Exhibit 10.4
EXECUTION COPY
SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY
AGREEMENT
dated as of March 9,
2007
by and among
CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES OF CARROLS
CORPORATION,
as Subsidiary Guarantors,
in favor of
WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
as Agent
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I DEFINED TERMS
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1
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SECTION 1.1
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Definitions
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1
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SECTION 1.2
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Other
Definitional Provisions
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2
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ARTICLE II GUARANTY
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2
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SECTION 2.1
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Subsidiary
Guaranty
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2
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SECTION 2.2
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Bankruptcy
Limitations on Subsidiary Guarantors
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3
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SECTION 2.3
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Agreements for
Contribution
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3
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SECTION 2.4
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Nature of
Subsidiary Guaranty
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5
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SECTION 2.5
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Waivers
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6
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SECTION 2.6
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Modification of
Loan Documents, etc.
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7
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SECTION 2.7
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Demand by the
Agent
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8
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SECTION 2.8
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Remedies
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8
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SECTION 2.9
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Benefits of
Subsidiary Guaranty
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8
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SECTION 2.10
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Termination;
Reinstatement
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9
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SECTION 2.11
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Payments
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9
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ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
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10
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SECTION 3.1
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Organization;
Power; Qualification
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10
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SECTION 3.2
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Authorization
of Agreement; Enforceability
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10
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SECTION 3.3
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Title;
Liens
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10
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SECTION 3.4
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Litigation
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10
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SECTION 3.5
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Solvency
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11
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ARTICLE IV MISCELLANEOUS
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11
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SECTION 4.1
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Notices
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11
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SECTION 4.2
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Amendments in
Writing
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11
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SECTION 4.3
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Expenses;
Indemnification; Waiver of Consequential Damages, etc.
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11
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SECTION 4.4
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Right of
Set-off
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12
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SECTION 4.5
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Governing Law;
Jurisdiction; Venue; Service of Process
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12
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SECTION 4.6
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Waiver of Jury
Trial
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13
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SECTION 4.7
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No Waiver by
Course of Conduct, Cumulative Remedies
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13
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SECTION 4.8
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Successors and
Assigns
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14
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SECTION 4.9
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Survival of
Indemnities
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14
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SECTION 4.10
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Titles and
Captions
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14
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SECTION 4.11
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Severability of
Provisions
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14
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SECTION 4.12
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Counterparts,
Integration and Effectiveness
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14
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SECTION 4.13
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Advice of
Counsel, No Strict Construction
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14
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SECTION 4.14
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Acknowledgements
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15
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SECTION 4.15
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Releases
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15
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SECTION 4.16
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Additional
Subsidiary Guarantors
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15
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i
SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY AGREEMENT (as
amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, this “
Subsidiary Guaranty ” or this “ Agreement
”), dated as of March 9 , 2007, is made by
certain Subsidiaries of CARROLS CORPORATION, a Delaware
corporation, who are or may become a party hereto (such
Subsidiaries, collectively, the “ Subsidiary
Guarantors ”, each, a “ Subsidiary Guarantor
”), in favor of WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as
administrative agent (in such capacity, the “ Agent
”) for the ratable benefit of itself and the Secured
Parties.
STATEMENT OF
PURPOSE
Pursuant to the terms of the Loan
Agreement dated as of even date herewith (as amended, restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “
Loan Agreement ”) by and among Carrols Corporation, a
Delaware corporation, as borrower (the “ Borrower
”), the financial institutions who are or may become party
thereto (the “ Lenders ”) and the Agent, the
Lenders have agreed to make extensions of credit to the Borrower
upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
therein.
The Borrower and the Subsidiary
Guarantors, though separate legal entities, comprise one integrated
financial enterprise, and all extensions of credit to the Borrower
will inure, directly or indirectly to the benefit of each of the
Subsidiary Guarantors.
It is a condition precedent to the
obligation of the Lenders to make their respective extensions of
credit to the Borrower under the Loan Agreement that the Subsidiary
Guarantors shall have executed and delivered this Subsidiary
Guaranty to the Agent, for the ratable benefit of itself and the
Secured Parties.
NOW, THEREFORE, for good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are
hereby acknowledged by the parties hereto, and to induce the Agent
and the Lenders to enter into the Loan Agreement and to induce the
Lenders to make their respective extensions of credit to the
Borrower thereunder, the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby agree with
the Agent, for the ratable benefit of itself and the Secured
Parties, as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINED TERMS
SECTION 1.1 Definitions . The
following terms when used in this Subsidiary Guaranty shall have
the meanings assigned to them below:
“ Applicable Insolvency
Laws ” means all Legal Requirements governing bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debts, relief of
debtors, dissolution, insolvency, fraudulent transfers or
conveyances or other similar laws (including, without limitation,
11 U.S.C. Sections 544, 547, 548 and 550 and other
“avoidance” provisions of Title 11 of the United States
Code, as amended or supplemented).
