any challenge by the IRS to the qualification under
Section 401 or 501 of the Code of any Pension Plan;
5.1.11 SEC Reports. As soon as available and in no event later than
five (5) days after the same shall have been filed with the SEC, a copy of each
Form 8-K Current Report, Form 10-K Annual Report, Form 10-Q Quarterly Report,
Annual Report to Shareholders, Proxy Statement and Registration Statement of any
Borrower and PLMI;
5.1.12 Tax Returns. Upon the request of Agent, copies of all federal,
state, local and foreign tax returns and reports in respect of income, franchise
or other taxes on or measured by income (excluding sales, use or like taxes)
filed by or on behalf of any Borrower and FSI; and
5.1.13 Additional Information. Such other information respecting the
condition or operations, financial or otherwise, of any Borrower and PLMI and
its Subsidiaries as Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably
request, and such information regarding the lessees under Leases as any Borrower
from time to time receives or Agent or any Lender reasonably requests.
All financial statements of Borrowers, FSI and PLMI to be delivered by
any Borrower and FSI to Agent pursuant to this Section 5.1 will be complete and
correct and present fairly the financial condition of each Borrower, FSI and
PLMI as of the date thereof; will disclose all liabilities of each Borrower, FSI
and PLMI that are required to be reflected or reserved against under GAAP,
whether liquidated or unliquidated, fixed or contingent; and will have been
prepared in accordance with GAAP. All tax returns submitted to Agent by
Borrowers and FSI will, to the best of each Borrower's and FSI's knowledge,
after due inquiry, be true and correct. Each Borrower and FSI hereby agree that
each time any one of them submits a financial statement or tax return to Agent,
such Borrower and FSI shall be deemed to represent and warrant to Lenders that
such financial statement or tax return complies with all of the preceding
requirements set forth in this paragraph.
5.2 Existence; Compliance With Law. Each Borrower and FSI shall
preserve and maintain, and FSI shall cause each of FSI's Subsidiaries,
including, without limitation, TEC AcquiSub, to preserve and maintain, their
existence and all of their licenses, permits, governmental approvals, rights,
privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of their
businesses as now conducted or presently proposed to be conducted (including,
without limitation, their qualification to do business in each jurisdiction in
which such qualification is necessary or desirable in view of its business);
conduct, and cause each of FSI's Subsidiaries, including, without limitation,
TEC AcquiSub, and any Owner Trustee to conduct, its business in an orderly and
regular manner; and comply, and cause each of FSI's Subsidiaries, including,
without limitation, TEC AcquiSub, and any Owner Trustee, to comply, with (a) as
to any Borrower, its Limited Partnership Agreement, Operating Agreement and
other organizational documents, as applicable, and as to FSI and each of its
Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, TEC AcquiSub, the provisions of its
respective certificate or articles of incorporation, as applicable, and bylaws
and (b) the requirements of all applicable laws, rules, regulations or orders of
any Governmental Authority and requirements for the maintenance of any
Borrower's, FSI's or such Subsidiary's insurance, licenses, permits,
governmental approvals, rights, privileges and franchises, except, in either
case, to the extent that the failure to comply therewith would not, in the
aggregate, with reasonable likelihood, have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.3 Insurance. Each Borrower and FSI shall maintain and keep in force,
and cause each of FSI's Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, TEC
AcquiSub, to maintain and keep in force insurance of the types and in amounts
then customarily carried in lines of business similar to that of Borrowers, FSI
or any of FSI's Subsidiaries as the case may be, including, but not limited to,
fire, extended coverage, public liability, property damage, environmental hazard
and workers' compensation, in each case carried with financially sound Persons
and in amounts satisfactory to Requisite Lenders (subject to commercial
reasonableness as to each type of insurance); provided, however, that the types
and amounts of insurance shall not provide any less coverage for any Borrower
than provided as of the Closing Date by the existing blanket policies of
insurance for PLMI and its Subsidiaries. All such policies as to liability
insurance shall carry endorsements naming Agent and each Lender as an additional
insured and, upon the reasonable request of Agent, all such policies of property
insurance shall carry endorsements naming Agent as principal loss payee as to
any property owned by Borrowers and financed by Lenders, and in each case
indicating that (a) any loss thereunder shall be payable to Agent or Lenders, as
the case may be, notwithstanding any action, inaction or breach of
representation or warranty by any Borrower or FSI; (b) there shall be no
recourse against any Lender for payment of premiums or other amounts with
respect thereto, and (c) at least fifteen (15) days' prior written notice of
cancellation, lapse or material change in coverage shall be given to Agent by
the insurer.
5.4 Taxes And Other Liabilities. Promptly pay and discharge and cause
each of FSI's Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, TEC AcquiSub,
promptly to pay and discharge all material Charges when due and payable, except
(a) such as may be paid thereafter without penalty or (b) such as may be
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which an adequate
reserve has been established and is maintained in accordance with GAAP. Each
Borrower and FSI shall promptly notify Agent of any material challenge, contest
or proceeding pending by or against any Borrower, FSI and PLMI or any of FSI's
Subsidiaries before any taxing authority.
5.5 Inspection Rights; Assistance. At any reasonable time and from time
to time during normal business hours, permit Agent or any Lender or any agent,
representative or employee thereof, to examine and make copies of and abstracts
from the financial records and books of account of each Borrower, FSI or any of
FSI's Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, TEC AcquiSub, and other
documents in the possession or under the control of any Borrower, FSI or any of
FSI's Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, TEC AcquiSub, relating to any
obligation of any Borrower or FSI arising under or contemplated by this
Agreement and to visit the offices of any Borrower or FSI to discuss the
affairs, finances and accounts of any Borrower or FSI with any of the officers
of any Borrower or FSI, and, upon reasonable notice and during normal business
hours (unless an Event of Default or Potential Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing, in which event no notice is required), to conduct
audits of and appraise Equipment. Such audits and appraisals shall be subject to
the lessee's right to quiet enjoyment as set forth in the respective lease.
5.6 Maintenance Of Facilities; Modifications.
5.6.1 Maintenance Of Facilities. Each Borrower and FSI shall keep and
cause each of FSI's Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, TEC AcquiSub,
to keep, all of their respective Properties which are useful or necessary to
such Borrower's, FSI's or such Subsidiary's business, in good repair and
condition, normal wear and tear excepted, and from time to time make, and cause
each such Subsidiary to make necessary repairs thereto, and renewals and
replacements thereof so that each Borrower's, FSI's or such Subsidiary's
Properties shall be fully and efficiently preserved and maintained.
5.6.2 Certain Modifications To The Equipment. Subject to Section 5.6.1,
each Borrower and FSI shall promptly make, or cause to be made, all
modifications, additions and adjustments to the Eligible Inventory as may from
time to time be required by any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over
the operation, safety or use thereof.
5.7 Supplemental Disclosure. From time to time as may be necessary (in
the event that such information is not otherwise delivered by Borrowers or FSI
to Agent or Lenders pursuant to this Agreement), so long as there are
Obligations outstanding hereunder, disclose to Agent in writing any material
matter hereafter arising which, if existing or occurring at the date of this
Agreement, would have been required to be set forth or described by any Borrower
or FSI in this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents (including all
Schedules and Exhibits hereto or thereto) or which is necessary to correct any
information set forth or described by Borrowers or FSI hereunder or thereunder
or in connection herewith which has been rendered inaccurate thereby.
5.8 Further Assurances. In addition to the obligations and documents
which this Agreement expressly requires Borrowers or FSI to execute, deliver and
perform, each Borrower or FSI shall execute, deliver and perform, and shall
cause FSI's Subsidiaries to execute, deliver and perform, any and all further
acts or documents which Agent or Lenders may reasonably require to effectuate
the purposes of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents.
5.9 Lockbox. Each Borrower shall, unless otherwise directed in writing
by Agent, cause all remittances made by the obligor under any Lease to be made
to a lock box (the "Lockbox") maintained with FUNB pursuant to the Lockbox
Agreement. Unless otherwise directed by Agent in writing, all invoices and other
instructions submitted by any Borrower to the obligor relating to Lease payments
shall designate the Lockbox as the place to which such payments shall be made.
5.10 Environmental Laws. Each Borrower and FSI shall, and FSI shall
cause each of its Subsidiaries to, conduct its operations and keep and maintain
its Property in material compliance with all Environmental Laws.
SECTION 6. BORROWER'S AND FSI'S NEGATIVE COVENANTS.
So long as any of the Commitments shall be available and until full,
complete and indefeasible payment and performance of the Obligations, unless
Requisite Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, each Borrower, severally,
as to itself, but not jointly as to the other Borrowers and FSI, and FSI,
jointly and severally with each Borrower as to such Borrower and to itself,
covenants and agrees as follows:
6.1 Liens; Negative Pledges; And Encumbrances. Each Borrower shall not
create, incur, assume or suffer to exist, and shall not permit any Marine
Subsidiary of such Borrower or Owner Trustee holding record title to any
Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such Borrower to create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist, and FSI shall not permit any of its
Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, TEC and TEC AcquiSub) to create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist, any Lien of any nature upon or with respect to
any of their respective Property, whether now or hereafter owned, leased or
acquired, except (collectively, the "Permitted Liens"):
6.1.1 Existing Liens disclosed on Schedule 6.1, provided that the
obligations secured thereby are not increased;
6.1.2 Liens for Charges if payment shall not at the time be required to
be made in accordance with Section 5.4;
6.1.3 Liens in respect of pledges, obligations or deposits (a) under
workers' compensation laws, unemployment insurance and other types of social
security or similar legislation, (b) in connection with surety, appeal and
similar bonds incidental to the conduct of litigation, (c) in connection with
bid, performance or similar bonds and mechanics', laborers' and materialmen's
and similar statutory Liens not then delinquent, or (d) incidental to the
conduct of the business of such Borrower, any Marine Subsidiary of such
Borrower, or any Owner Trustee or any of FSI's Subsidiaries and which were not
incurred in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances
or credit; provided that the Liens permitted by this Section 6.1.3 do not in the
aggregate materially detract from the value of any assets or property of or
materially impair the use thereof in the operation of the business of such
Borrower, any Owner Trustee or any of FSI's Subsidiaries; and provided further
that the adverse determination of any claim or liability, contingent or
otherwise, secured by any of such Liens would not either individually or in the
aggregate, with reasonable likelihood, have a Material Adverse Effect;
6.1.4 Permitted Rights of Others; and
6.1.5 Liens granted in favor of Agent on behalf of Lenders under the
TEC AcquiSub Agreement and the security agreement and other loan documents
delivered by TEC AcquiSub pursuant thereto.
