GUARANTY AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT dated as of September 9, 2008 made by PETRO RESOURCES CORPORATION and EACH OF THE OTHER GRANTORS (AS DEFINED HEREIN) in favor of CIT CAPITAL USA INC., as Administrative Agent
Exhibit
10.3
dated
as of September 9, 2008
made
by
PETRO
RESOURCES CORPORATION
and
EACH
OF THE OTHER GRANTORS (AS DEFINED HEREIN)
in
favor of
CIT
CAPITAL USA INC.,
as
Administrative Agent
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE
I
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DEFINITIONS
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Section
1.01
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Definitions.
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1
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Section
1.02
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Other
Definitional Provisions
|
5
|
Section
1.03
|
Rules
of Interpretation
|
5
|
ARTICLE
II
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||
GUARANTEE
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||
Section
2.01
|
Guarantee.
|
6
|
Section
2.02
|
Right
of Contribution
|
6
|
Section
2.03
|
No
Subrogation
|
7
|
Section
2.04
|
Guaranty
Amendments, Etc. with respect to the Borrower Obligations
|
7
|
Section
2.05
|
Waivers
|
8
|
Section
2.06
|
Guaranty
Absolute and Unconditional.
|
8
|
Section
2.07
|
Reinstatement
|
9
|
Section
2.08
|
Payments
|
10
|
ARTICLE
III
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GRANT
OF SECURITY INTEREST
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||
Section
3.01
|
Grant
of Security Interest
|
10
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Section
3.02
|
Transfer
of Pledged Securities
|
11
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ARTICLE
IV
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
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||
Section
4.01
|
Representations
in Credit Agreement
|
12
|
Section
4.02
|
Title;
No Other Liens
|
12
|
Section
4.03
|
Perfected
First Priority Liens
|
12
|
Section
4.04
|
Grantor
Information
|
12
|
Section
4.05
|
Inventory
and Equipment
|
13
|
Section
4.06
|
Deposit
Accounts and Securities Accounts
|
13
|
Section
4.07
|
Farm
Products
|
13
|
Section
4.08
|
Investment
Property
|
13
|
Section
4.09
|
Receivables
|
14
|
Section
4.10
|
Contracts
|
14
|
Section
4.11
|
Intellectual
Property
|
14
|
Section
4.12
|
Commercial
Tort Claims
|
15
|
Section
4.13
|
Benefit
to the Guarantors
|
15
|
ARTICLE
V
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COVENANTS
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Section
5.01
|
Covenants
and Events of Default in Credit Agreement
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15
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Section
5.02
|
Delivery
of Instruments, Certificated Securities and Chattel Paper
|
16
|
Section
5.03
|
Maintenance
of Perfected Security Interest; Further Documentation
|
16
|
Section
5.04
|
Changes
in Locations, Name, Etc.
|
16
|
Section
5.05
|
Notices
|
17
|
Section
5.06
|
Investment
Property
|
17
|
Section
5.07
|
Intellectual
Property
|
19
|
Section
5.08
|
Commercial
Tort Claims
|
20
|
ARTICLE
VI
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REMEDIAL
PROVISIONS
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||
Section
6.01
|
Certain
Matters Relating to Receivables
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20
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Section
6.02
|
Communications
with Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable
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21
|
Section
6.03
|
Pledged
Securities.
|
22
|
Section
6.04
|
Proceeds
to be Turned Over to Administrative Agent
|
23
|
Section
6.05
|
Application
of Proceeds
|
23
|
Section
6.06
|
Code
and Other Remedies
|
23
|
Section
6.07
|
Registration
Rights
|
24
|
Section
6.08
|
Waiver;
Deficiency
|
25
|
Section
6.09
|
Non-Judicial
Enforcement
|
25
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ARTICLE
VII
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THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
|
||
Section
7.01
|
Administrative
Agent’s Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact, Etc.
|
25
|
Section
7.02
|
Duty
of Administrative Agent
|
27
|
Section
7.03
|
Execution
of Financing Statements
|
28
|
Section
7.04
|
Authority
of Administrative Agent
|
28
|
ARTICLE
VIII
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SUBORDINATION
OF INDEBTEDNESS
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||
Section
8.01
|
Subordination
of All Grantor Claims
|
29
|
Section
8.02
|
Claims
in Bankruptcy
|
29
|
Section
8.03
|
Payments
Held in Trust
|
29
|
Section
8.04
|
Liens
Subordinate
|
30
|
Section
8.05
|
Notation
of Records
|
30
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ARTICLE
IX
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MISCELLANEOUS
|
||
Section
9.01
|
No
Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies
|
30
|
Section
9.02
|
Notices
|
30
|
Section
9.03
|
Enforcement
Expenses; Indemnities
|
30
|
Section
9.04
|
Amendments
in Writing
|
31
|
Section
9.05
|
Successors
and Assigns
|
31
|
Section
9.06
|
Survival;
Revival; Reinstatement.
|
31
|
Section
9.07
|
Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness.
