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Exhibit 10.3
EXECUTION VERSION
DOMESTIC GUARANTY
Dated as of April 27, 2006
From
THE GUARANTORS NAMED HEREIN
And
THE ADDITIONAL GUARANTORS REFERRED TO HEREIN
as Guarantors
in favor of
THE SECURED PARTIES REFERRED TO IN
THE CREDIT AGREEMENT REFERRED TO HEREIN
Domestic Guaranty
T A B
L E O F
C O N T E N T
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Section
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Page
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Section 1.
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Guaranty; Limitation of Liability
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1
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Section 2.
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Guaranty Absolute
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2
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Section 3.
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Waivers and Acknowledgments
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3
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Section 4.
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Subrogation
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4
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Section 5.
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Payments Free and Clear of Taxes, Etc.
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5
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Section 6.
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Representations and Warranties
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5
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Section 7.
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Covenants
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5
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Section 8.
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Amendments, Guaranty Supplements, Etc.
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6
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Section 9.
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Notices, Etc.
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6
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Section 10.
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No Waiver; Remedies
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7
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Section 11.
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Right of Set-off
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7
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Section 12.
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Indemnification
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7
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Section 13.
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Continuing Guaranty; Assignments under the Credit
Agreement
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8
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Section 14.
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Execution in Counterparts
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8
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Section 15.
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Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury
Trial, Etc.
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8
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Exhibit A - Guaranty Supplement
Domestic Guaranty
DOMESTIC
GUARANTY
DOMESTIC GUARANTY dated as of April 27, 2006 made by the
Persons listed on the signature pages hereof under the caption
"Subsidiary Guarantors" and the Additional Guarantors (as defined
in Section 8(b) ) (such Persons so listed and the
Additional Guarantors being, collectively, the " Guarantors
" and, individually, each a " Guarantor ") in favor of the
Secured Parties (as defined in the Credit Agreement referred to
below).
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT.
SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES B.V., a private limited liability company (
besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid )
incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands (the " BV
Borrower "), SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES FINANCE COMPANY, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (the " US Borrower ";
together with the BV Borrower, the " Borrowers "), SENSATA
TECHNOLOGIES INTERMEDIATE HOLDING B.V., a private limited liability
company ( besloten vennootschap met beperkte
aansprakelijkheid ) incorporated under the laws of the
Netherlands , are party to a Credit Agreement dated as of
April 27, 2006 (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented
or otherwise modified from time to time, the " Credit
Agreement "; the capitalized terms defined therein and not
otherwise defined herein being used herein as therein defined) with
certain Lenders party thereto, the Initial L/C Issuer, the Initial
Swing Line Lender and MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., as
Collateral Agent and Administrative Agent. The Borrowers and the
Guarantors have entered into or may from time to time enter into
lines of credit (committed or uncommitted) and other similar
arrangements (the " Bilateral Obligations ") with Lenders or
their Affiliates and certain other financial institutions as
initially set forth on Schedule XII of the Domestic Security
Agreement and as such schedule may be amended from time to time
upon written notice by the Borrowers to the applicable Lenders or
Affiliates and certain other financial institutions (each, in such
capacity, a " Bilateral Provider ").
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and in order to
induce the Lenders to make Loans and to issue Letters of Credit
under the Credit Agreement, the Bilateral Providers to provide
Bilateral Obligations and the Hedge Banks to enter into Secured
Hedge Agreements from time to time, each Guarantor, jointly and
severally with each other Guarantor, hereby agrees as follows:
Section 1. Guaranty; Limitation of Liability .
(a) Each Guarantor hereby absolutely, unconditionally and
irrevocably guarantees the punctual payment when due, whether at
scheduled maturity or on any date of a required prepayment or by
acceleration, demand or otherwise, of all Obligations of the BV
Borrower, each Loan Party guaranteeing the Obligations of the BV
Borrower and each other Restricted Subsidiary that is an obligor
with respect to the Cash Management Obligations now or hereafter
existing (including, without limitation, any extensions,
modifications, substitutions, amendments or renewals of any or all
of the foregoing Obligations), whether direct or indirect, absolute
or contingent, and whether for principal, interest, premiums, fees,
indemnities, contract causes of action, costs, expenses or
otherwise and the Bilateral Obligations of each Bilateral Provider
(such Obligations being the " Guaranteed Obligations "), and
agrees to pay any and all reasonable expenses (including, without
limitation, reasonable fees and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
of counsel) incurred by the Administrative Agent or any other
Secured Party in enforcing any rights under this Guaranty or any
other Loan Document in accordance with Section 10.04 of
the Credit Agreement (including reasonable fees, expenses and
disbursements of any law firm or other external counsel to the
Administrative Agent);
Domestic Guaranty
provided , however , that in no
event shall the Guaranteed Obligations of any Guarantor include any
of its obligations as a Borrower under the Credit Agreement.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each
Guarantor’s liability shall extend to all amounts that
constitute part of the Guaranteed Obligations and would be owed by
any other Guarantor to any Secured Party under or in respect of the
Loan Documents but for the fact that they are unenforceable or not
allowable due to the existence of a bankruptcy, reorganization or
similar proceeding involving such other Guarantor. Notwithstanding
anything herein or the Credit Agreement to the contrary,
(i) the aggregate principal amount of all Bilateral
Obligations guaranteed hereby shall not exceed $40,000,000 and
(ii) to the extent that Bilateral Obligations are cash
collateralized or otherwise guaranteed (other than pursuant
hereunder), such Bilateral Obligations shall not be guaranteed
hereby.