6.2 Acquisitions. Each Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any
Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower to, and FSI shall not permit TEC and TEC
AcquiSub to, make any Acquisition or enter into any agreement to make any
Acquisition, other than with respect to the purchase of Equipment in the
ordinary course of business or the formation or acquisition of a Marine
Subsidiary.
6.3 Limitations On Indebtedness. Each Borrower shall not create, incur,
assume or suffer to exist, nor permit any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower or
Owner Trustee holding record title to any Eligible Inventory for the beneficial
interest of such Borrower to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist, and FSI
shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, TEC and
TEC AcquiSub) to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist, any Indebtedness or
Contingent Obligation; provided, however, that this Section 6.3 shall not be
deemed to prohibit:
6.3.1 The Obligations to Lenders and Agent arising hereunder and under
the other Loan Documents;
6.3.2 Existing Indebtedness disclosed on Schedule 6.3(a) and
anticipated Indebtedness disclosed on Schedule 6.3(b);
6.3.3 Indebtedness of any Subsidiary of FSI, provided that such
Indebtedness is non-recourse as to FSI, TEC and TEC AcquiSub;
6.3.4 The acquisition of goods, supplies or merchandise on normal trade
credit;
6.3.5 The endorsement of negotiable instruments received in the
ordinary course of any Borrower's business as presently conducted;
6.3.6 Indebtedness incurred in respect of the deferred purchase price
for an item of Equipment, but only to the extent that the incurrence of such
Indebtedness is customary in the industry with respect to the purchase of this
type of equipment (provided that such Indebtedness shall only be permitted under
this Section 6.3.6 if, taking into account the incurrence of such Indebtedness,
the Borrower incurring such Indebtedness shall not be in violation of any of the
financial covenants set forth in Section 7 if measured as of the date of
incurrence as determined by GAAP); and
6.3.7 Any Guaranty Obligations of any Borrower in the form of
performance guaranties undertaken on behalf of a Marine Subsidiary of such
Borrower in favor of the charter party in connection with the leasing of a
marine vessel on a time charter;
6.4 Use Of Proceeds. Each Borrower and FSI shall not, and shall not
permit any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower or Owner Trustee holding record
title to any Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such Borrower or
FSI to, use the proceeds of any Loan except for the purpose set forth in Recital
C, above, and shall not, and shall not permit any such Marine Subsidiary or such
Owner Trustee to, use the proceeds to repay any loans or advances made by any
other Person.
6.5 Disposition Of Assets. Each Borrower and FSI shall not, and shall
not permit any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower or any Owner Trustee holding
record title to any Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such
Borrower or FSI to, sell, assign or otherwise dispose of, any of its or their
respective assets, except for full, fair and reasonable consideration, or enter
into any sale and leaseback agreement covering any of its or their respective
fixed or capital assets.
6.6 Restriction On Fundamental Changes. Each Borrower and FSI shall
not, and shall not permit any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower to, enter into
any transaction of merger, consolidation or recapitalization, directly or
indirectly, whether by operation of law or otherwise, or liquidate, wind up or
dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution), or convey, sell,
lease, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of, in one transaction or a series
of transactions, all or any part of its business, Property or assets, whether
now owned or hereafter acquired, or acquire by purchase or otherwise all or
substantially all the business, Property or assets of, or stock or other
evidence of beneficial ownership of, any Person, except sales (a) of Equipment
in the ordinary course of business (for the purposes of this Section 6.6, with
respect to any Borrower and any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower, ordinary
course of business shall refer to the business of the Equipment Growth Funds and
all Marine Subsidiaries, collectively) and (b) any Subsidiary of FSI (other than
TEC AcquiSub) may be merged or consolidated with or into FSI or any wholly-owned
Subsidiary of FSI, or be liquidated, wound up or dissolved, or all or
substantially all of its business, property or assets may be conveyed, sold,
leased, transferred or otherwise disposed of, in one transaction or a series of
transactions, to, FSI or any wholly-owned Subsidiary of FSI; provided that, in
the case of such a merger or consolidation, FSI or such wholly-owned Subsidiary
shall be the continuing or surviving corporation.
.6.7 Transactions With Affiliates. Each Borrower shall not, and shall
not permit any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower to, directly or indirectly,
enter into or permit to exist any transaction (including, without limitation,
the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property or the rendering of any
service) with any of its Affiliates on terms that are less favorable to such
Borrower or such Marine Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time
from Persons who are not such Affiliates.
6.8 Maintenance Of Business. Each Borrower shall not, and FSI shall not
permit any of its existing Subsidiaries to, engage in any business materially
different than the business currently engaged in by such Person.
6.9 No Distributions. Each Borrower shall not make, pay or set apart
any funds for the payment of distribution to its partners or members if such
distribution would cause or result in an Event of Default or Potential Event of
Default.
6.10 Events Of Default. Each Borrower and FSI shall not take or omit to
take any action, which act or omission would, with the lapse of time, or
otherwise constitute (a) a default, event of default or Event of Default under
any of the Loan Documents or (b) a default or an event of default under any
other material agreement, contract, lease, license, mortgage, deed of trust or
instrument to which either is a party or by which either or any of their
Properties or assets is bound, which default or event of default would, with
reasonable likelihood, have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.11 ERISA. If any Borrower or FSI or any of their ERISA Affiliates
incurs any obligation to contribute to any Pension Plan, then such Borrower or
FSI, as the case may be, shall not (a) terminate, or permit such ERISA Affiliate
to terminate, any Pension Plan so as to result in any liability that would, with
reasonable likelihood, have a Material Adverse Effect or (b) make or permit such
ERISA Affiliate to make a complete or partial withdrawal (within the meaning of
Section 4201 of ERISA) from any Multiemployer Plan so as to result in any
liability that would, with reasonable likelihood, have a Material Adverse
Effect.
6.12 No Use Of Any Lender's Name. Each Borrower and FSI shall not use
or authorize others to use any Lender's name or marks in any publication or
medium, including, without limitation, any prospectus, without such Lender's
advance written authorization.
6.13 Certain Accounting Changes. Each Borrower shall not change its
fiscal year end from December 31, nor make any change in its accounting
treatment and reporting practices except as permitted by GAAP; provided,
however, that should any Borrower change its accounting treatment or reporting
practices in a way that would cause a change in the calculation, or in the
results of a calculation, of any of the financial covenants set forth in Section
7, below, then such Borrower shall continue to calculate such covenants as if
such accounting treatment or reporting practice had not been changed unless
otherwise agreed to by Requisite Lenders.
6.14 Amendments Of Limited Partnership Or Operating Agreements. Each
Borrower shall not, shall not cause to occur and shall not permit any amendment,
modification or supplement of or to any of the terms or provisions of such
Borrower's Limited Partnership Agreement or, in the case of Income Fund I, its
Operating Agreement, which amendment, modification or supplement would affect,
limit or otherwise impair such Borrower's ability to pay the Obligations or
perform its obligations under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents.
SECTION 7. FINANCIAL COVENANTS OF BORROWER AND FSI.
Each Borrower, severally, as to itself, but not jointly as to the other
Borrowers and FSI, and FSI, jointly and severally with each Borrower as to each
Borrower and as to itself, covenant and agree that, so long as the Commitments
hereunder shall be available, and until full, complete and indefeasible payment
and performance of the Obligations, including, without limitation, all Loans
evidenced by the Notes, unless Requisite Lenders shall otherwise consent in
writing, Borrowers and FSI shall perform the following financial covenants. Each
Borrower and FSI agree and understand that (except as expressly provided herein)
all covenants under this Section 7 shall be subject to quarterly compliance or
compliance as of the date of any request for a Loan pursuant to Section 3.2.1
(as measured on the last day of each fiscal quarter of such Borrower, or FSI, as
the case may be, or as of the date of any request for a Loan pursuant to Section
3.2.1), and in each case review by Lenders of the respective fiscal quarter's
consolidated financial statements delivered to Agent by each Borrower and FSI
pursuant to Section 5.1; provided, however, that the following financial
covenants shall apply only as to those Borrowers requesting a Loan or as to
which a Loan remains outstanding.
7.1 Maximum Funded Debt Ratio. Each Borrower shall maintain a Funded
Debt Ratio of not greater than 0.5:1.0.
7.2 Minimum Debt Service Ratio. Each Borrower shall maintain a Debt
Service Ratio of not less than 1.75:1.0.
7.3 Cash Balances. The Equipment Growth Funds of which FSI is the sole
general partner shall maintain aggregate unrestricted cash balances of
$10,000,000.
SECTION 8. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES.