|
32
|
Section
9.08
|
Severability
|
32
|
Section
9.09
|
Set-Off
|
33
|
Section
9.10
|
Governing
Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial
|
33
|
Section
9.11
|
Headings
|
34
|
Section
9.12
|
Acknowledgments
|
34
|
Section
9.13
|
Additional
Grantors and Additional Pledged Securities
|
35
|
Section
9.14
|
Releases
|
35
|
Section
9.15
|
Acceptance
|
36
|
Section
9.16
|
Intercreditor
Agreement
|
36
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SCHEDULES:
1 Notice
Addresses
2 Investment
Property
3 Perfection
Matters
4 Location
of Jurisdiction of Organization and Chief Executive Office
5 Inventory
and Equipment Locations
6 Intellectual
Property
7 Existing
Permitted Financing Statements
8 Deposit
Accounts and Securities Accounts
ANNEXES:
I Form
of Acknowledgment and Consent
II
Form of Assumption Agreement
III
Form of Supplement
This
GUARANTY AND COLLATERAL
AGREEMENT, dated as of September 9, 2008,
is made by Petro Resources Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
“Borrower”) and
each of the signatories hereto (the Borrower and each of the signatories hereto,
together with any Subsidiary of the Borrower that becomes a party hereto from
time to time after the date hereof, the “Grantors”) in favor
of CIT Capital USA
Inc., as administrative agent (in such capacity, together with its
successors in such capacity, the “Administrative
Agent”) for the banks and other financial institutions (the “Lenders”) from time
to time parties to the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 9, 2008 (as
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”),
among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.
R
E C I T A L S
A. It
is a condition precedent to the obligation of the Lenders to make their
respective loans to and extensions of credit on behalf of the Borrower under the
Credit Agreement that the Grantors shall have executed and delivered this
Agreement to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the
Lenders.
B. Now,
therefore, in consideration of the premises herein and to induce the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into the Credit Agreement and to
induce the Lenders to make their respective loans to and extensions of credit on
behalf of the Borrower thereunder, each Grantor hereby agrees with the
Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, as
follows:
ARTICLE
I
Definitions
Section
1.01 Definitions.
(a) Unless
otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein
have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement, and all uncapitalized
terms which are defined in the UCC (as defined herein) on the date hereof are
used herein as so defined.
(b) The
following terms are used herein as defined in the UCC on the date
hereof: Accounts, Certificated Security, Chattel Paper, Commercial
Tort Claims, Contracts, Documents, Electronic Chattel Paper, Equipment, Farm
Products, Fixtures, General Intangibles, Instruments, Inventory,
Letter-of-Credit Rights, Proceeds, Securities Accounts, Supporting Obligations,
and Tangible Chattel Paper.
(c) The
following terms have the following meanings:
“Acknowledgment and
Consent” means an Acknowledgement and Consent substantially in the form
attached hereto as Annex I.
“Administrative Agent”
has the meaning assigned such term in the Preamble.
“Agreement” means this
Guaranty and Collateral Agreement, as the same may be amended, restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
-1-
“Assumption Agreement”
means an Assumption Agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex
II.
“Bankruptcy Code”
means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended from time to
time.
“Borrower” has the
meaning assigned such term in the Preamble.
“Borrower Obligations”
means the collective reference to the unpaid principal of and interest on the
Loans and reimbursement obligations in respect of Letters of Credit, the
Indebtedness, and all other obligations and liabilities of the Borrower and the
other Grantors (including, without limitation, interest accruing at the then
applicable rate provided in the Credit Agreement after the maturity of the Loans
and LC Exposure and interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in
the Credit Agreement after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the
commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to
the Borrower, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest
is allowed in such proceeding) to the Secured Parties, whether direct or
indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, or now existing or
hereafter incurred, which may arise under, out of, or in connection with, the
Secured Documents, in each case, whether on account of principal, interest,
reimbursement obligations, payments in respect of an early termination date,
fees, indemnities, costs, expenses or otherwise (including, without limitation,
all fees and disbursements of counsel to the Secured Parties that are required
to be paid by the Borrower pursuant to the terms of any of the Secured
Documents).
“Collateral” has the
meaning assigned such term in Section
3.01.
“Collateral Account”
means any collateral account established by the Administrative Agent as provided
in Section 6.01 or Section 6.04.
“Copyrights” means the
collective reference to (a) all copyrights arising under the laws of the United
States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, whether
registered or unregistered and whether published or unpublished (including those
listed in Schedule 6), all registrations and recordings thereof, and all
applications in connection therewith, including all registrations, recordings
and applications in the United States Copyright Office and (b) the right to
obtain all renewals thereof.
“Copyright Licenses”
means any written agreement naming any Grantor as licensor or licensee, granting
any right under any Copyright, including the grant of rights to manufacture,
distribute, exploit and sell materials derived from any Copyright.
“Credit Agreement” has
the meaning assigned such term in the Preamble.
“Deposit Account” has
the meaning given such term in the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable
jurisdiction and, in any event, including any demand, time, savings, passbook or
like account maintained with a depositary institution.
“Grantors” has the
meaning assigned such term in the Preamble.
