Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTION COPY
AGENCY
AGREEMENT
This Agency Agreement (this “
Agreement ”) is made as of May 29, 2008, by and
between Linens Holding Co., a Delaware corporation, with a
principal place of business at 6 Brighton Road, Clifton, NJ, and
its affiliated debtors and debtors-in-possession (collectively, the
“ Merchant ”) and a joint venture comprised of
Tiger Capital Group, LLC and SB Capital Group, LLC (the “
Agent ”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, on May 2, 2008 (the “
Petition Date ”), each entity comprising Merchant
filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of Title 11,
United States Code, 11 U.S.C. §§ 101-1330 (the “
Bankruptcy Code ”) in the United States Bankruptcy
Court for the District of Delaware (the “ Bankruptcy
Court ”), Case No. 08-10832 (CSS) (the “
Bankruptcy Case ”);
WHEREAS, the Merchant operates retail stores in
the United States and desires that the Agent act as the
Merchant’s exclusive agent for the limited purposes of:
(a) selling all of the Merchandise (as hereinafter defined)
located in Merchant’s retail store
location(s) identified on Exhibit 1A attached
hereto (each individually a “ Store ,” and
collectively the “ Stores ”), and certain of the
Merchandise located at Merchant’s distribution centers that
has been or will be transferred by Merchant to the Stores, by means
of a promotional, store closing, or similar sale (as further
described below, the “ Sale ”); and
(b) disposing of the Owned FF&E in the Stores;
and
WHEREAS, Merchant and Agent have each complied
with the applicable requirements of the order of the Bankruptcy
Court dated May 13, 2008 in respect of the auction of the
right to conduct the Sale (the “ Auction Order
”), and Merchant has consented in writing to Agent’s
joint venture and selected Agent as a “Stalking Horse
Bidder”.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual
covenants and agreements set forth herein, and for other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is
hereby acknowledged, the Agent and the Merchant hereby agree as
follows:
Section 1.
Defined Terms . The terms set forth below are defined
in the referenced sections of this Agreement:
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Defined Term
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Section Reference
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Ad Hoc
Noteholder Committee
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Section 2.4(b)
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Adjustment
Amount
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Section 3.3(a)
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Agency
Accounts
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Section 7.2(a)
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Agency
Documents
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Section 11.1(b)
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Agent
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Preamble
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Agent
Indemnified Parties
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Section 13.1
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Agent’s
Fee
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Section 3.1(b)
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Applicable
Cost Value
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Section 5.3(a)
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Applicable
General Laws
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Section 2(c)
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Approval
Order
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Section 2(b)
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Auction
Order
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Recitals
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Bankruptcy
Case
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Recitals
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Bankruptcy
Court
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Recitals
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Bankruptcy
Code
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Recitals,
Section 2(c)
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Beneficiaries
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Section 3.4
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Benefits
Cap
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Section 4.1(b)
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Bidding
Procedures
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Section 15.11
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Break-Up
Fee
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Section 15.12
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Central
Service Expenses
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Section 4.1(i)
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Cost
File
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Section 5.3(a)
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Cost
Factor
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Section 11.1(m)
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Cost Factor
Threshold
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Section 11.1(m)
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Cost
Value
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Section 5.3(a)
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Court
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Section 2(b)
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Defective
Merchandise
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Section 5.2(b)
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Designated
Deposit Accounts
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Sections
7.2(b)
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DIP
Orders
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Section 2.4(b)
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Display
Merchandise
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Section 5.2(b)
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Distribution
Center Merchandise
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Section 5.2(b)
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Domestic
Merchandise
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Section 5.2(b)
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Estimated
Guaranteed Amount
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Section 3.3(a)
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Events of
Default
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Section 14
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Excluded
Benefits
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Section 4.1(ii)
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Excluded
Defective Merchandise
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Section 5.2(b)
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Excluded Price
Adjustments
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Section 11.1(m)
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Expenses
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Section 4.1
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FF&E
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Section 5.2(a)
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Final
Inventory Report
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Section 3.3(a)
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GECC
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Section 2(b)
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Global
Inventory Adjustment
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Section 5.3(b)
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Gross
Rings
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Section 6.3
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Guaranteed
Amount
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Section 3.1(a)
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Guaranty
Percentage
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Section 3.1(a)
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Imported
Merchandise
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Section 5.2(b)
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Indenture
Trustee
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Section 2.4(b)
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Intercreditor
Agreement
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Section 2.4(b)
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Interim DIP
Order
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Section 2.4(b)
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Initial
Guaranty Payment
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Section 3.3(a)
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Insurance
Proceeds Threshold
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Section 7.1
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Interim
Receipt Deadline
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Section 5.3(a)
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Inventory
Location
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Section 5.1
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Inventory
Taking
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Section 5.1(a)
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Inventory-Taking Service
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Section 5.1(a)
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Inventory-Taking Instructions
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Section 5.1(a)
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Lenders
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Section 2(b)
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Lenders’
Designated Account
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Section 3.3(a)
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Letter of
Credit
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Section 3.4