8.1 Events Of Default. As to any Borrower, the occurrence of any one or
more of the following shall constitute an Event of Default for each such
Borrower individually:
8.1.1 Failure To Make Payments. Such Borrower, any Marine Subsidiary of
such Borrower or any Owner Trustee holding record title to any Eligible
Inventory for the beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI fails to pay any
sum due to Lenders or Agent arising under this Agreement, the Note of such
Borrower or any of the other Loan Documents when and as the same shall become
due and payable, whether by acceleration or otherwise and such failure shall not
have been cured to Lenders' satisfaction within five (5) calendar days; or
8.1.2 Other Agreements. (a) Such Borrower, any Marine Subsidiary of
such Borrower, FSI, TEC, TEC AcquiSub or any Owner Trustee holding record title
to any Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such Borrower defaults
in the repayment of any principal of or the payment of any interest on any
Indebtedness of such Borrower, any such Marine Subsidiary, FSI, TEC, TEC
AcquiSub or any such Owner Trustee, respectively, or breaches any term of any
evidence of such Indebtedness or defaults in any payment in respect of any
Contingent Obligation (excluding, as to FSI, any Contingent Obligation of FSI
arising solely as a result of FSI's status as a general partner of any Person
other than such Borrower), in each case exceeding, in the aggregate outstanding
principal amount, $2,000,000, or such Borrower, any Marine Subsidiary, FSI, TEC,
TEC AcquiSub or any Owner Trustee breaches or violates any term or provision of
any evidence of such Indebtedness or Contingent Obligation or of any such loan
agreement, mortgage, indenture, guaranty or other agreement relating thereto if
the effect of such breach is to permit acceleration under the applicable
instrument, loan agreement, mortgage, indenture, guaranty or other agreement and
such failure shall not have been cured within the applicable cure period, or
there is an acceleration under the applicable instrument, loan agreement,
mortgage, indenture, guaranty or other agreement; or (b) PLMI defaults in the
repayment of any principal of or the payment of any interest on any Indebtedness
or defaults in any payment in respect of any Contingent Obligation, in each case
exceeding, in the aggregate outstanding principal amount, $2,000,000, or PLMI
breaches or violates any term or provision of any evidence of such Indebtedness
or Contingent Obligation or of any such loan agreement, mortgage, indenture,
guaranty or other agreement relating thereto with the result that such
Indebtedness or Contingent Obligation becomes or is caused to become then due
and payable in its entirety, whether by acceleration of otherwise; or
8.1.3 Breach Of Covenants. Such Borrower or FSI fails or neglects to
perform, keep or observe any of the covenants contained in Sections 2.1.3, 5.2,
5.3, 5.9, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9 or 6.13, or any of the
financial covenants contained in Section 7 of this Agreement; or
8.1.4 Breach Of Representations Or Warranties. Any representation or
warranty made by or on behalf of such Borrower or FSI in this Agreement or any
statement or certificate at any time given in writing pursuant hereto or in
connection herewith shall be false, misleading or incomplete in any material
respect when made; or
8.1.5 Failure To Cure. Except as provided in Sections 8.1.1 and 8.1.3,
such Borrower, FSI or any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower or Owner Trustee
holding record title to any Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of
such Borrower or FSI fails or neglects to perform, keep or observe any covenant
or provision of this Agreement or of any of the other Loan Documents or any
other document or agreement executed by such Borrower, FSI or any Marine
Subsidiary of such Borrower or Owner Trustee holding record title to any
Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI in
connection therewith and the same has not been cured to Requisite Lenders'
satisfaction within thirty (30) calendar days after such Borrower, FSI or any
Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower or Owner Trustee holding record title to any
Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI shall
become aware thereof, whether by written notice from Agent or any Lender or
otherwise; or
8.1.6 Insolvency. Such Borrower, any Marine Subsidiary of such
Borrower, TEC AcquiSub, any other Borrower (but only for so long as Obligations
of such other Borrower remain or Commitments to such other Borrower are
available under this Agreement), FSI, TEC, PLMI or any Owner Trustee holding
record title to any Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such
Borrower or FSI or any other guarantor of any of such Borrower's or FSI's
obligations to Lenders shall (a) cease to be Solvent, (b) admit in writing its
inability to pay its debts as they mature, (c) make an assignment for the
benefit of creditors, (d) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver,
liquidator, custodian or trustee for it or for a substantial part of its
Properties or business, or such a receiver, liquidator, custodian or trustee
otherwise shall be appointed and shall not be discharged within sixty (60) days
after such appointment; or
8.1.7 Bankruptcy Proceedings. Bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or
liquidation proceedings or other proceedings for relief under any bankruptcy law
or any law for the relief of debtors shall be instituted by or against such
Borrower, any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower, TEC AcquiSub, any other
Borrower (but only for so long as Obligations of such other Borrower remain or
Commitments to such other Borrower are available under this Agreement), FSI,
TEC, PLMI or any Owner Trustee holding record title to any Eligible Inventory
for the beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI or any other guarantor of
any of such Borrower's or FSI's obligations to Lenders or any order, judgment or
decree shall be entered against such Borrower, any Marine Subsidiary of such
Borrower, TEC AcquiSub, any other Borrower (but only for so long as Obligations
of such other Borrower remain or Commitments to such other Borrower are
available under this Agreement), FSI, TEC, PLMI or any Owner Trustee holding
record title to any Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such
Borrower or FSI or any other guarantor of any of such Borrower's or FSI's
obligations to Lenders decreeing its dissolution or division; provided, however,
with respect to an involuntary petition in bankruptcy, such petition shall not
have been dismissed within sixty (60) days after the filing of such petition; or
8.1.8 Material Adverse Effect. There shall have been a change in the
assets, liabilities, financial condition, operations, affairs or prospects of
such Borrower, any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower, TEC AcquiSub, FSI, TEC,
PLMI or any Owner Trustee holding record title to any Eligible Inventory for the
beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI or any other guarantor of any of
such Borrower's or FSI's obligations to Lenders which, in the reasonable
determination of Requisite Lenders has, either individually or in the aggregate,
had a Material Adverse Effect; or
8.1.9 Judgments, Writs And Attachments. There shall be a money
judgment, writ or warrant of attachment or similar process entered or filed
against such Borrower, any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower, TEC AcquiSub,
FSI, TEC or any Owner Trustee holding record title to any Eligible Inventory for
the beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI which (net of insurance
coverage) remains unvacated, unbonded, unstayed or unpaid or undischarged for
more than sixty (60) days (whether or not consecutive) or in any event later
than five (5) calendar days prior to the date of any proposed sale thereunder,
which, together with all such other unvacated, unbonded, unstayed, unpaid and
undischarged judgments or attachments against such Borrower or any Marine
Subsidiary of such Borrower exceeds in the aggregate $1,000,000; against FSI
exceeds in the aggregate $500,000; against TEC or TEC AcquiSub exceeds in the
aggregate $500,000; or against any Owner Trustee holding record title to any
Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI exceeds
in the aggregate $1,000,000; or against any combination of the foregoing Persons
exceeds in the aggregate $1,000,000; or
8.1.10 Legal Obligations. Any of the Loan Documents shall for any
reason other than the full, complete and indefeasible satisfaction of the
Obligations thereunder cease to be, or be asserted by such Borrower, FSI or any
Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower or Owner Trustee holding record title to any
Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI not to
be, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Borrower, FSI or any Marine
Subsidiary of such Borrower or Owner Trustee holding record title to any
Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI,
respectively enforceable against such Person in accordance with its terms; or
8.1.11 TEC AcquiSub Agreement. The occurrence of any "Event of Default"
as defined under the TEC AcquiSub Agreement or any other loan or security
document related to the TEC AcquiSub Agreement; or
8.1.12 AFG Agreement. The occurrence of any "Event of Default" as
defined under the AFG Agreement or any other loan or security document related
to the AFG Agreement; or
8.1.13 Change Of General Partner Or Manager. FSI shall cease to be the
sole general partner or the sole manager, as applicable, of such Borrower,
whether due to the voluntary or involuntary withdrawal, substitution, removal or
transfer of FSI from or of all or any portion of FSI's general partnership
interest or capital contribution in such Borrower; or
8.1.14 Change Of Purchaser. Requesting Borrower, TEC AcquiSub, FSI or
their Subsidiaries shall cease to be the purchaser of Eligible Inventory for
such Requesting Borrower.
8.1.15 Criminal Proceedings. A criminal proceeding shall have been
filed in any court naming any Borrower, FSI or any Marine Subsidiary of such
Borrower or Owner Trustee holding record title to any Eligible Inventory for the
beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI as a defendant for which forfeiture
is a potential penalty under applicable federal or state law which, in the
reasonable determination of Requisite Lenders, may have a Material Adverse
Effect; or
8.1.16 Action By Governmental Authority. Any Governmental Authority
enters a decree, order or ruling ("Government Action") which will materially and
adversely affect any Borrower's, any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower's,
FSI's, TEC's, TEC AcquiSub's or PLMI's financial condition, operations or
ability to perform or pay such party's obligations arising under this Agreement
or any instrument or agreement executed pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
or which will similarly affect any Owner Trustee holding record title to any
Eligible Inventory for the beneficial interest of such Borrower or FSI. Such
Borrower or FSI shall have thirty (30) days from the earlier of the date (a)
Borrower or FSI, as applicable, first discovers it is the subject of Government
Action or (b) a Lender or any agency gives notice of Government Action to take
such steps as are necessary to obtain relief from the Government Action. For the
purpose of this paragraph, "relief from Government Action" means to discharge or
to obtain a dismissal of or release or relief from (i) any Government Action so
that the affected party or parties do not incur monetary liability (A) of more
than $1,000,000 in the case of any Borrower or any Marine Subsidiary of such
Borrower, (B) of more than $500,000 in the case of FSI, (C) of more than
$500,000 in the case of TEC, (D) of more than $250,000 in the case of TEC
AcquiSub, (E) of more than $1,000,000 in the case of PLMI, or (F) of more than
$1,000,000, in the aggregate, in the case of any combination of the foregoing
Persons, or (ii) any disqualification of or other limitation on the operation of
any Borrower, any Marine Subsidiary of such Borrower, FSI, TEC, TEC AcquiSub and
PLMI, or any of them, which in the reasonable determination of Requisite Lenders
may have a Material Adverse Effect; or
8.1.17 Governmental Decrees. Any Governmental Authority, including,
without limitation, the SEC, shall enter a decree, order or ruling prohibiting
the Equipment Growth Funds from releasing or paying to FSI any funds in the form
of management fees, profits or otherwise which, in the reasonable determination
of Requisite Lenders, may have a Material Adverse Effect.
8.2 Waiver Of Default. An Event of Default may be waived only with the
written consent of Requisite Lenders, or if expressly provided, of all Lenders.
Any Event of Default so waived shall be deemed to have been cured and not to be
continuing; but no such waiver shall be deemed a continuing waiver or shall
extend to or affect any subsequent like default or impair any rights arising
therefrom.
8.3 Remedies. Upon the occurrence and continuance of any Event of
Default or Potential Event of Default, Lenders shall have no further obligation
to advance money or extend credit to or for the benefit of the defaulting
Borrower or any other Borrower, regardless of whether such Event of Default or
Potential Event of Default has occurred with respect to such Borrower or another
Borrower.
In addition, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event
of Default, except an Event of Default arising under Section 8.1.11 hereof (the
remedies for which shall be limited to those set forth in the preceding
paragraph), Lenders or Agent, on behalf of Lenders, may, as to such defaulting
Borrower, or as to all Borrowers should such Event of Default result from the
actions or inactions of FSI, at the option of Requisite Lenders, do any one or
more of the following, all of which are hereby authorized by each Borrower and
FSI:
8.3.1 Declare all or any of the Obligations of such Borrower
under this Agreement, the Note of such Borrower, the other Loan Documents and
any other instrument executed by such Borrower pursuant to the Loan Documents to
be immediately due and payable, and upon such declaration such obligations so
declared due and payable shall immediately become due and payable; provided that
if such Event of Default is under part 8.1.6 or 8.1.7 of Section 8.1, then all
of the Obligations of each Borrower shall become immediately due and payable
forthwith without the requirement of any notice or other action by Lenders or
Agent;
8.3.2 Terminate this Agreement as to any future liability or obligation
of Agent or Lenders as to such Borrower or as to each Borrower if such Event of
Default results from the actions, inactions or violation of any covenant of or
by FSI (excluding, as to FSI, Events of Default under Section 8.1.2 arising in
relation to Contingent Obligation of FSI arising solely as a result of FSI's
status as a general partner of any Person other than such Borrower); and
8.3.3 Exercise in addition to all other rights and remedies granted
hereunder, any and all rights and remedies granted under the Loan Documents or
otherwise available at law or in equity.
