Guarantee and Collateral
Agreement, dated as of May 29, 2007
1
GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL
AGREEMENT
Dated and effective as of
May 29, 2007,
BAUBLE ACQUISITION SUB, INC. (to be
merged with and into Claire’s Stores, Inc.),
as Borrower,
each Subsidiary Loan
Party,
CREDIT SUISSE,
as Administrative Agent
2
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Page
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
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Credit
Agreement
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5
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Other Defined
Terms
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5
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ARTICLE II
GUARANTEE
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Guarantee
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8
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Guarantee of
Payment
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9
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No Limitations,
Etc.
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9
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Reinstatement
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10
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Agreement To
Pay; Contribution; Subrogation
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11
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Information
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11
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Maximum
Liability
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11
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Payment Free
and Clear of Taxes
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11
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ARTICLE III
PLEDGE OF SECURITIES
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Pledge
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12
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Delivery of the
Pledged Collateral
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12
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Representations, Warranties and
Covenants
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13
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Registration in
Nominee Name; Denominations
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15
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Voting Rights;
Dividends and Interest, Etc.
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15
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ARTICLE IV
SECURITY INTERESTS IN OTHER PERSONAL PROPERTY
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Security
Interest
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17
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Representations
and Warranties
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19
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Covenants
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21
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Other
Actions
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24
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Covenants
Regarding Patent, Trademark and Copyright Collateral
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25
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Intercreditor
Relations
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25
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ARTICLE V
REMEDIES
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Remedies Upon
Default
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27
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3
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Page
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Application of
Proceeds
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28
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Securities Act,
Etc.
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29
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ARTICLE VI
INDEMNITY, SUBROGATION AND SUBORDINATION
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Indemnity
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30
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Contribution
and Subrogation
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30
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Subordination
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31
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ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS
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Notices
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33
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Security
Interest Absolute
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33
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Limitation By
Law
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33
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Binding Effect;
Several Agreement
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33
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Successors and
Assigns
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34
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Collateral
Agent’s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification
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34
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Collateral
Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact
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34
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GOVERNING
LAW
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35
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Waivers;
Amendment
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35
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WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
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36
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Severability
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36
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Counterparts
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36
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Headings
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36
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Jurisdiction;
Consent to Service of Process
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36
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Termination or
Release
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37
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Additional
Subsidiaries
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38
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Right of
Set-off
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38
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Subsidiary
Parties
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Pledged Stock;
Debt Securities
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Intellectual
Property
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Filing
Jurisdictions
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Commercial Tort
Claims
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Matters
Relating to Accounts and Inventory
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Form of
Supplement to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement
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4
GUARANTEE
AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT dated and effective as of May 29,
2007 (this “ Agreement ”), among BAUBLE HOLDINGS
CORP., a Delaware corporation (“ Holdings ”),
BAUBLE ACQUISITION SUB, INC., a Florida corporation (the “
Borrower ”) each Subsidiary Loan Party and CREDIT
SUISSE, as administrative agent and collateral agent (in such
capacities, the “ Administrative Agent ”) for
the Secured Parties (as defined below).
Reference
is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of May 29, 2007 (as
amended, restated, supplemented, waived or otherwise modified from
time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), among
Holdings, the Borrower, the LENDERS party thereto from time to
time, CREDIT SUISSE, as administrative agent and collateral agent
for the Lenders, BEAR STEARNS CORPORATE LENDING INC. and MIZUHO
CORPORATE BANK, LTD., as co-syndication agents, and LEHMAN
COMMERCIAL PAPER INC. and LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as
co-documentation agents.
The
Lenders have agreed to extend credit to the Borrower subject to the
terms and conditions set forth in the Credit Agreement. The
obligations of the Lenders to extend such credit are conditioned
upon, among other things, the execution and delivery of this
Agreement. Holdings and the Subsidiary Parties 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 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 respective
meanings assigned thereto in the Credit Agreement. All capitalized
terms defined in the New York UCC (as defined herein) and not
defined in this Agreement have the meanings specified therein. 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 Pledgor under, with respect to or on
account of an Account, Chattel Paper, General Intangibles,
Instruments or Investment Property.
