GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL
AGREEMENT
the Subsidiaries of BUFFETS,
INC.
from time to time party hereto,
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Page
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SECTION 1.01. Credit Agreement
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1
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SECTION 1.02. Other Defined Terms
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1
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5
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SECTION 2.02. Guarantee of Payment
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6
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SECTION 2.03. No Limitations, Etc.
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6
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SECTION 2.04. Reinstatement
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7
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SECTION 2.05. Agreement To Pay;
Subrogation
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7
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SECTION 2.06. Information
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7
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7
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SECTION 3.02. Delivery of the Pledged
Collateral
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8
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SECTION 3.03. Representations, Warranties and
Covenants
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9
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SECTION 3.04. Certification of Limited Liability
Company and Limited Partnership Interests
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9
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SECTION 3.05. Registration in Nominee Name;
Denominations
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11
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SECTION 3.06. Voting Rights; Dividends and
Interest, etc
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SECTION 4.01. Security Interest
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13
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SECTION 4.02. Representations and
Warranties
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15
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17
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SECTION 4.04. Other Actions
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20
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SECTION 4.05. Covenants regarding Patent,
Trademark and Copyright Collateral
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22
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SECTION 5.01. Remedies upon Default
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24
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SECTION 5.02. Application of Proceeds
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26
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SECTION 5.03. Grant of License to Use
Intellectual Property
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26
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SECTION 5.04. Securities Act, etc.
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27
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ii
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Page
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SECTION 6.01. Indemnity and
Subrogation
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28
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SECTION 6.02. Contribution and
Subrogation
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28
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SECTION 6.03. Subordination
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28
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SECTION 7.02. Security Interest
Absolute
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SECTION 7.03. Survival of Agreement
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SECTION 7.04. Binding Effect; Several
Agreement
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SECTION 7.05. Successors and Assigns
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30
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SECTION 7.06. Collateral Agent’s Fees and
Expenses; Indemnification
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30
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SECTION 7.07. Collateral Agent Appointed
Attorney-in-Fact
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31
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SECTION 7.08. Applicable Law
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31
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SECTION 7.09. Waivers; Amendment
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31
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SECTION 7.10. WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
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32
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SECTION 7.11. Severability
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32
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SECTION 7.12. Counterparts
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SECTION 7.14 Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of
Process
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SECTION 7.15. Termination or Release
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33
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SECTION 7.16. Additional Grantors
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34
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SECTION 7.17. Right of Setoff
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Schedule I
Subsidiary Guarantors
Schedule II Equity Interests; Pledged Debt Securities
Schedule III Intellectual Property
Exhibit A
Form of Supplement
Exhibit B Form of Perfection Certificate
GUARANTEE AND
COLLATERAL AGREEMENT dated as of November 1, 2006, among
BUFFETS, INC., a Minnesota corporation (the “
Borrower ”), BUFFETS HOLDINGS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (“ Holdings ”), the
Subsidiaries of the Borrower identified herein and CREDIT SUISSE
(“ Credit Suisse ”), as collateral agent
(in such capacity, the “ Collateral Agent
”).
Reference
is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 1, 2006
(as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time,
the “ Credit Agreement ”), among the
Borrower, Holdings, the lenders from time to time party thereto
(the “ Lenders ”) and Credit Suisse, as
administrative agent (in such capacity, the “
Administrative Agent ”) and Collateral Agent.
The Lenders and the Issuing Bank (such term and each other
capitalized term used but not defined in this preliminary statement
having the meaning given or ascribed to it in Article I) have
agreed to extend credit to the Borrower pursuant to, and upon the
terms and conditions specified in, the Credit Agreement. The
obligations of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank to extend credit to
the Borrower are conditioned upon, among other things, the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Holdings, the Borrower
and the Subsidiary Guarantors. Holdings and the Subsidiary
Guarantors are affiliates of the Borrower, will derive substantial
benefits from the extension of credit to the Borrower pursuant to
the Credit Agreement and are willing to execute and deliver this
Agreement in order to induce the Lenders and the Issuing Bank to
extend such credit. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
SECTION
1.01. Credit Agreement. (a) Capitalized terms used in
this Agreement and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings
specified in the Credit Agreement. All terms defined in the New
York UCC (as defined herein) and not defined in this Agreement have
the meanings specified therein; all references to the Uniform
Commercial Code shall mean the New York UCC; the term “
instrument ” shall have the meaning specified
in Article 9 of the New York UCC.
(b) The
rules of construction specified in Section 1.02 of the Credit
Agreement also apply to this Agreement.
SECTION
1.02. Other Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings specified below:
“
Account Debtor ” means any person who is or who
may become obligated to any Grantor under, with respect to or on
account of an Account.
2
“
Accounts Receivable ” shall mean all Accounts
and all right, title and interest in any returned goods, together
with all rights, titles, securities and guarantees with respect
thereto, including any rights to stoppage in transit, replevin,
reclamation and resales, and all related security interests, liens
and pledges, whether voluntary or involuntary, in each case whether
now existing or owned or hereafter arising or acquired.
“
Article 9 Collateral ” has the meaning
assigned to such term in Section 4.01.
“
Collateral ” means Article 9 Collateral
and Pledged Collateral.
“
Copyright License ” means any written
agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting any right to any
Grantor under any copyright now or hereafter owned by any third
party, and all rights of such Grantor under any such
agreement.
“
Copyrights ” means all of the following now
owned or hereafter acquired by any Grantor: (a) all copyright
rights in any work subject to the copyright laws of the United
States or any other country, whether as author, assignee,
transferee or otherwise, and (b) all registrations and
applications for registration of any such copyright in the United
States or any other country, including registrations, recordings,
supplemental registrations and pending applications for
registration in the United States Copyright Office (or any
successor office or any similar office in any other country),
including those listed on Schedule III.