8.4 Set-Off.
8.4.1 During the continuance of an Event of Default, any deposits or
other sums credited by or due from any Lender to any Borrower or FSI (exclusive
of deposits in accounts expressly held in the name of third parties or held in
trust for benefit of third parties) may be set-off against the Obligations of
such Borrower and any and all other liabilities, due or existing or hereafter
arising and owing by such Borrower or FSI to Lenders. Each Lender agrees to
notify promptly Borrowers and FSI and Agent of any such set-off; provided, that
the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of any such
set-off.
8.4.2 Each Lender agrees that if it shall, whether by right of
set-off, banker's lien or similar remedy pursuant to Section 8.4.1, obtain any
payment as a result of which the outstanding and unpaid principal portion of the
Commitments of such Lender shall be less than such Lender's Pro Rata Share of
the outstanding and unpaid principal portion of the aggregate of all
Commitments, such Lender receiving such payment shall simultaneously purchase
from each other Lender a participation in the Commitments held by such Lenders
so that the outstanding and unpaid principal amount of the Commitments and
participations in Commitments of such Lender shall be in the same proportion to
the unpaid principal amount of the aggregate of all Commitments then outstanding
as the unpaid principal amount under the Commitments of such Lender outstanding
immediately prior to receipt of such payment was to the unpaid principal amount
of the aggregate of all Commitments outstanding immediately prior to such
Lender's receipt of such payment; provided, however, that if any such purchase
shall be made pursuant to this Section 8.4.2 and the payment giving rise thereto
shall thereafter be recovered, such purchase shall be rescinded to the extent of
such recovery and the purchase price restored without interest. Each Borrower
expressly consents to the foregoing arrangements and agrees that any Lender
holding a participation in a Commitment deemed to have been so purchased may
exercise any and all rights of set-off, banker's lien or similar remedy with
respect to any and all moneys owing by Borrower to such Lender as fully as if
such Lender held a Commitment in the amount of such participation.
8.5 Rights And Remedies Cumulative. The enumeration of the rights and
remedies of Agent and Lenders set forth in this Agreement is not intended to be
exhaustive and the exercise by Agent and Lenders of any right or remedy shall
not preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies, all of which shall be
cumulative, and shall be in addition to any other right or remedy given
hereunder or under the Loan Documents or that may now or hereafter exist in law
or in equity or by suit or otherwise. No delay or failure to take action on the
part of Agent and Lenders in exercising any right, power or privilege shall
operate as a waiver hereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such
right, power or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or the
exercise of any other right, power or privilege or shall be construed to be a
waiver of any Event of Default or Potential Event of Default. No course of
dealing between any Borrower, FSI, Agent, or any Lender or their respective
agents or employees shall be effective to change, modify or discharge any
provision of this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents or to constitute a
waiver of any Event of Default or Potential Event of Default.
SECTION 9. AGENT.
9.1 Appointment. Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably designates and
appoints First Union National Bank of North Carolina as the Agent of such Lender
under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and each such Lender
irrevocably authorizes First Union National Bank of North Carolina as the Agent
for such Lender to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to exercise such powers and perform
such duties as are expressly delegated to the Agent by the terms of this
Agreement and such other Loan Documents, together with such other powers as are
reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary
elsewhere in this Agreement or such other Loan Documents, the Agent shall not
have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein and
therein, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, and no implied
covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall
be read into this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or otherwise exist
against Agent. To the extent any provision of this Agreement permits action by
Agent, Agent shall, subject to the provisions of this Section 9, take such
action if directed in writing to do so by Requisite Lenders.
9.2 Delegation Of Duties. Agent may execute any of its duties under
this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by or through agents or
attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all
matters pertaining to such duties. Agent shall not be responsible for the
negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it with
reasonable care.
9.3 Exculpatory Provisions9.3 Exculpatory Provisions. Neither Agent nor
any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or
Affiliates shall be (a) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be
taken by it or such Person under or in connection with this Agreement or the
other Loan Documents (except for its or such Person's own gross negligence or
willful misconduct), or (b) responsible in any manner to any Lender for any
recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Borrower or any
officer thereof contained in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or in
any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for
in, or received by Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or the
other Loan Documents or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness,
enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or
for any failure of any Borrower to perform its obligations hereunder or
thereunder. Agent shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain
or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements
contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement, or to inspect the Properties,
books or records of any Borrower.
9.4 Reliance By Agent. Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be
fully protected in relying, upon any note, writing, resolution, notice, consent,
certificate, affidavit, letter, cablegram, telegram, telecopy, telex or teletype
message, statement, order or other document or conversation believed by it to be
genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person
or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including, without
limitation, counsel to Borrowers), independent accountants and other experts
selected by Agent. Agent may deem and treat the payee of any promissory note
issued pursuant to this Agreement as the owner thereof for all purposes unless
such promissory note shall have been transferred in accordance with Section
11.10 hereof. Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any
action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents unless it shall first
receive such advice or concurrence of Requisite Lenders as it deems appropriate
or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by Lenders against any and
all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or
continuing to take any such action except for its own gross negligence or
willful misconduct. Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in
refraining from acting, under this Agreement in accordance with a request of
Requisite Lenders, and such request and any action taken or failure to act
pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all Lenders.
9.5 Notice Of Default. Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or
notice of the occurrence of any Event of Default or Potential Event of Default
hereunder unless Agent has received notice from a Lender or any Borrower
referring to this Agreement, describing such Event of Default or Potential Event
of Default and stating that such notice is a "notice of default". In the event
that Agent receives such a notice, Agent shall promptly give notice thereof to
Lenders. The Agent shall take such action with respect to such Event of Default
or Potential Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by Requisite
Lenders; provided that unless and until Agent shall have received such
directions, Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or
refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Event of Default or
Potential Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of
Lenders.
9.6 Non-Reliance On Agent And Other Lenders. Each Lender expressly
acknowledges that neither Agent nor any of its officers, directors, employees,
agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates has made any representations or
warranties to it and that no act by Agent hereinafter taken, including any
review of the affairs of Borrower, shall be deemed to constitute any
representation or warranty by Agent to any Lender. Each Lender represents to
Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon Agent or any other
Lender, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed
appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business,
operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of each
Borrower and FSI and made its own decision to make its Loans hereunder and enter
into this Agreement. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and
without reliance upon Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and
information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own
credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under
this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigation as
it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, operations, property,
financial and other condition and creditworthiness of each Borrower and FSI.
Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be
furnished to the Lenders by Agent hereunder or by the other Loan Documents,
Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any
credit or other information concerning the business, operations, property,
financial and other condition or creditworthiness of each Borrower and FSI which
may come into the possession of Agent or any of its officers, directors,
employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates.
9.7 Indemnification. Each Lender agrees to indemnify Agent in its
capacity as such (to the extent not reimbursed by Borrowers and without limiting
the obligation of Borrowers to do so), ratably according to the respective
amounts of their Pro Rata Share of the Commitments, from and against any and all
liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits,
costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever which may at any time
(including, without limitation, at any time following the payment of the Loans)
be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against Agent in any way relating to or
arising out of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, or any documents
contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by Agent under or
in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that no Lender shall be liable
for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses,
damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements
resulting solely from Agent's bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct.
The agreements in this Section 9.7 shall survive the repayment of the Loans and
all other amounts payable hereunder.
9.8 Agent In Its Individual Capacity. Agent and its Affiliates may make
loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with
any Borrower or FSI as though Agent were not Agent hereunder. With respect to
Advances made or renewed by it, Agent shall have the same rights and powers
under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as any Lender and may exercise
the same as though it were not Agent, and the terms "Lender" and "Lenders" shall
include Agent in its individual capacity.
9.9 Resignation And Appointment Of Successor Agent. Agent may resign at
any time by giving thirty (30) days' prior written notice thereof to Lenders and
Borrowers; provided, however, that the retiring Agent shall continue to serve
until a successor Agent shall have been selected and approved pursuant to this
Section 9.9. Upon any such notice, Agent shall have the right to appoint a
successor Agent; provided, however, that if such successor shall not be a
signatory to this Agreement, such appointment shall be subject to the consent of
Requisite Lenders. Agent may be replaced by Requisite Lenders, with or without
cause; provided, however, that any successor agent shall be subject to
Borrowers' consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Upon the
acceptance of any appointment as an Agent hereunder by a successor Agent, such
successor Agent shall thereupon succeed to and become vested with all the
rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Agent, and the retiring
Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
After any retiring Agent's resignation hereunder as Agent, the provisions of
this Section 9 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to
be taken by it while it was Agent under this Agreement.
SECTION 10. EXPENSES AND INDEMNITIES.
10.1 Expenses. Borrowers and Lenders agree that, as the following
costs, expenses, charges and other disbursements benefit each Borrower and as
such costs, expenses, charges and other disbursements cannot easily be ratably
allocated to the account of any Borrower or Borrowers, each Borrower, unless
otherwise specified in this Section 10.1, shall pay, as its Obligation, promptly
on demand, and in any event within thirty (30) days of the invoice date
therefor, (a) all costs, expenses, charges and other disbursements (including,
without limitation, all reasonable attorneys' fees and allocated expenses of
outside counsel and in-house legal staff) incurred by or on behalf of Agent or
any Lender in connection with the preparation of the Loan Documents and all
amendments and modifications thereof, extensions thereto or substitutions
therefor, and all costs, expenses, charges or other disbursements incurred by or
on behalf of Agent or any Lender (including, without limitation all reasonable
attorney's fees and allocated expenses of outside counsel and in-house legal
staff) in connection with the furnishing of opinions of counsel (including,
without limitation, any opinions requested by Lenders as to any legal matters
arising hereunder) and of Borrowers' performance of and compliance with all
agreements and conditions contained herein or in any of the other Loan Documents
on its part to be performed or complied with; (b) all other costs, expenses,
charges and other disbursements incurred by or on behalf of Agent or any Lender
in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution, administration,
continuation and enforcement of the Loan Documents, and the making of the Loans
hereunder; (c) all costs, expenses, charges and other disbursements (including,
without limitation, all reasonable attorney's fees and allocated expenses of
outside counsel and in-house legal staff) incurred by or on behalf of Agent or
any Lender in connection with the assignment or attempted assignment to any
other Person of all or any portion of any Lender's interest under this Agreement
pursuant to Section 11.10; and (d) regardless of the existence of an Event of
Default or Potential Event of Default, all legal, appraisal, audit, accounting,
consulting or other fees, costs, expenses, charges or other disbursements
incurred by or on behalf of Agent or any Lender in connection with any
litigation, contest, dispute, suit, proceeding or action (whether instituted by
Lenders, Agent, any Borrower or any other Person) seeking to enforce any
Obligations of, or collecting any payments due from, any Borrower under this
Agreement and the Notes, all of which amounts shall be deemed to be part of the
Obligations; provided, however, that Lenders shall be entitled to collect the
full amount of such costs, expenses, charges and other disbursements only once.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 10.1, so long
as no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, all appraisals of the Eligible Inventory shall be at the expense of
Lenders. If an Event of Default or Potential Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing, such appraisals shall be at the expense of the
Requesting Borrower.