“ Guaranteed
Obligations ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1 .
“ Parent ” means
Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
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“ Secured Parties
” means the Agent, each Lender and any counterparty to an
Interest Rate Risk Agreement that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a
Lender at the time such Interest Rate Risk Agreement is
executed.
“ Subsidiary Guaranty
” means this Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement, as amended,
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified.
SECTION 1.2 Other Definitional
Provisions . Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined
in this Subsidiary Guaranty including the preambles and recitals
hereof shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Loan
Agreement. In the event of a conflict between capitalized terms
defined herein and in the Loan Agreement, the Loan Agreement shall
control. The words “hereof,” “herein”,
“hereto” and “hereunder” and words of
similar import when used in this Subsidiary Guaranty shall refer to
this Subsidiary Guaranty as a whole and not to any particular
provision of this Subsidiary Guaranty, and Section references are
to this Subsidiary Guaranty unless otherwise specified. The
meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable
to both the singular and plural forms of such terms. Where the
context requires, terms relating to the Collateral or any part
thereof, when used in relation to a Subsidiary Guarantor, shall
refer to such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Collateral or the
relevant part thereof.
ARTICLE II
GUARANTY
SECTION 2.1 Subsidiary
Guaranty . Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby, jointly and
severally with the other Subsidiary Guarantors, unconditionally
guarantees to the Agent for the ratable benefit of itself and the
Secured Parties, and their respective permitted successors,
endorsees, transferees and assigns, the prompt payment and
performance of:
(a) all Obligations of the Borrower;
and
(b) all liabilities and obligations
of the Parent and each of its Subsidiaries with respect to
overdrafts, returned items and related liabilities and all
indemnification obligations under the Loan Documents now or
hereafter owing by any such Person to the Agent or any Lender
arising from or in connection with treasury, depositary or cash
management services or in connection with any automated
clearinghouse transfer of funds for the benefit of such Person, in
each case, whether primary or secondary (whether by way of
endorsement or otherwise), whether now existing or hereafter
arising, whether or not from time to time reduced or extinguished
(except by payment thereof) or hereafter increased or incurred,
whether enforceable or unenforceable as against the Borrower,
whether or not discharged, stayed or otherwise affected by any
Applicable Insolvency Law or proceeding thereunder, whether created
directly with the Agent or any Secured Party or acquired by the
Agent or any Secured Party through assignment or endorsement or
otherwise, whether matured or unmatured, whether joint or several,
as and when the same become due and payable (whether at maturity or
earlier, by reason of acceleration, mandatory repayment or
otherwise), in accordance with the terms of any such instruments
evidencing any such obligations, including all renewals, extensions
or modifications thereof (all Obligations of the Borrower,
including all of the foregoing being hereafter collectively
referred to as the “ Guaranteed Obligations
”).
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SECTION 2.2 Bankruptcy
Limitations on Subsidiary Guarantors . Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary contained in Section 2.1 , it is the
intention of each Subsidiary Guarantor and the Secured Parties
that, in any proceeding involving the bankruptcy, reorganization,
arrangement, adjustment of debts, relief of debtors, dissolution or
insolvency or any similar proceeding with respect to any Subsidiary
Guarantor or its assets, the amount of such Subsidiary
Guarantor’s obligations with respect to the Guaranteed
Obligations shall be equal to, but not in excess of, the maximum
amount thereof not subject to avoidance or recovery by operation of
Applicable Insolvency Laws after giving effect to
Section 2.3(a) . To that end, but only in the event and
to the extent that after giving effect to
Section 2.3(a) such Subsidiary Guarantor’s
obligations with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations or any
payment made pursuant to such Guaranteed Obligations would, but for
the operation of the first sentence of this Section 2.2
, be subject to avoidance or recovery in any such proceeding under
Applicable Insolvency Laws after giving effect to
Section 2.3(a) , the amount of such Subsidiary
Guarantor’s obligations with respect to the Guaranteed
Obligations shall be limited to the largest amount which, after
giving effect thereto, would not, under Applicable Insolvency Laws,
render such Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations with respect
to the Guaranteed Obligations unenforceable or avoidable or
otherwise subject to recovery under Applicable Insolvency Laws. To
the extent any payment actually made pursuant to the Guaranteed
Obligations exceeds the limitation of the first sentence of this
Section 2.2 and is otherwise subject to avoidance and
recovery in any such proceeding under Applicable Insolvency Laws,
the amount subject to avoidance shall in all events be limited to
the amount by which such actual payment exceeds such limitation and
the Guaranteed Obligations as limited by the first sentence of this
Section 2.2 shall in all events remain in full force
and effect and be fully enforceable against such Subsidiary
Guarantor. The first sentence of this Section 2.2 is
intended solely to preserve the rights of the Agent hereunder
against such Subsidiary Guarantor in such proceeding to the maximum
extent permitted by Applicable Insolvency Laws and neither such
Subsidiary Guarantor, the Borrower, any other Subsidiary Guarantor
nor any other Person shall have any right or claim under such
sentence that would not otherwise be available under Applicable
Insolvency Laws in such proceeding.