“
Credit Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to
such term in the preliminary statement of this
Agreement.
“
Equity Interests ” means shares of capital
stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited
liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity
interests in any person, or any obligations convertible into or
exchangeable for, or giving any person a right, option or warrant
to acquire such equity interests or such convertible or
exchangeable obligations.
“
General Intangibles ” means all choses in
action and causes of action and all other intangible personal
property of any Grantor of every kind and nature (other than
Accounts) now owned or hereafter acquired by any Grantor, including
all rights and interests in partnerships, limited partnerships,
limited liability companies and other unincorporated entities,
corporate or other business records, indemnification claims,
contract rights (including rights under leases, whether entered
into as lessor or lessee, Hedging Agreements and other agreements),
Intellectual Property, goodwill, registrations, franchises, tax
refund claims and any letter of credit, guarantee, claim, security
interest or other security held by or granted to any Grantor to
secure payment by an Account Debtor of any of the
Accounts.
“
Grantors ” means Holdings, the Borrower and the
Subsidiary Guarantors.
“
Guarantors ” means Holdings and the Subsidiary
Guarantors.
3
“
Intellectual Property ” means all intellectual
and similar property of any Grantor of every kind and nature now
owned or hereafter acquired by any Grantor, including inventions,
designs, Patents, Copyrights, Licenses, Trademarks, trade secrets,
confidential or proprietary technical and business information,
know-how, show-how or other data or information, software and
databases and all embodiments or fixations thereof and related
documentation, registrations and franchises, and all additions,
improvements and accessions to, and books and records describing or
used in connection with, any of the foregoing.
“
License ” means any Patent License, Trademark
License, Copyright License or other license or sublicense agreement
to any Intellectual Property or to intellectual property now owned
or hereafter acquired by third parties to which any Grantor is a
party, including those material Licenses listed on
Schedule III.
“
Loan Document Obligations ” means (a) the
due and punctual payment of (i) the principal of and interest
(including interest accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy,
insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of
whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding) on the Loans, when
and as due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, upon one or more
dates set for prepayment or otherwise, (ii) each payment
required to be made by the Borrower under the Credit Agreement in
respect of any Letter of Credit, when and as due, including
payments in respect of reimbursement of disbursements, interest
thereon and obligations to provide cash collateral, and
(iii) all other monetary obligations of the Borrower to any of
the Secured Parties under the Credit Agreement and each of the
other Loan Documents, including fees, costs, expenses and
indemnities, whether primary, secondary, direct, contingent, fixed
or otherwise (including monetary obligations incurred during the
pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other
similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in
such proceeding), (b) the due and punctual performance of all
other obligations of the Borrower under or pursuant to the Credit
Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents, and (c) the
due and punctual payment and performance of all the obligations of
each other Loan Party under or pursuant to this Agreement and each
of the other Loan Documents.
“
New York UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial
Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New
York.
“
Obligations ” means (a) the Loan Document
Obligations and (b) the due and punctual payment and
performance of all obligations of each Loan Party under each
Hedging Agreement that (i) is in effect on the Closing Date
with a counterparty that is the Administrative Agent, a Lender or
an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent or a Lender as of the
Closing Date or (ii) is entered into after the Closing Date
with any counterparty that is a Lender, the Administrative Agent or
an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent at the time
such Hedging Agreement is entered into.
“
Patent License ” means any written agreement,
now or hereafter in effect, granting to any Grantor any right to
make, use or sell any invention on which a patent,
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now or
hereafter owned by any third party, is in existence, and all rights
of any Grantor under any such agreement.
“
Patents ” means all of the following now owned
or hereafter acquired by any Grantor: (a) all letters patent
of the United States or the equivalent thereof in any other
country, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all
applications for letters patent of the United States or the
equivalent thereof in any other country, including registrations,
recordings and pending applications in the United States Patent and
Trademark Office (or any successor or any similar offices in any
other country), including those listed on Schedule III, and
(b) all reissues, continuations, divisions,
continuations-in-part, renewals or extensions thereof, and the
inventions disclosed or claimed therein, including the right to
make, use and/or sell the inventions disclosed or claimed
therein.
“
Perfection Certificate ” means a certificate
substantially in the form of Exhibit B, completed and
supplemented with the schedules and attachments contemplated
thereby, and duly executed by a Responsible Officer of the
Borrower.
“
Pledged Collateral ” has the meaning assigned
to such term in Section 3.01.
“
Pledged Debt Securities ” has the meaning
assigned to such term in Section 3.01.
“
Pledged Securities ” means any promissory
notes, stock certificates or other securities now or hereafter
included in the Pledged Collateral, including all certificates,
instruments or other documents representing or evidencing any
Pledged Collateral.
“
Pledged Stock ” has the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 3.01.
“
Proceeds ” has the meaning specified in
Section 9-102 of the New York UCC.
“
Secured Parties ” means (a) the Lenders,
(b) the Administrative Agent, (c) the Collateral Agent,
(d) the Issuing Bank, (e) each counterparty to any
Hedging Agreement with a Loan Party that either (i) is in
effect on the Closing Date if such counterparty is the
Administrative Agent, a Lender or an Affiliate of the
Administrative Agent or a Lender as of the Closing Date or
(ii) is entered into after the Closing Date if such
counterparty is a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate
of a Lender or the Administrative Agent at the time such Hedging
Agreement is entered into, (f) the beneficiaries of each
indemnification obligation undertaken by any Loan Party under any
Loan Document and (g) the permitted successors and assigns of
each of the foregoing.