10.2 Indemnification. Whether or not the transactions contemplated
hereby shall be consummated:
10.2.1 General Indemnity. Each Borrower, as to itself, and FSI, jointly
and severally as to itself and each Borrower, shall pay, indemnify, and hold
each Lender, Agent and each of their respective officers, directors, employees,
counsel, agents and attorneys-in-fact (each, an "Indemnified Person") harmless
from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages,
penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, charges, expenses or disbursements
(including reasonable attorney's fees and the allocated cost of in-house
counsel) of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the execution,
delivery, enforcement, performance and administration of this Agreement and any
other Loan Documents, or the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and
with respect to any investigation, litigation or proceeding (including any case,
action or proceeding before any court or other Governmental Authority relating
to bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution or relief of
debtors or any appellate proceeding) related to this Agreement or the Loans or
the use of the proceeds thereof, whether or not any Indemnified Person is a
party thereto (all the foregoing, collectively, the "Indemnified Liabilities");
provided, that Borrowers and FSI shall have no obligation hereunder to any
Indemnified Person with respect to Indemnified Liabilities arising from the
gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Person.
10.2.2 Environmental Indemnity.
(a) Each Borrower, to the extent of its pro rata share
of ownership of Property involved in any investigation, litigation or
proceeding, as set forth below, and FSI hereby jointly and severally
agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Indemnified Person,
from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages,
penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, charges, expenses or
disbursements (including reasonable attorneys' fees and the allocated
cost of in-house counsel and of internal environmental audit or review
services), which may be incurred by or asserted against such
Indemnified Person in connection with or arising out of any pending or
threatened investigation, litigation or proceeding, or any action taken
by any Person, with respect to any Environmental Claim arising out of
or related to any Property owned, leased or operated by such Borrower.
No action taken by legal counsel chosen by Agent or any Lender in
defending against any such investigation, litigation or proceeding or
requested remedial, removal or response action shall (except for
actions which constitute fraud, willful misconduct, gross negligence or
material violations of law) vitiate or in any way impair Borrowers' or
FSI's obligation and duty hereunder to indemnify and hold harmless
Agent and each Lender. Agent and all Lenders agree to use reasonable
efforts to cooperate with Borrowers respecting the defense of any
matter indemnified hereunder, except insofar as and to the extent that
their respective interests may be adverse to Borrowers' or FSI's in
Agent's or such Lender's sole discretion.
(b) In no event shall any site visit, observation, or
testing by Agent or any Lender be deemed a representation or warranty
that Hazardous Materials are or are not present in, on, or under the
site, or that there has been or shall be compliance with any
Environmental Law. Neither Borrowers, FSI nor any other Person is
entitled to rely on any site visit, observation, or testing by Agent or
any Lender. Except as otherwise provided by law, neither Agent nor any
Lender owes any duty of care to protect Borrowers, or any one of them,
or any other Person against, or to inform Borrowers or any other party
of, any Hazardous Materials or any other adverse condition affecting
any site or Property. Neither Agent nor any Lender shall be obligated
to disclose to Borrowers, FSI or any other Person any report or
findings made as a result of, or in connection with, any site visit,
observation, or testing by Agent or any Lender.
10.2.3 Survival; Defense. The obligations in this Section 10.2 shall
survive payment of all other Obligations. At the election of any Indemnified
Person, Borrowers shall defend such Indemnified Person using legal counsel
satisfactory to such Indemnified Person in such Person's reasonable discretion,
at the sole cost and expense of Borrowers, which cost and expense shall be
allocated to Borrowers according to such Borrower's pro rata share of ownership
of any Property in relation to which such obligations arise. All amounts owing
under this Section 10.2 shall be paid within thirty (30) days after written
demand.
SECTION 11. MISCELLANEOUS.
11.1 Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and
warranties made herein shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan
Documents and the making of the Loans hereunder.
11.2 No Waiver By Agent Or Lenders. No failure or delay on the part of
Agent or any Lender in the exercise of any power, right or privilege under this
Agreement, the Note or any of the other Loan Documents shall impair such power,
right or privilege or be construed to be a waiver of any default or acquiescence
therein, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or
privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right,
power or privilege.
11.3 Notices. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, any
notice or other communication herein required or permitted to be given shall be
in writing and may be delivered in person, with receipt acknowledged, or sent by
telex, facsimile, telecopy, computer transmission or by United States mail,
registered or certified, return receipt requested, or by Federal Express or
other nationally recognized overnight courier service, postage prepaid and
confirmation of receipt requested, and addressed as set forth on the signature
pages to this Agreement or at such other address as may be substituted by notice
given as herein provided. The giving of any notice required hereunder may be
waived in writing by the party entitled to receive such notice. Every notice,
demand, request, consent, approval, declaration or other communication hereunder
shall be deemed to have been duly given or served on the date on which the same
shall have been personally delivered, with receipt acknowledged, or sent by
telex, facsimile, telecopy or computer transmission (with appropriate
answerback), three (3) Business Days after the same shall have been deposited in
the United States mail or on the next succeeding Business Day if the same has
been sent by Federal Express or other nationally recognized overnight courier
service. Failure or delay in delivering copies of any notice, demand, request,
consent, approval, declaration or other communication to the persons designated
above to receive copies shall in no way adversely affect the effectiveness of
such notice, demand, request, consent, approval, declaration or other
communication.
11.4 Headings. Section and subsection headings in this Agreement are
included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a
part of this Agreement for any other purpose or be given any substantive effect.
11.5 Severability11.5 Severability. Whenever possible, each provision
of this Agreement, the Note and each of the other Loan Documents shall be
interpreted in such a manner as to be valid, legal and enforceable under the
applicable law of any jurisdiction. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing sentence, in case any provision of this Agreement, the Note or any of
the other Loan Documents shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable under the
applicable law of any jurisdiction, the validity, legality and enforceability of
the remaining provisions, or of such provision in any other jurisdiction, shall
not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
11.6 Entire Agreement; Construction; Amendments And Waivers.
11.6.1 This Agreement, the Notes and each of the other Loan Documents
dated as of the date hereof, taken together, constitute and contain the entire
agreement among Borrowers, Lenders and Agent and supersede any and all prior
agreements, negotiations, correspondence, understandings and communications
between the parties, whether written or oral, respecting the subject matter
hereof.
11.6.2 This Agreement is the result of negotiations between
and has been reviewed by each Borrower, FSI, and each Lender executing this
Agreement as of the Closing Date and Agent and their respective counsel;
accordingly, this Agreement shall be deemed to be the product of the parties
hereto, and no ambiguity shall be construed in favor of or against Borrowers,
FSI, Lenders or Agent. Borrowers, FSI, Lenders and Agent agree that they intend
the literal words of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and that no
parol evidence shall be necessary or appropriate to establish Borrowers', FSI's
any Lender's or Agent's actual intentions.
11.6.3 No amendment, modification, discharge or waiver of or
consent to any departure by any Borrower or FSI from, any provision in this
Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents relating to (a) the definition of
"Borrowing Base" or "Requisite Lenders," (b) any increase of the amount of any
Commitment, (c) any reduction of principal, interest or fees payable hereunder,
(d) any postponement of any date fixed for any payment or prepayment of
principal or interest hereunder or (e) this Section 11.6.3 shall be effective
without the written consent of all Lenders. Any and all other amendments,
modifications, discharges or waivers of, or consents to any departures from any
provision of this Agreement or of any of the other Loan Documents shall not be
effective without the written consent of Requisite Lenders. Any waiver or
consent with respect to any provision of the Loan Documents shall be effective
only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which it was
given. No notice to or demand on any Borrower or FSI in any case shall entitle
any Borrower or FSI to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other
circumstances. Any amendment, modification, waiver or consent effected in
accordance with this Section 11.6 shall be binding upon each Lender then party
hereto and each subsequent Lender, on Borrower, and on FSI.
11.7 Reliance By Lenders. All covenants, agreements, representations
and warranties made herein by each Borrower or FSI shall, notwithstanding any
investigation by Lenders or Agent be deemed to be material to and to have been
relied upon by Lenders.
11.8 Marshalling; Payments Set Aside. Lenders shall be under no
obligation to marshall any assets in favor of any Borrower or any other person
or against or in payment of any or all of the Obligations. To the extent that
any Borrower makes a payment or payments to Lenders or Agent, or Lenders or
Agent, on behalf of Lenders, enforce their or its Liens or exercises their or
its rights of set-off, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such
enforcement or set-off or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated,
declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be repaid to
a trustee, receiver or any other party under Title 11 of the United States Code
or under any other similar federal or state law, common law or equitable cause,
then to the extent of such recovery the obligation or part thereof originally
intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect
as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or set-off had not
occurred.
11.9 No Set-Offs By Borrowers. All sums payable by Borrowers or FSI
pursuant to this Agreement, the Note or any of the other Loan Documents shall be
payable without notice or demand and shall be payable in United States Dollars
without set-off or reduction of any manner whatsoever.
11.10 Binding Effect, Assignment.
11.10.1 This Agreement, the Note and the other Loan Documents
shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and
thereto and their respective successors and assigns, except that no Borrower nor
FSI may assign its rights hereunder or thereunder or any interest herein or
therein without the prior written consent of each Lender. Each Lender shall (a)
have the right in accordance with this Section 11.10 to sell and assign to any
Eligible Assignee all or any portion of its interest (provided that any such
partial assignment shall not be for a principal amount of less than Five Million
Dollars ($5,000,000)) under this Agreement, the Notes and the other Loan
Documents, together with a ratable interest in the AFG Agreement and the TEC
AcquiSub Agreement and the related Notes and other Loan Documents (as separately
described and defined in those agreements), subject to the prior written consent
of the affected Borrower, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, and
(b) to grant any participation or other interest herein or therein, except that
each potential participant to which a Lender intends to grant any rights under
Sections 2.9, 2.10, 5.1 or 10.2 shall be subject to the prior written consent of
the affected Borrower, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld;
provided, however, that no such sale, assignment or participation grant shall
result in requiring registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
or qualification under any state securities law.