-2-
“Grantor Claims” has
the meaning assigned to such term in Section
8.01.
“Guarantor
Obligations” means with respect to any Guarantor, the collective
reference to (a) the Borrower Obligations and (b) all obligations and
liabilities of such Guarantor which may arise under or in connection with any
Secured Document to which such Guarantor is a party (including, without
limitation, Article
II of this Agreement), in
each case, whether on account of principal, interest, guarantee obligations,
reimbursement obligations, payments in respect of an early termination date,
fees, indemnities, costs, expenses or otherwise (including, without limitation,
all fees and disbursements of counsel to any Secured Party under any Secured
Document).
“Guarantors” means the
collective reference to all Grantors other than the Borrower.
“Intellectual
Property” means the collective reference to all rights, priorities and
privileges relating to intellectual property, whether arising under United
States, multinational or foreign laws or otherwise, including the Copyrights,
the Copyright Licenses, the Patents, the Patent Licenses, the Trademarks and the
Trademark Licenses, and all rights to xxx at law or in equity for any
infringement or other impairment thereof, including the right to receive all
proceeds and damages therefrom.
“Intercompany Note”
means any promissory note evidencing loans made by any Grantor to the Borrower
or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Investment Property”
means the collective reference to (a) all “investment property” as such term is
defined in Section 9.102(a)(49) of the UCC and (b) whether or not constituting
“investment property” as so defined, all Pledged Notes and all Pledged
Securities.
“Issuers” means the
collective reference to each issuer of any Investment Property.
“Lenders” has the
meaning assigned such term in the Preamble.
“LLC” means, with
respect to any Grantor, each limited liability company described or referred to
in Schedule 2 in which such Grantor has an interest.
“LLC Agreement” means
each operating agreement relating to an LLC, as each agreement has heretofore
been, and may hereafter be, amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time.
“Obligations”
means: (a) in the case of the Borrower, the Borrower Obligations and
(b) in the case of each Guarantor, its Guarantor Obligations.
“Partnership” means,
with respect to any Grantor, each partnership described or referred to in
Schedule 2 in which such Grantor has an interest.
“Partnership
Agreement” means each partnership agreement governing a Partnership, as
each such agreement has heretofore been, and may hereafter be, amended,
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified.
-3-
“Patent License” means
all agreements, whether written or oral, providing for the grant by or to any
Grantor of any right to manufacture, use or sell any invention covered in whole
or in part by a Patent, including, without limitation, any thereof referred to
in Schedule 6.
“Patents” means the
collective reference to (a) all letters patent of the United States, any other
country or any political subdivision thereof, all reissues and extensions
thereof and all goodwill associated therewith, including any of the foregoing
referred to in Schedule 6, (b) all applications for letters patent of the United
States or any other country and all divisions, continuations and
continuations-in-part thereof, including any of the foregoing referred to in
Schedule 6 and (c) all rights to obtain any reissues or extensions of the
foregoing.
“Pledged LLC
Interests” means, with respect to any Grantor, all right, title and
interest of such Grantor as a member of all LLCs and all right, title and
interest of such Grantor in, to and under the LLC Agreements.
“Pledged Notes” means
all promissory notes listed on Schedule 2, all Intercompany Notes at any time
issued to any Grantor and all other promissory notes issued to or held by any
Grantor (other than promissory notes issued in connection with extensions of
trade credit by any Grantor in the ordinary course of business).
“Pledged Partnership
Interests” means, with respect to any Grantor, all right, title and
interest of such Grantor as a limited or general partner in all Partnerships and
all right, title and interest of such Grantor in, to and under the Partnership
Agreements.
“Pledged Securities”
means: (a) the Equity Interests described or referred to in Schedule 2 (as
the same may be supplemented from time to time pursuant to a Supplement),
together with any other Equity Interests of any Person that may be issued or
granted to, or held by, any Grantor while this Agreement is in effect;
including, but not limited to, all Pledged LLC Interests and Pledged Partnership
Interests related thereto; and (b) the certificates or instruments, if any,
representing such Equity Interests, (c) all dividends (cash, Equity Interests or
otherwise), cash, instruments, rights to subscribe, purchase or sell and all
other rights and Property from time to time received, receivable or otherwise
distributed in respect of or in exchange for any or all of such securities, (d)
all replacements, additions to and substitutions for any of the Property
referred to in this definition, including, without limitation, claims against
third parties, (e) the proceeds, interest, profits and other income of or on any
of the Property referred to in this definition, (f) all security entitlements in
respect of any of the foregoing, if any, and (g) all books and records relating
to any of the Property referred to in this definition.
“Proceeds” means all
“proceeds” as such term is defined in the UCC on the date hereof and, in any
event, shall include, without limitation, all dividends or other income from the
Pledged Securities, collections thereon or distributions or payments with
respect thereto.
“Receivable” means any
right to payment for goods sold or leased or for services rendered, whether or
not such right is evidenced by an Instrument or Chattel Paper and whether or not
it has been earned by performance (including any Account).
-4-
“Secured Documents”
means the collective reference to the Credit Agreement, the other Loan
Documents, each Secured Swap Agreement and any other document made, delivered or
given in connection with any of the foregoing.