“
Article 9 Collateral ” has the meaning assigned
to such term in Section 4.01.
5
“
Collateral ” means the collective reference to
Article 9 Collateral and Pledged Collateral.
“
Copyright License ” means any written agreement, now
or hereafter in effect, granting any right to any Pledgor under any
Copyright now or hereafter owned by any third party, and all rights
of any Pledgor under any such agreement (including, without
limitation, any such rights that such Pledgor has the right to
license).
“
Copyrights ” means all of the following now owned or
hereafter acquired by any Pledgor: (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, (b) all registrations and applications for
registration of any such Copyright in the United States or any
other country, including registrations, supplemental registrations
and pending applications for registration in the United States
Copyright Office and the right to obtain all renewals thereof,
including those listed on Schedule III , (c) all
claims for, and rights to sue for, past or future infringements of
any of the foregoing and (d) all income, royalties, damages
and payments now or hereafter due and payable with respect to any
of the foregoing, including damages and payments for past or future
infringement thereof.
“
Credit Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such
term in the preliminary statement of this Agreement.
“
Federal Securities Laws ” has the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 5.03.
“
General Intangibles ” means all “General
Intangibles” as defined in the New York UCC, including all
choses in action and causes of action and all other intangible
personal property of any Pledgor of every kind and nature (other
than Accounts) now owned or hereafter acquired by any Pledgor,
including corporate or other business records, indemnification
claims, contract rights (including rights under leases, whether
entered into as lessor or lessee, Swap Agreements and other
agreements), Intellectual Property (but excluding
“intent-to-use” applications for trademark or service
mark registrations filed pursuant to Section 1(b) of the Lanham
Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051, unless and until an Amendment to Allege
Use or a Statement of Use under Sections 1(c) and 1(d) of the
Lanham Act has been filed, to the extent that, and solely during
the period for which, any assignment of an
“intent-to-use” application prior to such filing would
violate the Lanham Act), goodwill, registrations, franchises, tax
refund claims and any guarantee, claim, security interest or other
security held by or granted to any Pledgor to secure payment by an
Account Debtor of any of the Accounts.
“
Guarantors ” means Holdings (prior to a Borrower
Qualified IPO), and the Subsidiary Loan Parties.
“
Intellectual Property ” means all intellectual
property of every kind and nature now owned or hereafter acquired
by any Pledgor, including inventions, designs, Patents, Copyrights,
Trademarks, Patent Licenses, Copyright Licenses, Trademark
Licenses, trade secrets, domain names, confidential or proprietary
technical and business information, know-how, show-how or other
data or information and all related documentation.
6
“
Intellectual Property Security Agreement ” means a
security agreement in the form hereof or a short form hereof, in
each case, which form shall be reasonably acceptable to the
Administrative Agent.
“
IP Agreements ” means all material Copyright Licenses,
Patent Licenses, Trademark Licenses, and all other agreements,
permits, consents, orders and franchises relating to the license,
development, use or disclosure of any material Intellectual
Property to which a Pledgor, now or hereafter, is a party or a
beneficiary, including, without limitation, the agreements set
forth on Schedule III hereto.
“
Loan Document Obligations ” has the meaning
assigned to such term in the Credit Agreement.
“
New York UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as
from time to time in effect in the State of New York.
“
Obligations ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
the Credit Agreement.
“
Patent License ” means any written agreement, now or
hereafter in effect, granting to any Pledgor any right to make, use
or sell any invention covered by a Patent, now or hereafter owned
by any third party (including, without limitation, any such rights
that such Pledgor has the right to license).
“
Patents ” means all of the following now owned or
hereafter acquired by any Pledgor: (a) all letters patent of
the United States or the equivalent thereof in any other country or
jurisdiction, including those listed on Schedule III ,
and all applications for letters patent of the United States or the
equivalent thereof in any other country or jurisdiction, including
those listed on Schedule III , (b) all
provisionals, reissues, extensions, continuations, divisions,
continuations-in- part, reexaminations or revisions thereof, and
the inventions disclosed or claimed therein, including the right to
make, use, import and/or sell the inventions disclosed or claimed
therein, (c) all claims for, and rights to sue for, past or
future infringements of any of the foregoing and (d) all
income, royalties, damages and payments now or hereafter due and
payable with respect to any of the foregoing, including damages and
payments for past or future infringement thereof.