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Liquidation
Sale Laws
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Section 2(c)
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Lowest
Location Price
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Section 11.1(m)
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Merchandise
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Section 5.2(a)
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Merchandise
Threshold
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Section 3.1(c)
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Merchant
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Preamble
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Merchant
Consignment Goods
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Sections
5.4
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Minimum
Overbid
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Section 15.12
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Noteholders
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Section 2.4(b)
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Notes
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Section 2.4(b)
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Occupancy
Expenses
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Section 4.1(iii)
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On-Order
Merchandise
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Section 5.2
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Owned
FF&E
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Section 15.9
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Payment
Date
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Section 3.3(a)
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Petition
Date
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Recitals,
Section 2(b)
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Proceeds
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Section 7.1
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Recovery
Amount
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Section 3.1(b)
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Remaining DC
Merchandise
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Section 5.1(c)
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Remaining DC
Merchandise Count
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Section 5.1(c)
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Remaining
Merchandise
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Section 3.2(b)
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Retail
Price
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Section 11.1(m)
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Retained
Employee
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Section 9.1
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Retention
Bonuses
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Section 9.4
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Returned
Defective Merchandise
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Section 8.5
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Returned
Merchandise
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Section 8.5
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Returned
Merchandise Log
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Section 8.5
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Sale
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Recitals
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Sale
Commencement Date
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Section 6.1
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Sale
Guidelines
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Section 8.1
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Sale
Term
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Section 6.1
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Sale
Termination Date
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Section 6.1
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Sales
Taxes
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Section 8.3
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Sales Taxes
Account
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Section 8.3
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Sharing
Threshold
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Section 3.1(b)
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Shipping
Variance
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Section 5.1(c)
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Shipping
Variance Response
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Section 5.1(c)
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Store(s)
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Recitals
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Supplies
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Section 8.4
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Section 2. Appointment of
Agent/Liquidation Sale Laws/Approval Order .
(a) Effective upon the entry of the Approval Order, the
Merchant hereby appoints the Agent, and the Agent hereby agrees to
serve, as the Merchant’s exclusive agent for the limited
purpose of conducting the Sale at the Stores and disposing of the
Owned FF&E in the Stores in accordance with the terms and
conditions of this Agreement.
(b)
On the date that Merchant became a debtor and debtor in possession
(the “ Petition Date ”) under
Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, Merchant filed an
expedited motion with the Bankruptcy Court, for entry of an order
approving this Agreement and authorizing Merchant and Agent to
conduct the Sale in accordance with the terms hereof (the “
Approval Order ”). The Approval Order shall
provide, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Merchant and
Agent, inter alia , that (i) this Agreement (and each
of the transactions contemplated hereby) is approved in its
entirety; (ii) Merchant and Agent shall be authorized to
continue to take any and all actions as may be necessary or
desirable to implement this Agreement and each of the transactions
contemplated hereby; (iii) Agent shall be entitled to sell all
Merchandise hereunder free and clear of all liens, claims or
encumbrances thereon, with any presently existing liens encumbering
all or any portion of the Merchandise or the Proceeds attaching
only to the Guaranteed Amount and other amounts to be received by
Merchant under this Agreement; (iv) Agent shall have the right
to use the Stores and all related Store services, furniture,
fixtures, equipment and other assets of Merchant as designated
hereunder for the purpose of conducting the Sale, free of any
interference from any entity or person subject to compliance with
the Sale Guidelines and Approval Order with respect to the Assets;
(v) Agent, as agent for Merchant, is authorized to conduct,
advertise, post signs and otherwise promote the Sale as a
“store closing,” “sale on everything,”
“everything must go,” or similar themed sale, in
accordance with the Sale Guidelines (as the same may be modified
and approved by the Bankruptcy Court) and without compliance with
the Liquidation Sale Laws, subject to compliance with the Sale
Guidelines and Approval Order; provided , however ,
Agent shall not advertise the Sale as a
“going-out-of-business sale”; (vi) Agent shall be
granted a limited license and right to use until the Sale
Termination Date the trade names, logos and customer lists relating
to and used in connection with the operation of the Stores, solely
for the purpose of advertising the Sale in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement; (vii) all newspapers and other
advertising media in which the Sale is advertised shall be directed
to accept the Approval Order as binding and to allow Merchant and
Agent to consummate the transactions provided for in this
Agreement, including, without limitation, the conducting and
advertising of the Sale in the manner contemplated by this
Agreement; (viii) all utilities, landlords, creditors and all
persons acting for or on their behalf shall not interfere with or
otherwise impede the conduct of the Sale, institute any action in
any court (other than in the Bankruptcy Court) or before any
administrative body which in any way directly or indirectly
interferes with or obstructs or otherwise impedes the conduct of
the Sale; (ix) the Bankruptcy Court shall retain jurisdiction
over the parties to enforce this Agreement; (x) Agent shall
not be liable for any claims against the Merchant other than as
expressly provided for in this Agreement; (xi) to the extent the
Agent is owed the Adjustment Amount, and the Lenders received the
Adjustment Amount, then the Lenders shall promptly, upon the
written request of
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the Agent,
disgorge and remit the Adjustment Amount to the Agent; and (xii)
Agent shall be granted a valid, binding, enforceable and perfected
security interest in the Merchandise and the Proceeds as provided
for in Section 16 hereof. Subject to the rights and
limitations set forth in that certain Intercreditor Agreement,
dated February 14, 2006 (as amended by that certain Joinder
and Acknowledgement Agreement dated October 24, 2007, the
“ Intercreditor Agreement ”), and the interim
order, dated May 2, 2008, authorizing Merchant to, inter alia,
obtain postpetition secured financing and use cash collateral (the
“ Interim DIP Order ”, and together with any
subsequent or final order approving same, the “ DIP
Order ”), any Approval Order shall be in form and
substance reasonably acceptable to General Electric Capital
Corporation (“ GECC ”), as agent for itself and
Merchant’s other secured lenders (collectively, the “
Lenders ”), the Ad Hoc Committee (the “ Ad
Hoc Noteholder Committee ”) of Holders (the “
Noteholders ”) of Senior Floating Rate Notes due 2014
issued by Linens ‘n Things, Inc. and Linens ‘n
Things Center, Inc. (the “ Notes ”) and The
Bank of New York (the “ Indenture Trustee ”), as
collateral agent and trustee under the indenture, dated as of
February 14, 2006, relating to the Notes.