“
Security Interest ” has the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 4.01.
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“
Subsidiary Guarantors ” means (a) the
Subsidiaries identified on Schedule I and (b) each other
Subsidiary that becomes a party to this Agreement as a Subsidiary
Guarantor after the Closing Date.
“
Trademark License ” means any written
agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting to any Grantor any
right to use any trademark now or hereafter owned by any third
party, and all rights of any Grantor under any such
agreement.
“
Trademarks ” means all of the following now
owned or hereafter acquired by any Grantor: (a) all trademarks,
service marks, trade names, corporate names, company names,
business names, fictitious business names, trade styles, trade
dress, logos, other source or business identifiers, designs and
general intangibles of like nature, now existing or hereafter
adopted or acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and
all registration and recording applications filed in connection
therewith, including registrations and registration applications in
the United States Patent and Trademark Office (or any successor
office) or any similar offices in any State of the United States or
any other country or any political subdivision thereof, and all
extensions or renewals thereof, including those listed on
Schedule III, (b) all goodwill associated therewith or
symbolized thereby and (c) all other similar assets, rights
and interests that uniquely reflect or embody such
goodwill.
“
Unfunded Advances/Participations ” shall mean
(a) with respect to the Administrative Agent, the aggregate
amount, if any (i) made available to the Borrower on the
assumption that each Lender has made its portion of the applicable
Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent as contemplated by
Section 2.02(d) of the Credit Agreement and (ii) with
respect to which a corresponding amount shall not in fact have been
returned to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or made
available to the Administrative Agent by any such Lender,
(b) with respect to the Swingline Lender, the aggregate
amount, if any, of participations in respect of any outstanding
Swingline Loan that shall not have been funded by the Revolving
Credit Lenders in accordance with Section 2.22(e) of the
Credit Agreement and (c) with respect to any Issuing Bank, the
aggregate amount, if any, of participations in respect of any
outstanding L/C Disbursement that shall not have been funded
(i) by the Revolving Credit Lenders in accordance with
Sections 2.23(d) and 2.02(f) of the Credit Agreement or
(ii) with Credit-Linked Deposits in accordance with Sections
2.23(d) and 2.02(g) of the Credit Agreement.
SECTION
2.01. Guarantee. Each Guarantor unconditionally guarantees,
jointly with the other Guarantors and severally, as a primary
obligor and not merely as a surety, the due and punctual payment
and performance of the Obligations. Each of the Guarantors further
agrees that the Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or
in part, without notice to or further assent from it, and that it
will remain bound upon its
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guarantee
notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Obligation. Each of
the Guarantors waives presentment to, demand of payment from and
protest to the Borrower or any other Loan Party of any of the
Obligations, and also waives notice of acceptance of its guarantee
and notice of protest for nonpayment.
SECTION
2.02. Guarantee of Payment. Each of the Guarantors further
agrees that its guarantee hereunder constitutes a guarantee of
payment when due and not of collection, and waives any right to
require that any resort be had by the Collateral Agent or any other
Secured Party to any security held for the payment of the
Obligations or to any balance of any deposit account or credit on
the books of the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party in
favor of the Borrower or any other person.
SECTION
2.03. No Limitations, Etc. (a) Except for termination
of a Guarantor’s obligations hereunder as expressly provided
in Section 7.15, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder
shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or
termination for any reason, including any claim of waiver, release,
surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not be subject to
any defense (other than a defense of payment) or setoff,
counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the
invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Obligations or
otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be discharged or
impaired or otherwise affected by (i) the failure of the
Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to assert any claim or
demand or to enforce any right or remedy under the provisions of
any Loan Document or otherwise; (ii) any rescission, waiver,
amendment or modification of, or any release from any of the terms
or provisions of, any Loan Document or any other agreement,
including with respect to any other Guarantor under this Agreement;
(iii) the release of, or any impairment of or failure to
perfect any Lien on or security interest in, any security held by
the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party for the Obligations
or any of them; (iv) any default, failure or delay, wilful or
otherwise, in the performance of the Obligations; or (v) any
other act or omission that may or might in any manner or to any
extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or otherwise operate as a
discharge of any Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than
the payment in full in cash of all the Obligations). Each Guarantor
expressly authorizes the Collateral Agent to take and hold security
for the payment and performance of the Obligations, to exchange,
waive or release any or all such security (with or without
consideration), to enforce or apply such security and direct the
order and manner of any sale thereof in its sole discretion or to
release or substitute any one or more other guarantors or obligors
upon or in respect of the Obligations, all without affecting the
obligations of any Guarantor hereunder.
(b) To
the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor
waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of the
Borrower or any other Loan Party or the unenforceability of the
Obligations or any part thereof from any cause, or the cessation
from any cause of the liability of the Borrower or any other Loan
Party, other than the payment in full in cash of all the
Obligations. The Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties
may, at their election, foreclose on any security held by one or
more of them by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept
an assignment of any such security in lieu of foreclosure,
compromise or adjust any part of the Obligations,
7
make any other
accommodation with the Borrower or any other Loan Party or exercise
any other right or remedy available to them against the Borrower or
any other Loan Party, without affecting or impairing in any way the
liability of any Guarantor hereunder except to the extent the
Obligations have been fully and paid in full in cash. To the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives
any defense arising out of any such election even though such
election operates, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or to
extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right
or remedy of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Loan
Party, as the case may be, or any security.