“
Permitted Liens ” means any Lien permitted by
Section 6.02 of the Credit Agreement.
“
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 certificated 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.
“
Pledgor ” shall mean the Borrower and each
Guarantor.
7
“
Secured Parties ” means (a) the Lenders (and any
Affiliate of a Lender designated by the Borrower as a provider of
cash management services to which any obligation referred to in
clause (c) of the definition of the term Obligations is owed),
(b) the Administrative Agent, (c) each Issuing Bank,
(d) each counterparty to any Swap Agreement entered into with
a Loan Party or any Affiliate of a Loan Party, the obligations
under which constitute Obligations, (e) the beneficiaries of
each indemnification obligation undertaken by any Loan Party under
any Loan Document and (f) the successors and permitted assigns
of each of the foregoing.
“
Security Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such
term in Section 4.01.
“
Subsidiary Loan Party ” means any Subsidiary that is a
party hereto or any Subsidiary that becomes a party hereto pursuant
to Section 7.16.
“
Trademark License ” means any written agreement, now
or hereafter in effect, granting to any Pledgor any right to use
any Trademark now or hereafter owned by any third party (including,
without limitation, any such rights that such Pledgor has the right
to license).
“
Trademarks ” means all of the following now owned or
hereafter acquired by any Pledgor: (a) all trademarks, service
marks, 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 thereof (if any), 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 similar offices in any State of the United
States or any other country or any political subdivision thereof
(except for “intent-to-use” applications for trademark
or service mark registrations filed pursuant to Section 1(b) of the
Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051, unless and until an Amendment to
Allege Use or a Statement of Use under Sections 1(c) and 1(d) of
the Lanham Act has been filed, to the extent that any assignment of
an “intent-to-use” application prior to such filing
would violate the Lanham Act), and all renewals thereof, including
those listed on Schedule III , (b) all goodwill
associated therewith or symbolized thereby, (c) all claims
for, and rights to sue for, past or future infringements of any of
the foregoing and (d) all income, royalties, damages and
payments now or hereafter due and payable with respect to any of
the foregoing, including damages and payments for past or future
infringement thereof.
Section 2.01.
Guarantee . Each Guarantor unconditionally guarantees,
jointly with the other Guarantors and severally, to the
Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured
Parties, as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety, the due
and punctual payment and performance of the Obligations. Each
Guarantor 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 guarantee
notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Obligation. Each
Guarantor waives presentment to, demand of payment from and protest
to the
8
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 Guarantor further agrees that
its guarantee hereunder constitutes a guarantee of payment when due
(whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) and
not of collection, and waives any right to require that any resort
be had by the Administrative 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
Administrative 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 for
in Section 7.15 and except as provided in Section 2.07, 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 or setoff,
counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the
invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Obligations or
otherwise (other than defense of payment or performance). Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the obligations of each
Guarantor hereunder, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable
law, shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by,
and each Guarantor hereby waives any defense to the enforcement
hereof by reason of:
(i) the failure of
the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party to assert any
claim or demand or to exercise or enforce any right or remedy under
the provisions of any Loan Document or otherwise;
(ii) any
rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of, increase in the
Obligations with respect to, 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 failure
to perfect any security interest in, or the exchange, substitution,
release or any impairment of, any security held by the
Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party for the
Obligations;
(iv) any default,
failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of the
Obligations;
(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 or immediately available funds of all the
Obligations);
(vi) any
illegality, lack of validity or enforceability of any
Obligation;
9
(vii) any change
in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any Loan
Party, or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other
similar proceeding affecting any Loan Party or its assets or any
resulting release or discharge of any Obligation;
(viii) the
existence of any claim, set-off or other rights that the Guarantors
may have at any time against the Borrower, the Administrative
Agent, any other Secured Party or any other person, whether in
connection herewith or any unrelated transactions; provided
that nothing herein will prevent the assertion of any such claim by
separate suit or compulsory counterclaim;
(ix) any action
permitted or authorized hereunder; or
(x) any other
circumstance (including without limitation, any statute of
limitations) or any existence of or reliance on any representation
by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party that might
otherwise constitute a defense to, or a legal or equitable
discharge of, the Borrower or any Guarantor or any other guarantor
or surety.