(b) Each Guarantor (other than the BV Borrower), and by its
acceptance of this Guaranty, the Administrative Agent and each
other Secured Party, hereby confirms that it is the intention of
all such Persons that this Guaranty and the Obligations of each
Guarantor hereunder not constitute a fraudulent transfer or
conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law (as hereinafter defined),
the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent
Transfer Act or any similar foreign, federal or state Law to the
extent applicable to this Guaranty and the Obligations of each
Guarantor hereunder. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the
Administrative Agent, the other Secured Parties and the Guarantors
hereby irrevocably agree that the Obligations of each Guarantor
under this Guaranty at any time shall be limited to the maximum
amount as will result in the Obligations of such Guarantor under
this Guaranty not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance.
For purposes hereof, " Bankruptcy Law " means any proceeding
of the type referred to in Section 8.01(f) of the
Credit Agreement or Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar foreign,
federal or state Law for the relief of debtors.
(c) Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agrees
that in the event any payment shall be required to be made to any
Secured Party under this Guaranty, the Foreign Guaranty or any
other guaranty, such Guarantor will contribute, to the maximum
extent permitted by Law, such amounts to each other Guarantor and
each other guarantor so as to maximize the aggregate amount paid to
the Secured Parties under or in respect of the Loan Documents.
(d) To the extent that any Guarantor shall be required hereunder
to pay a portion of the Guaranteed Obligations exceeding the
greater of (a) the amount of the economic benefit actually
received by such Guarantor from the Loans and (b) the amount
such Guarantor would otherwise have paid if such Guarantor had paid
the aggregate amount of the Guaranteed Obligations (excluding the
amount thereof repaid by the Borrowers) in the same proportion as
such Guarantor’s net worth at the date enforcement is sought
hereunder bears to the aggregate net worth of all the Guarantors
(taken together with the aggregate net worth of all other "
Guarantors " (as such term is defined in the Credit
Agreement) obligated with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations
(the " Other Guarantors ")) at the date of enforcement is
sought hereunder, then each Other Guarantor shall reimburse such
other Guarantors for the amount of such excess, pro rata, based on
the respective net worths of such Other Guarantors at the date
enforcement hereunder is sought.
Section 2. Guaranty Absolute . Each Guarantor
guarantees that the Guaranteed Obligations will be paid strictly in
accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, regardless of any
Law, regulation or order now or hereafter in effect in any
jurisdiction affecting any of such terms or the rights of any
Secured Party with respect thereto. The Obligations of each
Guarantor under or in respect of this Guaranty are independent of
the Guaranteed Obligations or any other Obligations of any other
Loan Party under or in respect of the Loan Documents, and a
separate action or actions may be brought and prosecuted against
each Guarantor to enforce this Guaranty, irrespective of whether
any action is brought against the BV Borrower or any other Loan
Party or whether the BV Borrower or any other Loan Party is joined
in any such action or actions. The liability of each Guarantor
under this Guaranty shall be
Domestic Guaranty
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irrevocable, absolute and unconditional
irrespective of, and each Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any
defenses it may now have or hereafter acquire in any way relating
to, any or all of the following:
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(a) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Loan Document
or any agreement or instrument relating thereto;
(b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in
any other term of, all or any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any
other Obligations of any other Loan Party under or in respect of
the Loan Documents, or any other amendment or waiver of or any
consent to departure from any Loan Document, including, without
limitation, any increase in the Guaranteed Obligations resulting
from the extension of additional credit to any Loan Party or any of
its Subsidiaries or otherwise;
(c) any taking, exchange, release or non-perfection of any
Collateral or any other collateral, or any taking, release or
amendment or waiver of, or consent to departure from, any other
guaranty, for all or any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(d) any manner of application of Collateral or any other
collateral, or proceeds thereof, to all or any of the Guaranteed
Obligations, or any manner of sale or other disposition of any
Collateral or any other collateral for all or any of the Guaranteed
Obligations or any other Obligations of any Loan Party under the
Loan Documents or any other assets of any Loan Party or any of its
Subsidiaries;
(e) any change, restructuring or termination of the corporate
structure or existence of any Loan Party or any of its
Subsidiaries;
(f) any failure of any Secured Party to disclose to any Loan
Party any information relating to the business, condition
(financial or otherwise), operations, performance, properties or
prospects of any other Loan Party now or hereafter known to such
Secured Party (each Guarantor waiving any duty on the part of the
Secured Parties to disclose such information);
(g) the failure of any other Person to execute or deliver this
Guaranty, any Guaranty Supplement (as hereinafter defined) or any
other guaranty or agreement or the release or reduction of
liability of any Guarantor or other guarantor or surety with
respect to the Guaranteed Obligations; or
(h) any other circumstance (including, without limitation, any
statute of limitations) or any existence of or reliance on any
representation by any Secured Party that might otherwise constitute
a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Loan Party or any
other guarantor or surety.
