|
Exhibit 10.10
EXECUTION COPY
GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL
AGREEMENT
dated as of
November 1, 2006,
among
BUFFETS, INC.,
BUFFETS HOLDINGS, INC.,
the Subsidiaries of BUFFETS, INC.
from time to time party hereto,
and
CREDIT SUISSE,
as Collateral Agent
[CS&M Ref
No. 5865-466]
Table of Contents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page
|
|
|
ARTICLE I
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SECTION 1.01. Credit Agreement
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
SECTION 1.02. Other Defined Terms
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE II
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SECTION 2.01. Guarantee
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
SECTION 2.02. Guarantee of Payment
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
SECTION 2.03. No Limitations, Etc.
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
SECTION 2.04. Reinstatement
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
SECTION 2.05. Agreement To Pay;
Subrogation
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
SECTION 2.06. Information
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE III
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SECTION 3.01. Pledge
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
SECTION 3.02. Delivery of the Pledged
Collateral
|
|
|
8
|
|
|
SECTION 3.03. Representations, Warranties and
Covenants
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
SECTION 3.04. Certification of Limited Liability
Company and Limited Partnership Interests
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
SECTION 3.05. Registration in Nominee Name;
Denominations
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
SECTION 3.06. Voting Rights; Dividends and
Interest, etc
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE IV
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SECTION 4.01. Security Interest
|
|
|
13
|
|
|
SECTION 4.02. Representations and
Warranties
|
|
|
15
|
|
|
SECTION 4.03. Covenants
|
|
|
17
|
|
|
SECTION 4.04. Other Actions
|
|
|
20
|
|
|
SECTION 4.05. Covenants regarding Patent,
Trademark and Copyright Collateral
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE V
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SECTION 5.01. Remedies upon Default
|
|
|
24
|
|
|
SECTION 5.02. Application of Proceeds
|
|
|
26
|
|
|
SECTION 5.03. Grant of License to Use
Intellectual Property
|
|
|
26
|
|
|
SECTION 5.04. Securities Act, etc.
|
|
|
27
|
|
ii
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page
|
|
|
ARTICLE VI
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SECTION 6.01. Indemnity and
Subrogation
|
|
|
28
|
|
|
SECTION 6.02. Contribution and
Subrogation
|
|
|
28
|
|
|
SECTION 6.03. Subordination
|
|
|
28
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARTICLE VII
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SECTION 7.01. Notices
|
|
|
29
|
|
|
SECTION 7.02. Security Interest
Absolute
|
|
|
29
|
|
|
SECTION 7.03. Survival of Agreement
|
|
|
29
|
|
|
SECTION 7.04. Binding Effect; Several
Agreement
|
|
|
29
|
|
|
SECTION 7.05. Successors and Assigns
|
|
|
30
|
|
|
SECTION 7.06. Collateral Agent’s Fees and
Expenses; Indemnification
|
|
|
30
|
|
|
SECTION 7.07. Collateral Agent Appointed
Attorney-in-Fact
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
SECTION 7.08. Applicable Law
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
SECTION 7.09. Waivers; Amendment
|
|
|
31
|
|
|
SECTION 7.10. WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
|
|
|
32
|
|
|
SECTION 7.11. Severability
|
|
|
32
|
|
|
SECTION 7.12. Counterparts
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
SECTION 7.13. Headings
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
SECTION 7.14 Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of
Process
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
SECTION 7.15. Termination or Release
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
SECTION 7.16. Additional Grantors
|
|
|
34
|
|
|
SECTION 7.17. Right of Setoff
|
|
|
35
|
|
Schedules
Schedule I Subsidiary Guarantors
Schedule II Equity Interests; Pledged Debt Securities
Schedule III Intellectual Property
Exhibits
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:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
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,
4
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.
5
"
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.
ARTICLE II
Guarantee
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
6
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.
ARTICLE III
Pledge of Securities
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
8
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
9
(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
10
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.
11
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
12
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
13
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.
ARTICLE IV
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 "):
|
|
(i)
|
|
all Accounts;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(ii)
|
|
all Chattel Paper;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(iii)
|
|
all cash and Deposit Accounts;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(iv)
|
|
all Documents;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(v)
|
|
all Equipment;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(vi)
|
|
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;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(vii)
|
|
all Instruments;
|
14
| |
|
|
(viii)
|
|
all Inventory;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(ix)
|
|
all Investment Property;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(x)
|
|
all Letter-of-credit rights;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(xi)
|
|
all commercial tort claims;
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(xii)
|
|
all books and records pertaining to the
Article 9 Collateral; and
|
(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.
15
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
16
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.
17
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
18
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.
&nbs
|