Each Guarantor
expressly authorizes the Secured Parties 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 their 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 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 any other Loan Party, other than the payment in full
in cash or immediately available funds of all the Obligations
(other than contingent or unliquidated obligations or liabilities).
The Administrative 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, make any other accommodation
with any other Loan Party or exercise any other right or remedy
available to them against any other Loan Party, without affecting
or impairing in any way the liability of any Guarantor hereunder
except to the extent the Obligations (other than contingent or
unliquidated obligations or liabilities) have been paid in full in
cash or immediately available funds. 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 any other Loan Party, as the case may be,
or any security.
Section 2.04.
Reinstatement . Each Guarantor 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
Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party upon the bankruptcy
or reorganization of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or
otherwise.
10
Section 2.05.
Agreement To Pay; Contribution; Subrogation . In furtherance
of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right that the
Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party has at law or in
equity against any Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of
the Borrower 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 Administrative Agent for
distribution to the applicable Secured Parties in cash the amount
of such unpaid Obligation. Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally
and irrevocably agrees that in the event any payment shall be
required to be made to any Secured Party under this guarantee or
any other guarantee, such Guarantor will contribute, to the maximum
extent permitted by law, such amounts to each other Guarantor and
each other guarantor so as to maximize the aggregate amount paid to
the Secured Parties under or in respect of the Loan Documents. Upon
payment by any Guarantor of any sums to the Administrative Agent as
provided above, all rights of such Guarantor against the Borrower,
or other Loan Party 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 financial condition and
assets of the Borrower and each other Loan Party, 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 none of the
Administrative Agent or the other Secured Parties will have any
duty to advise such Guarantor of information known to it or any of
them regarding such circumstances or risks.
Section 2.07.
Maximum Liability . Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of
this guarantee, the Administrative Agent and each Secured Party
hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such Persons that
this guarantee and the Obligations of each Guarantor hereunder not
constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of the
U.S. Bankruptcy Code or any other federal, state or foreign
bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law, the Uniform
Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or
any similar foreign, federal or state law to the extent applicable
to this guarantee and the Obligations of each Guarantor hereunder.
To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Administrative Agent,
the Secured Parties and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree
that the Obligations of each Guarantor under this guarantee at any
time shall be limited to the maximum amount as will result in the
Obligations of such Guarantor under this guarantee not constituting
a fraudulent transfer or conveyance.
Section 2.08.
Payment Free and Clear of Taxes . Any and all payments by or
on account of any obligation of any Guarantor hereunder or under
any other Loan Document shall be made free and clear of, and
without deduction for, any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes on the
same terms and to the same extent that payments by any Loan Party
are required to be made pursuant to the terms of Section 2.17
of the Credit Agreement. The provisions of Section 2.17 of the
Credit Agreement shall apply to each Guarantor mutatis
mutandis .
11
Section 3.01.