SECTION
2.04. Reinstatement. Each of the Guarantors agrees that its
guarantee hereunder shall continue to be effective or be
reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part
thereof, of any Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be
restored by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party upon
the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Borrower, any other Loan
Party or otherwise.
SECTION
2.05. Agreement To Pay; Subrogation. In furtherance of the
foregoing and not in limitation of any other right that the
Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party has at law or in equity
against any Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the
Borrower or any other Loan Party to pay any Obligation when and as
the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration,
after notice of prepayment or otherwise, each Guarantor hereby
promises to and will forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, to the
Collateral Agent for distribution to the applicable Secured Parties
in cash the amount of such unpaid Obligation. Upon payment by any
Guarantor of any sums to the Collateral Agent as provided above,
all rights of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other
Guarantor arising as a result thereof by way of right of
subrogation, contribution, reimbursement, indemnity or otherwise
shall in all respects be subject to Article VI.
SECTION
2.06. Information. Each Guarantor assumes all responsibility
for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrower’s and
each other Loan Party’s financial condition and assets and of
all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the
Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that such
Guarantor assumes and incurs hereunder, and agrees that neither the
Collateral Agent nor any other Secured Party will have any duty to
advise such Guarantor of information known to it or any of them
regarding such circumstances or risks.
SECTION
3.01. Pledge. As security for the payment or performance, as
the case may be, in full of the Obligations, each Grantor hereby
grants and pledges to the Collateral Agent, its successors and
assigns, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, and hereby
grants to the Collateral Agent, its successors and assigns, for the
ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a security interest in, all
of such Grantor’s right, title and
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interest in, to
and under (a)(i) the Equity Interests owned by it on the date
hereof (including all such Equity Interests listed on
Schedule II) (other than the Equity Interests of any Inactive
Subsidiary), (ii) any other Equity Interests obtained in the
future by such Grantor and (iii) the certificates representing
all such Equity Interests (all the foregoing collectively referred
to herein as the “ Pledged Stock ”);
provided that the Pledged Stock shall not include
(i) more than 65% of the issued and outstanding voting Equity
Interests and 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of
nonvoting Equity Interests (if any) of any Foreign Subsidiary or
(ii) any Equity Interests of any Foreign Subsidiary owned by a
Foreign Subsidiary; (b)(i) the debt securities held by such Grantor
on the date hereof (including all such debt securities listed
opposite the name of such Grantor on Schedule II),
(ii) any debt securities in the future issued to such Grantor
and (iii) the promissory notes and any other instruments
evidencing such debt securities (all the foregoing collectively
referred to herein as the “ Pledged Debt
Securities ”); (c) all other property that may
be delivered to and held by the Collateral Agent pursuant to the
terms of this Section 3.01; (d) subject to
Section 3.06, all payments of principal or interest,
dividends, cash, instruments and other property from time to time
received, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of, in
exchange for or upon the conversion of, and all other Proceeds
received in respect of, the securities referred to in clauses
(a) and (b) above; (e) subject to Section 3.06,
all rights and privileges of such Grantor with respect to the
securities and other property referred to in clauses (a), (b),
(c) and (d) above; and (f) all Proceeds of any of
the foregoing (the items referred to in clauses (a) through
(f) above being collectively referred to as the “
Pledged Collateral ”).
TO
HAVE AND TO HOLD the Pledged Collateral, together with all right,
title, interest, powers, privileges and preferences pertaining or
incidental thereto, unto the Collateral Agent, its successors and
assigns, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, forever;
subject , however , to the terms, covenants and
conditions hereinafter set forth.
SECTION
3.02. Delivery of the Pledged Collateral. (a) Each
Grantor agrees promptly to deliver or cause to be delivered to the
Collateral Agent any and all certificates, instruments or other
documents representing or evidencing Pledged Securities (other than
certificates, instruments or other documents representing or
evidencing Pledged Debt Securities with a face amount less than
$200,000 acquired after the date hereof).
(b) Each
Grantor will cause any Indebtedness for borrowed money in excess of
$400,000 owed to such Grantor by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to
be evidenced by a duly executed promissory note that is pledged and
delivered to the Collateral Agent pursuant to the terms hereof;
provided that in the event that such Indebtedness owed to
such Grantor shall exceed $2,000,000 in the aggregate the foregoing
$400,000 limitation shall no longer apply.
(c) Upon
delivery to the Collateral Agent, (i) any certificate,
instrument or document representing or evidencing Pledged
Securities shall be accompanied by undated stock powers duly
executed in blank or other undated instruments of transfer
reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent and duly executed
in blank and by such other instruments and documents as the
Collateral Agent may reasonably request and
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(ii) all
other property comprising part of the Pledged Collateral shall be
accompanied by proper instruments of assignment duly executed by
the applicable Grantor and such other instruments or documents as
the Collateral Agent may reasonably request. Each delivery of
Pledged Securities shall be accompanied by a schedule describing
the applicable securities, which schedule shall be attached hereto
as Schedule II and made a part hereof; provided that
failure to attach any such schedule hereto shall not affect the
validity of such pledge of such Pledged Securities. Each schedule
so delivered shall supplement any prior schedules so
delivered.
