Exhibit 10.3
EXECUTION COPY
GUARANTY
THIS GUARANTY (as
the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time, this “ Guaranty ”)
is made as of September 26, 2007 by each of the Subsidiaries of
priceline.com Incorporated (the “ Borrower ”)
listed on the signature pages hereto (each an “ Initial
Guarantor ”) and those additional Subsidiaries of the
Borrower which become parties to this Guaranty by executing a
supplement hereto (a “ Guaranty Supplement ”) in
the form attached hereto as Annex I (such additional
Subsidiaries, together with the Initial Guarantors, the “
Guarantors ”), in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank,
National Association, as Administrative Agent (the “
Administrative Agent ”), for the benefit of the
Holders of Secured Obligations under the Credit Agreement described
below. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms
used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed
to such terms in the Credit Agreement.
W I T
N E S S E T H
:
WHEREAS, the
Borrower, the financial institutions party thereto (collectively,
the “ Lenders ”), and the Administrative Agent
have entered into that certain Credit Agreement of even date
herewith (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or
otherwise modified from time to time, the “ Credit
Agreement ”), which Credit Agreement provides, subject to
the terms and conditions thereof, for extensions of credit and
other financial accommodations to be made by the Lenders to or for
the benefit of the Borrower;
WHEREAS, it is a
condition precedent to the extensions of credit by the Lenders
under the Credit Agreement that each of the Guarantors
(constituting all of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower required to
execute this Guaranty pursuant to Section 5.09 of the Credit
Agreement) execute and deliver this Guaranty, whereby each of the
Guarantors, without limitation and with full recourse, shall
guarantee the payment when due of all Secured Obligations,
including, without limitation, all principal, interest, letter of
credit reimbursement obligations and other amounts that shall be at
any time payable by the Borrower under the Credit Agreement or the
other Loan Documents; and
WHEREAS, in
consideration of the direct and indirect financial and other
support and benefits that the Borrower has provided, and such
direct and indirect financial and other support and benefits as the
Borrower may in the future provide, to the Guarantors, and in
consideration of the increased ability of each Guarantor that is a
Subsidiary of the Borrower to receive funds through contributions
to capital, and for each Guarantor to receive funds through
intercompany advances or otherwise, from funds provided to the
Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement and the flexibility
provided by the Credit Agreement for each Guarantor to do so which
significantly facilitates the business operations of the Borrower
and each Guarantor and in order to induce the Lenders and the
Administrative Agent to enter into the Credit Agreement, and to
make the Loans and the other financial accommodations to the
Borrower and to issue the Letters of Credit described in the Credit
Agreement, each of the Guarantors is willing to guarantee the
Secured Obligations under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan
Documents;
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the foregoing premises and other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
SECTION
1.
Representations,
Warranties and Covenants . Each of the Guarantors represents and
warrants to each Lender and the Administrative Agent as of the date
of this Guaranty, giving effect to
the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents
on the Effective Date, and thereafter on each date as required by
Section 4.02 of the Credit Agreement that:
(a)
It (i) is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company
duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization, (ii) is duly qualified to do
business as a foreign entity and is in good standing (to the extent
such concept is applicable) under the laws of each jurisdiction
where the business conducted by it makes such qualification
necessary, and (iii) has all requisite corporate, partnership or
limited liability company power and authority, as the case may be,
to own, operate and encumber its property and to conduct its
business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted or
proposed to be conducted, except to the extent failure to do so
could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(b)
It has the requisite corporate, limited liability company or
partnership, as applicable, power and authority and legal right to
execute and deliver this Guaranty and to perform its obligations
hereunder. The execution and delivery by it of this Guaranty
and the performance by each of its obligations hereunder have been
duly authorized by proper corporate, limited liability company or
partnership proceedings, including any required shareholder, member
or partner approval, and this Guaranty constitutes a legal, valid
and binding obligation of such Guarantor, enforceable against such
Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability
may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
conveyances, reorganization or similar laws relating to or
affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally,
(ii) general equitable principles (whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law), and (iii) requirements of
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing.