(c)
Subject to entry of the Approval Order, Agent shall be authorized
to advertise the Sale as a “store closing,” “sale
on everything,” “everything must go,” or
similar-themed sale, and the Approval Order shall provide that
Agent shall be required to comply with applicable federal, state
and local laws, regulations and ordinances, including, without
limitation, all laws and regulations relating to advertising,
permitting, privacy, consumer protection, occupational health and
safety and the environment, together with all applicable statutes,
rules, regulations and orders of, and applicable restrictions
imposed by, governmental authorities (collectively, the “
Applicable General Laws ”), other than all applicable
laws, rules and regulations in respect of “going out of
business,” “store closing” or similar-themed
sales (collectively, the “ Liquidation Sale Laws
”), provided that such Sale is conducted in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, the Sale Guidelines and Approval
Order.
Section 3.
Consideration to
Merchant and Agent .
3.1
Payments to Merchant .
(a) As a guaranty
of Agent’s performance hereunder, Agent guarantees that
Merchant shall receive (i) ninety-five and ninety six
one-hundredths of one percent (95.96%) (the “
Guaranty Percentage ”) of the aggregate Cost Value of
the Merchandise included in the Sale (the “ Guaranteed
Amount ”), which Guaranteed Amount shall be paid at such
time and in such manner as shall hereinafter be
provided.
(b)
To the extent that Proceeds exceed the sum of (x) the
Guaranteed Amount, (y) Expenses of the Sale and (z) five
percent (5.0%) of the aggregate Cost Value of the Merchandise
included in the Sale (the “ Agent’s Fee ”)
(the sum of (x), (y) and (z), the “ Sharing
Threshold ”), then all remaining Proceeds of the Sale
above the Sharing Threshold shall be shared fifty percent (50%) to
Merchant and fifty percent (50%) to Agent. All amounts, if
any, to be received by Merchant from Proceeds in excess of the
Sharing Threshold shall be referred to as
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the “
Recovery Amount .” Agent shall pay to Merchant
the Guaranteed Amount and the Recovery Amount, if any, in the
manner and at the times specified in Section 3.3 below.
The Guaranteed Amount and the Recovery Amount will be calculated
based upon the aggregate Cost Value of the Merchandise as
determined by (A) the final certified report of the Inventory
Taking Service after verification and reconciliation thereof by
Agent and Merchant, (B) the aggregate Cost Value of the
Distribution Center Merchandise and On-Order Merchandise included
in the Sale, and (C) the aggregate Cost Value of the
Merchandise subject to Gross Rings, as adjusted for shrinkage per
this Agreement. To the extent that Merchant is entitled
to receive a Recovery Amount from Proceeds, Agent shall pay such Recovery Amount as
part of the Final Reconciliation under Section 8.7, as soon as
commercially reasonable after the Sale Termination Date
.
(c)
The Guaranty Percentage has been fixed based upon the aggregate
Cost Value of the Merchandise, without taking into account the
Global Inventory Adjustment, being not less than $128,000,000 (the
“ Merchandise Threshold ”). To the extent
that the aggregate Cost Value of the Merchandise included in the
Sale, without taking into account the Global Inventory Adjustment,
is less than the Merchandise Threshold, the Guaranty Percentage
shall be adjusted in accordance with Exhibit 3.1(c)
annexed hereto (in addition to any adjustment applicable
pursuant to section 11.1(m) hereof), as and where
applicable. In lieu of the foregoing adjustment to the
Guaranty Percentage, Merchant may, at its election, transfer into
the Stores additional goods acceptable to Agent with respect to
mix, balance, quality, pricing and margin, at Merchant’s
expense, to meet the minimum threshold (the “ Transferred
Goods ”) which Transferred Goods shall be included as
Merchandise; provided however , within 48 hours of
the completion of the Inventory Taking in the Stores and the
selection of the Transferred Goods, Agent shall provide Merchant
with written notice designating the Store locations to which
Merchant shall ship such Transferred Goods. Irrespective of
the achievement of the Merchandise Threshold, the Merchant may also
transfer such other finished goods inventory to the Stores as Agent
shall agree, and such inventory shall be deemed to be Transferred
Goods for all purposes of this Agreement.
