Exhibit 10.1
BUSINESS FINANCING
AGREEMENT
This Business Financing Agreement
(as from time to time amended, “ Agreement ”) is
between GE Commercial Distribution Finance Corporation (“
CDF ”), with its chief executive office and principal
place of business at 5595 Trillium Boulevard, Hoffman Estates,
Illinois 60192 and Brunswick Corporation, a Delaware corporation
with its chief executive office at 1 N. Field Court, Lake Forest,
IL 60045 (“ Borrower ”).
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1.1
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Special
Definitions . The
following terms will have the following meanings in this
Agreement:
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“ Accounts ”: all
accounts, leases, chattel paper, choses in action and instruments,
including any lien or other security interest that secures or may
secure any of the foregoing, plus all invoices, documents and other
records in any form evidencing or relating to any of the foregoing
(including without limitation, all invoices, contracts, delivery
receipts, bills of lading, other documents and all reports, if any,
of Borrower which relate to the foregoing), now owned or hereafter
acquired by Borrower which arise from the sale of goods or services
to third party customers located in the United States from
Borrower’s Mercury Marine division, including but not limited
to those accounts arising from the sale of Mercury, Mercruiser,
High Performance, Motorguide, Mercury Inflatables, or Quicksilver
brand marine engines and marine engine parts and accessories, and
casting or foundry products and services, but specifically
excluding goods and services sold by Attwood Corporation, Land
‘N’ Sea Corporation, and Land ‘N’ Sea
Distributing, Inc.
“ Accounts Receivable
Facility ”: a credit facility extended pursuant to this
Agreement.
“ Borrowing Base
”: means an amount equal to 85% of (a) the total
outstanding principal balance of all of Accounts (as updated per
(b) below), adjusted for ineligible Accounts as described in
Section 3.3 and certified in the Borrowing Base Certificate
most recently furnished to Lender as required in Section 3.1,
and (b) as such total amount of Accounts in (a) will be
adjusted daily pursuant to (i) the reporting provided under
Section 3.1 and (ii) collections received by CDF on
Accounts.
“ Borrowing Base
Certificate ”: shall mean a certificate signed by the
Chief Financial Officer of Borrower or a duly authorized officer of
Borrower, which shall be provided at the frequency required as per
section 3.1, which will: (a) list the value of all Accounts,
(b) describe all Accounts created or acquired by Borrower
since the last schedule furnished to CDF, (c) list the value
of ineligible Accounts and (d) list the loan balance activity
since the last Borrowing Base Certificate was submitted by
Borrower.
“ Business Day ”:
means any day the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is open for the
transaction of business.
“ Credit Agreement
”: means that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
between Borrowers and its lenders dated April 29, 2005, (as
such agreement may amended be amended from time to
time).
“ Default ”: the
events or occurrences enumerated in Section 6
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“ Entity ”: any
individual, association, firm, corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, trust, governmental body, agency or
instrumentality whatsoever.
“ Obligations ”:
all indebtedness and other obligations of any nature whatsoever of
Borrower to CDF and/or to any person that at any time directly or
indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control
with CDF (a “ CDF Affiliate ”), which arise
under this Agreement and whether for principal, interest, fees,
expenses, indemnification obligations or otherwise, and whether
such indebtedness or other obligations are existing, future,
direct, indirect, acquired, contractual, noncontractual, joint
and/or several, fixed, contingent or otherwise.
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“ Other Agreements
”: all security agreements, mortgages, leases, instruments,
assignments, documents, guarantees, schedules, certificates,
contracts and similar agreements heretofore, now or hereafter
executed by Borrower and delivered to CDF or delivered by or on
behalf of Borrower to a third party and assigned to CDF by
operation of law or otherwise relating to Borrower’s
Obligations hereunder.
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2.
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CREDIT
FACILITY/INTEREST RATES/FEES
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2.1
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Accounts
Receivable Facility .
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A.
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Subject to the
terms of this Agreement, CDF agrees to provide to Borrower an
Accounts Receivable Facility of ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS
($100,000,000) or ONE HUNDRED TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS
($120,000,000), during seasonal Uplift Periods, as described
below.
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(i) CDF will provide a temporary
seasonal uplift in the size of the Accounts Receivable Facility to
Borrower from May 1st through August 31st each year this
Agreement is in effect, or for so much of such period as the
Agreement may be in effect, (such periods referred to as the
“Uplift Periods”), such that the Accounts Receivable
Facility shall be increased during such Uplift Periods to ONE
HUNDRED TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS ($120,000,000).
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B.
