Exhibit 4.38
INTERCREDITOR
AGREEMENT
This Intercreditor Agreement is
dated as of August 14, 2009, and entered into by and among
Clean Harbors, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (the “
Company ”), the subsidiaries of the Company listed on
the signature pages hereof (together with any subsidiary that
becomes a party hereto after the date hereof, the “
Company Subsidiaries ”), Bank of America, N.A., in its
capacity as administrative agent under the ABL Loan Agreement,
including its successors and assigns from time to time (the “
Initial ABL Agent ”) and U.S. Bank National
Association, as Trustee (the “ Senior Secured Notes
Trustee ”), not in its individual capacity, but solely in
its capacity as trustee and collateral agent under the Senior
Secured Notes Indenture. Capitalized terms used in this
Agreement have the meanings assigned to them in
Section 1 .
RECITALS
The Company, the ABL Lenders and the
Initial ABL Agent have entered into that certain Credit Agreement,
dated as of July 31, 2009 (as amended, restated, supplemented
or modified from time to time, the “ Initial ABL Loan
Agreement ”);
The Company has issued, or will
issue, $300,000,000 principal amount of 7 5 /
8 % senior secured notes due 2016 (the “
Initial Senior Secured Notes ”) under an indenture,
dated as of August 14, 2009 (as amended, restated,
supplemented or modified from time to time, the “ Senior
Secured Notes Indenture ”) among the Company, each
Guarantor (as defined in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture) and
the Senior Secured Notes Trustee;
Following the date hereof, the
Company may issue Junior Secured Notes and enter into a Junior
Secured Notes Agreement to the extent permitted by the ABL Loan
Documents and the Senior Secured Notes Documents;
The Company may from time to time
following the date hereof issue Additional Pari Passu Senior
Secured Notes Obligations to the extent permitted by the ABL Loan
Agreement, the Senior Secured Notes Indenture and the Junior
Secured Notes Agreement (if any);
In order to induce the ABL Agent and
the ABL Lenders to consent to the Grantors incurring the Senior
Secured Notes Obligations and the Junior Secured Notes Obligations
(if any) and granting the Liens to the Senior Secured Notes Agent
and the Junior Secured Notes Agent and in order to induce the
Senior Secured Notes Agent and the Senior Secured Noteholders to
consent to the Grantors incurring the ABL Obligations and the
Junior Secured Notes Obligations (if any) and granting the Liens to
the ABL Agent and the Junior Secured Notes Agent, the ABL Agent, on
behalf of the ABL Claimholders, the Senior Secured Notes Agent, on
behalf of the Senior Secured Notes Claimholders and, should a
Junior Secured Notes Agreement be entered into, following the
execution of the Junior Secured Notes Joinder Agreement, the Junior
Secured Notes Agent, on behalf of the Junior Secured Notes
Claimholders, have agreed to the relative priority of their
respective Liens on the Collateral and certain other rights,
priorities and interests as set forth in this Agreement.
AGREEMENT
In consideration of the foregoing,
the mutual covenants and obligations herein set forth and for other
good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt of
which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be
legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
I.
DEFINITIONS
1.1.
Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the
following terms shall have the following meanings:
“ ABL Agent ”
means the Initial ABL Agent and any successor or other agent under
the ABL Loan Agreement.
“ ABL Claimholders
” means, at any relevant time, the holders of ABL Obligations
at that time, including, without limitation, the ABL Lenders and
the ABL Agent under the ABL Loan Agreement, in each case solely in
their capacities as such and not in any other capacity (except to
the extent that such ABL Claimholder is acting in such other
capacity for the primary purpose of benefiting its ABL
Obligations).
“ ABL Collateral
” means all of the assets and property of any Grantor,
whether real, personal or mixed, with respect to which a Lien is
granted as security for any ABL Obligations.
“ ABL Default ”
means an “Event of Default” (as defined in the ABL Loan
Agreement).
“ ABL Lenders ”
means the “Lenders” under and as defined in the ABL
Loan Agreement or any other Person which extends credit under the
ABL Loan Agreement in each case solely in their capacities as such
and not in any other capacity (except to the extent that such ABL
Lender is acting in such other capacity for the primary purpose of
benefiting its ABL Obligations).
“ ABL Loan Agreement
” means collectively, (a) the Initial ABL Loan Agreement
and (b) any other credit agreement or credit agreements, one
or more debt facilities, and/or commercial paper facilities, in
each case, with banks or other institutional or commercial lenders
providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables
financing (including through the sale of receivables to such
lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from (or
sell such receivables to) such lenders against such receivables),
letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances, or other borrowings,
that has been incurred to increase, replace (whether upon or after
termination or otherwise), Refinance or refund in whole or in part
from time to time the Obligations outstanding under the Initial ABL
Loan Agreement or any other agreement or instrument referred to in
this clause which (I) is designated to each ABL Agent as an
“ABL Loan Agreement” by (x) if any other ABL Loan
Agreement is then in effect, the ABL Agent (and, so long as an ABL
Default has not occurred and is continuing at the time of such
designation, the Company) or (y) if no other ABL Loan
Agreement is then in effect, the Company, and (II) the ABL
Agent for such agreement shall have executed a supplement to this
Agreement agreeing to be bound hereby on the same terms applicable
to the Initial ABL Agent, whether or not such increase,
replacement, refinancing or refunding occurs (i) with the
original parties thereto, (ii) on one or more separate
occasions or (iii) simultaneously or not with the termination
or repayment of the Initial ABL Loan Agreement or any other
agreement or instrument referred to in this clause, unless such
agreement or instrument is not a Permitted Refinancing
Agreement. Any reference to the ABL Loan Agreement hereunder
shall be deemed a reference to any ABL Loan Agreement then in
existence.
“ ABL Loan Documents
” means the ABL Loan Agreement and the “ Loan
Documents ” (as defined in the ABL Loan Agreement), and
each of the other agreements, documents and instruments executed
pursuant thereto, and any other document or instrument executed or
delivered at any time in connection with the ABL Loan Agreement,
including any intercreditor or joinder agreement among holders of
ABL Obligations, to the extent such are effective at the relevant
time, as each may be amended, restated,
2
supplemented, modified, renewed, extended or
Refinanced from time to time in accordance with the provisions of
this Agreement.
“ ABL Obligations
” means all advances to, and Indebtedness, liabilities,
obligations, covenants and duties of the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries (whether for principal, premium, interest, penalties,
fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other
liabilities payable under the documentation governing such
Indebtedness, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties)
arising under (i) the ABL Loan Agreement or otherwise with
respect to any loans or letters of credit issued or borrowed
pursuant to the ABL Loan Agreement, (ii) any Secured Cash
Management Agreement or (iii) any Secured Hedge Agreement, in
each case whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by
assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now
existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that
accrue after the commencement by or against the Company or any
Company Subsidiary or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under
any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such
proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are
allowed claims in such proceeding.