3.2
Compensation to Agent . Subject to entry of the
Approval Order:
(a)
Agent shall receive, as its compensation for services rendered to
Merchant, the Agent’s Fee, plus all remaining Proceeds of the
Sale after payment of the Guaranteed Amount, Expenses of the Sale,
the Recovery Amount, if any, and all other amounts payable to
Merchant from Proceeds hereunder. Pursuant to
Section 15.9, the Agent shall also be entitled to receive a
commission based on the net proceeds of the sale of
FF&E.
(b)
All Merchandise remaining at the Sale Termination Date (the “
Remaining Merchandise ”) shall become the property of
Agent, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any
kind or nature, subject to Merchant’s right to payment of the
Recovery Amount, if any, and any other amount owing hereunder, and
the proceeds received by Agent from the disposition, in a
commercially reasonable manner, of such unsold Merchandise
shall
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constitute
Proceeds hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Agent
shall exercise commercially reasonable efforts to dispose of all of
the Merchandise during the Sale Term.
3.3
Time of Payments .
(a)
On the first business day following issuance of the Approval Order
(the “ Payment Date ”), Agent shall pay to
Merchant an amount (the “ Initial Guaranty Payment
”) equal to ninety percent (90%) of the product of
(i) the Guaranty Percentage and the estimated aggregate Cost
Value of the Merchandise to be included in the Sale as reflected on
Merchant’s books and records on the last business day
immediately preceding the Sale Commencement Date (the “
Estimated Guaranteed Amount ”) by wire transfer to the
account designated by GECC prior to the Payment Date (the “
Lenders’ Designated Account) . The balance of
the Guaranteed Amount, if any, shall be paid by Agent by wire
transfer to the account designated by GECC on the earlier of
(i) the second business day following the issuance of the
final report of the aggregate Cost Value of the Merchandise
included in the Sale by the Inventory Taking Service, after review,
reconciliation and verification thereof by Agent and Merchant in
consultation with Lenders, (the “ Final Inventory
Report ”); provided , however , that
Merchant and Agent shall exercise reasonable best efforts to
reconcile the Inventory Taking within ten (10) days after its
completion and (ii) the date that is thirty (30) days after
the Sale Commencement Date, in which case the payment shall be of
the undisputed balance of the Guaranteed Amount. In the event
that the Final Inventory Report is issued after payment of the
undisputed portion of the Guaranteed Amount, or in the event that
the Initial Guaranty Payment exceeds the Guaranteed Amount, the
Agent or Merchant, as the case may be, shall pay to the Merchant or
Agent, as the case may be, the amount (the “ Adjustment
Amount ”) by which the actual Guaranteed Amount exceeds
or is less than the sum of the Initial Guaranty Payment and the
undisputed balance of the Guaranteed Amount actually paid as set
forth above, within three (3) business days after the Final
Inventory Report has been issued. To the extent that
Merchant is entitled to receive a Recovery Amount from
Proceeds, Agent
shall pay such Recovery Amount as part of the Final Reconciliation
under Section 8.7, as soon as commercially reasonable after
the Sale Termination Date . To the extent that the Agent is owed
the Adjustment Amount, and the Lenders received the Adjustment
Amount, then the Lenders shall promptly, upon the written request
of Agent, disgorge and remit the Adjustment Amount to
Agent.
(b)
All amounts required to be paid by Agent or Merchant under any
provision of this Agreement shall be made by wire transfer of
immediately available funds which shall be wired by Agent or
Merchant, as applicable, no later as 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
on the date that such payment is due; provided ,
however , that all of the information necessary to complete
the wire transfer has been received by Agent or Merchant, as
applicable, by 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on the date that such
payment is due. In the event that the date on which any such
payment is due is not a business day, then such payment shall be
made by wire transfer on the next business day.
3.4
Security . In order to secure the Agent’s
obligations under this Agreement, in respect of (x) the
payment of the unpaid portion of the Guaranteed Amount and
(y) Expenses of
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the Sale, on
the Payment Date, Agent shall furnish Merchant an irrevocable
standby Letter(s) of Credit naming GECC and Merchant as
co-beneficiaries (the “ Beneficiaries ”) in the
aggregate original face amount equal to the difference between the
Estimated Guaranteed Amount and the Initial Guaranty Payment, plus
three (3) weeks’ estimated Expenses that Merchant pays
in the ordinary course, which shall be substantially in the form of
Exhibit 3.4 hereof (collectively, the “ Letter
of Credit ”). The Letter of Credit shall have an
expiration date of no earlier than sixty days after the Sale
Termination Date. Unless the parties shall have mutually
agreed that they have completed the final reconciliation and
verification of the Final Inventory Report under this Agreement,
then, at least thirty (30) days prior to the initial or any
subsequent expiration date, the Beneficiaries shall receive an
amendment to the Letter of Credit solely extending (or further
extending, as the case may be) the expiration date by at least
sixty (60) days. If the Beneficiaries fail to receive such
amendment to the Letter of Credit no later than thirty (30) days
before the expiration date, then all amounts hereunder shall become
immediately due and payable and the Beneficiaries shall be
permitted to draw under the Letter of Credit in payment of amounts
owed and the Beneficiaries shall hold the balance of the amount
drawn under the Letter of Credit as security for amounts that may
become due and payable to Merchant. At Agent’s request,
the Beneficiaries shall take all actions reasonably required to
reduce the amount available to be drawn under the Letter of Credit
by amounts credited against the Guaranteed Amount; provided
, however , that the Letter of Credit shall not be reduced
below three (3) weeks of estimated Expenses of the Sale.