(c)
Neither the execution and delivery by it of this Guaranty, nor the
consummation by it of the transactions herein contemplated, nor
compliance by it with the terms and provisions hereof, will (i)
conflict with the charter or other organizational documents of such
Guarantor, (ii) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute
(with or without notice or lapse of time or both) a default under
any law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction,
decree or award (including, without limitation, any environmental
property transfer laws or regulations) applicable to such Guarantor
or any provisions of any indenture, instrument or agreement to
which such Guarantor or any of such Guarantor’s Subsidiaries
is party or is subject or by which it or its property is bound or
affected, or require termination of any such indenture, instrument
or agreement, (iii) result in the creation or imposition of any
Lien whatsoever upon any of the property or assets of such
Guarantor, other than Liens permitted or created by the Loan
Documents, or (iv) require any approval of such Guarantor’s
board of directors, shareholders, members, partners or unitholders
except such as have been obtained. The execution, delivery
and performance by such Guarantor of each of the Loan Documents to
which such Guarantor is a party do not and will not require any
registration with, consent or approval of, or notice to, or other
action to, with or by any Governmental Authority, including under
any environmental property transfer act or environmental laws or
regulations, except filings, consents or notices which have been
made.
In addition to the foregoing, each of the Guarantors covenants
that, so long as any Lender has any Commitment or Letter of Credit
outstanding under the Credit Agreement or any amount payable under
the Credit Agreement or any other Secured Obligations shall remain
unpaid, it will, and, if necessary, will cause the Borrower to,
fully comply with those covenants and agreements of the Borrower
applicable to such Guarantor set forth in the Credit
Agreement.
SECTION
2.
The Guaranty
. Each of the
Guarantors hereby unconditionally guarantees, jointly and severally
with the other Guarantors, the full and punctual payment and
performance when due (whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration
or otherwise) of the Secured Obligations, including, without
limitation, (i) the principal of and interest on each Loan made to
the Borrower pursuant to the
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Credit Agreement, (ii) obligations owing under
or in connection with Letters of Credit, (iii) all other amounts
payable by the Borrower under the Credit Agreement and the other
Loan Documents, and including, without limitation, all Swap
Obligations and Banking Services Obligations, and (iv) the punctual
and faithful performance, keeping, observance, and fulfillment by
the Borrower of all of the agreements, conditions, covenants, and
obligations of the Borrower contained in the Loan Documents (all of
the foregoing being referred to collectively as the “
Guaranteed Obligations ”). Upon the failure by
the Borrower, or any of its Affiliates, as applicable, to pay
punctually any such amount or perform such obligation, subject to
any applicable grace or notice and cure period, each of the
Guarantors agrees that it shall forthwith on demand pay such amount
or perform such obligation at the place and in the manner specified
in the Credit Agreement or the relevant other Loan Document, as the
case may be. Each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that this
Guaranty is an absolute, irrevocable and unconditional guaranty of
payment and is not a guaranty of collection.
SECTION
3.
Guaranty
Unconditional . The obligations of each of the
Guarantors hereunder shall be unconditional and absolute and,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall not be
released, discharged or otherwise affected by:
(i)
any extension, renewal, settlement, indulgence, compromise, waiver
or release of or with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations or any
part thereof or any agreement relating thereto, or with respect to
any obligation of any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed
Obligations, whether (in any such case) by operation of law or
otherwise, or any failure or omission to enforce any right, power
or remedy with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations or any part
thereof or any agreement relating thereto, or with respect to any
obligation of any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed
Obligations;
(ii)
any modification or amendment of or supplement to the Credit
Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement or
any other Loan Document, including, without limitation, any such
amendment which may increase the amount of, or the interest rates
applicable to, any of the Guaranteed Obligations guaranteed
hereby;
(iii)
any release, surrender, compromise, settlement, waiver,
subordination or modification, with or without consideration, of
any collateral securing the Guaranteed Obligations or any part
thereof, any other guaranties with respect to the Guaranteed
Obligations or any part thereof, or any other obligation of any
person or entity with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations or any
part thereof, or any nonperfection or invalidity of any direct or
indirect security for the Guaranteed Obligations;
(iv)
any change in the corporate, partnership, limited liability company
or other existence, structure or ownership of the Borrower or any
other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any
insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding
affecting the Borrower or any other guarantor of the Guaranteed
Obligations, or any of their respective assets or any resulting
release or discharge of any obligation of the Borrower or any other
guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(v)
the existence of any claim, setoff or other rights which the
Guarantors may have at any time against the Borrower, any other
guarantor of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the Administrative
Agent, any Holder of Secured Obligations or any other Person,