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The amount of
credit available under the Accounts Receivable Facility is subject
to the Borrowing Base, along with a temporary overadvance facility
provided by CDF pursuant to the following conditions:
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(i) CDF will provide a temporary
overadvance facility to Borrower such that the amount of credit
available under the Accounts Receivable Facility shall be equal to
the normal Borrowing Base availability limits plus an overadvance
facility of $21,500,000, but in no event shall the credit available
under the Accounts Receivable Facility exceed the lesser of
(a) $100,000,000 (or $120,000,000 during Uplift Periods) , or
b) 100% of the total Accounts owned by Borrower (including those
repurchased by Borrower from Brunswick Acceptance Company, LLC, but
excluding any Crownline and Bentley Accounts);
(ii) CDF will not require any
reduction of the overadvance facility for the first 6 months after
the date of this Agreement. After six (6) months, CDF will
thereafter require a minimum monthly reduction in the overadvance
facility of one twelfth of the amount of $21,500,000 during months
seven (7) through seventeen (17) after the closing of
this Accounts Receivable Facility, with a reduction in full of the
remaining overadvance amount at eighteen (18) months after the
date of this Agreement.
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2.1.1
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Interest . Borrower agrees to pay interest to CDF each
month in arrears for the interest accrued in the prior calendar
month. Interest will be computed as follows:
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a) The annual interest rate is equal
to the One Month LIBOR rate plus four and one quarter percent
(4.25%). The applicable One Month LIBOR rate for any month shall be
the one month LIBOR rate as published in the “Money
Rates” column of the Wall Street Journal on the first
Business Day of such month. For purposes of this Agreement, the One
Month LIBOR rate shall in no event be less than one percent (1.0%).
Such interest will: (i) be computed based on a 360 day year;
(ii) will be calculated each day by multiplying the Daily Rate
(as defined below) by the Daily Contract Balance (as
defined
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below); and (iii) accrue from
the date that CDF makes an advance under the Accounts Receivable
Facility until CDF receives the full and final payment of the
principal debt which Borrower owes to CDF, subject to the terms of
Section 3.8 herein. The “Daily Rate” is the
quotient of the applicable annual interest rate in effect for that
month as provided herein, divided by 360.
b) Interest is calculated on Daily
Contract Balances. The Daily Contract Balance is the amount of the
outstanding principal debt which Borrower owes to CDF on the
Accounts Receivable Facility at the end of each Business Day, after
factoring in new advances and debt repayments received that day
under the Accounts Receivable Facility, subject to the terms of
Section 3.8 herein.
c) On the first Business Day of each
calendar month, CDF will provide such calculations to the Borrower
no later than 11:00 a.m. Central time on the billing statement, as
described in Section 2.2.
Should Borrower dispute the
calculated amount of interest due, CDF and Borrower will
expediently work to resolve such dispute, and the amount of
interest due will continue to accrue on the previously determined
Daily Contract Balance (as defined above), at the then current
Daily Rate in effect for such then current month (as defined
above), for the number of days elapsed until the parties are in
agreement on the amount due, and such payment is effect by Borrower
(with the date of payment excluded from that interest
period).
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2.1.2
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Fees .
There will be an Unused Line fee applicable to the Accounts
Receivable Facility as set forth below as well as the audit fees
set forth in Sections 3.12.
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Unused Line Fee
. There will be a monthly unused
line fee applicable to the Accounts Receivable Facility as follows.
At the end of each month CDF shall calculate Borrower’s
Average Daily Contract Balance for such month. If
(a) Borrower’s average Daily Contract Balance for such
month was less than forty million dollars ($40,000,000), and
(b) Borrower’s average Daily Contract Balances for such
month were less than eighty percent (80%) of the end of month
Borrowing Base availability for such month, then Borrower shall pay
CDF a fee equal to 1.0% per annum of the difference between
the average Daily Contract Balances for such month and $40,000,000.
Such fee will be due and payable by Borrower each month by the 20th
day of the month following such respective monthly
period.
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2.1.3
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Maximum Interest
. CDF intends to strictly conform to
the usury laws governing this Agreement. Regardless of any
provision contained herein or in any other document, CDF shall
never be deemed to have contracted for, charged or be entitled to
receive, collect or apply as interest any amount in excess of the
maximum amount allowed by applicable law. If CDF ever receives any
amount which, if considered to be interest, would exceed the
maximum amount permitted by law, CDF will apply such excess amount
to the reduction of the unpaid principal balance which Borrower
owes, and then will pay any remaining excess to Borrower. In
determining whether the interest paid or payable exceeds the
highest lawful rate, Borrower and CDF shall, to the maximum extent
permitted under applicable law: (a) characterize any
non-principal payment (other than payments which are expressly
designated as interest payments hereunder) as an expense or fee
rather than as interest; (b) exclude voluntary pre-payments
and the effect thereof; and (c) spread the total amount of
interest throughout the entire
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term of this Agreement so that the
interest rate is uniform throughout such term. CDF agrees to
provide notice to Borrower of any such modifications or
recharacterizations of interest.