“Secured Parties”
means the collective reference to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, and the
Approved Counterparties that are parties to Secured Swap
Agreements.
“Secured Swap
Agreement” means any Swap Agreement between the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries and any Approved Counterparty in effect while such Person is an
Approved Counterparty regardless of when such Swap Agreement was entered
into. For the avoidance of doubt, a Swap Agreement ceases to be a
Secured Swap Agreement if the Person that is the counterparty to the Borrower or
one of its Subsidiaries under a Swap Agreement ceases to be an Approved
Counterparty under the Credit Agreement.
“Securities Act” means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Trademark License”
means any agreement, whether written or oral, providing for the grant by or to
any Grantor of any right to use any Trademark.
“Trademarks” means (a)
all trademarks, trade names, corporate names, company names, business names,
fictitious business names, trade styles, service marks, logos and other source
or business identifiers, and all goodwill associated therewith, now existing or
hereafter adopted or acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all
applications in connection therewith, whether in the United States Patent and
Trademark Office or in any similar office or agency of the United States, any
State thereof or any other country or any political subdivision thereof, or
otherwise, and all common-law rights related thereto, including any of the
foregoing referred to in Schedule 6 and (b) the right to obtain all renewals
thereof.
“Supplement” means a
Supplement substantially in the form attached hereto as
Annex III.
“UCC” means the
Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of Texas;
provided, however, that, in the event that, by reason of mandatory provisions of
law, any of the attachment, perfection or priority of the Administrative Agent’s
security interest in any Collateral is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code
as in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of Texas, the term “UCC”
shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such other jurisdiction
for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such attachment, perfection,
the effect thereof or priority and for purposes of definitions related to such
provisions.
Section
1.02 Other Definitional
Provisions. Where the context requires, terms relating to the
Collateral or any part thereof, when used in relation to a Grantor, refer to
such Grantor’s Collateral or the relevant part thereof.
Section
1.03 Rules of
Interpretation. Section 1.04 and Section 1.05 of the
Credit Agreement are hereby incorporated herein by reference and shall apply to
this Agreement, mutatis mutandis.
-5-
ARTICLE
II
Guarantee
Section
2.01 Guarantee.
(a) Each of
the Guarantors hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally and irrevocably,
guarantees to the Secured Parties and each of their respective successors,
indorsees, transferees and assigns, the prompt and complete payment in cash and
performance by the Borrower when due (whether at the stated maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise) of the Borrower Obligations. This is a
guarantee of payment and not collection and the liability of each Guarantor is
primary and not secondary.
(b) Anything
herein or in any other Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding, the
maximum liability of each Guarantor hereunder and under the other Loan Documents
shall in no event exceed the amount which can be guaranteed by such Guarantor
under applicable federal and state laws relating to the insolvency of debtors
(after giving effect to the right of contribution established in Section
2.02).
(c) Each
Guarantor agrees that the Borrower Obligations may at any time and from time to
time exceed the amount of the liability of such Guarantor hereunder without
impairing the guarantee contained in this Article II or affecting the
rights and remedies of any Secured Party hereunder.
(d) Each
Guarantor agrees that if the maturity of the Borrower Obligations is accelerated
by bankruptcy or otherwise, such maturity shall also be deemed accelerated for
the purpose of this guarantee without demand or notice to such
Guarantor. The guarantee contained in this Article II shall
remain in full force and effect until all the Borrower Obligations shall have
been irrevocably and indefeasibly satisfied by payment in full in cash, no
Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and all of the Commitments are terminated,
notwithstanding that from time to time during the term of the Credit Agreement,
no Borrower Obligations may be outstanding.
(e) No
payment made by any Grantor, any other guarantor or any other Person or received
or collected by any Secured Party from the Borrower, any of the Guarantors, any
other guarantor or any other Person by virtue of any action or proceeding or any
set-off or appropriation or application at any time or from time to time in
reduction of or in payment of the Borrower Obligations shall be deemed to
modify, reduce, release or otherwise affect the liability of any Guarantor
hereunder which shall, notwithstanding any such payment (other than any payment
made by such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower Obligations or any payment
received or collected from such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower
Obligations), remain liable for the Borrower Obligations up to the maximum
liability of such Guarantor hereunder until the Borrower Obligations are
irrevocably and indefeasibly paid in full in cash, no Letter of Credit shall be
outstanding and all of the Commitments are terminated.
Section
2.02 Right of
Contribution. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that to the extent
that a Guarantor shall have paid more than its proportionate share of any
payment made hereunder, such Guarantor shall be entitled to seek and receive
contribution from and against any other Guarantor hereunder which has not paid
its proportionate share of such payment. Each Guarantor’s right of
contribution shall be subject to the terms and conditions of Section
2.03. The provisions of this Section 2.02 shall in no respect
limit the obligations and liabilities of any Guarantor to the Secured Parties,
and each Guarantor shall remain liable to the Secured Parties for the full
amount guaranteed by such Guarantor hereunder.