In the event that Agent, after receipt of five (5) days’
notice (which notice shall not be required if Agent or any member
of Agent shall be a debtor under title 11, United States Code),
fails to pay the Guaranteed Amount, or portion thereof, or any
Expenses of the Sale when due, GECC, individually, or the
Beneficiaries, collectively, may draw on the Letter of Credit in an
amount equal to the unpaid, past due amount of the Guaranteed
Amount or Expenses that is not the subject of a reasonable
dispute.
Section 4.
Expenses of the Sale .
4.1
Expenses . Agent shall be unconditionally responsible
for all Expenses incurred in conducting the Sale during the Sale
Term, which expenses shall be paid by Agent in accordance with
Section 4.2 below. As used herein, “
Expenses ” shall mean the Store-level operating
expenses of the Sale which arise during the Sale Term set forth
below:
(a)
all payroll and commissions, if applicable, for all Retained
Employees used in conducting the Sale for actual days/hours worked
during the Sale Term;
(b)
any amounts payable by Merchant for benefits for Retained Employees
(including FICA, unemployment taxes, workers’ compensation
and healthcare insurance, and vacation benefits that accrue during
the Sale Term, but excluding Excluded Benefits) for Retained
Employees used in the Sale, in an amount equal to 21.5% of the
aggregate base payroll for all Retained Employees in the Stores
(the “ Benefits Cap ”);
(c)
costs of all security in
the Stores (to the extent customarily provided in the Stores)
including, without limitation, security systems, courier and guard
service, building alarm
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service and alarm service
maintenance;
(d)
50% of the fees and costs of the Inventory Taking Service to
conduct the Inventory Taking at the Stores; provided that
Merchant shall be responsible for the actual payroll and related
costs for the Retained Employees who work at a Store during the
Inventory Taking at such Inventoried Location;
(e)
Retention Bonuses for Retained Employees, as provided for in
Section 9.4 below;
(f)
[intentionally omitted]
(g)
advertising and direct mailings relating to the Sale, and Store
interior and exterior signage and banners relating to the
Sale;
(h)
local and long-distance telephone expenses incurred at the
Stores;
(i)
credit card fees, chargebacks and discounts with respect to
Merchandise sold in the Sale;
(j)
bank service charges (for Store and corporate accounts), check
guarantee fees, and bad check expenses to the extent attributable
to the Sale;
(k)
costs for additional Supplies used at the Stores;
(l)
all fees and charges required to comply with Applicable General
Laws in connection with the Sale;
(m)
Store cash theft and other store cash shortfalls in the
registers;
(n)
any and all costs relating to the processing, transfer and
consolidation of Merchandise between and among the Stores,
including delivery and freight costs, it being understood that
Agent shall be responsible for coordinating such transfer of
Merchandise;
(o)
housekeeping and cleaning expenses related to the
Stores;
(p)
Store trash and snow removal;
(q)
on-site supervision of the Stores, including base fees and bonuses
of Agent’s field personnel, travel to and from the Stores and
incidental out-of-pocket and commercially reasonable travel
expenses relating thereto;
(r)
postage, courier and overnight mail charges to and from or among
the Stores and central office to the extent relating to the
Sale;
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(s)
actual Occupancy Expenses for the Stores on a per location and per
diem basis in an amount equal to the per Store per diem
amount set forth on Exhibit 4.1(s)
hereto;
(t)
Central Service Expenses
equal to $20,000 per week;
(u)
Agent’s actual cost of capital (including Letter of Credit
fees); and
(v)
Agent’s reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses,
including but not limited to, legal fees and expenses, incurred in
connection with the review of data, preparation, negotiation and
execution of this Agreement, the Approval Order and any ancillary
documents, in an amount not to exceed $275,000.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, to the extent that any Expense listed in Section 4.1
is also included on Exhibit 4.1(s) , then
Exhibit 4.1(s) shall control, and such Expenses
shall not be double counted.
As
used herein, the following terms have the following respective
meanings:
(i)
“ Central Service Expenses ” means costs and
expenses for Merchant’s central administrative services
necessary for the Sale, including, but not limited to, MIS
services, payroll processing, cash reconciliation, inventory
processing and handling and data processing and
reporting.
(ii)
“ Excluded Benefits ” means benefits in excess
of the Benefits Cap.
(iii)
“ Occupancy Expenses ” means base rent,
percentage rent, HVAC, utilities, CAM, storage costs, real estate
and use taxes, merchant’s association dues and expenses, , a
pro rata portion of property insurance attributable to the
Merchandise subject to the Sale and a pro rata portion of
comprehensive public liability insurance attributable to the Stores
personal property leases (including, without limitation, point of
sale equipment), cash register maintenance, building maintenance
and rental for furniture, fixtures and equipment, all of the
foregoing as categorized and reflected on
Exhibit 4.1(s) hereto.