“ ABL Priority
Collateral ” means all now-owned or hereafter acquired
ABL Collateral that constitutes:
(a)
Accounts, other than Accounts which arise from the sale, license,
assignment or other Disposition of Senior Secured Notes Priority
Collateral;
(b)
Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts (including all cash, cash
equivalents, Money, checks, Instruments, funds, ACH transfers,
wired funds, Investment Property, and other funds and property held
in or on deposit in any of the foregoing, but excluding any
identifiable Proceeds of Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral
held in any of the foregoing), in each case, to the extent arising
out of, or related to, or derivative of the foregoing;
(c)
Letter of Credit Rights arising out of, or related to, or
derivative of any of the property or interests in property
described in this definition;
(d)
Supporting Obligations and Commercial Tort Claims, in each case, to
the extent arising out of, or related to, or derivative of, the
property or interests described in this definition;
(e)
all contracts, contract rights and other General Intangibles (other
than any Intellectual Property and the Senior Secured Notes
Priority Collateral), all Documents, Chattel Paper, and Instruments
(including promissory notes), in each case, to the extent arising
out of, or related to, or derivative of the property or interests
in property described in this definition;
(f)
all books and Records relating to the items referred to in the
preceding clauses (a) through (e) (including all books,
databases, data processing software, customer lists, engineer
drawings, and Records, whether tangible or electronic, which
contain any information relating to any of the items referred to in
the preceding clauses (a) through (e)); and
(g)
all collateral security and guarantees with respect to any of the
foregoing and, subject to Section 3.5 , all proceeds,
products, substitutions, replacements, accessions, cash, Money,
insurance proceeds, Instruments, Securities, Security Entitlements,
Financial Assets and Deposit Accounts (excluding any identifiable
Proceeds of Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral held in any of
the foregoing) received as proceeds of any of the foregoing, but
excluding proceeds of Senior Secured Notes Priority
Collateral.
3
“ ABL Security
Documents ” means any agreement, document or instrument
pursuant to which a Lien is granted securing any ABL Obligations or
under which rights or remedies with respect to such Liens are
governed.
“ Account Agreements
” means any lockbox account agreement, pledged account
agreement, blocked account agreement, securities account control
agreement, or any similar deposit or securities account agreements
among the Senior Secured Notes Agent and the ABL Agent, one or more
Grantors and the relevant financial institution depository or
securities intermediary.
“ Accounts ”
means all present and future “accounts” (as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC).
“ Additional Joinder
Agreement ” shall mean a joinder agreement in the form of
Exhibit B hereto.
“ Additional Pari Passu
Senior Secured Notes Agent ” means the Person appointed
to act as trustee, agent or representative for the holders of
Additional Pari Passu Senior Secured Notes Obligations pursuant to
any Additional Pari Passu Senior Secured Notes
Agreement.
“ Additional Pari Passu
Senior Secured Notes Agreement ” means the indenture,
credit agreement or other agreement under which any Additional Pari
Passu Senior Secured Notes Obligations are incurred.
“ Additional Pari Passu
Senior Secured Notes Obligations ” means Indebtedness of
the Grantors issued following the date of this Agreement to the
extent (a) such Indebtedness is not prohibited by the terms of
the ABL Loan Agreement, the Senior Secured Notes Indenture, the
Junior Secured Notes Agreement (if any) from being secured by Liens
on the Collateral ranking pari passu with the Liens
securing the Senior Secured Notes Obligations, (b) the
Grantors have granted Liens, consistent with clause (a), on the
Collateral to secure the Obligations in respect of such
Indebtedness, and (c) the Additional Pari Passu Senior Secured
Notes Agent, for the holders of such Indebtedness, has entered into
an Additional Joinder Agreement on behalf of the Senior Secured
Notes Claimholders under such agreement acknowledging that such
holders shall be bound by the terms hereof applicable to Senior
Secured Notes Claimholders.
“ Affiliate ”
means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that
directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
controls or is controlled by or is under common control with the
Person specified. For purposes of this definition, a Person
shall be deemed to “ control ” or be “
controlled by ” a Person if such Person possesses,
directly or indirectly, power to direct or cause the direction of
the management or policies of such Person whether through ownership
of equity interests, by contract or otherwise.
“ Agents ” means
the ABL Agent, the Senior Secured Notes Agent and the Junior
Secured Notes Agent.
“ Agreement ”
means this Intercreditor Agreement, as amended, restated, renewed,
extended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time.
“ Bankruptcy Code
” means Title 11 of the United States Code entitled
“Bankruptcy,” as now and hereafter in effect, or any
successor statute.
“ Bankruptcy Law
” means the Bankruptcy Code and any similar federal or state
law for the relief of debtors.
4
“ Business Day ”
means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which
commercial banks in Boston, Massachusetts, New York, New York or
Wilmington, Delaware are authorized or required by law to
close.
“ Capital Stock ”
means (a) in the case of a corporation, capital stock,
(b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and
all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents
(however designated) of capital stock, (c) in the case of a
partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited),
(d) in the case of a limited liability company, membership
interests and (e) any other interest or participation that
confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and
losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person and
all rights, warrants or options exchangeable for or convertible
into any of the items described in clauses (a) through
(e) above; provided that with respect to the foregoing,
Capital Stock shall exclude any debt securities convertible into
Capital Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any
right of vote or participation with Capital Stock.
“ Cash Management
Agreement ” means any agreement to provide cash
management services, including treasury, depository, overdraft,
credit or debit card, electronic funds transfer and other cash
management arrangements.
“ Cash Management Bank
” means any Person that, at the time it enters into a Cash
Management Agreement, is a lender under the ABL Loan Agreement or
an Affiliate of a lender under the ABL Loan Agreement, in such
Person’s capacity as a party to such Cash Management
Agreement.
“ Chattel Paper ”
means all present and future “chattel paper” (as
defined in Article 9 of the UCC).
“ Claimholder ”
means any Senior Secured Notes Claimholder, Junior Secured Notes
Claimholder or ABL Claimholder, as applicable.
“ Collateral ”
means any and all of the assets and property of any Grantor,
whether real, personal or mixed, which constitute ABL Collateral,
Senior Secured Notes Collateral or Junior Secured Notes
Collateral.
“ Commercial Tort
Claims ” means all present and future “commercial
tort claims” (as defined in Article 9 of the
UCC).
“ Company ” has
the meaning assigned to that term in the Preamble to this
Agreement.
“ Company Subsidiary
” has the meaning assigned to that term in the Preamble to
this Agreement.
“ Conforming Plan of
Reorganization ” means any Plan of Reorganization whose
provisions are consistent with the provisions of this
Agreement.
“ Copyrights ”
means (a) all registered United States copyrights in any works
which are subject to copyright protection pursuant to Title 17 of
the United States Code, now existing or hereafter created or
acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all
applications in connection therewith, including, without
limitation, registrations, recordings and applications in the
United States Copyright Office and (b) all renewals
thereof.
“ Debtor Relief Laws
” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all
other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the
benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement,
receivership,
5
insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor
relief laws or regulations of the United States or other applicable
jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights
of creditors generally.
“ Deposit Accounts
” means all present and future “deposit accounts”
(as defined in Article 9 of the UCC).
“ DIP Financing ”
has the meaning assigned to that term in Section 6.1
.
“ Discharge of ABL
Obligations ” means, except to the extent otherwise
expressly provided in Section 5.5 :
(a)
payment in full in cash of all ABL Obligations (other than
contingent obligations or contingent indemnification obligations
except as provided in clause (d) below);
(b)
termination or expiration of all commitments, if any, to extend
credit under the ABL Loan Documents;
(c)
termination, cash collateralization (in an amount and manner
reasonably satisfactory to the ABL Agent, but in no event greater
than 105% of the aggregate undrawn face amount, plus commissions,
fees, and expenses) or backstop of all letters of credit issued
under the ABL Loan Agreement in compliance with the terms of the
ABL Loan Agreement; and
(d)
cash collateralization (or support by a letter of credit) for any
costs, expenses and contingent indemnification obligations
consisting of ABL Obligations not yet due and payable but with
respect to which a claim has been asserted in writing under any ABL
Loan Documents (in an amount and manner reasonably satisfactory to
the ABL Agent).