SECTION
3.03. Representations, Warranties and Covenants. The
Grantors jointly and severally represent, warrant and covenant to
and with the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured
Parties, that:
(a) As of the date
hereof, Schedule II correctly sets forth the percentage of the
issued and outstanding shares of each class of the Equity Interests
of the issuer thereof represented by such Pledged Stock and
includes all Equity Interests, debt securities and promissory notes
required to be pledged hereunder;
(b) the Pledged
Stock and, to the best of each Grantor’s knowledge, the
Pledged Debt Securities have been duly and validly authorized and
issued by the issuers thereof and (i) in the case of Pledged Stock,
are fully paid and nonassessable and (ii) in the case of
Pledged Debt Securities, to the best of each Grantor’s
knowledge, are legal, valid and binding obligations of the issuers
thereof;
(c) except for the
security interests granted hereunder (or otherwise permitted under
the Credit Agreement), each of the Grantors (i) is and,
subject to any transfers made in compliance with the Credit
Agreement, will continue to be the direct owner, beneficially and
of record, of the Pledged Securities indicated on Schedule II
as owned by such Grantor, (ii) holds the same free and clear
of all Liens (other than Liens expressly permitted pursuant to
Section 6.02 of the Credit Agreement), (iii) will make no
assignment, pledge, hypothecation or transfer of, or create or
permit to exist any security interest in or other Lien on, the
Pledged Collateral, other than Liens created by this Agreement and
transfers made in compliance with the Credit Agreement, and
(iv) subject to Section 3.06, will cause any and all
Pledged Collateral (other than Pledged Debt Securities with a face
amount less than $200,000 acquired after the date hereof), whether
for value paid by the Grantor or otherwise, to be forthwith
deposited with the Collateral Agent and pledged or assigned
hereunder;
(d) except for
restrictions and limitations imposed by the Loan Documents or
securities laws generally, as of the date hereof, the Pledged
Collateral is and will continue to be freely transferable and
assignable, and none of the Pledged Collateral is or will be
subject to any option, right of first refusal, shareholders
agreement, charter or by-law provisions or contractual restriction
of any nature that might prohibit, impair, delay or otherwise
affect the pledge of such Pledged
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Collateral
hereunder, the sale or disposition thereof pursuant hereto or the
exercise by the Collateral Agent of rights and remedies
hereunder;
(e) each of the
Grantors (i) has the power and authority to pledge the Pledged
Collateral pledged by it hereunder in the manner hereby done or
contemplated and (ii) will defend its title or interest
thereto or therein against any and all Liens (other than the Lien
created by this Agreement or Liens expressly permitted pursuant to
Section 6.02 of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan
Document), however arising, of all persons whomsoever;
(f) no consent or
approval of any Governmental Authority, any securities exchange or
any other person was or is necessary to the validity of the pledge
effected hereby (other than such as have been obtained and are in
full force and effect);
(g) by virtue of
the execution and delivery by the Grantors of this Agreement, when
any Pledged Securities are delivered to the Collateral Agent in
accordance with this Agreement, the Collateral Agent will obtain a
legal, valid and perfected first priority lien upon and security
interest in such Pledged Securities as security for the payment and
performance of the Obligations; and
(h) the pledge
effected hereby is effective to vest in the Collateral Agent, for
the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, the rights of the
Collateral Agent in the Pledged Collateral as set forth
herein.
SECTION
3.04. Certification of Limited Liability Company and Limited
Partnership Interests. (a) Each Grantor acknowledges and
agrees that (i) each interest in any limited liability company
or limited partnership controlled by such Grantor, pledged
hereunder and represented by a certificate shall be a
“security” within the meaning of Article 8 of the
New York UCC and shall be governed by Article 8 of the New
York UCC and (ii) each such interest shall at all times
hereafter be represented by a certificate.
(b) Each
Grantor further acknowledges and agrees that (i) each interest
in any limited liability company or limited partnership controlled
by such Grantor, pledged hereunder and not represented by a
certificate shall not be a “security” within the
meaning of Article 8 of the New York UCC and shall not be
governed by Article 8 of the New York UCC, (ii) such
Grantor has not elected, and shall at no time elect, to treat any
such interest as a “security” within the meaning of
Article 8 of the New York UCC or issue any certificate
representing such interest and (iii) the charter documents of
any such limited liability company or limited partnership
(A) do not, and shall not, prohibit any such interest from
being pledged and (B) shall not be amended, supplemented or
otherwise modified in a manner materially adverse to the Collateral
Agent without the prior written consent of the Collateral Agent,
unless (y) such Grantor provides prior written notification to
the Collateral Agent of such election and immediately delivers any
such certificate to the Collateral Agent pursuant to the terms
hereof or (z) the Collateral Agent has otherwise perfected its
Security Interest in such interest.
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SECTION
3.05. Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations. Upon the
occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default, the Collateral
Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, shall have the right (in
its sole and absolute discretion) to hold the Pledged Securities in
its own name as pledgee, the name of its nominee (as pledgee or as
sub-agent) or the name of the applicable Grantor, endorsed or
assigned in blank or in favor of the Collateral Agent. Each Grantor
will promptly give to the Collateral Agent copies of any material
notices or other communications received by it with respect to
Pledged Securities registered in the name of such Grantor. Upon the
occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default, the Collateral
Agent shall at all times have the right to exchange the
certificates representing Pledged Securities for certificates of
smaller or larger denominations for any purpose consistent with
this Agreement.
SECTION
3.06. Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest, etc.
(a) Unless and until an Event of Default shall have occurred
and be continuing and the Collateral Agent shall have given the
Grantors notice of its intent to exercise its rights under this
Agreement (which notice shall be deemed to have been given
immediately upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under
paragraph (g) or (h) of Article VII of the Credit
Agreement):
(i) Each Grantor
shall be entitled to exercise any and all voting and/or other
consensual rights and powers inuring to an owner of Pledged
Securities or any part thereof for any purpose consistent with the
terms of this Agreement, the Credit Agreement and the other Loan
Documents; provided that such rights and powers shall not be
exercised in any manner that could materially and adversely affect
the rights inuring to a holder of any Pledged Securities or the
rights and remedies of any of the Collateral Agent or the other
Secured Parties under this Agreement or the Credit Agreement or any
other Loan Document or the ability of the Secured Parties to
exercise the same.