SECTION 2.3 Agreements for
Contribution .
(a) The Subsidiary Guarantors hereby
agree among themselves that, if any Subsidiary Guarantor shall make
an Excess Payment (as defined below), such Subsidiary Guarantor
shall have a right of contribution from each other Subsidiary
Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Subsidiary
Guarantor’s Contribution Share (as defined below) of such
Excess Payment. The payment obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor
under this Section 2.3(a) shall be subordinate and
subject in right of payment to the Guaranteed Obligations until
such time as the Guaranteed Obligations have been paid in full, and
none of the Subsidiary Guarantors shall exercise any right or
remedy under this Section 2.3(a) against any other
Subsidiary Guarantor until such Guaranteed Obligations have been
paid in full. For purposes of this Section 2.3(a)
:
(i) “ Excess Payment
” shall mean the amount paid by any Subsidiary Guarantor in
excess of its Ratable Share of any Guaranteed
Obligations;
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(ii) “ Ratable Share
” shall mean, for any Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of any
payment of Guaranteed Obligations, the ratio (expressed as a
percentage) as of the date of such payment of Guaranteed
Obligations of:
(A) the amount by which the
aggregate present fair salable value of all of its assets and
properties exceeds the amount of all debts and liabilities of such
Subsidiary Guarantor (including probable contingent, subordinated,
unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the
obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder), to
(B) the amount by which the
aggregate present fair salable value of all assets and other
properties of all of the Subsidiary Guarantors exceeds the amount
of all of the debts and liabilities (including probable contingent,
subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but
excluding the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereunder)
of the Subsidiary Guarantors;
provided , however , that, for purposes of
calculating the Ratable Shares of the Subsidiary Guarantors in
respect of any payment of Guaranteed Obligations, any Subsidiary
Guarantor that became a Subsidiary Guarantor subsequent to the date
of any such payment shall be deemed to have been a Subsidiary
Guarantor on the date of such payment and the financial information
for such Subsidiary Guarantor as of the date such Subsidiary
Guarantor became a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be utilized for such
Subsidiary Guarantor in connection with such payment;
and
(iii) “ Contribution
Share ” shall mean, for any Subsidiary Guarantor in
respect of any Excess Payment made by any other Subsidiary
Guarantor, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) as of the date of
such Excess Payment of:
(A) the amount by which the
aggregate present fair salable value of all of its assets and
properties exceeds the amount of all debts and liabilities of such
Subsidiary Guarantor (including probable contingent, subordinated,
unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the
obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder), to
(B) the amount by which the
aggregate present fair salable value of all assets and other
properties of the Subsidiary Guarantors other than the maker of
such Excess Payment exceeds the amount of all of the debts and
liabilities (including probable contingent, subordinated,
unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the
obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors) of the Subsidiary
Guarantors other than the maker of such Excess Payment;
provided , however , that, for purposes of
calculating the Contribution Shares of the Subsidiary Guarantors in
respect of any Excess Payment, any Subsidiary Guarantor that became
a Subsidiary Guarantor subsequent to the date of any such Excess
Payment shall be deemed to have been a Subsidiary Guarantor on the
date of such Excess Payment and the financial information for such
Subsidiary Guarantor as of the date such Subsidiary Guarantor
became a Subsidiary Guarantor shall be utilized for such Subsidiary
Guarantor in connection with such Excess Payment.
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Each of the Subsidiary Guarantors
recognizes and acknowledges that the rights to contribution arising
hereunder shall constitute an asset in favor of the party entitled
to such contribution. This Section 2.3 shall not be
deemed to affect any right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement
or contribution that any Subsidiary Guarantor may have under any
Legal Requirement against the Borrower in respect of any payment of
Guaranteed Obligations.
(b) No Subrogation .