“Expenses” shall not include:
(i) Excluded Benefits; (ii) Central Service Expenses,
except as provided in Section 4.1(t); (iii) Distribution
Center Expenses; (iv) Occupancy Expenses (including any
portion of the percentage rent obligations allocable to the sale of
Merchandise during the Sale under applicable leases or occupancy
agreements, except as provided in Section 4.1(s);
(v) expenses of the type set forth in 4.1(a) –
(u) above to the extent the same shall not have been approved
in advance by Agent; and (vi) any other costs, expenses or
liabilities payable by Merchant not provided for herein.
4.2
Payment of Expenses . Effective from and after entry
of the Approval Order:
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(a)
Agent shall be responsible for the payment of all Expenses, whether
or not there are sufficient Proceeds collected to pay such Expenses
after the payment of the Guaranteed Amount. All Expenses
incurred during each week of the Sale (i.e. Sunday through
Saturday) shall be paid by Agent to or on behalf of Merchant, or
paid by Merchant and thereafter reimbursed by Agent as provided for
herein, immediately following the weekly Sale reconciliation by
Merchant and Agent pursuant to Section 8.7 below;
provided , however , in the event that the actual
amount of an expense is unavailable on the date of the
reconciliation (such as payroll), Merchant and Agent shall agree to
an estimate of such amounts, which amounts will be reconciled once
the actual amount of such Expense becomes available. Agent
and/or Merchant may review or audit the Expenses at any
time.
(b)
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) to the
extent that Proceeds are insufficient, Merchant shall not be
required to fund or otherwise pay any Expenses of Sale and
(ii) without limitation on Expenses that may be funded in
advance by Agent at Merchant’s reasonable request, to the
extent that Proceeds are insufficient, Agent shall fund, in
advance, all payroll and related expenses for Retained Employees at
least two (2) business days prior to the date that such
payments are due by Merchant.
Section 5.
Inventory Valuation; Merchandise .
5.1
Inventory Taking .
(a)
Inventory Taking
.
As soon as practicable following the Sale Commencement Date, but in
no event later than twenty-one (21) days after the Sale
Commencement Date, Merchant and Agent shall cause an SKU inventory
taking (the “ Inventory Taking ”) at each of the
Stores (the “ Inventory Locations ”).
Merchant and Agent shall jointly employ a mutually acceptable
independent inventory taking service (the “ Inventory
Taking Service ”) to conduct the Inventory Taking.
The Inventory Taking shall be conducted in accordance with the
procedures and instructions attached hereto as
Exhibit 5.1(a)(i) (the “ Inventory
Taking Instructions ”). Agent shall be responsible
for fifty percent (50%) of the fees and expenses of the Inventory
Taking Service as an Expense hereunder and Merchant shall pay the
remaining fifty percent (50%). Except for the Inventory
Taking costs payable to the Inventory Taking Service, Merchant and
Agent shall each bear its respective costs and expenses relative to
the Inventory Taking. Merchant, Agent and the Lender may each
have representatives present during the Inventory Taking and each
shall have the right to review and verify the listing and
tabulation of the Inventory Taking Service. Merchant agrees
that, during the conduct of the Inventory Taking in each of the
Inventory Locations, the applicable Inventory Location shall be
closed to the public, and no sales or other transactions shall be
conducted. Merchant and the Agent further agree that until
the Inventory Taking in each particular Inventory Location is
completed, neither Merchant nor the Agent shall: (i) transfer
any Merchandise to or from that Inventory Location, (ii) move
Merchandise within or about the Inventory Locations, and/or
(iii) remove any hang tags, price tickets, or inventory
control tags affixed to any Merchandise. Merchant and Agent agree
to cooperate with each other to conduct the Inventory Taking
commencing at a time that would
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minimize the number of hours
that such locations would be closed for business. On a weekly
basis, as part of the Weekly Sale Reconciliations, Merchant and
Agent shall count and reconcile all shipments and receipts of
Distribution Center Merchandise and On-Order Merchandise in the
Stores in accordance with the procedures set forth on
Exhibit 5.1(a)(ii) (to be reasonably agreed upon
by Merchant and Agent); provided, however , that the
aggregate Cost Value of such Merchandise shall be included for
purposes of calculating the Guaranteed Amount.
(b)
The Agent and Merchant agree that they will, and agree to cause
their respective representatives to, cooperate and assist in the
preparation and the calculation of the Aggregate Cost Value of the
Merchandise included in the Sale, including, without limitation,
the making available to the extent necessary of books, records,
work papers and personnel.