(ii) The
Collateral Agent shall execute and deliver to each Grantor, or
cause to be executed and delivered to such Grantor, all such
proxies, powers of attorney and other instruments as such Grantor
may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling such Grantor to
exercise the voting and/or consensual rights and powers it is
entitled to exercise pursuant to subparagraph
(i) above.
(iii) Each Grantor
shall be entitled to receive and retain any and all dividends,
interest, principal and other distributions paid on or distributed
in respect of the Pledged Securities to the extent and only to the
extent that such dividends, interest, principal and other
distributions are permitted by, and otherwise paid or distributed
in accordance with, the terms and conditions of the Credit
Agreement, the other Loan Documents and applicable laws;
provided that any noncash dividends, interest, principal or
other distributions that would constitute Pledged Stock or Pledged
Debt Securities, whether resulting from a subdivision, combination
or reclassification of the outstanding Equity Interests of the
issuer of any Pledged Securities or received in exchange for
Pledged Securities or any part thereof, or in redemption thereof,
or as a result of any merger, consolidation, acquisition or other
exchange of assets to which such
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issuer may be a
party or otherwise, shall be and become part of the Pledged
Collateral, and, if received by any Grantor, shall not be
commingled by such Grantor with any of its other funds or property
but shall be held separate and apart therefrom, shall be held in
trust for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties and shall be
forthwith delivered to the Collateral Agent in the same form as so
received (with any necessary endorsement or instrument of
assignment). This paragraph (iii) shall not apply to dividends
by or among the Borrower, the Guarantors and any Subsidiaries only
of property subject to a perfected security interest under this
Agreement; provided that the Borrower notifies the
Collateral Agent in writing, specifically referring to this
Section 3.06 at the time of such dividend and takes any
actions the Collateral Agent reasonably specifies to ensure the
continuance of its perfected security interest in such property
under this Agreement.
(b) Upon
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default,
after the Collateral Agent shall have notified (or shall be deemed
to have notified pursuant to Section 3.06(a)) the Grantors of its
intent to exercise its rights under paragraph (a)(iii) of this
Section 3.06, then all rights of any Grantor to dividends,
interest, principal or other distributions that such Grantor is
authorized to receive pursuant to paragraph (a)(iii) of this
Section 3.06 shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon
become vested in the Collateral Agent, which shall have the sole
and exclusive right and authority to receive and retain such
dividends, interest, principal or other distributions. All
dividends, interest, principal or other distributions received by
any Grantor contrary to the provisions of this Section 3.06
shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent,
shall be segregated from other property or funds of such Grantor
and shall be forthwith delivered to the Collateral Agent upon
demand in the same form as so received (with any necessary
endorsement or instrument of assignment). Any and all money and
other property paid over to or received by the Collateral Agent
pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph (b) shall be
retained by the Collateral Agent in an account to be established by
the Collateral Agent upon receipt of such money or other property
and shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of
Section 5.02. After all Events of Default have been cured or
waived and the applicable Grantor or Grantors have delivered to the
Administrative Agent certificates to that effect, the Collateral
Agent shall, promptly after all such Events of Default have been
cured or waived, repay to each applicable Grantor (without
interest) all dividends, interest, principal or other distributions
that such Grantor would otherwise be permitted to retain pursuant
to the terms of paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 3.06 and
that remain in such account.
(c) Upon
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default,
after the Collateral Agent shall have notified (or shall be deemed
to have notified pursuant to Section 3.06(a)) the Grantors of its
intent to exercise its rights under paragraph (a)(i) of this
Section 3.06, then all rights of any Grantor to exercise the voting
and consensual rights and powers it is entitled to exercise
pursuant to paragraph (a)(i) of this Section 3.06, and the
obligations of the Collateral Agent under paragraph (a)(ii) of this
Section 3.06, shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon
become vested in the Collateral Agent, which shall have the sole
and exclusive right and authority to exercise such voting and
consensual rights and powers; provided that, unless
otherwise directed
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by the Required
Lenders, the Collateral Agent shall have the right from time to
time following and during the continuance of an Event of Default to
permit the Grantors to exercise such rights.
(d) Any
notice given by the Collateral Agent to the Grantors exercising its
rights under paragraph (a) of this Section 3.06
(i) may be given by telephone if promptly confirmed in
writing, (ii) may be given to one or more of the Grantors at
the same or different times and (iii) may suspend the rights
of the Grantors under paragraph (a)(i) or paragraph (a)(iii) in
part without suspending all such rights (as specified by the
Collateral Agent in its sole and absolute discretion) and without
waiving or otherwise affecting the Collateral Agent’s rights
to give additional notices from time to time suspending other
rights so long as an Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing.