11.10.2 Subject to the limitations of this Section 11.10.2,
each Lender may sell and assign, from time to time, all or any portion of its
Pro Rata Share of the Commitments to any of its Affiliates or, with the approval
of the affected Borrower and FSI (which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld), to any other financial institution acceptable to Agent, subject to
the assumption by such assignee of the share of the Commitments so assigned. The
assignment to such Affiliate or other financial institution shall be evidenced
by an Assignment and Assumption in the form of Exhibit H ("Assignment and
Acceptance") executed by the assignor Lender (hereinafter from time to time
referred to as the "Assignor Lender") and such Affiliate or other financial
institution (which, upon such assignment shall become a Lender hereunder
(hereinafter from time to time referred to as the "Assignee Lender")). The
Assignment and Assumption need not include any of the economic or financial
terms upon which such Assignee Lender receives the assignment from the Assignor
Lender, and such terms need not be disclosed to or approved by such Borrower or
FSI; provided only that such terms do not diminish the obligations undertaken by
such Assignee Lender in the Assignment and Assumption or increase the
obligations of Borrowers or FSI under this Agreement. Upon execution of such
Assignment and Assumption, (a) the definition of "Commitments" in Section 1
hereof and the Pro Rata Shares set forth therein shall be deemed to be amended
to reflect each Lender's share of the Commitments, giving effect to the
assignment and (b) the Assignee Lender shall, from the effective date of the
instrument of assignment and assumption, be subject to all of the obligations,
and entitled to all of the rights, of a Lender hereunder, except as may be
expressly provided to the contrary in the Assignment and Assumption. To the
extent the obligations hereunder of the Assignor Lender are assumed by the
Assignee Lender, the Assignor Lender shall be relieved of such obligations. Upon
the assignment of any interest by any Assignor Lender pursuant to this Section
11.10.2, such Assignor Lender agrees to supplement Schedule 1.1 to show the date
of such assignment, the Assignor Lender, the Assignee Lender, the Assignee
Lender's address for notice purposes and the amount of the Commitments so
assigned.
11.10.3 Subject to the limitations of this Section 11.10.3,
any Lender may also grant, from time to time, participation interests in the
interests of such Lender under this Agreement, the Notes and the other Loan
Documents to any other financial institution without notice to, or approval of,
any Borrower or FSI. The grant of such a participation interest shall be on such
terms as the granting Lender determines are appropriate, provided only that (a)
the holder of such participation interest shall not have any of the rights of a
Lender under this Agreement except, if the participation agreement expressly
provides, rights under Sections 2.9, 2.10, 5.1 and 10.2, and (b) the consent of
the holder of such a participation interest shall not be required for amendments
or waivers of provisions of the Loan Documents other than, if the participation
agreement expressly provides, those which (i) increase the monetary amount of
any Commitment, (ii) decrease any fee or any other monetary amount payable to
Lenders, or (iii) extend the date upon which any monetary amount is payable to
Lenders.
11.11 Counterparts. This Agreement and any amendments, waivers,
consents or supplements hereto may be executed in any number of counterparts,
and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so
executed and delivered shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts
together shall constitute but one and the same instrument. Each such agreement
shall become effective upon the execution of a counterpart hereof or thereof by
each of the parties hereto or thereto, delivery of each such counterpart to
Agent.
11.12 Equitable Relief. Borrowers and FSI recognize that, in the event
any Borrower or FSI fails to perform, observe or discharge any of its
obligations or liabilities under this Agreement, the Notes or any of the other
Loan Agreements, any remedy at law may prove to be inadequate relief to Lenders
or Agent; therefore, Borrowers and FSI agree that Lenders or Agent, if Lenders
or Agents so request, shall be entitled to temporary and permanent injunctive
relief in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages.
11.13 Written Notice Of Claims; Claims Bar11.13 Written Notice Of
Claims; Claims Bar. EACH BORROWER AND FSI HEREBY AGREE THAT EACH SHALL GIVE
PROMPT WRITTEN NOTICE OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION IT BELIEVES IT HAS, OR MAY
SEEK TO ASSERT OR ALLEGE AGAINST ANY LENDER OR AGENT, WHETHER SUCH CLAIM IS
BASED IN LAW OR EQUITY, ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT, THE NOTES OR
ANY OF THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS OR TO THE LOANS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY
OR ANY ACT OR OMISSION TO ACT BY ANY LENDER OR AGENT WITH RESPECT HERETO OR
THERETO, AND THAT IF IT SHALL FAIL TO GIVE SUCH PROMPT NOTICE TO AGENT WITH
REGARD TO ANY SUCH CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION, IT SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE WAIVED,
AND SHALL BE FOREVER BARRED FROM BRINGING OR ASSERTING SUCH CLAIM OR CAUSE OF
ACTION IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY COURT OR BEFORE ANY GOVERNMENTAL
AUTHORITY.
11.14 Waiver Of Punitive Damages. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE
CONTRARY CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT, EACH BORROWER AND FSI HEREBY AGREE THAT
EACH SHALL NOT SEEK FROM LENDERS OR AGENT, UNDER ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY THEORY IN TORTS, ANY PUNITIVE DAMAGES.
11.15 Relationship Of Parties. The relationship between Borrowers and
FSI, on the one hand, and Lenders and Agent, on the other, is, and at all time
shall remain solely that of a borrower and lenders. Neither Lenders nor Agent
shall under any circumstances be construed to be partners or joint venturers of
Borrowers or FSI or any of their Affiliates; nor shall Lenders nor Agent under
any circumstances be deemed to be in a relationship of confidence or trust or a
fiduciary relationship with Borrowers or FSI or any of their Affiliates, or to
owe any fiduciary duty to any Borrower or any of its Affiliates. Lenders and
Agent do not undertake or assume any responsibility or duty to Borrowers or FSI
or any of their Affiliates to select, review, inspect, supervise, pass judgment
upon or otherwise inform Borrowers or any of their Affiliates of any matter in
connection with its or their Property, any collateral held by Agent or any
Lender or the operations of Borrowers or FSI or any of their Affiliates.
Borrowers and each of their Affiliates shall rely entirely on their own judgment
with respect to such matters, and any review, inspection, supervision, exercise
of judgment or supply of information undertaken or assumed by any Lender or
Agent in connection with such matters is solely for the protection of Lenders
and Agent and neither Borrowers nor any Affiliate is entitled to rely thereon.
11.16 Obligations Of Each Borrower. Each Borrower and FSI agrees that
its liability hereunder shall be the immediate, direct, and primary obligation
of such Borrower or FSI, as the case may be, and shall not be contingent upon
the Agent's or any Lender's exercise or enforcement of any remedy it may have
against any other Borrower, FSI or any other person, or against any collateral
or any security for the Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Obligations shall remain in full force and effect without regard
to and shall not be impaired or affected by, nor shall such Borrower or FSI be
exonerated or discharged by, any of the following events:
11.16.1 Insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement,
adjustment, composition, assignment for the benefit of creditors, death,
liquidation, winding up or dissolution of any Borrower or any guarantor of the
Obligations of any Borrower;
11.16.2 Any limitation, discharge, or cessation of the liability of any
other Borrower or any guarantor for the Obligations of such other Borrower due
to any statute, regulation or rule of law, or any invalidity or unenforceability
in whole or in part of the documents evidencing the Obligations of such other
Borrower or any guaranty of the Obligations of such other Borrower;
11.16.3 Any merger, acquisition, consolidation or change in structure
of any Borrower or any guarantor of the Obligations of any Borrower or any sale,
lease, transfer or other disposition of any or all of the assets, shares or
interests in or of any Borrower or any guarantor of the Obligations of any
Borrower;
11.16.4 Any assignment or other transfer, in whole or in part, of any
Lender's interests in and rights under this Agreement or any of the other Loan
Documents, including, without limitation, any assignment or other transfer, in
whole or in part, of Banks' interests in and to any collateral;
11.16.5 Any claim, defense, counterclaim or setoff, other than that of
prior performance, that any Borrower or any guarantor of the Obligations of any
Borrower may have or assert, including, but not limited to, any defense of
incapacity or lack of corporate or other authority to execute any documents
relating to the Obligations of any Borrower or any collateral;
11.16.6 Agent's or any Lender's amendment, modification, renewal,
extension, cancellation or surrender of any agreement, document or instrument
relating to this Agreement, the Obligations of any Borrower or any collateral,
or any exchange, release, or waiver of any collateral;
11.16.7 Agent's or any Lender's exercise or nonexercise of any power,
right or remedy with respect to the Obligations of any Borrower or any
collateral, including, but not limited to, the compromise, release, settlement
or waiver with or of any Borrower or any other person;
11.16.8 Agent's or any Lender's vote, claim, distribution, election,
acceptance, action or inaction in any bankruptcy case related to the Obligations
of any Borrower or any collateral; and
11.16.9 Any impairment or invalidity of any collateral or any failure
to perfect any of Agent's liens thereon.
11.17 Co-Borrower Waivers. Each Borrower and FSI hereby expressly
waives (a) diligence, presentment, demand for payment and protest affecting any
other Borrower's or FSI's liability under the Loan Documents; (b) discharge due
to any disability of any Borrower or FSI; (c) any defenses of any other Borrower
or FSI to obligations under the Loan Documents not arising under the express
terms of the Loan Documents or from a material breach thereof by Agent or any
Lender which under applicable law has the effect of discharging any other
Borrower from the Obligations of any Borrower as to which this Agreement is
sought to be enforced; (d) the benefit of any act or omission by Agent or any
Lender which directly or indirectly results in or aids the discharge of any
other Borrower from any of the Obligations of any such Borrower by operation of
law or otherwise; (e) all notices whatsoever, including, without limitation,
notice of acceptance of the incurring of the Obligations of any Borrower; (f)
any right it may have to require Agent or any Lender to disclose to it any
information that Agent or Lenders may now or hereafter acquire concerning the
financial condition or any circumstances that bear on the risk of nonpayment by
any other Borrower, including the release of such other Borrower from its
Obligations hereunder; and (g) any requirement that Agent and Lenders exhaust
any right, power or remedy or proceed against any other Borrower or any other
security for, or any guarantor of, or any other party liable for, any of the
Obligations of any Borrower, or any portion thereof (including without
limitation any requirements set forth in Section 26-7 of the North Carolina
General Statutes). Each Borrower specifically agrees that it shall not be
necessary or required, and Borrowers shall not be entitled to require, that
Agent or any Lender (i) file suit or proceed to assert or obtain a claim for
personal judgment against any other Borrower for all or any part of the
Obligations of any Borrower; (ii) make any effort at collection or enforcement
of all or any part of the Obligations of any Borrower from any Borrower; (iii)
foreclose against or seek to realize upon any collateral or any other security
now or hereafter existing for all or any part of the Obligations of any
Borrower; (iv) file suit or proceed to obtain or assert a claim for personal
judgment against any Borrower or any guarantor or other party liable for all or
any part of the Obligations of any Borrower; (v) exercise or assert any other
right or remedy to which Agent or any Lender is or may be entitled in connection
with the Obligations of any Borrower or any security or guaranty relating
thereto to assert; or (vi) file any claim against assets of one Borrower before
or as a condition of enforcing the liability of any other Borrower under this
Agreement or the Notes.