Pledge . As security for the payment or performance, as the
case may be, in full of its Obligations, each Pledgor hereby
assigns and pledges to the Administrative Agent, its successors and
permitted assigns, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties,
and hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, its successors and
permitted assigns, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties,
a security interest in all of such Pledgor’s right, title and
interest in, to and under (a) the Equity Interests directly
owned by it (including those listed on Schedule II )
and any other Equity Interests obtained in the future by such
Pledgor and any certificates representing all such Equity Interests
(the “Pledged Stock”); provided that the Pledged Stock
shall not include (i)(A) more than 65% of the issued and
outstanding voting Equity Interests of any “first tier”
Foreign Subsidiary directly owned by such Pledgor, (B) more
than 65% of the issued and outstanding voting Equity Interests of
any “first tier” Qualified CFC Holding Company directly
owned by such Pledgor, (C) any issued and outstanding Equity
Interest of any Foreign Subsidiary that is not a first tier Foreign
Subsidiary, or (D) any issued and outstanding Equity Interests
of any Qualified CFC Holding Company that is not a “first
tier” Qualified CFC Holding Company, (ii) to the extent
applicable law requires that a Subsidiary of such Pledgor issue
directors’ qualifying shares or similar shares, such shares
or nominee or other similar shares, (iii) any Equity Interests
with respect to which a grant of security is not required by reason
of Section 5.10(g) of the Credit Agreement, or (iv) any Equity
Interests of a Subsidiary (which Subsidiary is set forth on
Schedule 1.01A to the Credit Agreement) to the extent that, as
of the Closing Date, and for so long as, such a pledge of such
Equity Interests would violate applicable law or an enforceable
contractual obligation binding on or relating to such Equity
Interests; (b)(i) the debt obligations listed opposite the name of
such Pledgor on Schedule II, (ii) any debt securities in
the future issued to such Pledgor and (iii) the certificates,
promissory notes and any other instruments, if any, evidencing such
debt securities (the “Pledged Debt Securities”);
(c) subject to Section 3.05 hereof, 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 property
referred to in clauses (a) and (b) above;
(d) subject to Section 3.05 hereof, all rights and
privileges of such Pledgor with respect to the securities and other
property referred to in clauses (a), (b) and (c) above;
and (e) all proceeds of any of the foregoing (the items
referred to in clauses (a) through (e) 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 Administrative Agent, its successors
and permitted 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 Pledgor
agrees promptly to deliver or cause to be delivered to the
Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured
Parties, any and all Pledged Securities to the extent such Pledged
Securities are either (i) Equity Interests or
(ii) promissory notes or other instruments evidencing
Indebtedness required to be delivered pursuant to paragraph
(b) of this Section 3.02. If any Pledged Stock
that
12
is
uncertificated on the date hereof shall hereafter become
certificated, the applicable Pledgor shall promptly cause the
certificate or certificates representing Pledged Stock to be
delivered to the Administrative Agent, as agent for the Secured
Parties, together with the accompanying stock powers or other
documentation required by Section 3.02(c). None of the
Pledgors shall permit any other party to “control” (for
purposes of Section 8-106 of the New York UCC (or any
analogous provision of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the
jurisdiction whose law applies)) any uncertificated securities that
constitute Pledged Collateral other than the Administrative Agent,
as agent for the Secured Parties.
(b) Each
Pledgor will cause any Indebtedness for borrowed money having an
aggregate principal amount in excess of $5.0 million (other
than (i) intercompany current liabilities incurred in the
ordinary course of business in connection with the cash management
operations of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or
(ii) to the extent that a pledge of such promissory note or
instrument would violate applicable law) owed to such Pledgor by
any person to be evidenced by a duly executed promissory note that
is pledged and delivered to the Administrative Agent, for the
ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, pursuant to the terms
hereof. To the extent any such promissory note is a demand note,
each Pledgor party thereto agrees, if requested by the
Administrative Agent, to immediately demand payment thereunder upon
an Event of Default specified under Section 7.01(b), (c), (f),
(h) or (i) of the Credit Agreement unless such demand
would not be commercially reasonable or would otherwise expose such
Pledgor to liability to the maker.
(c) Upon
delivery to the Administrative Agent, (i) any Pledged
Securities required to be delivered pursuant to the foregoing
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 3.02 shall be
accompanied by stock powers or note powers, as applicable, duly
executed in blank or other instruments of transfer reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and by such other
instruments and documents as the Administrative Agent may
reasonably request and (ii) all other property comprising part
of the Pledged Collateral delivered pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement shall be accompanied to the extent necessary to perfect
the security interest in or allow realization on the Pledged
Collateral by proper instruments of assignment duly executed by the
applicable Pledgor and such other instruments or documents
(including issuer acknowledgments in respect of uncertificated
securities) as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.