Security Interests in Personal
Property
SECTION
4.01. Security Interest. (a) As security for the
payment or performance, as the case may be, in full of the
Obligations, each Grantor hereby grants and pledges to the
Collateral Agent, its successors and assigns, for the ratable
benefit of the Secured Parties, and hereby grants to the Collateral
Agent, its successors and assigns, for the ratable benefit of the
Secured Parties, a security interest (the “ Security
Interest ”), in all right, title or interest in or to
any and all of the following assets and properties now owned or at
any time hereafter acquired by such Grantor or in which such
Grantor now has or at any time in the future may acquire any right,
title or interest (collectively, the “ Article 9
Collateral ”):
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(i)
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all
Accounts;
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(ii)
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all
Chattel Paper;
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(iii)
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all
cash and Deposit Accounts;
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(iv)
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all
Documents;
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(v)
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all
Equipment;
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(vi)
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all
General Intangibles; provided that the grant of the Security
Interest hereunder shall not include any application for a
Trademark that would be deemed invalidated, canceled or abandoned
due to the grant and/or enforcement of such Security Interest
unless and until such time that the grant and/or enforcement of the
Security Interest will not affect the status or validity of such
Trademark;
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(vii)
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all
Instruments;
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(viii)
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all
Inventory;
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(ix)
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all
Investment Property;
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(x)
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all
Letter-of-credit rights;
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(xi)
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all
commercial tort claims;
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(xii)
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all
books and records pertaining to the Article 9 Collateral;
and
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(xiii) to the
extent not otherwise included, all Proceeds and products of any and
all of the foregoing and all collateral security and guarantees
given by any person with respect to any of the foregoing;
provided that the foregoing shall not include any asset that
such Grantor now has or at any time in the future may acquire the
right, title or interest of which is (i) the subject of a
capital lease (as determined in accordance with GAAP) and
(ii) legally or beneficially owned by a person other than a
Grantor.
(b) Each
Grantor hereby irrevocably authorizes the Collateral Agent at any
time and from time to time to file in any relevant jurisdiction any
initial financing statements (including fixture filings) with
respect to the Article 9 Collateral or any part thereof and
amendments thereto that (i) indicate the Article 9
Collateral as “all assets” of such Grantor or words of
similar effect, and (ii) contain the information required by
Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code of each applicable
jurisdiction for the filing of any financing statement or
amendment, including (A) whether such Grantor is an organization,
the type of organization and any organizational identification
number issued to such Grantor and (B) in the case of a
financing statement filed as a fixture filing, a sufficient
description of the real property to which such Article 9
Collateral relates. Each Grantor agrees to provide such information
to the Collateral Agent promptly upon request.
Each
Grantor also ratifies its authorization for the Collateral Agent to
file in any relevant jurisdiction any initial financing statements
or amendments thereto if filed prior to the date hereof.
The
Collateral Agent is further authorized to file with the United
States Patent and Trademark Office or United States Copyright
Office (or any successor office or any similar office in any other
country) such documents as may be necessary or advisable for the
purpose of perfecting, confirming, continuing, enforcing or
protecting the Security Interest granted by each Grantor, without
the signature of any Grantor, and naming any Grantor or the
Grantors as debtors and the Collateral Agent as secured
party.
(c) The
Security Interest is granted as security only and shall not subject
the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to, or in any way
alter or modify, any obligation or liability of any Grantor with
respect to or arising out of the Article 9
Collateral.
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SECTION
4.02. Representations and Warranties. The Grantors jointly
and severally represent and warrant to the Collateral Agent and the
Secured Parties that:
(a) To the best of
each Grantor’s knowledge, each Grantor has good and valid
rights in and title to the Article 9 Collateral with respect
to which it has purported to grant a Security Interest hereunder
and has full power and authority to grant to the Collateral Agent,
for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, the Security
Interest in such Article 9 Collateral pursuant hereto and to
execute, deliver and perform its obligations in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement, without the consent or approval of any
other person other than any consent or approval that has been
obtained.
(b) The Perfection
Certificate has been duly prepared, completed and executed and the
information set forth therein, including (x) the exact legal
name of each Grantor and (y) the jurisdiction of organization of
each Grantor, is correct and complete in all material respects
(except that the information referred to in the preceding clauses
(x) and (y) shall not be subject to such materiality
qualifier) as of the Closing Date. Uniform Commercial Code
financing statements (including fixture filings, as applicable) or
other appropriate filings, recordings or registrations containing a
description of the Article 9 Collateral (the “ UCC
Filings ”) have been prepared by the Collateral Agent
based upon the information provided to the Administrative Agent and
the Secured Parties in the Perfection Certificate for filing in
each governmental, municipal or other office specified in Section 2
to the Perfection Certificate (or specified by notice from the
Borrower to the Administrative Agent after the Closing Date in the
case of filings, recordings or registrations required by
Section 5.06 or 5.09 of the Credit Agreement), which are all
the filings, recordings and registrations (other than filings that
may be required to be made in the United States Patent and
Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office in order to
perfect the Security Interest in Article 9 Collateral
consisting of United States Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights)
that are necessary as of the Closing Date to publish notice of and
protect the validity of and to establish a legal, valid and
perfected security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent (for
the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties) in respect of all
Article 9 Collateral in which the Security Interest may be
perfected by filing, recording or registration in the United States
(or any political subdivision thereof) and its territories and
possessions, and no further or subsequent filing, refiling,
recording, rerecording, registration or reregistration is necessary
in any such jurisdiction, except as provided under applicable law
with respect to the filing of continuation statements. Each Grantor
represents and warrants that a fully executed agreement in the form
hereof (or a fully executed short form agreement in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent), and
containing a description of all Article 9 Collateral
consisting of Intellectual Property with respect to United States
Patents and United States registered Trademarks (and Trademarks for
which United States registration applications are pending) and
United States registered Copyrights has been delivered to the
Collateral Agent for recording by the United States Patent and
Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office pursuant
to
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35 U.S.C.