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2.2
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Payments . Any payment under this Agreement which would
otherwise be due on a day which is not a Business Day, shall be due
on the next succeeding Business Day, with such extension of time
included in any calculation of applicable finance
charges.
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2.2.1
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Billing
Statement . CDF will
transmit or otherwise send Borrower a monthly billing statement
identifying all charges due on Borrower’s account with CDF.
The charges specified on each billing statement will generally be
due and payable in full on the due date specified therein, and
shall be considered an account stated (i.e. an agreed upon amount
no longer subject to dispute) unless Borrower disputes any such
statement as follows. In the event that Borrower disputes any of
the charges listed thereon, Borrower must send a written objection
to any disputed amounts within fifteen (15) days after the
billing statement was received by Borrower. If CDF does not receive
payment of all charges accrued to Borrower’s account with CDF
during the immediately preceding month by the 25th day of the next
month, Borrower will (to the extent allowed by law) pay CDF a late
fee equal to the greater of $5 or 5% of the amount of such charges
(payment of such fee does not waive the default caused by the late
payment), provided, however, no late fee or other penalty shall
apply to any amounts in dispute. Borrower shall pay CDF its
customary charge for any check or other item which is returned
unpaid to CDF and for each ACH (as defined below) debit rejected by
Borrower’s bank. CDF may, upon notice to Borrower, adjust the
billing statement at any time to conform to applicable law and this
Agreement. Borrower waives the right to direct the application of
any payments hereafter received by CDF on account of the
Obligations. CDF will have the continuing exclusive right to apply
and reapply any and all such payments in such manner as CDF may
deem advisable notwithstanding any entry by CDF upon its books and
records.
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2.3
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One
Loan . CDF may combine
all of CDF’s advances to Borrower (or on Borrower’s
behalf), under this Agreement together with all finance charges,
fees and expenses related thereto, to make one debt owed by
Borrower.
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3.
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ACCOUNTS
RECEIVABLE FACILITY - ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
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3.1
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Reports . Borrower will provide CDF with periodic
reports as set forth on Exhibit A hereto.
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3.2
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Available
Credit . On receipt of
each funding request from Borrower (in the form of Exhibit B
attached hereto), CDF will provide an advance to Borrower in the
amount requested by Borrower, but subject to the amount of credit
then available under the Accounts Receivable Facility as described
in Section 2.1), less the amount of Borrower’s
outstanding principal loan balance on such day (such amount being
referred to as the “Available Credit”). Assuming there
is Available Credit, funding requests received by CDF from Borrower
by 11:00 AM Central time on a Business Day will be funded that same
Business Day and funding requests received by CDF from Borrower
after 11:00 AM Central time on a Business Day will be funded the
next Business Day. If, for any reason, Borrower’s outstanding
loans under the Accounts Receivable Facility shall at any time
exceed Borrower’s Available Credit, Borrower will immediately
repay to CDF the amount of such excess. CDF is not required to make
any new loans if Borrower is in Default.
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3.3
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Ineligible
Accounts . CDF will have
the sole right to determine eligibility of Accounts and, without
limiting CDF’s discretion in that regard, the following
Accounts will be deemed ineligible: (a) Accounts unpaid more
than sixty (60) days from the due date of invoice;
(b) Accounts with payment terms in excess of 360 days;
(c) Accounts which are originated with COD or cash in advance
terms; (d) Accounts which represent an obligation which is
created in settlement or compromise of a prior amount due or a
disputed amount; (e) Accounts which are due from an account
debtor who is subject to any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership
or similar proceeding; (f) all Accounts of any obligor if
fifty percent (50%) or more of the aggregate outstanding
balance of such obligor’s Accounts are unpaid for more than
sixty (60) days from the due date of invoice;
(g) Accounts for which the obligor is an officer, director,
shareholder, partner, member, owner, employee, agent, parent,
subsidiary, affiliate of with the exception of Cummins MerCruiser
Diesel Marine LLC., or is related to Borrower or has common
shareholders, officers, directors, owners, partners or members with
Borrower; (h) consignment sales; (i) Accounts for which
the payment is or may be conditional; (j) Accounts for which
the obligor is not a commercial or institutional entity or is not a
resident of the United States; (k) Accounts with respect to
which any warranty or representation provided in Subsection
3.4 or Subsection 5.1 is not true and correct;
(l) Accounts which represent goods or services purchased for a
personal, family or household purpose; (m) Accounts which
represent goods used for demonstration purposes or loaned by the
Borrower to another party; (n) Accounts which are progress
payment, barter, or contra accounts; (o) Accounts in which any
Department, agency or instrumentality of the United States
Government is an obligor in the event the total of all such
Accounts exceeds five million dollars ($5,000,000), unless the
provisions of the Federal Assignment of Claims Act have been
satisfactorily complied with; (p) any amounts representing
service charges or interest with respect to Accounts;
(q) Accounts in which CDF does not have a perfected, first
security interest therein; and (r) any and all other Accounts
which CDF reasonably deems to be ineligible. If CDF determines that
any Account is or becomes an ineligible Account, immediately upon
notice thereof from CDF, Borrower will pay to CDF an amount equal
to the monies loaned by CDF for such ineligible Account.