(c)
Distribution Center Merchandise and On-Order Merchandise, if any
delivered to the Stores after the Sale Commencement Date, shall be
counted and reconciled within five Store business days after
receipt of such goods in the Stores, in accordance with the
procedures set forth herein; failure to report any variance between
the received shipment and the applicable shipping documents (each a
“ Shipping Variance ”) within such five Store
business day period shall, absent manifest error, result in such
receipts being automatically confirmed as received, consistent with
the applicable shipping documents. Merchant shall have two
Distribution Center business days to verify a timely reported
Shipping Variance (each a “ Shipping Variance Response
”); failure to respond to an asserted Shipping Variance
within such two Distribution Center business day period shall
result in such Shipping Variance being deemed valid. If
Merchant timely issues a Shipping Variance Response that disputes
the asserted Shipping Variance, Merchant and Agent shall cooperate
with each other to verify and resolve such dispute. Following
the Sale Commencement Date, Merchant will ship all Distribution
Center Merchandise and On-Order Merchandise to the Stores in
accordance with the Store allocation set forth on
Exhibit 5.1(c) annexed hereto. For the
avoidance of doubt, Merchant will ship all Distribution Center
Merchandise and On-Order Merchandise to the Stores, at
Merchant’s cost.
5.2
Merchandise Subject to This Agreement .
(a)
For purposes of this Agreement, “Merchandise” shall
mean: (i) all finished goods inventory (including
Domestic Merchandise and Imported Merchandise) that is owned by
Merchant and (x) located at the Stores as of the Sale
Commencement Date, including (A) Defective Merchandise;
(B) Distribution Center Merchandise received in the Stores
prior to the Sale Commencement Date; (C) Aged
Merchandise; (D) the Display Merchandise, and
(E) Merchandise subject to Gross Rings; (ii) Distribution
Center Merchandise received in the Stores on or prior to the date
that is thirty (30) days after the Sale Commencement Date (the
“ Store Receipt Deadline ”); (iii) On-Order
Merchandise received in the Stores on or prior to the Store Receipt
Deadline; and (iv) to the extent Merchant so elects in
accordance with the terms hereof, Transferred Goods received prior
to the Store Receipt Deadline. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
“Merchandise” shall not include: (1) goods which
belong to sublessees, licensees, department lessees, or
concessionaires of Merchant; (2) goods held by Merchant on
memo, on consignment, or as bailee; (3) furnishings, trade
fixtures, equipment and/or improvements to real property
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which are
located in the Stores (collectively, “ FF&E
”); provided that, Agent shall be permitted to sell
Owned FF&E as set forth in Section 15.9; and
(4) Excluded Defective Merchandise.
(b)
As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective
meanings set forth below:
“ Aged Merchandise ” means
items of merchandise which have been discontinued by Merchant and
have been offered at a point of sale discount for more than
thirteen (13) consecutive months.
“ Defective Merchandise ”
means any item of Merchandise that is defective or otherwise not
saleable in the ordinary course because it is worn, scratched,
broken, faded, torn, mismatched, tailored or affected by other
similar defenses rendering it not first quality. Display
Merchandise shall not per se be deemed to be Defective
Merchandise.
“ Display Merchandise ”
means those items of inventory used in the ordinary course of
business as displays or floor models, including inventory that has
been removed from its original packaging where such items of
inventory have been removed from its original packaging for the
purpose of putting such item on display but not customarily sold or
saleable by Merchant, which goods are not otherwise damaged or
defective. For the avoidance of doubt, Merchandise created
for display and not saleable in the ordinary course of business
shall not constitute Display Merchandise.
“ Distribution Center Merchandise
” means those items of inventory identified by SKU on
Exhibit 5.2(b) annexed hereto, that was located
in Merchant’s Distribution Centers and was specifically
earmarked for transfer to the Stores both prior to and after the
Sale Commencement Date for purposes of inclusion in the Sale, which
goods, to the extent not delivered to the Stores prior to the Sale
Commencement Date, shall be delivered by Merchant to the Stores in
accordance with Schedule 5.1(c) annexed hereto on or
before the date that is thirty (30) days after the Sale
Commencement Date.
“ Domestic Merchandise ”
means those items of inventory that are being delivered by a
manufacturer/vendor located within the United States.
“ Excluded
Defective Merchandise ” means those items of Defective
Merchandise that are not saleable in the ordinary course because
they are so damaged or defective that such inventory cannot
reasonably be used for their intended purpose
. For the avoidance of
doubt, electronic Display Merchandise without power cords shall
constitute Excluded Defective Merchandise.
“ Imported
Merchandise ” means items of inventory that are purchased
by Merchant from a manufacturer/vendor located outside the United
States and imported into the United States by
Merchant.
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“ On-Order Merchandise ”
mean items of inventory that were ordered by Merchant in the
ordinary course of business and earmark for the Stores, which
inventory was not received in the Stores as of the Sale
Commencement Date, but which may be received in the Store prior to
the Store Receipt Deadline.
5.3
Valuation .