Each delivery of Pledged Securities shall be accompanied by a
schedule describing the securities, which schedule shall be
attached hereto as Schedule II (or a supplement to
Schedule II , as applicable) 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.
(d) In
the event any Pledged Securities constitute uncertificated
securities, each Pledgor shall, pursuant to an agreement in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent,
either (i) cause the issuer to agree to comply with
instructions from the Administrative Agent without further consent
of any Pledgor or (ii) cause the issuer to register the
Administrative Agent as the registered owner of such uncertificated
security.
Section 3.03.
Representations, Warranties and Covenants . The Pledgors,
jointly and severally, represent, warrant and covenant to and with
the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured
Parties, that:
13
(a)
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
or instruments evidencing Indebtedness required to be
(i) pledged in order to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee
Requirement, or (ii) delivered pursuant to
Section 3.02(b);
(b) the
Pledged Stock and Pledged Debt Securities (solely with respect to
Pledged Debt Securities issued by a person that is not a Subsidiary
of Holdings or an Affiliate of any such subsidiary, to the best of
each Pledgor’s knowledge) 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 (other than
with respect to Pledged Stock consisting of membership interests of
limited liability companies to the extent provided in
Sections 18-502 and 18-607 of the Delaware Limited Liability
Company Act) and (ii) in the case of Pledged Debt Securities
(solely with respect to Pledged Debt Securities issued by a person
that is not a Subsidiary of Holdings or an Affiliate of any such
subsidiary, to the best of each Pledgor’s knowledge) are
legal, valid and binding obligations of the issuers thereof,
subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws
relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, general
equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding at law or
in equity) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair
dealing;
(c) except
for the security interests granted hereunder, each Pledgor
(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 Pledgor, (ii) holds
the same free and clear of all Liens, other than Permitted Liens,
(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 pursuant to a
transaction permitted by the Credit Agreement and other than
Permitted Liens and (iv) subject to the rights of such Pledgor
under the Loan Documents to dispose of Pledged Collateral, will use
commercially reasonable efforts to defend its title or interest
hereto or therein against any and all Liens (other than Permitted
Liens), however arising, of all persons;
(d) other
than as set forth in the Credit Agreement or the schedules thereto,
and except for restrictions and limitations imposed by the Loan
Documents or securities laws generally or otherwise permitted to
exist pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, the Pledged
Stock (other than partnership interests) is and will continue to be
freely transferable and assignable, and none of the Pledged Stock
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 Stock hereunder, the
sale or disposition thereof pursuant hereto or the exercise by the
Administrative Agent of rights and remedies hereunder;
(e) each
Pledgor has the power and authority to pledge the Pledged
Collateral pledged by it hereunder in the manner hereby done or
contemplated;
(f) other
than as set forth in the Credit Agreement or the schedules thereto,
no consent or approval of any Governmental Authority, any
securities exchange or any other person
14
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 Pledgors of this
Agreement and the Foreign Pledge Agreements, when any Pledged
Securities (including Pledged Stock of any Domestic Subsidiary, any
Qualified CFC Holding Company or any foreign stock covered by a
Foreign Pledge Agreement) are delivered to the Administrative
Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, in
accordance with this Agreement and a financing statement covering
such Pledged Securities is filed in the appropriate filing office,
the Administrative Agent will obtain, for the ratable benefit of
the Secured Parties, a legal, valid and perfected lien upon and
security interest in such Pledged Securities under the New York
UCC, subject only to Permitted Liens, as security for the payment
and performance of the Obligations;
(h) each
Pledgor that is an issuer of the Pledged Collateral confirms that
it has received notice of the security interest granted hereunder
and consents to such security interest and agrees to transfer
record ownership of the securities issued by it in connection with
any request by the Administrative Agent; and
(i) the
Pledgors shall not amend, or permit to be amended, the limited
liability company agreement (or operating agreement or similar
agreement) or partnership agreement of any Subsidiary of any Loan
Party whose Equity Interests are, or are required to be, Collateral
in a manner to cause such Equity Interests to not constitute a
security under Section 8-103 of the New York UCC or the
corresponding code or statute of any other applicable jurisdiction
unless such Loan Party shall have first delivered 30 days
written notice to the Administrative Agent and shall have taken all
actions contemplated hereby and as otherwise reasonably required by
the Administrative Agent to maintain the security interest of the
Administrative Agent therein as a valid, perfected, first priority
security interest.