“ Discharge of Junior
Secured Notes Obligations ” means, except to the extent
otherwise expressly provided in Section 5.5 ,
(x) payment in full in cash (or, to the extent provided in the
applicable Junior Secured Notes Documents, other property) of all
Junior Secured Notes Obligations (other than contingent obligations
or indemnification obligations, in each case for which no claim has
been asserted) or (y) any discharge or legal defeasance of the
Junior Secured Notes Agreement in accordance with the express terms
thereof.
“ Discharge of Prior Lien
Obligations ” means:
(a)
with respect to the Junior Secured Notes Claimholders, the
Discharge of ABL Obligations and the Discharge of Senior Secured
Notes Obligations;
(b)
with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral as it relates to the
Senior Secured Notes Claimholders, the Discharge of ABL
Obligations; and
(c)
with respect to the Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral as it
relates to the ABL Claimholders, the Discharge of Senior Secured
Notes Obligations.
“ Discharge of Senior
Secured Notes Obligations ” means, except to the extent
otherwise expressly provided in Section 5.5 ,
(x) payment in full in cash of all Senior Secured Notes
Obligations (other than contingent obligations or indemnification
obligations, in each case for which no claim has been asserted in
writing) or (y) any discharge or legal defeasance of the
Senior Secured Notes Indenture and each Additional Pari Passu
Senior Secured Notes Agreement in accordance with the express terms
thereof.
6
“ Disposition ”
means any sale, lease, exchange, transfer or other disposition of
any Collateral.
“ Documents ”
means all present and future “documents” (as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC).
“ Enforcement ”
means, collectively or individually for one or more of the ABL
Agent, the Senior Secured Notes Agent or the Junior Secured Notes
Agent to enforce or attempt to enforce any right or power to
repossess, replevy, attach, garnish, levy upon, collect the
Proceeds of, foreclose or realize in any manner whatsoever its Lien
upon, sell, liquidate or otherwise dispose of, or otherwise
restrict or interfere with the use of, or exercise any remedies
with respect to, any Collateral, whether by judicial enforcement of
any of the rights and remedies under the ABL Loan Documents, the
Senior Secured Notes Documents, the Junior Secured Notes Documents
and/or under any applicable law, by self-help repossession, by
non-judicial foreclosure sale, lease, or other Disposition, by
set-off, by notification to account obligors of any Grantor, by any
sale, lease, or other Disposition implemented by any Grantor at the
direction of the ABL Agent, the Senior Secured Notes Agent or the
Junior Secured Notes Agent, or otherwise, but in all cases
excluding (i) the establishment of borrowing base reserves,
collateral ineligibles, or other conditions for advances,
(ii) the changing of advance rates or advance sublimits,
(iii) the imposition of a default rate or late fee,
(iv) the collection and application (including pursuant to
“cash dominion” provisions) of Accounts or other monies
deposited from time to time in Deposit Accounts or Securities
Accounts, in each case, against the ABL Obligations pursuant to the
provisions of the ABL Loan Documents (including, without
limitation, the notification of account debtors, depositary
institutions or any other Person to deliver proceeds of Collateral
to the ABL Agent), (v) the cessation of lending pursuant to
the provisions of the ABL Loan Documents, including upon the
occurrence of a default on the existence of an over-advance,
(vi) the filing of a proof of claim in any Insolvency or
Liquidation Proceeding, (vii) the consent by the ABL Agent to
Disposition by any Grantor of any of the ABL Priority Collateral,
and (viii) the acceleration of the Senior Secured Notes
Obligations, the ABL Obligations or the Junior Secured Notes
Obligations.
“ Enforcement Notice
” means a written notice delivered, at a time when an ABL
Default or Senior Secured Notes Default has occurred and is
continuing, by either the ABL Agent or the Senior Secured Notes
Agent to the other announcing that such party intends to commence
Enforcement against its Priority Collateral and specifying the
relevant event of default.
“ Equipment ”
means, as to each Grantor, all of such Grantor’s now owned
and hereafter acquired equipment, as defined in Article 9 of
the UCC, wherever located.
“ Financial Assets
” means all present and future “financial assets”
(as defined in Article 9 of the UCC).
“ General Intangibles
” means all present and future “general
intangibles” (as defined in Article 9 of the UCC), but
excluding (a) Hedge Agreements and (b) Intellectual
Property and any rights thereunder.
“ Governmental
Authority ” means any federal, state, municipal, national
or other government, governmental department, commission, board,
bureau, court, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision
thereof or any entity or officer exercising executive, legislative,
judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining
to any government or any court, in each case whether associated
with a state of the United States, the United States, or a foreign
entity or government.
“ Grantors ”
means Holdings, the Company, each Company Subsidiary and each other
Person that has or may from time to time hereafter execute and
deliver an ABL Security Document, a Senior Secured
7
Notes Security Document or a Junior Secured
Notes Security Document, as a grantor of a security interest (or
the equivalent thereof).
“ Hedge Bank ”
means any Person that, at the time it enters into a Swap Contract
permitted under the indenture, is a lender under the ABL Loan
Agreement or an Affiliate of a lender under the ABL Loan Agreement,
in such Person’s capacity as a party to such Swap
Contract.
“ Indebtedness ”
means and includes all “Indebtedness,” or any similar
term within the meaning of the ABL Loan Agreement, the Senior
Secured Notes Indenture or the Junior Secured Notes Agreement, as
applicable.
“ Initial ABL Loan
Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to that term in the
Recitals.
“ Initial Senior Secured
Notes ” has the meaning assigned to that term in the
Recitals.
“ Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding ” means:
(a)
any voluntary or involuntary case or proceeding under the
Bankruptcy Code or other applicable bankruptcy or insolvency laws
of another jurisdiction with respect to any Grantor;
(b)
any other voluntary or involuntary insolvency, reorganization or
bankruptcy case or proceeding, or any receivership, liquidation,
reorganization or other similar case or proceeding with respect to
any Grantor or with respect to a material portion of their
respective assets;
(c)
any composition of liabilities or similar arrangement relating to
any Grantor, whether or not under a court’s jurisdiction or
supervision;
(d)
any liquidation, dissolution, reorganization or winding up of any
Grantor, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether or not under a
court’s jurisdiction or supervision, and whether or not
involving insolvency or bankruptcy; or
(e)
any general assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other
marshalling of assets and liabilities of any Grantor.
“ Instruments ”
means all present and future “instruments” (as defined
in Article 9 of the UCC).