-6-
Section
2.03 No
Subrogation. Notwithstanding any payment made by any Guarantor
hereunder or any set-off or application of funds of any Guarantor by any Secured
Party, no Guarantor shall be entitled to be subrogated to any of the rights of
any Secured Party against the Borrower or any other Guarantor or any collateral
security or guarantee or right of offset held by any Secured Party for the
payment of the Borrower Obligations, nor shall any Guarantor seek or be entitled
to seek any indemnity, exoneration, participation, contribution or reimbursement
from the Borrower or any other Guarantor in respect of payments made by such
Guarantor hereunder, until all amounts owing to the Secured Parties on account
of the Borrower Obligations are irrevocably and indefeasibly paid in full in
cash, no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and all of the Commitments are
terminated. If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor on account
of such subrogation rights at any time when all of the Borrower Obligations
shall not have been irrevocably and indefeasibly paid in full in cash, any
Letter of Credit shall be outstanding or any of the Commitments are in effect,
such amount shall be held by such Guarantor in trust for the Secured Parties,
and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Guarantor, be turned over to the
Administrative Agent in the exact form received by such Guarantor (duly indorsed
by such Guarantor to the Administrative Agent, if required), to be applied
against the Borrower Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance
with Section 10.02(c) of the Credit Agreement.
Section
2.04 Guaranty Amendments, Etc.
with respect to the Borrower Obligations. Each Guarantor shall
remain obligated hereunder, and such Guarantor’s obligations hereunder shall not
be released, discharged or otherwise affected, notwithstanding that, without any
reservation of rights against any Guarantor and without notice to, demand upon
or further assent by any Guarantor (which notice, demand and assent requirements
are hereby expressly waived by such Guarantor): (a) any demand for
payment of any of the Borrower Obligations made by any Secured Party may be
rescinded by such Secured Party or otherwise and any of the Borrower Obligations
continued; (b)
the Borrower Obligations, the liability of any other Person upon or for any part
thereof or any collateral security or guarantee therefor or right of offset with
respect thereto, may, from time to time, in whole or in part, be renewed,
extended, amended, modified, accelerated, compromised, waived, surrendered or
released by, or any indulgence or forbearance in respect thereof granted by, any
Secured Party; (c) any Secured
Document may be amended, modified, supplemented or terminated, in whole or in
part, as the Secured Parties may deem advisable from time to time; (d) any collateral
security, guarantee or right of offset at any time held by any Secured Party for
the payment of the Borrower Obligations may be sold, exchanged, waived,
surrendered or released; (e) any additional
guarantors, makers or endorsers of the Borrower Obligations may from time to
time be obligated on the Borrower Obligations or any additional security or
collateral for the payment and performance of the Borrower Obligations may from
time to time secure the Borrower Obligations; or (f) any other event
shall occur which constitutes a defense or release of sureties
generally. No Secured Party shall have any obligation to protect,
secure, perfect or insure any Lien at any time held by it as security for the
Borrower Obligations or for the guarantee contained in this Article II or
any Property subject thereto.
-7-
Section
2.05 Waivers. Each
Guarantor hereby waives any and all notice of the creation, renewal, extension
or accrual of any of the Borrower Obligations and notice of or proof of reliance
by any Secured Party upon the guarantee contained in this Article II or
acceptance of the guarantee contained in this Article II; the Borrower
Obligations, and any of them, shall conclusively be deemed to have been created,
contracted or incurred, or renewed, extended, amended or waived, in reliance
upon the guarantee contained in this Article II and no notice of creation
of the Borrower Obligations or any extension of credit already or hereafter
contracted by or extended to the Borrower need be given to any Guarantor; and
all dealings between the Borrower and any of the Guarantors, on the one hand,
and the Secured Parties, on the other hand, likewise shall be conclusively
presumed to have been had or consummated in reliance upon the guarantee
contained in this Article II. Each Guarantor waives diligence,
presentment, protest, demand for payment and notice of default or nonpayment to
or upon the Borrower or any of the Guarantors with respect to the Borrower
Obligations.
Section
2.06 Guaranty Absolute and
Unconditional.