This Guaranty shall continue to be effective or be reinstated,
as the case may be, if at any time any payment of any of the
Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be returned
by any Secured Party or any other Person upon the insolvency,
bankruptcy or reorganization of the BV Borrower or any other Loan
Party or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been
made.
Section 3. Waivers and Acknowledgments .
(a) Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably
waives promptness, diligence, notice of acceptance, presentment,
demand for performance, notice of nonperformance, default,
acceleration, protest or dishonor and any other notice with respect
to any of the Guaranteed Obligations and this Guaranty and any
requirement that any Secured Party protect, secure, perfect or
insure any Lien or any property subject thereto or exhaust any
right or take any action against any Loan Party or any other Person
or any Collateral.
Domestic Guaranty
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(b) Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and
irrevocably waives any right to revoke this Guaranty and
acknowledges that this Guaranty is continuing in nature and applies
to all Guaranteed Obligations, whether existing now or in the
future.
(c) Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives
(i) any defense arising by reason of any claim or defense
based upon an election of remedies by any Secured Party that in any
manner impairs, reduces, releases or otherwise adversely affects
the subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution or
indemnification rights of such Guarantor or other rights of such
Guarantor to proceed against any of the other Loan Parties, any
other guarantor or any other Person or any Collateral and
(ii) any defense based on any right of set-off or counterclaim
against or in respect of the Obligations of such Guarantor
hereunder.
(d) Each Guarantor acknowledges that the Collateral Agent may,
without notice to or demand upon such Guarantor and without
affecting the liability of such Guarantor under this Guaranty,
foreclose under any mortgage by nonjudicial sale, and each
Guarantor hereby waives any defense to the recovery by the
Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties against such
Guarantor of any deficiency after such nonjudicial sale and any
defense or benefits that may be afforded by applicable Law.
(e) Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives
any duty on the part of any Secured Party to disclose to such
Guarantor any matter, fact or thing relating to the business,
condition (financial or otherwise), operations, performance,
properties or prospects of any other Loan Party or any of its
Subsidiaries now or hereafter known by such Secured Party.
(f) Each Guarantor acknowledges that it will receive substantial
direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements
contemplated by the Loan Documents and that the waivers set forth
in Section 2 and this Section 3 are
knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.
Section 4. Subrogation . Each Guarantor hereby
unconditionally and irrevocably agrees not to exercise any rights
that it may now have or hereafter acquire against the BV Borrower,
any other Loan Party or any other insider guarantor that arise from
the existence, payment, performance or enforcement of such
Guarantor’s Obligations under or in respect of this Guaranty
or any other Loan Document, including, without limitation, any
right of subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution or
indemnification and any right to participate in any claim or remedy
of any Secured Party against the BV Borrower, any other Loan Party
or any other insider guarantor or any Collateral, whether or not
such claim, remedy or right arises in equity or under contract,
statute or common Law, including, without limitation, the right to
take or receive from the BV Borrower, any other Loan Party or any
other insider guarantor, directly or indirectly, in cash or other
property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or security
on account of such claim, remedy or right, unless and until all of
the Guaranteed Obligations (other than (x) obligations with
respect to Secured Hedge Agreements, (y) Cash Management
Obligations not yet due and payable and (z) contingent
indemnification obligations not yet accrued and payable under the
Loan Documents) and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty
shall have been paid in full in cash, all Letters of Credit shall
have been cash collateralized or otherwise back-stopped, in each
case, on terms required by the Credit Agreement or shall have
expired or been terminated and the Commitments shall have expired
or been terminated. If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor in
violation of the immediately preceding sentence at any time prior
to the latest of (a) the payment in full in cash of the
Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts payable under this
Guaranty, (b) the Maturity Date of the Term Loan Facility and
(c) the latest date of cash collateralization or other
back-stop, in each case, on the terms required by the Credit
Agreement or the expiration or termination of all Letters of
Domestic Guaranty
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Credit, such amounts shall be received and held
in trust for the benefit of the Secured Parties, shall be
segregated from other property and funds of such Guarantor and
shall forthwith be paid or delivered to the Administrative Agent in
the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement or
assignment) to be credited and applied to the Guaranteed
Obligations and all other amounts payable u
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