“ Intellectual Property
” means, all of the following in any jurisdiction throughout
the world: (a) patents, patent applications and
inventions, including all renewals, extensions, combinations,
divisions, or reissues thereof (“ Patents ”);
(b) trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress,
logos, internet domain names and other business identifiers,
together with the goodwill symbolized by any of the foregoing, and
all applications, registrations, renewals and extensions thereof
(“ Trademarks ”); (c) copyrights and all
works of authorship including all registrations, applications,
renewals, extensions and reversions thereof (“
Copyrights ”); (d) all computer software, source
code, executable code, data, databases and documentation thereof;
(e) all trade secret rights in information, including trade
secret rights in any formula, pattern, compilation, program,
device, method, technique, or process, that (1) derives
independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being
generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper
means by, other Persons who can obtain economic value from its
disclosure or use, and (2) is the subject of efforts that are
reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy;
(f) all other intellectual property or proprietary rights in
any discoveries, concepts, ideas, research and
development,
8
know-how, formulae, patterns, inventions,
compilations, compositions, manufacturing and production processes
and techniques, program, device, method, technique, technical data,
procedures, designs, recordings, graphs, drawings, reports,
analyses, specifications, databases, and other proprietary or
confidential information, including customer lists, supplier lists,
pricing and cost information, business and marketing plans and
proposals and advertising and promotional materials; and
(g) all rights to sue at law or in equity for any infringement
or other impairment or violation thereof and all products and
proceeds of the foregoing.
“ Inventory ”
means as to each Grantor, all of such Grantor’s now owned and
hereafter existing or acquired inventory, as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC, wherever located.
“ Investment Property
” means all present and future “investment
property” (as defined in Article 9 of the UCC),
including, without limitation, all Capital Stock of Subsidiaries of
the Grantors.
“ Junior Secured
Noteholders ” means the holders of the Junior Secured
Notes, solely in their capacities as such and not in any other
capacity (except to the extent that such Junior Secured Noteholder
is acting in such other capacity for the primary purpose of
benefiting its Junior Secured Notes Obligations).
“ Junior Secured Notes
” any indebtedness that has been incurred after the date
hereof which is designated to each Agent as “Junior
Secured Notes” by the Junior Secured Notes Agent;
provided that (a) the Junior Secured Notes Agent under
the Junior Secured Notes Agreement under which such indebtedness
has been incurred shall have executed a supplement to this
Agreement agreeing to bound hereby, (b) the Indebtedness
represented by such Junior Secured Notes is not prohibited by the
terms of the ABL Loan Documents or the Senior Secured Notes
Documents and (c) the Grantors have granted Liens on all or a
portion of the Collateral to secure the Obligations in respect of
such Indebtedness.
“ Junior Secured Notes
Agent ” means the Person appointed to act as trustee,
agent or representative for the holders of Junior Secured Notes
Obligations pursuant to any Junior Secured Notes
Agreement.
“ Junior Secured Notes
Agreement ” means the indenture, credit agreement or
other agreement under which any Junior Notes Obligations are
incurred pursuant to the issuance and sale of the Junior Secured
Notes.
“ Junior Secured
Notes Claimholders ” means, at any relevant time, the
holders of Junior Secured Notes Obligations at that time, including
the Junior Secured Noteholders and the Junior Secured Notes Agent,
in each case solely in their capacities as such and not in any
other capacity (except to the extent that such Junior Secured Notes
Claimholder is acting in such other capacity for the primary
purpose of benefiting its Junior Secured Notes
Obligations).
“ Junior Secured Notes
Collateral ” means any and all of the assets and property
of any Grantor, whether real, personal or mixed, with respect to
which a Lien is granted as security for any Junior Secured Notes
Obligations.
“ Junior Secured Notes
Default ” means an “Event of Default” as
defined in the Junior Secured Notes Agreement.
“ Junior Secured Notes
Documents ” means the Junior Secured Notes Agreement, the
Junior Secured Notes, the Junior Secured Notes Security Documents
and each of the other agreements, documents and instruments
executed pursuant thereto, and any other document or instrument
executed or delivered at
9
any time in connection with any Junior Secured
Notes Obligations, including any intercreditor or joinder agreement
among holders of Junior Secured Notes Obligations to the extent
such are effective at the relevant time, as each may be amended,
restated, supplemented, modified, renewed, extended or Refinanced
from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
“ Junior Secured Notes
Joinder Agreement ” means a joinder agreement in the form
of Exhibit A hereto.
“ Junior Secured Notes
Obligations ” means all Obligations outstanding under the
Junior Secured Notes and the other Junior Secured Notes
Documents. “Junior Secured Notes Obligations”
shall include all interest accrued or accruing (or which would,
absent commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding,
accrue) after commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding in accordance with the rate specified in the relevant
Junior Secured Notes Document, whether or not the claim for such
interest is allowed as a claim in such Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding.
“ Junior Secured Notes
Security Documents ” means any agreement, document or
instrument pursuant to which a Lien is granted securing any Junior
Secured Notes Obligations or under which rights or remedies with
respect to such Liens are governed.
“ Letter of Credit
Rights ” means all present and future “letter of
credit rights” (as defined in Article 9 of the
UCC).
“ Lien ” means
any mortgage, pledge, hypothec, hypothecation, assignment, deposit
arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge or
other security interest or any other security agreement (including,
without limitation, any conditional sale or other title retention
agreement and any capital lease having substantially the same
economic effect as any of the foregoing).
“ Money ” means
all present and future “money” (as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC).
“ New Agent ” has
the meaning assigned to that term in Section 5.5
.
“ New Debt Notice
” has the meaning assigned to that term in
Section 5.5 .
“ Non-Conforming Plan of
Reorganization ” means any Plan of Reorganization whose
provisions are inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement,
including any plan of reorganization that purports to re-order
(whether by subordination, invalidation, or otherwise) or otherwise
disregard, in whole or part, the provisions of
Article II (including the Lien priorities of
Section 2.1 ), the provisions of Article IV
, or the provisions of Article VI , unless such Plan of
Reorganization has been accepted by the voluntary required vote of
each class of Priority Claimholders for such class to have approved
such Plan of Reorganization.
“ Obligations ”
means all present and future loans, advances, liabilities,
obligations, covenants, duties, and debts from time to time owing
by any Grantor to any agent or trustee (including any Agent), the
ABL Claimholders, the Senior Secured Notes Claimholders, the Junior
Secured Notes Claimholders or any of them or their respective
Affiliates, arising from or in connection with the ABL Loan
Documents, the Senior Secured Notes Documents or the Junior Secured
Notes Documents, whether for principal, interest or payments for
early termination, whether or not evidenced by any note, or other
instrument or document, whether arising from an extension of
credit, opening of a letter of credit, acceptance, loan, guaranty,
indemnification or otherwise, whether direct or indirect, absolute
or contingent, due or to become due, primary or secondary, as
principal or guarantor, and including all principal, interest,
charges,
10
expenses, fees, attorneys’ fees, filing
fees and any other sums chargeable to the Grantors, including,
without limitation, the “Obligations” as defined in the
ABL Loan Agreement and any corresponding term used in the Senior
Secured Notes Indenture or the Junior Secured Notes
Agreement.
“ Permitted Refinancing
” means any Refinancing the governing documentation of which
constitutes Permitted Refinancing Agreements.
“ Permitted Refinancing
Agreements ” means, with respect to either the ABL Loan
Agreement, the Senior Secured Notes, any Additional Pari Passu
Senior Secured Notes Obligations or the Junior Secured Notes, as
applicable, any credit agreement, loan agreement, note agreement,
promissory note, indenture or other agreement or instrument
evidencing or governing the terms of any indebtedness or other
financial accommodation that has been incurred to increase,
replace, (whether upon or after termination or otherwise) Refinance
or refund in whole or in part the Obligations outstanding under the
ABL Loan Agreement, the Senior Secured Notes, any Additional Pari
Passu Senior Secured Notes Obligations or the Junior Secured Notes,
whether or not such increase, replacement, refinancing or refunding
occurs (i) with the original parties thereto, (ii) on one
or more separate occasions or (iii) simultaneously or not with
the termination or repayment of the ABL Loan Agreement, the Senior
Secured Notes, any Additional Pari Passu Senior Secured Notes
Obligations or the Junior Secured Notes or any other agreement or
instrument referred to in this clause, unless such agreement or
instrument expressly provides that it is not intended to be and is
not a Permitted Refinancing Agreement, as such financing
documentation may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time and that, in each case, would not be
prohibited by Section 5.3(a) .