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3.4
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Warranties and
Representations . For
each Account which Borrower lists on any Schedule, Borrower
warrants and represents to CDF, to the best of Borrower’s
information and belief, that at all times: (a) such Account is
genuine; (b) such Account is not evidenced by a judgment or
promissory note or similar instrument or agreement; (c) it
represents an undisputed bona fide transaction completed in
accordance with the terms of the invoices and purchase orders
relating thereto; (d) the goods sold or services rendered
which resulted in the creation of such Account have been delivered
or rendered to and accepted by the obligor; (e) the amounts
shown on the Schedules, Borrower’s books and records and all
invoices and statements delivered to CDF with respect thereto are
owing to Borrower and are not contingent; (f) no payments have
been or will be made thereon except payments turned over to CDF;
(g) there are no offsets, counterclaims or disputes existing
or asserted with respect thereto and Borrower has not made any
agreement with any obligor for any deduction or discount of the sum
payable thereunder except regular discounts allowed by Borrower in
the ordinary course of its business for prompt payment which have
been disclosed to CDF; (h) there are no facts or events which
in any way impair the validity or enforceability thereof or reduce
the amount payable thereunder from the amount shown on the
Schedules, Borrower’s books and records and the invoices and
statements delivered to CDF with respect thereto; (i) all
persons acting on behalf of obligors thereon have the authority to
bind the obligor; (j) the goods
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sold or transferred giving rise
thereto were not, immediately prior to such sale or transfer,
subject to any lien, claim, encumbrance or security interest which
is superior to that of CDF other than liens in favor of
Borrower’s lenders under the Credit Agreement (as defined in
Section 5.2.2 herein); and (k) there has been no material
adverse change in the obligor’s financial condition since the
creation of the Account, and there are no proceedings or actions
known to Borrower which are threatened or pending against any
obligor thereon which might result in any material adverse change
in such obligor’s financial condition.
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3.5
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Notes . Loans made pursuant to this Agreement need not
be evidenced by promissory notes unless otherwise required by CDF
in CDF’s sole discretion.
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3.6
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Certain
Charges . Borrower will
reimburse CDF for all charges made by banks, including charges for
collection of checks and other items of payment. If Borrower
disputes any such charges, it must send a written dispute to CDF
within fifteen (15) days of receiving the reimbursement
request.
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3.7
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Collections
. Unless otherwise directed by CDF,
to expedite collection of Accounts for the benefit of CDF, Borrower
shall notify all of its obligors to make payment of the Accounts to
one or more lock-boxes under the sole control of CDF. The lock-box,
and all accounts into which the proceeds of any such lock-box(es)
are deposited, shall be established at banks selected by the
Borrower and satisfactory to CDF in its sole discretion. Borrower
shall issue to any such banks an irrevocable letter of instruction,
in form and substance acceptable to CDF, directing such banks to
deposit all payments or other remittances received in the lock-box
to such account or accounts as CDF shall direct, for application
against the outstanding balance of the Obligations. All funds
deposited in the lock-box or any such account immediately shall
become the property of CDF, and any disbursements of the proceeds
in the lock-box or any such account will only be made to CDF.