Section 3.04.
Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations . The
Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, shall have
the right (in its sole and absolute discretion) to hold the Pledged
Securities in the name of the applicable Pledgor, endorsed or
assigned in blank or in favor of the Administrative Agent or, if an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, in its own
name as pledgee or the name of its nominee (as pledgee or as
sub-agent). Each Pledgor will promptly give to the Administrative
Agent copies of any notices or other communications received by it
with respect to Pledged Securities registered in the name of such
Pledgor. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, the Administrative Agent shall have the right to
exchange the certificates representing Pledged Securities for
certificates of smaller or larger denominations for any purpose
consistent with this Agreement. Each Pledgor shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to cause any Loan Party that is not
a party to this Agreement to comply with a request by the
Administrative Agent, pursuant to this Section 3.04, to
exchange certificates representing Pledged Securities of such Loan
Party for certificates of smaller or larger
denominations.
Section 3.05.
Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest, Etc . (a) Unless
and until an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing
and the Administrative Agent shall have given notice to the
relevant Pledgors of the Administrative Agent’s intention to
exercise its rights hereunder:
15
(i) Each Pledgor
shall be entitled to exercise any and all voting and/or other
consensual rights and powers inuring to an owner of Pledged
Collateral or any part thereof for any purpose consistent with the
terms of this Agreement, the Credit Agreement and the other Loan
Documents; provided that, except as permitted under the
Credit Agreement, 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 Collateral, the rights and
remedies of any of the Administrative Agent or the other Secured
Parties under this Agreement, the Credit Agreement or any other
Loan Document or the ability of the Secured Parties to exercise the
same.
(ii) The
Administrative Agent shall promptly execute and deliver to each
Pledgor, or cause to be executed and delivered to such Pledgor, all
such proxies, powers of attorney and other instruments as such
Pledgor may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling such
Pledgor to exercise the voting and/or consensual rights and powers
it is entitled to exercise pursuant to subparagraph
(i) above.
(iii) Each Pledgor
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 Collateral 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 (A) any noncash dividends, interest,
principal or other distributions, payments or other consideration
in respect thereof, including any rights to receive the same to the
extent not so distributed or paid, that would constitute Pledged
Securities, whether resulting from a subdivision, combination or
reclassification of the outstanding Equity Interests of the issuer
of any Pledged Securities, received in exchange for Pledged
Securities or any part thereof, or in redemption thereof, as a
result of any merger, consolidation, acquisition or other exchange
of assets to which such issuer may be a party or otherwise and
(B) any non-cash dividends and other distributions paid or
payable in respect of any Pledged Securities that would constitute
Pledged Securities in connection with a partial or total
liquidation or dissolution or in connection with a reduction of
capital, capital surplus or paid in surplus, shall be and become
part of the Pledged Collateral, and, if received by any Pledgor,
shall not be commingled by such Pledgor with any of its other funds
or property but shall be held separate and apart therefrom, shall
be held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, for
the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, and shall be forthwith
delivered to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of
the Secured Parties, in the same form as so received (endorsed in a
manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent).
(b) Upon
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default
and after notice by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower of the
Administrative Agent’s intention to exercise its rights
hereunder, all rights of any Pledgor to dividends, interest,
principal or other distributions that such Pledgor is authorized to
receive pursuant to paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 3.05
shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested, for
the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, in the Administrative
Agent which shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority
to receive and retain such dividends, interest, principal or other
distributions; provided , however, that even after the
occurrence of an Event of Default, any
16
Pledgor may
continue to exercise dividend and distribution rights solely to the
extent permitted under subclause (i), subclause (iii) and
subclause (v) of Section 6.06(b) of the Credit Agreement.