11.18 Governing Law. Except as otherwise expressly provided in any of
the Loan Documents, in all respects, including all matters of construction,
validity and performance, this Agreement and the Obligations arising hereunder
shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of
the State of North Carolina applicable to contracts made and performed in such
state, without regard to the principles thereof regarding conflict of laws, and
any applicable laws of the United States of America.
11.19 Consent To Jurisdiction. Each Borrower and FSI hereby irrevocably
consent to the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, in any action, claim or other proceeding
arising out of any dispute in connection with this Agreement, the Note and the
other Loan Documents, any rights or obligations hereunder or thereunder, or the
performance of such rights and obligations. Each Borrower hereby irrevocably
consents to the service of a summons and complaint and other process in any
action, claim or proceeding brought by Agent or any Lender in connection with
this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, any rights or obligations hereunder
or thereunder, or the performance of such rights and obligations, on behalf of
itself or its Property, in the manner specified in Section 11.3. Nothing in this
Section 11.19 shall affect the right of the Agent or any Lender to serve legal
process in any other manner permitted by applicable law or affect the right of
Agent or any Lender to bring any action or proceeding against any Borrower or
its properties in the courts of any other jurisdictions.
11.20 No Novation. This Agreement is not intended to be, and shall not
be construed to create, a novation or accord and satisfaction, and, except as
otherwise provided herein, the Growth Fund Agreement shall remain in full force
and effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Section 10.2 of
the Growth Fund Agreement shall survive the effectiveness of the Agreement and
shall remain enforceable against both the Borrowers and EGF II, EGF III and EGF
IV.
11.21 Waiver Of Jury Trial. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW,
EACH BORROWER AND FSI, BY EXECUTION HEREOF, AND THE AGENT AND EACH LENDER, BY
ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT THEY
MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION BASED ON THIS
AGREEMENT, OR ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY
AGREEMENT CONTEMPLATED TO BE EXECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, OR ANY
COURSE OF CONDUCT, COURSE OF DEALING, STATEMENTS (WHETHER VERBAL OR WRITTEN) OR
ACTIONS OF ANY PARTY WITH RESPECT HERETO. THIS PROVISION IS A MATERIAL
INDUCEMENT TO THE AGENT AND EACH LENDER TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT AND THE NOTES
EXECUTED AND DELIVERED BY EACH BORROWER PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT.
11.22 BMO As Lender. Upon the Closing, BMO shall be a Lender for all
purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and shall be entitled
to the rights and benefits and be subject to the obligations of a Lender under
and in accordance with and subject to the terms of this Agreement and the other
Loan Documents.
WITNESS the due execution hereof by the respective duly authorized
officers of the undersigned as of the date first written above.
BORROWER PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH FUND V
BY PLM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.,
ITS GENERAL PARTNER
By
J. Michael Allgood
Chief Financial Officer
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH FUND VI
BY PLM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.,
ITS GENERAL PARTNER
By
J. Michael Allgood
Chief Financial Officer
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH & INCOME FUND VII
BY PLM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.,
ITS GENERAL PARTNER
By
J. Michael Allgood
Chief Financial Officer
PROFESSIONAL LEASE MANAGEMENT INCOME FUND I, L.L.C.
BY PLM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.,
ITS MANAGER
By
J. Michael Allgood
Chief Financial Officer
Notice to any Borrower to be sent to:
[Insert name of Borrower]
c/o PLM Financial Services, Inc.
One Market Plaza
Steuart Street Tower, Suite 900
San Francisco, CA 94105
Attention: J. Michael Allgood
Vice President of Finance
and Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: 415/974-1399
Telecopy: 415/882-0860
With a copy to:
TEC AcquiSub, Inc.
One Market Plaza
Steuart Street Tower, Suite 900
San Francisco, CA 94105
Attention: General Counsel
Telephone: 415/896-1138
Facsimile: 415/882-0860
FSI PLM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
By
J. Michael Allgood
Chief Financial Officer
Notice to be sent to:
PLM Financial Services, Inc.
One Market Plaza
Steuart Street Tower, Suite 900
San Francisco, CA 94105
Attention: J. Michael Allgood
Vice President of Finance
and Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: 415/974-1399
Telecopy: 415/882-0860
AGENT FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK
OF NORTH CAROLINA
By
Printed Name:
Title:
Notice to be sent to:
First Union National Bank of North Carolina
One First Union Center
301 South College Street
Charlotte, NC 28288
Attention: Milton Anderson,
Director
Telephone: 704/383-5164
Facsimile: 704/374-4092
LENDERS FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK
OF NORTH CAROLINA
By
Printed Name:
Title:
Notice to be sent to:
First Union National Bank of North Carolina
One First Union Center
301 South College Street
Charlotte, NC 28288
Attention: Milton Anderson,
Director
Telephone: 704/383-5164
Facsimile: 704/374-4092
BANK OF MONTREAL
By:
Printed Name:
Title:
Notice to be sent to:
Bank of Montreal
==========================
Attention: ______________
Telephone: ______________
Facsimile: ______________
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees to Section 11.20 of this Agreement.
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH FUND II
BY PLM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.,
ITS GENERAL PARTNER
By
J. Michael Allgood
Chief Financial Officer
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH FUND III
BY PLM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.,
ITS GENERAL PARTNER
By
J. Michael Allgood
Chief Financial Officer
PLM EQUIPMENT GROWTH FUND IV
BY PLM FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.,
ITS GENERAL PARTNER
By
J. Michael Allgood
Chief Financial Officer
<PAGE>
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENT
AND REAFFIRMATION OF GUARANTY
(Growth Funds)
SECTION 1. PLM International, Inc. ("PLMI") hereby acknowledges and
confirms that it has reviewed and approved the terms and conditions of this
Third Amended and Restated Warehousing Credit Agreement ("Agreement").
SECTION 2. PLMI hereby consents to this Agreement and agrees that its
Guaranty of the Obligations of Borrowers under the Growth Fund Agreement shall
continue in full force and effect under the Agreement, shall be valid and
enforceable and shall not be impaired or otherwise affected by the execution of
this Agreement or any other document or instrument delivered in connection
herewith.
SECTION 3. PLMI represents and warrants that, after giving effect to
this Agreement, all representations and warranties contained in its Guaranty are
true, accurate and complete as if made the date hereof.
GUARANTOR PLM INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By
J. Michael Allgood
Chief Financial Officer
<PAGE>
SCHEDULE A
(COMMITMENTS)
Pro
Rate
Lender Commitment Share
First Union National Bank $35,000,000 70%
of North Carolina
Bank of Montreal $15,000,000 30%
<PAGE>
WAREHOUSING CREDIT AGREEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SECTION 1.......................................................DEFINITIONS 2
1.1 Defined Terms.................................2
1.2 Accounting Terms..............................18
1.3 Other Terms...................................18
1.4 Schedules And Exhibits........................19
SECTION 2........................................AMOUNT AND TERMS OF CREDIT 19
2.1 Commitment To Lend............................19
(a) Facility Commitments........19
(b) Each Loan...................20
2.1.2 Funding............................21
2.1.3 Utilization Of The Loans...........21
2.2 Repayment And Prepayment......................21
2.2.1 Repayment..........................21
2.2.2 Voluntary Prepayment...............21
2.2.3 Mandatory Prepayments..............22
2.3 Calculation Of Interest; Post-Maturity Interest..22
2.4 Manner Of Payments...............................22
2.5 Payment On Non-Business Days.....................23
2.6 Application Of Payments..........................23
2.7 ...............Procedure For The Borrowing Of Loans 23
2.7.1 ....Notice Of Borrowing 23
2.7.2 ....Unavailability Of LIBOR Loans 24
2.8 ...............Conversion And Continuation Elections 24
2.8.1 ....Election 24
2.8.2 ....Notice Of Conversion 24
2.8.3 ....Interest Period 24
2.8.4 ....Unavailability Of LIBOR Loans 25
2.9 .............Discretion Of Lenders As To Manner Of Funding 25
2.10 Distribution Of Payments..................................25
2.11 Agent's Right To Assume Funds Available For Advances......25
2.12 Agent's Right To Assume Payments Will Be Made By Borrower.26
2.13 Capital Requirements......................................26
2.14 Taxes.....................................................26
2.14.1 ..........................No Deductions 26
2.14.2 ........Miscellaneous Taxes 27
2.14.3 ........Indemnity 27
2.14.4 ........Required Deductions 27
2.14.5 ........Evidence of Payment 27
2.14.6 ........Foreign Persons 27
2.14.7 ........Income Taxes 28
2.14.8 ........Reimbursement Of Costs 29
2.14.9 ........Jurisdiction 29
2.15 ...................Illegality 29
2.15.1 ........LIBOR Loans 29
2.15.2 ........Prepayment 29
2.15.3 ........Prime Rate Borrowing 29
2.16 ...................Increased Costs 29
2.17 ...................Inability To Determine Rates 30
2.18 Prepayment Of LIBOR Loans.............30
SECTION 3. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS AGREEMENT
AND THE MAKING OF LOANS 30
3.1 Effectiveness of This Agreement.........................30
3.1.1 Partnership, Company And Corporate Documents.30
3.1.2 ............Notes 31
3.1.3 Opinion Of Counsel...........................31
3.1.4 Reaffirmation of Guaranty....................31
3.1.5 .................TEC AcquiSub Amendment 31
3.1.6 .................AFG Agreement 31
3.1.7 Bringdown Certificate...........31
3.1.8 ................................Fees 31
3.1.9 ....................Other Documents 31
3.2 All Loans...................31
3.2.1 .................Notice Of Borrowing 32
3.2.2 .................No Event Of Default 32
3.2.3 .................Representations And Warranties 32
3.2.4 .................Insurance 32
3.2.5 .................Other Instruments 32
3.3 Further Conditions To All Loans..32
3.3.1 .................General Partner Or Manager 32
3.3.2 ......Removal Of General Partner Or Manager 32
3.3.3 ............ Purchaser. 33
SECTION 4.............BORROWERS' AND FSI'S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 33
4.1 ...............General Representations And Warranties 33
4.1.1 Existence And Power.................33
4.1.2 Loan Documents And Notes Authorized; Binding
Obligations........................... 33
4.1.3 No Conflict; Legal Compliance...........33
4.1.4 Financial Condition.....................34
4.1.5 Executive Offices.......................34
4.1.6 Litigation..............................34
4.1.7 Material Contracts......................34
4.1.8 Consents And Approvals..................35
4.1.9 Other Agreements........................35
4.1.10 ........Employment And Labor Agreements 35
4.1.11 .......ERISA 35