(a) Each
Guarantor understands and agrees that the guarantee contained in this
Article II is, and shall be construed as, a continuing, completed, absolute
and unconditional guarantee of payment, and each Guarantor hereby waives any
defense of a surety or guarantor or any other obligor on any obligations arising
in connection with or in respect of any of the following and hereby agrees that
its obligations hereunder shall not be discharged or otherwise affected as a
result of any of the following:
(i) the
invalidity or unenforceability of any Secured Document, any of the Borrower
Obligations or any other collateral security therefor or guarantee or right of
offset with respect thereto at any time or from time to time held by any Secured
Party;
(ii) any
defense, set-off or counterclaim (other than a defense of payment or
performance) which may at any time be available to or be asserted by the
Borrower or any other Person against any Secured Party;
(iii) the
insolvency, bankruptcy arrangement, reorganization, adjustment, composition,
liquidation, disability, dissolution or lack of power of the Borrower or any
other Guarantor or any other Person at any time liable for the payment of all or
part of the Obligations, including any discharge of, or bar or stay against
collecting, any Obligation (or any part of them or interest therein) in or as a
result of such proceeding;
(iv) any sale,
lease or transfer of any or all of the assets of the Borrower or any other
Guarantor, or any changes in the shareholders of the Borrower or any other
Guarantor;
(v) any
change in the corporate existence (including its constitution, laws, rules,
regulations or power), structure or ownership of any Grantor or in the
relationship between the Borrower and any Grantor;
(vi) the fact
that any Collateral or Lien contemplated or intended to be given, created or
granted as security for the repayment of the Obligations shall not be properly
perfected or created, or shall prove to be unenforceable or subordinate to any
other Lien, it being recognized and agreed by each of the Guarantors that it is
not entering into this Agreement in reliance on, or in contemplation of the
benefits of, the validity, enforceability, collectability or value of any of the
Collateral for the Obligations;
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(vii) the
absence of any attempt to collect the Obligations or any part of them from any
Grantor;
(viii) (A) any
Secured Party’s election, in any proceeding instituted under Chapter 11 of the
Bankruptcy Code, of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the Bankruptcy
Code; (B) any borrowing or grant of a Lien by the Borrower, as
debtor-in-possession, or extension of credit, under Section 364 of the
Bankruptcy Code; (C) the disallowance, under Section 502 of the Bankruptcy
Code, of all or any portion of any Secured Party’s claim (or claims) for
repayment of the Obligations; (D) any use of cash collateral under
Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code; (E) any agreement or stipulation as to
the provision of adequate protection in any bankruptcy proceeding; (F) the
avoidance of any Lien in favor of the Secured Parties or any of them for any
reason; or (G) failure by any Secured Party to file or enforce a claim against
the Borrower or its estate in any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding;
or
(ix) any other
circumstance or act whatsoever, including any action or omission of the type
described in Section 2.04 (with or without notice to or knowledge of the
Borrower or such Guarantor), which constitutes, or might be construed to
constitute, an equitable or legal discharge of the Borrower for the Borrower
Obligations, or of such Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this
Article II, in bankruptcy or in any other instance.
(b) When
making any demand hereunder or otherwise pursuing its rights and remedies
hereunder against any Guarantor, any Secured Party may, but shall be under no
obligation to, join or make a similar demand on or otherwise pursue or exhaust
such rights and remedies as it may have against the Borrower, any other
Guarantor or any other Person or against any collateral security or guarantee
for the Borrower Obligations or any right of offset with respect thereto, and
any failure by any Secured Party to make any such demand, to pursue such other
rights or remedies or to collect any payments from the Borrower, any other
Guarantor or any other Person or to realize upon any such collateral security or
guarantee or to exercise any such right of offset, or any release of the
Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or any such collateral
security, guarantee or right of offset, shall not relieve any Guarantor of any
obligation or liability hereunder, and shall not impair or affect the rights and
remedies, whether express, implied or available as a matter of law, of any
Secured Party against any Guarantor. For the purposes hereof “demand”
shall include the commencement and continuance of any legal
proceedings.
Section
2.07 Reinstatement. The
guarantee contained in this Article II shall continue to be effective, or
be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof,
of any of the Borrower Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or
returned by any Secured Party upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution,
liquidation or reorganization of the Borrower or any Guarantor, or upon or as a
result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or
trustee or similar officer for, the Borrower or any Guarantor or any substantial
part of its Property, or otherwise, all as though such payments had not been
made.
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Section
2.08 Payments. Each
Guarantor hereby guarantees that payments hereunder will be paid to the
Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, without
set-off, deduction or counterclaim, in U.S. dollars, in immediately available
funds, at the offices of the Administrative Agent specified in
Section 12.01 of the Credit Agreement (or from time to time designated in
accordance with the terms thereof).
ARTICLE
III
Grant
of Security Interest
Section
3.01 Grant of Security
Interest. Each Grantor hereby pledges, assigns and transfers
to the Administrative Agent, and hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for
the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a first priority continuing security
interest in, lien on and right of setoff against, all of the following Property
now owned or at any time hereafter acquired by such Grantor or in which such
Grantor now has or at any time in the future may acquire any right, title or
interest and whether now existing or hereafter coming into existence
(collectively, the “Collateral”), as
collateral security for the prompt and complete payment and performance when due
(whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of such Grantor’s
Obligations:
(a) all
Accounts;
(b) all
Chattel Paper (whether Tangible Chattel Paper or Electronic Chattel
Paper);
(c) all
Commercial Tort Claims (including, without limitation, with respect to the
matters set forth on Schedule 3);
(d) all
Contracts (except for any Contract that will terminate automatically upon the
grant of security interests hereunder, provided, however, that any such Contract
shall automatically cease to be excluded from the Collateral at such time as (i)
the prohibition of the creation of a Lien in such Contract is no longer in
effect or is rendered ineffective as a matter of law, (ii) the Grantors have
obtained the consent of the other parties to such Contract to the creation of a
Lien in such Contract (which consent, upon the request of the Administrative
Agent, Grantors will obtain), or (iii) the breach, default, event of default or
any other conditions otherwise giving rise to the exclusion of such Contract
from Collateral under this clause (d) shall cease to exist);
(e) all
Deposit Accounts other than payroll, withholding tax and other fiduciary Deposit
Accounts;
(f) all
Documents;
(g) all
Equipment;
(h) all
Fixtures;
(i) all
General Intangibles (including, without limitation, all rights in and under Swap
Agreements);
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(j) all
Instruments;
(k) all
Intellectual Property;
(l) all
Inventory;
(m) all
Securities Accounts and Investment Property;
(n) all
Letter-of-Credit Rights (whether or not the letter of credit is evidenced by a
writing);
(o) all other
Property not otherwise described above (except for any Property specifically
excluded from any defined term used in any clause of this section
above);
(p) all books
and records pertaining to the Collateral; and
(q) to the
extent not otherwise included, all Proceeds, Supporting Obligations and products
of any and all of the foregoing and all collateral security and guarantees given
by any Person with respect to any of the foregoing.