“ Person ” means
any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust,
joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental
Authority or other entity.
“ Plan of
Reorganization ” means any plan of reorganization, plan
of liquidation, agreement for composition, or other type of plan of
arrangement proposed in or in connection with any Insolvency or
Liquidation Proceeding.
“ Pledged Collateral
” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(a)
.
“ Prior Lien Agent
” means:
(a)
as it relates to the Junior Secured Notes Agent and the Junior
Secured Notes Claimholders for all purposes of this Agreement, each
of the ABL Agent and the Senior Secured Notes Agent;
(b)
as it relates to the ABL Agent and the ABL Claimholders with
respect to all matters relating to the Senior Secured Notes
Priority Collateral (but not the ABL Priority Collateral) prior to
the Discharge of Senior Secured Notes Obligations, the Senior
Secured Notes Agent; and
(c)
as it relates to the Senior Secured Notes Agent and the Senior
Secured Notes Claimholders with respect to all matters relating to
the ABL Priority Collateral (but not the Senior Secured Notes
Priority Collateral) prior to the Discharge of ABL Obligations, the
ABL Agent.
“ Prior Lien
Claimholders ” mean:
(a)
as it relates to the Junior Secured Notes Claimholders for all
purposes of this Agreement, the ABL Claimholders and the Senior
Secured Notes Claimholders;
11
(b)
as it relates to the ABL Claimholders with respect to all matters
relating to the Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral (but not
the ABL Priority Collateral) prior to the Discharge of Senior
Secured Notes Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes Claimholders;
and
(c)
as it relates to the Senior Secured Notes Claimholders with respect
to all matters relating to the ABL Priority Collateral (but not the
Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral) prior to the Discharge of
ABL Obligations, the ABL Claimholders.
“ Prior Lien Collateral
” means with respect to any Person, all Collateral with
respect to which (and only for so long as) such Person is a
“Prior Lien Claimholder” as provided in the definition
thereof.
“ Prior Lien Documents
” mean:
(a)
as it relates to the Junior Secured Notes Claimholders for all
purposes of this Agreement, the ABL Loan Documents and the Senior
Secured Notes Documents;
(b)
as it relates to the ABL Claimholders with respect to all matters
relating to the Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral (but not
the ABL Priority Collateral) prior to the Discharge of Senior
Secured Notes Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes Documents;
and
(c)
as it relates to the Senior Secured Notes Claimholders with respect
to all matters relating to the ABL Priority Collateral (but not the
Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral) prior to the Discharge of
ABL Obligations, the ABL Loan Documents.
“ Prior Lien
Obligations ” mean:
(a)
as it relates to the Junior Secured Notes Obligations for all
purposes of this Agreement, the ABL Obligations and the Senior
Secured Notes Obligations;
(b)
as it relates to the ABL Obligations with respect to all matters
relating to the Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral (but not
the ABL Priority Collateral) prior to the Discharge of Senior
Secured Notes Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes Obligations;
and
(c)
as it relates to the Senior Secured Notes Obligations with respect
to all matters relating to the ABL Priority Collateral (but not the
Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral) prior to the Discharge of
ABL Obligations, the ABL Obligations.
“ Proceeds ”
means all “proceeds” (as defined in Article 9 of
the UCC), including any payment or property received on account of
any claim secured by Collateral in any Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding.
“ Real Estate Asset
” means, at any time of determination, any interest (fee,
leasehold or otherwise) then owned by the Company or any Grantor in
any real property.
“ Records ” means
all present and future “records” (as defined in
Article 9 of the UCC).
“ Recovery ” has
the meaning set forth in Section 6.4 .
“ Refinance ”
means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew,
defease, amend, modify, supplement, restructure, replace, refund or
repay, or to issue other indebtedness, in exchange or
12
replacement for, such Indebtedness, in any case
in whole or in part. “ Refinanced ” and
“ Refinancing ” shall have correlative
meanings.
“ Secured Cash Management
Agreement ” means any Cash Management Agreement that is
entered into by and between the Company or any Company Subsidiary
and any Cash Management Bank.
“ Secured Hedge
Agreement ” means any Swap Contract permitted under the
ABL Loan Documents, the Senior Secured Notes Dcouments and the
Junior Secured Notes Documents that is entered into by and between
the Company or any Company Subsidiary and any Hedge
Bank.
“ Securities ”
means all present and future “Securities” (as defined
in Article 9 of the UCC).
“ Securities Accounts
” means all present and future “securities
accounts” (as defined in Article 8 of the UCC),
including all monies, “uncertificated securities,” and
“securities entitlements” (as defined in Article 8
of the UCC) contained therein.
“ Security Entitlements
” means all present and future “security
entitlements” (as defined in Article 9 of the
UCC).
“ Senior Secured
Noteholders ” means the “Holders” as defined
in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture and any holders of Additional
Pari Passu Senior Secured Notes Obligations in each case solely in
their capacities as such and not in any other capacity (except to
the extent that such Senior Secured Noteholder is acting in such
other capacity for the primary purpose of benefiting its Senior
Secured Notes Obligations).
“ Senior Secured Notes
” means, collectively, (a) the Initial Senior Secured
Notes and (b) any other credit agreement, loan agreement, note
agreement, promissory note, indenture or other agreement or
instrument evidencing or governing the terms of any indebtedness or
other financial accommodation (other than ABL Obligations) that has
been incurred to increase, replace, Refinance or refund in whole or
in part the Obligations outstanding under the Initial Senior
Secured Notes or any other agreement or instrument referred to in
this clause which (I) is designated as “Senior Secured
Notes” by (x) so long as the Senior Secured Notes
Indenture or any Additional Pari Passu Senior Secured Notes
Agreement is in effect, the Senior Secured Notes Agent (and, so
long as a Senior Secured Notes Default has not occurred and is
continuing at the time of such designation, the Company) or
(y) otherwise, the Company, and (II) the Senior Secured
Notes Agent for such agreement shall have executed a supplement to
this Agreement agreeing to be bound hereby on the same terms
applicable to the Initial Senior Secured Notes Agent whether or not
such increase, replacement, refinancing or refunding occurs
(i) with the original parties thereto, (ii) on one or
more separate occasions or (iii) simultaneously or not with
the termination or repayment of the Initial Senior Secured Notes,
unless such agreement or instrument is not a Permitted Refinancing
Agreement. Any reference to the Senior Secured Notes
hereunder shall be deemed a reference to any Senior Secured Notes
then in existence.
“ Senior Secured Notes
Agent ” means (i) the Senior Secured Notes Trustee,
including its successors and assigns from time to time, for so long
as any Initial Senior Secured Notes are outstanding and
(ii) thereafter, any Additional Pari Passu Senior Secured
Notes Agent.
“ Senior Secured Notes
Claimholders ” means, at any relevant time, the holders
of Senior Secured Notes Obligations at that time, including the
Senior Secured Noteholders, each Additional Pari Passu Senior
Secured Notes Agent and the Senior Secured Notes Agent in each case
solely in their capacities as
13
such and not in any other capacity (except to
the extent that such Senior Secured Notes Claimholder is acting in
such other capacity for the primary purpose of benefiting its
Senior Secured Notes Obligations).