Borrower shall obtain the agreement of such banks to waive any
setoff rights against the funds so deposited and otherwise
establish CDF’s control thereof as a secured party under the
Uniform Commercial Code. CDF assumes no responsibility for such
lock-box arrangement, including, without limitation, any claim of
accord and satisfaction or release with respect to deposits which
any banks accept thereunder. All remittances which Borrower
receives in payment of any Accounts, and the proceeds of any of the
other Collateral, shall be: (i) kept separate and apart from
Borrower’s own funds so that they are capable of
identification as CDF’s property; (ii) held by Borrower
as trustee of an express trust for CDF’s benefit; and
(iii) shall be immediately deposited in such accounts
designated by CDF. All proceeds received or collected by CDF with
respect to Accounts, and reserves and other property of Borrower in
possession of CDF at any time or times hereafter, may be held by
CDF without interest to Borrower until all Obligations are paid in
full or applied by CDF on account of the Obligations. CDF shall
release to Borrower such portions of such reserves and proceeds as
CDF determines do not relate to Accounts as soon as practicable,
but in any event no later than one (1) Business Day after
discovering any overpayment. In addition, if Borrower becomes aware
that funds unrelated to Accounts were deposited in the
lock-box(es), Borrower may submit a refund request identifying such
sums Borrower believes did not relate to Accounts. CDF will
(i) review the request, and (ii) if CDF reasonably
determines that such sums did not relate to the Accounts, and if
there is availability under the Borrowing Base at such time, then
CDF shall return the funds the same Business Day, if possible, but
in any event no later than the next Business Day. Upon the
occurrence and during the continuance of a Default, CDF may notify
the obligors that the Accounts have been assigned
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to CDF, collect the Accounts
directly in its own name and charge the collection costs and
expenses, including attorneys’ fees, to Borrower. CDF has no
duty to protect, insure, collect or realize upon the Accounts to
preserve rights in them.
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3.7.1
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Temporary
Use of BAC Lockbox .
Until Borrower is able to establish a lock-box to fulfill the
Obligations under this Agreement, (Borrower shall use best efforts
to establish such Lock-box account no later than August 31,
2009) Borrower and CDF agree to use one or more lock-box accounts
currently controlled by Brunswick Acceptance Company
(“BAC”). CDF will obtain a Blocked Account Agreement
from BAC providing Borrower full access and control to the lock
box(es) identified for such use.
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3.8
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Collection
Days . All payments and
all amounts received on any Account will be credited by CDF to
Borrower’s account (subject to final collection thereof by
CDF in its account, which shall be determined in accordance with
the schedule set forth in the following sentence). Such funds shall
be credited against Borrower’s outstanding principal loan
balance (i) on the same Business Day as received if sent by
wire transfer, (ii) one Business Day after receipt if sent by
ACH, or (iii) two Business Days after received if paid by
check. CDF will recognize and credit any payments made by check,
ACH, federal wire, or other means, according to its payment
recognition policies from time to time in effect, or as otherwise
agreed. Information regarding CDF payment recognition policies is
available from Borrower’s CDF representative, the CDF
website, or will be communicated to Borrower.
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3.9
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Power of
Attorney . Borrower
authorizes CDF (whether or not Default has occurred) to, upon
notice to Borrower: (a) file financing statements describing
CDF as “Secured Party,” Borrower as
“Debtor” and indicating the Collateral;
(b) authenticate, execute or endorse the name of Borrower upon
any of the items of payment or proceeds and deposit the same in the
account of CDF for application to the Obligations; (c) use the
name of Borrower on notices or communications with account debtors
to verify the accuracy of the Accounts; (d) sign the name of
Borrower on any document or instrument that CDF shall deem
necessary or appropriate to perfect and maintain perfected the
security interests in the Collateral under this Agreement and the
Other Agreements; (e) supply any omitted information and
correct errors in any documents between CDF and Borrower; and
(f) initiate and resolve any insurance claim and endorse
Borrower’s name on any check, instrument or other item of
payment. In the event of a Default, Borrower authorizes CDF to:
(i) demand payment, enforce payment and otherwise exercise all
of Borrower’s rights, and remedies with respect to the
collection of any Accounts; (ii) settle, adjust, compromise,
extend or renew any Accounts; (iii) settle, adjust or
compromise any legal proceedings brought to collect any Accounts;
(iv) sell or assign any Accounts upon such terms, for such
amounts and at such time or times as CDF may deem advisable;
(v) discharge and release any Accounts; (vi) prepare,
file and sign Borrower’s name on any Proof of Claim in
Bankruptcy or similar document against any obligor;
(vii) authenticate, execute or endorse the name of Borrower
upon any chattel paper, document, instrument, invoice, freight
bill, bill of lading or similar document or agreement relating to
any Account or goods pertaining thereto; and (viii) take
control in any manner of any item of payments or proceeds and for
such purpose to notify the Postal Authorities to change the address
for delivery of mail addressed to Borrower to such address as CDF
may designate. This power of attorney and the other powers of
attorney granted herein are irrevocable and coupled with an
interest.
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