Section
3.02 Transfer of Pledged
Securities. All certificates or instruments representing or
evidencing the Pledged Securities shall be delivered to and held pursuant hereto
by the Administrative Agent or a Person designated by the Administrative Agent
and shall be in suitable form for transfer by delivery, or shall be accompanied
by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in blank, and accompanied
by any required transfer tax stamps to effect the pledge of the Pledged
Securities to the Administrative Agent. Notwithstanding the preceding
sentence, at the Administrative Agent’s discretion, all Pledged Securities must
be delivered or transferred in such manner as to permit the Administrative Agent
to be a “protected purchaser” to the extent of its security interest as provided
in Section 8.303 of the UCC (if the Administrative Agent otherwise
qualifies as a protected purchaser). During the continuance of an
Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall have the right, at any time in
its discretion and without notice, to transfer to or to register in the name of
the Administrative Agent or any of its nominees any or all of the Pledged
Securities, subject only to the revocable rights of the relevant Grantor
specified in Section 6.03. In addition, during the continuance of an
Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall have the right at any time to
exchange certificates or instruments representing or evidencing Pledged
Securities for certificates or instruments of smaller or larger
denominations.
ARTICLE
IV
Representations
and Warranties
To induce
the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into the Credit Agreement and
to induce the Lenders to make their respective loans to and extensions of credit
to the Borrower thereunder and to induce the Lenders (and their Affiliates) to
enter into Swap Agreements with the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, each Grantor
hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and each Lender
that:
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Section
4.01 Representations in Credit
Agreement. In the case of each Guarantor, the representations
and warranties set forth in Article VII of the Credit Agreement as they
relate to such Guarantor or to the Loan Documents to which such Guarantor is a
party, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference, are true and correct,
and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on each
of them, provided that each reference in each such representation and warranty
to the Borrower’s knowledge shall, for the purposes of this Section 4.01,
be deemed to be a reference to such Guarantor’s knowledge.
Section
4.02 Title; No Other
Liens. Except for the security interest granted to the
Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to
this Agreement and the other Liens permitted to exist on the Collateral by the
Credit Agreement, such Grantor owns each item of the Collateral free and clear
of any and all Liens or claims of others. No financing statement or
other public notice with respect to all or any part of the Collateral is on file
or of record in any public office, except such as have been filed in favor of
the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties,
pursuant to this Agreement or as are permitted by the Credit
Agreement. Schedule 7 is a complete list of any existing permitted
financing statements or other public notice with respect to all or any part of
the Collateral on the date hereof. For the avoidance of doubt, it is
understood and agreed that any Grantor may, as part of its business, grant
licenses to third parties to use Intellectual Property owned or developed by a
Grantor. For purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents,
such licensing activity shall not constitute a “Lien” on such Intellectual
Property. Each of the Administrative Agent and each Lender
understands that any such licenses may be exclusive to the applicable licensees,
and such exclusivity provisions may limit the ability of the Administrative
Agent to utilize, sell, lease or transfer the related Intellectual Property or
otherwise realize value from such Intellectual Property pursuant
hereto.
Section
4.03 Perfected First Priority
Liens. The security interests granted pursuant to this
Agreement (a)
upon completion of the filings and other actions specified on Schedule 3 (which,
in the case of all filings and other documents referred to on said Schedule,
have been delivered to the Administrative Agent in completed and duly executed
form, except for such filings and other documents to be delivered after the date
hereof pursuant to the Credit Agreement) will constitute valid
perfected security interests in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the
ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, as collateral security for such
Grantor’s Obligations, in all of the Collateral, enforceable in accordance with
the terms hereof against all creditors of such Grantor and any Persons
purporting to purchase any Collateral from such Grantor and (b) are prior to all
other Liens on the Collateral in existence on the date hereof subject only to
Liens permitted by Section 9.03 of the Credit Agreement.