“ Senior Secured Notes
Collateral ” means any and all of the assets and property
of any Grantor, whether real, personal or mixed, with respect to
which a Lien is granted as security for any Senior Secured Notes
Obligations.
“ Senior Secured Notes
Default ” means an “Event of Default” as
defined in the Senior Secured Notes Indenture or in any Additional
Pari Passu Senior Secured Notes Agreement.
“ Senior Secured Notes
Documents ” means the Senior Secured Notes Indenture, the
Senior Secured Notes, each Additional Pari Passu Senior Secured
Notes Agreement, the Senior Secured Notes Security Documents and
each of the other agreements, documents and instruments executed
pursuant thereto, and any other document or instrument executed or
delivered at any time in connection with any Senior Secured Notes
Obligations, including any intercreditor or joinder agreement among
holders of Senior Secured Notes Obligations to the extent such are
effective at the relevant time, as each may be amended, restated,
supplemented, modified, renewed, extended or Refinanced from time
to time in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
“ Senior Secured Notes
General Intangibles ” means all General Intangibles,
including Intellectual Property, which are not ABL Priority
Collateral.
“ Senior Secured Notes
Indenture ” has the meaning assigned to that term in the
Recitals to this Agreement.
“ Senior Secured Notes
Obligations ” means all Obligations outstanding under the
Senior Secured Notes and the other Senior Secured Notes Documents,
and all Additional Pari Passu Senior Secured Notes
Obligations. “Senior Secured Notes Obligations”
shall include all interest accrued or accruing (or which would,
absent commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding,
accrue) after commencement of an Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding in accordance with the rate specified in the relevant
Senior Secured Notes Document, whether or not the claim for such
interest is allowed as a claim in such Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding.
“ Senior Secured Notes
Pledged Collateral ” means any Collateral consisting of
Capital Stock owned by any Grantor that is not Excluded Collateral
(as defined in the Indenture).(1)
“ Senior Secured Notes
Priority Collateral ” means all now owned or hereafter
acquired Senior Secured Notes Collateral that
constitutes:
(a)
Real Estate Assets;
(b)
Equipment;
(c)
Inventory;
(1)
These could be securities of a non-affiliate
14
(d)
Senior Secured Notes General Intangibles;
(e)
Senior Secured Notes Pledged Collateral;
(f)
Documents related to Equipment or Inventory;
(g)
Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts to the extent containing
identifiable proceeds of the foregoing (including all cash, cash
equivalents, Money, checks, Instruments, funds, ACH transfers,
wired funds, Investment Property, and other funds and property held
in or on deposit in any of the foregoing, but excluding any
identifiable Proceeds of ABL Priority Collateral);
(h)
Letter of Credit Rights arising out of, or related to, or
derivative of any of the property or interests in property
described in this definition;
(i)
Supporting Obligations and Commercial Tort Claims, in each case, to
the extent arising out of, or related to, or derivative of, the
property or interests described in this definition;
(j)
all other Collateral other than ABL Priority Collateral and
Excluded Collateral (as defined in the Indenture); and
(k)
all collateral security and guarantees with respect to any of the
foregoing and, subject to Section 3.5 , all proceeds,
products, substitutions, replacements, accessions, cash, Money,
insurance proceeds, Instruments, Securities, Security Entitlements,
Financial Assets and Deposit Accounts received as proceeds of any
of the foregoing, but excluding proceeds of ABL Priority
Collateral.
“ Senior Secured Notes
Security Documents ” means any agreement, document or
instrument pursuant to which a Lien is granted securing any Senior
Secured Notes Obligations or under which rights or remedies with
respect to such Liens are governed.
“ Subordinated Lien
Agent ” means:
(a)
with respect to all Collateral, the Junior Secured Notes
Agent;
(b)
with respect to all matters relating to the ABL Priority Collateral
(but not the Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral) prior to the
Discharge of ABL Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes Agent;
and
(c)
with respect to all matters relating to the Senior Secured Notes
Priority Collateral (but not the ABL Priority Collateral) prior to
the Discharge of Senior Secured Notes Obligations, the ABL
Agent.
“ Subordinated Lien
Claimholders ” mean:
(a)
with respect to all Collateral, the Junior Secured Notes
Claimholders;
(b)
with respect to all matters relating to the ABL Priority Collateral
(but not the Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral) prior to the
Discharge of ABL Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes
Claimholders; and
15
(c)
with respect to all matters relating to the Senior Secured Notes
Priority Collateral (but not the ABL Priority Collateral) prior to
the Discharge of Senior Secured Notes Obligations, the ABL
Claimholders.
“ Subordinated Lien
Collateral ” means with respect to any Person, all
Collateral with respect to which (and only for so long as) such
Person is a “Subordinated Lien Claimholder” as provided
in the definition thereof.
“ Subordinated Lien
Documents ” mean:
(a)
the Junior Secured Notes Documents for all purposes of this
Agreement;
(b)
with respect to all matters relating to the ABL Priority Collateral
(but not the Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral) prior to the
Discharge of ABL Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes Documents;
and
(c)
with respect to all matters relating to the Senior Secured Notes
Priority Collateral (but not the ABL Priority Collateral) prior to
the Discharge of Senior Secured Notes Obligations, the ABL Loan
Documents.
“ Subordinated Lien
Obligations ” mean:
(a)
the Junior Secured Notes Obligations for all purposes of this
Agreement;
(b)
with respect to all matters relating to the ABL Priority Collateral
(but not the Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral) prior to the
Discharge of ABL Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes Obligations;
and
(c)
with respect to all matters relating to the Senior Secured Notes
Priority Collateral (but not the ABL Priority Collateral) prior to
the Discharge of Senior Secured Notes Obligations, the ABL
Obligations.
“ Subsidiary ”
means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership,
limited liability company, association, joint venture or other
business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of
shares of stock or other ownership interests entitled (without
regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the
election of the Person or Persons (whether directors, managers,
trustees or other Persons performing similar functions) having the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management and
policies thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or
indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries
of that Person or a combination thereof.
“ Supporting
Obligations ” mean all present and future
“supporting obligations” (as defined in Article 9
of the UCC).
“ Swap Contract ”
means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps,
credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions,
commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts,
equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond
index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or
forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward
foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor
transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions,
cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot
contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of
any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of
the foregoing),
16
whether or not any such transaction is governed
by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all
transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are
subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of
master agreement published by the International Swaps and
Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign
Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such
master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “
Master Agreement ”), including any such obligations or
liabilities under any Master Agreement.
“ UCC ” means the
Uniform Commercial Code (or any similar equivalent legislation) as
in effect from time to time in the State of New York;
provided , however , that, at any time, if by reason
of mandatory provisions of law, any or all of the perfection or
priority of the Agents’ security interest in any item or
portion of the Collateral is governed by the Uniform Commercial
Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other that the State of New
York, the term “UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial
Code as in effect, at such time, in such other jurisdiction for
purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection or
priority and for purposes of definitions relating to such
provisions.
1.2.