All dividends, interest, principal or other distributions received
by any Pledgor contrary to the provisions of this Section 3.05
shall not be commingled by such Pledgor with any of its other funds
or property but shall be held separate and apart therefrom, shall
be held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, for
the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, and shall be forthwith
delivered to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of
the Secured Parties, in the same form as so received (endorsed in a
manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent). Any
and all money and other property paid over to or received by the
Administrative Agent pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph
(b) shall be retained by the Administrative Agent in an
account to be established by the Administrative Agent upon receipt
of such money or other property and shall be applied in accordance
with the provisions of Section 5.02 hereof. After all Events
of Default have been cured or waived and the Borrower has delivered
to the Administrative Agent a certificate to that effect, the
Administrative Agent shall promptly repay to each Pledgor (without
interest) all dividends, interest, principal or other distributions
that such Pledgor would otherwise be permitted to retain pursuant
to the terms of paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 3.05 and
that remain in such account.
(c) Upon
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default
and after notice by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower of the
Administrative Agent’s intention to exercise its rights
hereunder, all rights of any Pledgor to exercise the voting and/or
consensual rights and powers it is entitled to exercise pursuant to
paragraph (a)(i) of this Section 3.05, and the obligations of
the Administrative Agent under paragraph (a)(ii) of this
Section 3.05, shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon
become vested in the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit
of the Secured Parties, which shall have the sole and exclusive
right and authority to exercise such voting and consensual rights
and powers; provided that, unless otherwise directed by the
Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall have the right
from time to time following and during the continuance of an Event
of Default to permit the Pledgors to exercise such rights. After
all Events of Default have been cured or waived and the Borrower
has delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate to that
effect, each Pledgor shall have the right to exercise the voting
and/or consensual rights and powers that such Pledgor would
otherwise be entitled to exercise pursuant to the terms of
paragraph (a)(i) above.
SECURITY INTERESTS IN OTHER PERSONAL
PROPERTY
Section 4.01.
Security Interest . (a) As security for the payment or
performance when due (whether at the stated maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise), as the case may be, in full of the
Obligations, each Pledgor hereby assigns and pledges to the
Administrative Agent, its successors and permitted assigns, for the
ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, and hereby grants to the
Administrative Agent, its successors and permitted assigns, for the
ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a security interest (the
“Security Interest”) in all right, title and interest
in or to any and all of the following assets and properties now
owned or at any time hereafter acquired
17
by such Pledgor
or in which such Pledgor now has or at any time in the future may
acquire any right, title or interest (collectively, the
“Article 9 Collateral”):
(iii) all cash and
Deposit Accounts;
(vi) all General
Intangibles;
(ix) all
Investment Property;
(x) all Letter of
Credit Rights;
(xi) all
Commercial Tort Claims;
(xii) all other
personal property not otherwise described above (except for
property specifically excluded from any defined term used in any of
the foregoing clauses);
(xiii) all books
and records pertaining to the Article 9 Collateral;
and
(xiv) to the
extent not otherwise included, all proceeds, Supporting Obligations
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.
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, this Agreement shall
not constitute a grant of a security interest in (a) any
vehicle covered by a certificate of title or ownership, whether now
owned or hereafter acquired, (b) any assets (including Equity
Interests), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, with respect
to which the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement or the other
paragraphs of Section 5.10 of the Credit Agreement would not
be required to be satisfied by reason of Section 5.10(g) of
the Credit Agreement if hereafter acquired, (c) any property
excluded from the definition of Pledged Collateral by virtue of the
proviso to Section 3.01 hereof, (d) any Letter of Credit
Rights to the extent any Pledgor is required by applicable law to
apply the proceeds of a drawing of such Letter of Credit for a
specified purpose, (e) any Pledgor’s right, title or
interest in any license, contract or agreement to which such
Pledgor is a party or any of its right, title or interest
thereunder to the extent, but only to the extent, that such a grant
would, under the terms of such license, contract or agreement,
result in a breach of the terms of, or constitute a default under,
or result in the abandonment,
18
invalidation or
unenforceability of, any license, contract
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