4.1.12 .......Labor Matters 35
4.1.13 .......Margin Regulations 36
4.1.14 .......Taxes 36
4.1.15 .......Environmental Quality 36
4.1.16 .......Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights,
Franchises And Licenses 37
4.1.17 .......Full Disclosure 37
4.1.18 .......Other Regulations 37
4.1.19 .......Solvency 37
4.2 ..................Representations And Warranties
At Time Of First Advance 37
4.2.1 Power And Authority.............38
4.2.2 No Conflict.....................38
4.2.3 Consents And Approvals..........38
4.3 Survival Of Representations And Warranties..38
SECTION 5..................BORROWERS' AND FSI'S AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS 38
5.1 Records And Reports........................38
5.1.1 .........Quarterly Statements 38
5.1.2 Annual Statements.................39
5.1.3 ....Borrowing Base Certificate 39
5.1.4 ....Compliance Certificate 39
5.1.5 ....Reports 39
5.1.6 ....Insurance Reports 40
5.1.7 ....Certificate Of Responsible Officer 40
5.1.8 ....Employee Benefit Plans 40
5.1.9 ....ERISA Notices 40
5.1.10 ....Pension Plans 41
5.1.11 ....SEC Reports 41
5.1.12 ....Tax Returns 41
5.1.13 ....Additional Information 41
5.2 Existence; Compliance With Law.....41
5.3 Insurance..........................42
5.4 Taxes And Other Liabilities........42
5.5 Inspection Rights; Assistance......42
5.6 Maintenance Of Facilities; Modifications....43
5.6.1 Maintenance Of Facilities........43
5.6.2 Certain Modifications To The Equipment...43
5.7 Supplemental Disclosure.............................43
5.8 Further Assurances..................................43
5.9 ...........Lockbox 43
5.10 ...........Environmental Laws 44
SECTION 6..................BORROWER'S AND FSI'S NEGATIVE COVENANTS 44
6.1 Liens; Negative Pledges; And Encumbrances...........44
6.2 Acquisitions........................................45
6.3 Limitations On Indebtedness.........................45
6.4 Use Of Proceeds.....................................46
6.5 Disposition Of Assets...............................46
6.6 Restriction On Fundamental Changes..................46
6.7 Transactions With Affiliates........................46
6.8 Maintenance Of Business.............................46
6.9 No Distributions....................................47
6.10 Events Of Default...................................47
6.11 ERISA...............................................47
6.12 No Use Of Any Lender's Name.........................47
6.13 Certain Accounting Changes..........................47
6.14 Amendments Of Limited Partnership Or Operating Agreements..47
SECTION 7...................FINANCIAL COVENANTS OF BORROWER AND FSI 47
7.1 .............Maximum Funded Debt Ratio 48
7.2 .............Minimum Debt Service Ratio 48
7.3 .............Cash Balances 48
SECTION 8......................EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES 48
8.1 Events Of Default...48
8.1.1 .........Failure To Make Payments 48
8.1.2 .........Other Agreements 48
8.1.3 .........Breach Of Covenants 49
8.1.4 .........Breach Of Representations Or Warranties 49
8.1.5 .........Failure To Cure 49
8.1.6 .........Insolvency 49
8.1.7 .........Bankruptcy Proceedings 50
8.1.8 .........Material Adverse Effect 50
8.1.9 .........Judgments, Writs And Attachments 50
8.1.10 .........Legal Obligations 50
8.1.11 .........TEC AcquiSub Agreement 51
8.1.12 .........AFG Agreement 51
8.1.13 .........Change Of General Partner Or Manager 51
8.1.14 .........Change Of Purchaser 51
8.1.15 .........Criminal Proceedings 51
8.1.16 .........Action By Governmental Authority 51
8.1.17 .........Governmental Decrees 52
8.2 Waiver Of Default...52
8.3 Remedies............52
8.4 Set-Off.............53
8.5 Rights And Remedies Cumulative..53
SECTION 9...................................................AGENT 54
9.1 Appointment...............................54
9.2 Delegation Of Duties......................54
9.3 Exculpatory Provisions....................54
9.4 Reliance By Agent.........................54
9.5 Notice Of Default.........................55
9.6 Non-Reliance On Agent And Other Lenders...55
9.7 Indemnification...........................56
9.8 Agent In Its Individual Capacity..........56
9.9 Resignation And Appointment Of Successor Agent..56
SECTION 10................EXPENSES AND INDEMNITIES 56
10.1 Expenses.................................56
10.2 Indemnification..........................57
10.2.1 ...................General Indemnity 57
10.2.2 .............Environmental Indemnity 58
10.2.3 .............Survival; Defense 58
SECTION 11.............................MISCELLANEOUS 59
11.1 Survival..............................................59
11.2 No Waiver By Agent Or Lenders.........................59
11.3 Notices...............................................59
11.4 Headings..............................................59
11.5 Severability..........................................59
11.6 Entire Agreement; Construction; Amendments And Waivers..60
11.7 Reliance By Lenders..................................60
11.8 Marshalling; Payments Set Aside......................60
11.9 No Set-Offs By Borrowers.............................61
11.10 ...........Binding Effect, Assignment 61
11.11 ...........Counterparts 62
11.12 ...........Equitable Relief 62
11.13 ...........Written Notice Of Claims; Claims Bar 62
11.14 ...........Waiver Of Punitive Damages 63
11.15 ...........Relationship Of Parties 63
11.16 ...........Obligations Of Each Borrower 63
11.17 ...........Co-Borrower Waivers 64
11.18 ...........Governing Law 65
11.19 ...........Consent To Jurisdiction 65
11.20 ...........No Novation 66
11.21 ...........Waiver Of Jury Trial 66
11.22 ...........BMO As Lender. 66
<PAGE>
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
Exhibit A Form of Revolving Promissory Note
Exhibit B Form of Borrowing Base Certificate
Exhibit C Form of Opinion of Counsel
Exhibit D Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit E Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit F Form of Notice of Conversion/Continuation
Exhibit G Form of Assignment and Acceptance
<PAGE>
INDEX OF SCHEDULES
Schedule A Commitments
Schedule 1.1 Amendments to Schedule A
Schedule 4.1.5 Executive Offices and Principal Places of Business
Schedule 4.1.6 Litigation
Schedule 4.1.7 Material Contracts
Schedule 4.1.8 Consent and Approvals
Schedule 4.1.15 Environmental Disclosures
Schedule 6.1 Existing Liens
Schedule 6.3(a) Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.3(b) Anticipated Indebtedness
<PAGE>
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
That the undersigned does hereby constitute and appoint Robert N.
Tidball, Susan Santo, J. Michael Allgood and Richard Brock, jointly and
severally, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, each with power of
substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to do any and all acts and
things and to execute any and all instruments which said attorneys, or any of
them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable PLM Financial Services, Inc., as
General Partner of PLM Equipment Growth & Income Fund VII, to comply with the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"), and any rules and
regulations thereunder, in connection with the preparation and filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission of annual reports on Form 10-K on behalf of
PLM Equipment Growth & Income Fund VII, including specifically, but without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the power and authority to sign the
name of the undersigned, in any and all capacities, to such annual reports, to
any and all amendments thereto, and to any and all documents or instruments
filed as a part of or in connection therewith; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that each of the said attorneys, or his substitute or
substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This Power of
Attorney is limited in duration until May 1, 1998 and shall apply only to the
annual reports and any amendments thereto filed with respect to the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has subscribed these presents this
12th day of February, 1998.
/s/ Douglas P. Goodrich
- ----------------------------------
Douglas P. Goodrich
<PAGE>
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
That the undersigned does hereby constitute and appoint Robert N.
Tidball, Susan Santo, J. Michael Allgood and Richard Brock, jointly and
severally, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, each with power of
substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to do any and all acts and
things and to execute any and all instruments which said attorneys, or any of
them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable PLM Financial Services, Inc., as
General Partner of PLM Equipment Growth & Income Fund VII, to comply with the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"), and any rules and
regulations thereunder, in connection with the preparation and filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission of annual reports on Form 10-K on behalf of
PLM Equipment Growth & Income Fund VII, including specifically, but without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the power and authority to sign the
name of the undersigned, in any and all capacities, to such annual reports, to
any and all amendments thereto, and to any and all documents or instruments
filed as a part of or in connection therewith; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that each of the said attorneys, or his substitute or
substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This Power of
Attorney is limited in duration until May 1, 1998 and shall apply only to the
annual reports and any amendments thereto filed with respect to the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has subscribed these presents this
17th day of February, 1998.
/s/ Robert N. Tidball
- -----------------------------------
Robert N. Tidball
<PAGE>
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
That the undersigned does hereby constitute and appoint Robert N.
Tidball, Susan Santo, J. Michael Allgood and Richard Brock, jointly and
severally, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, each with power of
substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to do any and all acts and
things and to execute any and all instruments which said attorneys, or any of
them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable PLM Financial Services, Inc., as
General Partner of PLM Equipment Growth & Income Fund VII, to comply with the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"), and any rules and
regulations thereunder, in connection with the preparation and filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission of annual reports on Form 10-K on behalf of
PLM Equipment Growth & Income Fund VII, including specifically, but without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the power and authority to sign the
name of the undersigned, in any and all capacities, to such annual reports, to
any and all amendments thereto, and to any and all documents or instruments
filed as a part of or in connection therewith; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that each of the said attorneys, or his substitute or
substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This Power of
Attorney is limited in duration until May 1, 1998 and shall apply only to the
annual reports and any amendments thereto filed with respect to the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has subscribed these presents this
13th day of February, 1998.
/s/ Stephen M. Bess
- ----------------------------------
Stephen M. Bess
<PAGE>
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