Terms Generally . The definitions of terms in this
Agreement shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of
the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any
pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and
neuter forms. The words “include,”
“includes” and “including” shall be deemed
to be followed by the phrase “without
limitation.” The word “will” shall be
construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word
“shall.” Unless the context requires
otherwise:
(a)
any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or
other document herein shall be construed as referring to such
agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time
amended, restated, supplemented, modified, renewed or
extended;
(b)
any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include
such Person’s permitted successors and assigns;
(c)
the words “herein,” “hereof” and
“hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be
construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any
particular provision hereof;
(d)
all references herein to Sections or Articles shall be construed to
refer to Sections or Articles of this Agreement;
(e)
all uncapitalized terms have the meanings, if any, given to them in
the UCC, as now or hereafter enacted in the State of New York
(unless otherwise specifically defined herein);
(f)
the words “asset” and “property” shall be
construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any
and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including
cash, securities, accounts and contract rights;
(g)
any reference herein to a Person in a particular capacity or
capacities excludes such Person in any other capacity or
individually;
(h)
any reference herein to any law shall be construed to refer to such
law as amended, modified, codified, replaced, or re-enacted, in
whole or in part, and in effect on the pertinent date;
and
17
(i)
in the compilation of periods of time hereunder from a specified
date to a later specified date, the word “from” means
“from and including” and the words “to” and
“until” each means” to, but not
through.”
II.
LIEN PRIORITIES
2.1.
Relative Priorities . Irrespective of the date, time,
method, manner or order of grant, attachment or perfection of any
Liens securing the ABL Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes
Obligations or the Junior Secured Notes Obligations (including, in
each case, irrespective of whether any such Lien is granted (or
secures Obligations relating to the period) before or after the
commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding) and
notwithstanding any provision of any UCC, or any other applicable
law, or the ABL Loan Documents, the Senior Secured Notes Documents
or the Junior Secured Notes Documents or any defect or deficiencies
in, or failure to attach or perfect, the Liens securing the ABL
Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes Obligations or the Junior
Secured Notes Obligations or any other circumstance whatsoever, the
ABL Agent, on behalf of the ABL Claimholders, the Senior Secured
Notes Agent, on behalf of the Senior Secured Notes Claimholders and
the Junior Secured Notes Agent, on behalf of the Junior Secured
Notes Claimholders, each hereby agree that:
(a)
any Lien of the Prior Lien Agent on the ABL Priority Collateral
securing Prior Lien Obligations, whether such Lien is now or
hereafter held by or on behalf of the Prior Lien Agent or any other
Prior Lien Claimholder or any other agent or trustee therefor,
regardless of how or when acquired, whether by grant, possession,
statute, operation of law, subrogation or otherwise, shall be
senior in all respects and prior to any Lien on the ABL Priority
Collateral securing any Subordinated Lien Obligations;
and
(b)
any Lien of the Prior Lien Agent on the Senior Secured Notes
Priority Collateral securing Prior Lien Obligations, whether such
Lien is now or hereafter held by or on behalf of the Prior Lien
Agent, any other Prior Lien Claimholder or any other agent or
trustee therefor, regardless of how or when acquired, whether by
grant, possession, statute, operation of law, subrogation or
otherwise, shall be senior in all respects to all Liens on the
Senior Secured Notes Priority Collateral securing any Subordinated
Lien Obligations.
2.2.
Prohibition on Contesting Liens . Each of the Senior
Secured Notes Agent, on behalf of each Senior Secured Notes
Claimholder, the ABL Agent, on behalf of each ABL Claimholder, and
the Junior Secured Notes Agent, on behalf of each Junior Secured
Notes Claimholder, consents to the granting of Liens in favor of
the other Agents to secure the ABL Obligations, the Senior Secured
Notes Obligations and the Junior Secured Notes Obligations, as
applicable, and agrees that no Claimholder will be entitled to, and
it will not (and shall be deemed to have irrevocably, absolutely,
and unconditionally waived any right to), contest (directly or
indirectly) or support (directly or indirectly) any other Person in
contesting, in any proceeding (including any Insolvency or
Liquidation Proceeding): (a) the attachment, perfection,
priority, validity or enforceability of any Lien in the Collateral
held by or on behalf of any of the ABL Claimholders to secure the
payment of the ABL Obligations, any of the Senior Secured Notes
Claimholders to secure the payment of the Senior Secured Notes
Obligations or any of the Junior Secured Notes Claimholders to
secure the payment of the Junior Secured Notes Obligations,
(b) the priority, validity or enforceability of the ABL
Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes Obligations or the Junior
Secured Notes Obligations, including the allowability or priority
of the ABL Obligations, the Senior Secured Notes Obligations or the
Junior Secured Notes Obligations, as applicable, in any Insolvency
or Liquidation Proceeding, or (c) the validity or
enforceability of the provisions of this Agreement; provided
that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or
impair the rights of the ABL Agent, on
18
behalf of the ABL
Claimholders, the Senior Secured Notes Agent, on behalf of the
Senior Secured Notes Claimholders, or the Junior Secured Notes
Agent, on behalf of the Junior Secured Notes Claimholders to
enforce this Agreement, including the provisions of this Agreement
relating to the priority of the Liens securing the Obligations as
provided in Sections 2.1 , 3.1 , 3.2 and
6.1 .
2.3.
No New Liens . During the term of this Agreement,
whether or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been
commenced by or against one or more of the Company or any other
Grantor, the parties hereto agree, subject to
Article VI , that the Company shall not, and shall not
permit any other Grantor to:
(a)
grant or permit any additional Liens on any asset or property to
secure any Senior Secured Notes Obligations unless it has granted
or concurrently grants a Lien on such asset or property to secure
the ABL Obligations and the Junior Secured Notes Obligations (if
any) with the respective priorities required by
Section 2.1 ;
(b)
grant or permit any additional Liens on any asset or property to
secure any ABL Obligations unless it has granted or concurrently
grants a Lien on such asset or property to secure the Senior
Secured Notes Obligations and the Junior Secured Notes Obligations
(if any) with the respective priorities required by
Section 2.1 ; and
(c)
grant or permit any additional Liens on any asset or property to
secure any Junior Secured Notes Obligations unless it has granted
or concurrently grants a Lien on such asset or property to secure
the Senior Secured Notes Obligations and the ABL Obligations with
the respective priorities required by Section 2.1
;
provided that with respect to the Junior Secured Notes
Obligations, clauses (a) and (b) above shall not apply to
Pledged Collateral or Securities which are specifically excluded
from the Junior Secured Notes Collateral pursuant to the terms of
the Junior Secured Notes Security Documents.
To the extent any additional Liens are granted
on any asset or property in contravention of this Section 2.3
for any reason, without limiting any other rights and remedies
available hereunder, the ABL Agent, on behalf of the ABL
Claimholders, the Senior Secured Notes Agent, on behalf of the
Senior Secured Notes Claimholders and the Junior Secured Notes
Agent, on behalf of the Junior Secured Notes Claimholders, agree
that any amounts received by or distributed to any of them pursuant
to or as a result of Liens granted in contravention of this
Section 2.3 shall be subject to Section 4.2
.
2.4.