(a)
For purposes of this Agreement, “ Cost Value ”
shall mean (i) with respect to each item of Domestic
Merchandise, the last cost for the SKU for such item of Domestic
Merchandise as reflected on Merchant’s inventory item master
cost file (the “ Cost File ”), which amount does
not include freight or any additional vendor credits; and
(ii) with respect to Imported Merchandise, the landed cost for
such item of Imported Merchandise as reflected in the Cost File,
which amount reflects last cost for the SKU for such item of
Imported Merchandise plus a damage allowance, duty rate, freight,
and brokerage fee, harbor maintenance fees, drayage, brokers’
fees, insurance, commissions, processing costs and other costs
directly associated with landing the product in the Distribution
Centers; provided , that in no event shall the Cost Value of
any Merchandise exceed the Retail Price for such item of
Merchandise; provided however , any adjustment to the
Cost Value as a result of the immediately preceding provisio shall
not be factored into the calculation for purposes of determining
whether the aggregate Cost Value of the Merchandise has satisfied
the Merchandise Threshold provided for in
Section 3.1(c) hereof and/or the Cost Factor providing
for in Section 11.1(m) hereof. Items of
Distribution Center Merchandise and On-Order Merchandise received
in the Stores on or prior to the date that is fifteen (15) days
after the Sale Commencement Date (excluding the Sale Commencement
Date for purposes of such calculation) (the “ Interim
Receipt Deadline”) , will be included in Merchandise at
the applicable Cost Value for Domestic Merchandise or Imported
Merchandise, as applicable (the “Applicable Cost
Value”) , for each such item; provided ,
however , that items of Distribution Center Merchandise,
Transferred Goods and/or On-Order Merchandise received at the
Stores after the Interim Receipt Deadline but prior to the Store
Receipt Deadline shall be included in Merchandise at the Applicable
Cost Value for each such item multiplied by the inverse of the
prevailing discount on similar items of Merchandise as of the date
of receipt in the Stores; provided further , that
items of Distribution Center Merchandise, Transferred Goods and/or
On-Order Merchandise received in the Stores after the Store Receipt
Deadline shall not constitute Merchandise, shall be given no Cost
Value, and shall be excluded from Merchandise, and shall, at
Merchant’s option either be sold by Agent as Merchant
Consignment Goods pursuant to Section 5.4 hereof, or excluded
from the Sale and removed by Merchant from the Stores. The
Cost File does not account for any advertising co-op allowances or
discounts associated with expedited payment terms offered by any
vendor, and, further, the Applicable Cost Value of any item of
Merchandise shall not be adjusted for any such amounts.
(b)
Other than Excluded Defective Merchandise, in lieu of any other
adjustments to the Cost Value of Merchandise under this Agreement (
e.g. , adjustments for
Defective Merchandise, clearance merchandise, mis-mates and
near-mates, sample merchandise and/or Excluded Price Adjustments),
the aggregate Cost Value of the Merchandise shall be
adjusted
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( i.e.
, reduced) by means of a single global downward adjustment equal to
one percent (1.0%) of the aggregate Cost Value of the Merchandise
(the “ Global Inventory Adjustment
”).
(c)
Excluded Defective Merchandise located in the Stores shall be
identified and counted during the Inventory Taking and thereafter
removed from the sales floor and segregated. Excluded
Defective Merchandise included in Distribution Center Merchandise
and/or On-Order Merchandise must be identified jointly by Merchant
and Agent (with written notice provided to Barry Gold of Asset
Disposition Advisors, LLC at barrygold@aol.com), within five
(5) business days of such Distribution Center Merchandise
and/or On-Order Merchandise receipt in the Stores. Other than
as identified during the Inventory Taking at a Store, or as
provided for in this Section 5.3(c) with respect to
Distribution Center Merchandise and/or On-Order Merchandise, no
other goods can be categorized as Excluded Defective Merchandise,
regardless of their condition.
5.4
Excluded Goods . Merchant shall retain all
responsibility for any goods not included as
“Merchandise” hereunder. If Merchant elects at
the beginning of the Sale Term, Agent shall accept goods not
included as “Merchandise” hereunder for sale as
“Merchant Consignment Goods” at prices established by
the Agent. The Agent shall retain 20% of the sale price for
all sales of Merchant Consignment Goods, and Merchant shall receive
80% of the receipts in respect of such sales. Merchant shall
receive its share of the receipts of sales of Merchant Consignment
Goods on a weekly basis, immediately following the weekly Sale
reconciliation by Merchant and Agent pursuant to Section 8.7
below. If Merchant does not elect to have Agent sell
defective or display goods merchandise not included as Merchandise,
then all such items will be removed by Merchant from the Stores at
its expense as soon as practicable after the Sale Commencement
Date. Except as expressly provided in this Section 5.4,
Agent shall have no cost, expense or responsibility in connection
with any goods not included in Merchandise.
Section 6.
Sale Term .
6.1
Term . Subject to satisfaction of the conditions
precedent set forth in Section 10 hereof, the Sale shall
commence at each Store on the first business day following the
entry of the Approval Order, but in no event later than
June 1, 2008 (the “ Sale Commencement Date
”). Subject to the prior expiration of the term of any
Store Lease (as reflected on Exhibit 4.1(s)) , the
Agent shall complete the Sale at each Store and vacate such Store
in broom-clean condition by no later than August 31, 2008,
unless the Sale is extended by mutual written agreement of Agent
and Merchant (the “ Sale Termination Date ”; the
period from the Sale Commencement Date to the Sale Termination Date
as to each Store being the “ Sale Term ”).
The Agent may, in its discretion, terminate the Sale at any Store
upon not less than ten (10) days’ prior written notice
(a “ Vacate Notice ”) to Merchant. In the
event the Agent fails to provide Merchant with such timely notice,
Agent shall be liable for and pay the actual amounts payable to
landlords for the days by which notice of a Store closing was less
than ten (10) days.
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6.2
Vacati
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