§ 261, 15 U.S.C. § 1060 or 17 U.S.C. § 205 and the
regulations thereunder, as applicable, and otherwise as may be
required pursuant to the laws of any other necessary jurisdiction,
to protect the validity of and to establish a legal, valid and
perfected security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent (for
the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties) in respect of all
Article 9 Collateral consisting of Patents, Trademarks and
Copyrights in which a security interest may be perfected by filing,
recording or registration in the United States (or any political
subdivision thereof) and its territories and possessions, or in any
other necessary jurisdiction, and no further or subsequent filing,
refiling, recording, rerecording, registration or reregistration is
necessary (other than the UCC Filings and such actions as are
necessary to perfect the Security Interest with respect to any
Article 9 Collateral consisting of Patents, Trademarks and
Copyrights (or registration or application for registration
thereof) acquired or developed after the date hereof).
(c) The Security
Interest constitutes (i) a legal and valid security interest
in all the Article 9 Collateral securing the payment and
performance of the Obligations, (ii) subject to the filings
described in Section 4.02(b), a perfected security interest in
all Article 9 Collateral in which a security interest may be
perfected by filing, recording or registering a financing statement
or analogous document in the United States (or any political
subdivision thereof) and its territories and possessions pursuant
to the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law in such
jurisdictions and (iii) a security interest that shall be
perfected in all Article 9 Collateral in which a security
interest may be perfected upon the receipt and recording of this
Agreement with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and
the United States Copyright Office, as applicable. The Security
Interest is and shall be prior to any other Lien on any of the
Article 9 Collateral, other than Liens expressly permitted to
be prior to the Security Interest pursuant to Section 6.02 of the
Credit Agreement.
(d) The
Article 9 Collateral is owned by the Grantors free and clear
of any Lien, except for Liens expressly permitted pursuant to
Section 6.02 of the Credit Agreement. None of the Grantors has
filed or consented to the filing on or after the date hereof of
(i) any financing statement or analogous document under the
Uniform Commercial Code or any other applicable laws covering any
Article 9 Collateral, (ii) any assignment in which any
Grantor assigns any Collateral or any security agreement or similar
instrument covering any Article 9 Collateral with the United
States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright
Office or (iii) any assignment in which any Grantor assigns
any Article 9 Collateral or any security agreement or similar
instrument covering any Article 9 Collateral with any foreign
governmental, municipal or other office, which financing statement
or analogous document, assignment, security agreement or similar
instrument is still in effect, except, in each case, for Liens
expressly permitted pursuant to Section 6.02 of the Credit
Agreement. None of the Grantors hold any commercial tort claim as
of the date hereof except as indicated on the Perfection
Certificate.
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SECTION
4.03. Covenants. (a) Each Grantor agrees to maintain,
at its own cost and expense, such complete and accurate records
with respect to the Article 9 Collateral owned by it as is
consistent with its current practices and in accordance with such
prudent and standard practices used in industries that are the same
as or similar to those in which such Grantor is engaged, but in any
event to include complete accounting records indicating all
payments and proceeds received with respect to any part of the
Article 9 Collateral, and, at such time or times as the
Collateral Agent may reasonably request (but not more often than
two times each year unless an Event of Default is continuing),
promptly to prepare and deliver to the Collateral Agent a duly
certified schedule or schedules in form and detail reasonably
satisfactory to the Collateral Agent showing the identity, amount
and location of any and all Article 9 Collateral.
(b) Each
Grantor shall, at its own expense, take any and all actions
necessary to defend title to the Article 9 Collateral (other
than any Article 9 Collateral consisting of a Patent,
Trademark or Copyright which shall be governed by the provisions of
Section 4.05(g) hereof or any other immaterial Intellectual
Property) against all persons and to defend the Security Interest
of the Collateral Agent in the Article 9 Collateral and the
priority thereof against any Lien not expressly permitted pursuant
to Section 6.02 of the Credit Agreement.
(c) Each
Grantor agrees, at its own expense, to execute, acknowledge,
deliver and cause to be duly filed all such further instruments and
documents and take all such actions as the Collateral Agent may
from time to time reasonably request to better assure, obtain,
preserve, protect and perfect the Security Interest and the rights
and remedies created hereby, including the payment of any
reasonable fees and Taxes required in connection with the execution
and delivery of this Agreement, the granting of the Security
Interest and the filing of any financing or continuation statements
(including fixture filings) or other documents in connection
herewith or therewith. If any amount payable to any Grantor under
or in connection with any of the Article 9 Collateral shall be
or become evidenced by any promissory note or other instrument in
excess of $400,000, such note or instrument shall be promptly
pledged and delivered to the Collateral Agent, duly endorsed in a
manner satisfactory to the Collateral Agent; provided that
promissory notes or instruments evidencing advances permitted under
Section 6.04(e) of the Credit Agreement will not be required
to be so pledged.
Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Grantor hereby
authorizes the Collateral Agent, with prompt notice thereof to the
Grantors, to supplement this Agreement by supplementing
Schedule III or adding additional schedules hereto to
specifically identify any asset or item that may constitute
Copyrights, material Licenses, Patents or Trademarks;
provided that any Grantor shall have the right, exercisable
within 10 days after it has been notified by the Collateral
Agent of the specific identification of such Collateral, to advise
the Collateral Agent in writing of any material inaccuracy of the
representations and warranties made by such Grantor hereunder with
respect to such Collateral. Each Grantor agrees that it will use
commercially reasonable efforts to take such action as shall be
necessary in order that all representations and warranties
hereunder shall be true and correct in all material
respects
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with respect to
such Collateral within 30 days after the date it has been
notified by the Collateral Agent of the specific identification of
such Collateral.
(d) The
Collateral Agent and such persons as the Collateral Agent may
reasonably designate shall have the right, at the Grantors’
own cost and expense, to inspect the Article 9 Collateral, all
records related thereto (and to make extracts and copies from
such
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