Similar Liens and Agreements . The parties hereto
agree that it is their intention that the ABL Collateral, the
Senior Secured Notes Collateral and the Junior Secured Notes
Collateral be identical except (a) the Junior Secured Notes
Collateral shall not include certain Pledged Collateral or
Securities which are specifically excluded from the Junior Secured
Notes Collateral pursuant to the terms of the Junior Secured Notes
Security Documents and (b) as provided in
Article VI and as otherwise provided herein. In
furtherance of the foregoing and of Section 8.8 , the
parties hereto agree, subject to the other provisions of this
Agreement, upon request by the ABL Agent, the Senior Secured Notes
Agent or the Junior Secured Notes Agent, to cooperate in good faith
(and to direct their counsel to cooperate in good faith) from time
to time in order to determine the specific items included in the
ABL Collateral, the Senior Secured Notes Collateral and the Junior
Secured Notes Collateral and the steps taken to perfect their
respective Liens thereon and the identity of the respective parties
obligated under the ABL Loan Documents, the Senior Secured Notes
Documents and the Junior Secured Notes Documents.
19
III.
EXERCISE OF REMEDIES; ENFORCEMENT
3.1.
Restrictions on the Subordinated Lien Agents and the
Subordinated Lien Claimholders with respect to ABL Priority
Collateral .
(a)
Until the Discharge of Prior Lien Obligations has occurred, whether
or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been commenced
by or against any Grantor, the Subordinated Lien Agents and the
Subordinated Lien Claimholders:
(i)
will not exercise or seek to exercise (but instead shall be deemed
to have hereby irrevocably, absolutely and unconditionally waived),
any rights, powers, or remedies with respect to any ABL Priority
Collateral (including (A) any right of set-off or any right
under any Account Agreement, landlord waiver or bailee’s
letter or similar agreement or arrangement to which any
Subordinated Lien Agent or any other Subordinated Lien Claimholder
is a party, (B) any right to undertake self-help re-possession
or non-judicial Disposition of any ABL Priority Collateral
(including any partial or complete strict foreclosure), and/or
(C) any right to institute, prosecute, or otherwise maintain
any action or proceeding with respect to such rights, powers or
remedies (including any action of foreclosure));
(ii)
will not, directly or indirectly, contest, protest or object to or
hinder any judicial or non-judicial foreclosure proceeding or
action (including any partial or complete strict foreclosure)
brought by the Prior Lien Agent or any Prior Lien Claimholder
relating to the ABL Priority Collateral or any other exercise by
the Prior Lien Agent or any other Prior Lien Claimholder of any
other rights, powers and remedies relating to the ABL Priority
Collateral, including any sale, lease, exchange, transfer, or other
Disposition of the ABL Priority Collateral, whether under the Prior
Lien Documents, applicable law, or otherwise;
(iii)
will not object to the forbearance by the Prior Lien Agent or any
Prior Lien Claimholders from bringing or pursuing any Enforcement
action with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral;
(iv)
except as may be permitted by Section 3.1(c) ,
irrevocably, absolutely, and unconditionally waive any and all
rights the Subordinated Lien Agent or the Subordinated Lien
Claimholders may have as a junior lien creditor or otherwise to
object (and seek or be awarded any relief of any nature whatsoever
based on any such objection) to the manner in which the Prior Lien
Agent or the Prior Lien Claimholders (A) enforce or collect
(or attempt to collect) the Prior Lien Obligations or
(B) realize or seek to realize upon or otherwise enforce the
Liens in and to the ABL Priority Collateral securing the Prior Lien
Obligations, regardless of whether any action or failure to act by
or on behalf of the Prior Lien Agent or Prior Lien Claimholders is
adverse to the interest of the Subordinated Lien Agent or the
Subordinated Lien Claimholders. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, to the maximum extent permitted by
law, the Subordinated Lien Claimholders shall be deemed to have
hereby irrevocably, absolutely, and unconditionally waived any
right to object (and seek or be awarded any relief of any nature
whatsoever based on any such objection), at any time prior or
subsequent to any Disposition of any of the ABL Priority
Collateral, on the ground(s) that any such Disposition of ABL
Priority Collateral (x) would not be or was not
“commercially reasonable” within the meaning of any
applicable UCC and/or (y) would not or did not comply with any
other requirement under any applicable UCC or under any other
applicable law governing the manner in which a secured creditor
(including one with a Lien on real property) is to realize on its
collateral; and
20
(v)
acknowledge and agree that no covenant, agreement or restriction
contained in the Subordinated Lien Documents shall be deemed to
restrict in any way the rights and remedies of the Prior Lien Agent
or the Prior Lien Claimholders with respect to the ABL Priority
Collateral as set forth in this Agreement and the Prior Lien
Documents;
provided , however , that, in the case of (i),
(ii) and (iii) above, the Liens granted to secure the
Subordinated Lien Obligations of the Subordinated Lien Claimholders
shall attach to any Proceeds resulting from actions taken by the
Prior Lien Agent or any Prior Lien Claimholder with respect to the
ABL Priority Collateral in accordance with the respective
priorities set forth in Section 2.1 of this Agreement
after application of such Proceeds to the extent necessary to meet
the requirements of a Discharge of Prior Lien
Obligations.
(b)
Until the Discharge of Prior Lien Obligations has occurred, whether
or not any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding has been commenced
by or against any Grantor, the Prior Lien Agent and the other Prior
Lien Claimholders shall have the right to enforce rights, exercise
remedies (including set-off) and, in connection therewith
(including any Enforcement) make determinations regarding the
release, Disposition, or restrictions with respect to the ABL
Priority Collateral without any consultation with or the consent of
any Subordinated Lien Agent or any Subordinated Lien Claimholder;
provided , however , that the Liens securing the
Subordinated Lien Obligations shall remain on the Proceeds (other
than those applied to the Prior Lien Obligations in accordance with
Section 4.1 ) of such ABL Priority Collateral released
or disposed of subject to the relative priorities described in
Section 2.1 . In exercising rights, powers, and
remedies with respect to the ABL Priority Collateral, the Prior
Lien Agent and the Prior Lien Claimholders may enforce the
provisions of the Prior Lien Documents and exercise rights, powers,
and/or remedies thereunder and/or under applicable law or
otherwise, all in such order and in such manner as they may
determine in the exercise of their sole discretion. Such
exercise and enforcement shall include the rights of an agent
appointed by them to sell or otherwise dispose of the ABL Priority
Collateral upon foreclosure, to incur expenses in connection with
such sale or Disposition, and to exercise all the rights and
remedies of a secured creditor under the UCC and of a secured
creditor under the Bankruptcy Laws of any applicable
jurisdiction.
(c)
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any
Subordinated Lien Agent or Subordinated Lien Claimholder
may:
(i)
file a claim or statement of interest with respect to its
Subordinated Lien Obligations; provided that an Insolvency
or Liquidation Proceeding has been commenced by or against any
Grantor;
(ii)
take any action (not adverse to the priority status of the Liens on
the ABL Priority Collateral, or the rights of the Prior Lien Agent
or any of the Prior Lien Claimholders to exercise rights, powers,
and/or remedies in respect thereof, including those under
Article VI ) in order to create, perfect, preserve or
protect (but not enforce) its Lien on any of the ABL Priority
Collateral;
(iii)
file any necessary responsive or defensive pleadings in opposition
to any motion, claim, adversary proceeding or other pleading made
by any Person objecting to or otherwise seeking the disallowance of
the claims of the Prior Lien Claimholders, including any claims
secured by the ABL Priority Collateral, if any, in each case in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement;
21
(iv)
file any pleadings, objections, motions or agreements which assert
rights or interests available to unsecured creditors of the
Grantors arising under either any Insolvency or Liquidation
Proceeding or applicable non-bankruptcy law, in each case not
inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement or applicable law
(including the Bankruptcy Laws of any applicable jurisdiction) and,
subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 3.2 ,
any pleadings, objections, motions or agreeme