Notwithstanding any payment or payments by any of the Subsidiary
Guarantors hereunder, or any set-off or application of funds of any
of the Subsidiary Guarantors by the Agent or any Secured Party, or
the receipt of any amounts by the Agent or any Secured Party with
respect to any of the Guaranteed Obligations, none of the
Subsidiary Guarantors shall be entitled to be subrogated to any of
the rights of the Agent or any Secured Party against the Borrower,
any of the other Subsidiary Guarantors, the Parent or any other
guarantor of the Guaranteed Obligations or against any collateral
security held by the Agent or any Secured Party for the payment of
the Guaranteed Obligations, nor shall any of the Subsidiary
Guarantors seek any reimbursement from the Borrower, any of the
other Subsidiary Guarantors, the Parent or any other guarantor of
the Guaranteed Obligations in respect of payments made by such
Subsidiary Guarantor in connection with the Guaranteed Obligations,
until all amounts owing to the Agent and the Secured Parties on
account of the Guaranteed Obligations are paid in full and the
Revolving Loan Commitments are terminated. If any amount shall be
paid to any Subsidiary Guarantor on account of such subrogation
rights at any time when all of the Guaranteed Obligations shall not
have been paid in full or the Revolving Loan Commitments are not
terminated, such amount shall be held by such Subsidiary Guarantor
in trust for the Agent, segregated from other funds of such
Subsidiary Guarantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such
Subsidiary Guarantor, be turned over to the Agent in the exact form
received by such Subsidiary Guarantor (duly endorsed by such
Subsidiary Guarantor to the Agent, if required) to be applied
against the Guaranteed Obligations, whether matured or unmatured,
in such order as set forth in the Loan Agreement.
SECTION 2.4 Nature of Subsidiary
Guaranty .
(a) Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees
that this Subsidiary Guaranty is a continuing, unconditional
guaranty of payment and performance and not of collection, and that
its obligations under this Subsidiary Guaranty shall be primary,
absolute and unconditional, irrespective of, and unaffected
by:
(i) the genuineness, validity,
regularity, enforceability or any future amendment of, or change
in, the Loan Agreement or any other Loan Document or any other
agreement, document or instrument to which the Borrower or any
Subsidiary Guarantor is or may become a party;
(ii) the absence of any action to
enforce this Subsidiary Guaranty, the Loan Agreement or any other
Loan Document or the waiver or consent by the Agent or any Secured
Party with respect to any of the provisions of this Subsidiary
Guaranty, the Loan Agreement or any other Loan Document;
5
(iii) the existence, value or
condition of, or failure to perfect its Lien against, any security
for or other guaranty of the Guaranteed Obligations or any action,
or the absence of any action, by the Agent or any Secured Party in
respect of such security or guaranty (including, without
limitation, the release of any such security or guaranty);
or
(iv) any other action or
circumstances which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable
discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor;
it being agreed by each Subsidiary
Guarantor that, subject to the first sentence of
Section 2.2 , its obligations under this Subsidiary
Guaranty shall not be discharged until the final indefeasible
payment and performance, in full, of all of the Guaranteed
Obligations and the termination of the Revolving Loan
Commitments.
(b) Each Subsidiary Guarantor
represents, warrants and agrees that its obligations under this
Subsidiary Guaranty are not and shall not be subject to any
counterclaims, offsets or defenses of any kind (other than the
defense of payment) against the Agent, any Secured Party or the
Borrower whether now existing or which may arise in the
future.
(c) Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby
agrees and acknowledges that the Guaranteed Obligations, and any of
them, shall conclusively be deemed to have been created, contracted
or incurred, or renewed, extended, amended or waived, in reliance
upon this Subsidiary Guaranty, and all dealings between the
Borrower and any of the Subsidiary Guarantors, on the one hand, and
the Agent and the Secured Parties, on the other hand, likewise
shall be conclusively presumed to have been had or consummated in
reliance upon this Subsidiary Guaranty.
SECTION 2.5 Waivers . To the
extent permitted by law, each Subsidiary Guarantor expressly waives
all of the following rights and defenses (and agrees not to take
advantage of or assert any such right or defense):
(a) any rights it may now or in the
future have under any statute, or at law or in equity, or
otherwise, to compel the Agent or any Lender to proceed in respect
of the Guaranteed Obligations against the Borrower or any other
Person or against any security for or other guaranty of the payment
and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations before proceeding
against, or as a condition to proceeding against, such Subsidiary
Guarantor;
(b) any defense based upon the
failure of the Agent or any Secured Party to commence an action in
respect of the Guaranteed Obligations against the Borrower, any of
the other Subsidiary Guarantors, the Parent, any other guarantor of
the Guaranteed Obligations or any other Person or any security for
the payment and performance of the Guaranteed
Obligations;
(c) any right to insist upon, plead
or in any manner whatever claim or take the benefit or advantage
of, any appraisal, valuation, stay, extension, marshalling of
assets or