whether in connection herewith or in connection with any unrelated
transactions, provided that nothing herein shall prevent the
assertion of any such claim by separate suit or compulsory
counterclaim;
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(vi)
the enforceability or validity of the Guaranteed Obligations or any
part thereof or the genuineness, enforceability or validity of any
agreement relating thereto or with respect to any collateral
securing the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof, or any
other invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against the
Borrower or any other guarantor of any of the Guaranteed
Obligations, for any reason related to the Credit Agreement, any
Swap Agreement, any Banking Services Agreement or any other Loan
Document, or any provision of applicable law, decree, order or
regulation purporting to prohibit the payment by the Borrower or
any other guarantor of the Guaranteed Obligations, of any of the
Guaranteed Obligations or otherwise affecting any term of any of
the Guaranteed Obligations;
(vii)
the failure of the Administrative Agent to take any steps to
perfect and maintain any security interest in, or to preserve any
rights to, any security or collateral for the Guaranteed
Obligations, if any;
(viii)
the election by, or on behalf of, any one or more of the Holders of
Secured Obligations, in any proceeding instituted under Chapter 11
of Title 11 of the United States Code (11 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) (or
any successor statute, the “ Bankruptcy Code ”),
of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy
Code;
(ix)
any borrowing or grant of a security interest by the Borrower, as
debtor-in-possession, under Section 364 of the Bankruptcy
Code;
(x)
the disallowance, under Section 502 of the Bankruptcy Code, of all
or any portion of the claims of the Holders of Secured Obligations
or the Administrative Agent for repayment of all or any part of the
Guaranteed Obligations;
(xi)
the failure of any other guarantor to sign or become party to this
Guaranty or any amendment, change, or reaffirmation hereof;
or
(xii)
any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind by the
Borrower, any other guarantor of the Guaranteed Obligations, the
Administrative Agent, any Holder of Secured Obligations or any
other Person or any other circumstance whatsoever which might, but
for the provisions of this Section 3 , constitute a legal or
equitable discharge of any Guarantor’s obligations
hereunder.
SECTION
4.
Discharge Only Upon
Payment In Full; Reinstatement In Certain Circumstances
. Each of the
Guarantors’ obligations hereunder shall remain in full force
and effect until all Guaranteed Obligations shall have been paid in
full in cash (other than Unliquidated Obligations that have not yet
arisen) and the Commitments and all Letters of Credit issued under
the Credit Agreement shall have terminated or expired or, in the
case of all Letters of Credit, are fully collateralized on terms
reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, at which time,
subject to all the foregoing conditions, the guarantees made
hereunder shall be terminated. If at any time any payment of
the principal of or interest on any Loan, Secured Obligation or any
other amount payable by the Borrower or any other party under the
Credit Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any Banking Services
Agreement or any other Loan Document is rescinded or must be
otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or
reorganization of the Borrower or otherwise, each of the
Guarantors’ obligations hereunder with respect to such
payment shall be reinstated as though such payment had been due but
not made at such time. The parties hereto acknowledge and
agree that each of the Guaranteed Obligations shall be due and
payable in the same currency as such Guaranteed Obligation is
denominated, but if currency control or exchange regulations are
imposed in the country which issues such currency with the result
that such currency (the “ Original Currency ”)
no longer exists or the relevant Guarantor is not able to make
payment in such
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Original Currency, then all payments to be made
by such Guarantor hereunder in such currency shall instead be made
when due in Dollars in an amount equal to the Dollar Amount (as of
the date of payment) of such payment due, it being the intention of
the parties hereto that each Guarantor takes all risks of the
imposition of any such currency control or exchange
regulations.
SECTION
5.
General Waivers;
Additional Waivers .
(a)
General Waivers . Each of the Guarantors irrevocably
waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand or action on
delinquency, protest, the benefit of any statutes of limitations
and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any notice not
provided for herein or under the other Loan Documents, as well as
any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any Person
against the Borrower, any other guarantor of the Guaranteed
Obligations, or any other Person.
(b)
Additional Waivers . Notwithstanding anything herein
to the contrary, each of the Guarantors hereby absolutely,
unconditionally, knowingly, and expressly waives, to the fullest
extent permitted by law:
(i)
any right it may have to revoke this Guaranty as to future
indebtedness or notice of acceptance hereof;
(ii)
(1) notice of acceptance hereof; (2) notice of any Loans, Letters
of Credit or other financial accommodations made or extended under
the Loan Documents or the creation or existence of any Guaranteed
Obligations; (3) notice of the amount of the Guaranteed
Obligations, subject, however, to each Guarantor’s right to
make inquiry of the Administrative Agent and the Holders of Secured
Obligations to ascertain the amount of the Guaranteed Obligations
at any reasonable time; (4) notice of any adverse change in
the financial condition of the Borrower or of any other fact that
might increase such Guarantor’s risk hereunder;
(5) notice of presentment for payment, demand, protest, and
notice thereof as to
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