Section
4.04 Grantor
Information. On the date hereof, the correct legal name of
such Grantor, all names and trade names that such Grantor has used in the last
five years, such Grantor’s jurisdiction of organization and each jurisdiction of
organization of such Grantor over the last five years, such Grantor’s
organizational number (if any), taxpayor identification number, and the
location(s) of such Grantor’s chief executive office or sole place of business
or principal residence, as the case may be, over the last five years are
specified on Schedule 4. The Administrative Agent has received a
certified charter, certificate of incorporation or other organization document
and good standing certificate as of a date which is recent to the date
hereof.
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Section
4.05 Inventory and
Equipment. On the date hereof, any Inventory and the Equipment
(other than mobile goods) are kept at the locations listed on Schedule
5.
Section
4.06 Deposit Accounts and
Securities Accounts. Schedule 8 correctly identifies all
Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts owned by each Grantor and institutions
holding such Deposit Accounts or Securities Accounts on the date
hereof.
Section
4.07 Farm
Products. None of the Collateral constitutes, or is the
Proceeds of, Farm Products.
Section
4.08 Investment
Property.
(a) The
Pledged Securities required to be pledged hereunder and under the Credit
Agreement by such Grantor on the date hereof are listed in Schedule
2. The shares of Pledged Securities pledged by such Grantor hereunder
constitute all the issued and outstanding shares of all classes of the Equity
Interests of each Issuer owned by such Grantor. All the shares of the
Pledged Securities have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable; and such Grantor is the record and beneficial owner of, and has
good and marketable title to, the Investment Property pledged by it hereunder,
free of any and all Liens or options in favor of, or claims of, any other
Person, except the security interest created by this Agreement and any Liens
permitted by Section 9.03 of the Credit Agreement, and has rights in or the
power to transfer the Investment Property in which a Lien is granted by it
hereunder, free and clear of any Lien other than Liens permitted by Section 9.03
of the Credit Agreement.
(b) There are
no restrictions on transfer (that have not been waived or otherwise consented
to) in the LLC Agreement governing any Pledged LLC Interest or the Partnership
Agreement governing any Pledged Partnership Interest or any other agreement
relating thereto which would limit or restrict: (i) the grant of a
security interest in the Pledged LLC Interests or the Pledged Partnership
Interests, (ii) the perfection of such security interest or (iii) the exercise
of remedies in respect of such perfected security interest in the Pledged LLC
Interests or the Pledged Partnership Interests, in each case, as contemplated by
this Agreement. Upon the exercise of remedies in respect of the
Pledged LLC Interests or the Pledged Partnership Interests, a transferee or
assignee of a membership interest or a partnership interest, as the case may be,
of such LLC or Partnership, as the case may be, shall become a member or
partner, as the case may be, of such LLC or Partnership, as the case may be,
entitled to participate in the management thereof and, upon the transfer of the
entire interest of such Grantor, such Grantor shall cease to be a member or
partner, as the case may be.
(c) Each of
the Pledged Notes constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the
obligor with respect thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject
to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization,
moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights
generally, general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair
dealing.
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Section
4.09 Receivables.
(a) No amount
payable to such Grantor under or in connection with any Receivable is evidenced
by any Instrument or Chattel Paper which has not been delivered to the
Administrative Agent.
(b) None of
the obligors on any Receivables is a Governmental Authority.
(c) The
amounts represented by such Grantor to the Lenders from time to time as owing to
such Grantor in respect of the Receivables will at such times be
accurate.
Section
4.10 Contracts.
(a) No
consent of any party (other than such Grantor) to any Contract is required, or
purports to be required, in connection with the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement, except as has been obtained.
(b) No
consent or authorization of, filing with or other act by or in respect of any
Governmental Authority is required in connection with the execution, delivery,
performance, validity or enforceability of any of the Contracts by any party
thereto other than those which have been duly obtained, made or performed, are
in full force and effect and do not subject the scope of any such Contract to
any material adverse limitation, either specific or general in
nature.
(c) Neither
such Grantor nor (to the best of such Grantor’s knowledge) any of the other
parties to the Contracts is in default in the performance or observance of any
of the terms thereof.
(d) The
right, title and interest of such Grantor in, to and under the Contracts are not
subject to any defenses, offsets, counterclaims or claims.
(e) Such
Grantor has delivered to the Administrative Agent a complete and correct copy of
each material Contract, including all amendments, supplements and other
modifications thereto.
(f) No amount
payable to such Grantor under or in connection with any Contract is evidenced by
any Instrument or Chattel Paper which has not been delivered to the
Administrative Agent.
(g) None of
the parties to any Contract is a Governmental Authority.
Section
4.11 Intellectual
Property.
(a) Schedule
6 lists all Intellectual Property owned by such Grantor in its own name on the
date hereof.
(b) On the
date hereof, all material Intellectual Property is valid, subsisting, unexpired
and enforceable, has not been abandoned and does not infringe the intellectual
property rights of any other Person.
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(c) Except as
set forth in Schedule 6, on the date hereof, none of the Intellectual Property
is the subject of any licensing or franchise agreement pursuant to which such
Grantor is the licensor or franchisor.
(d) No
holding, decision or judgment has been rendered by any Governmental Authority
which would limit, cancel or question the validity of, or such Grantor’s rights
in, any Intellectual Property in any respect that could reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(e) No action
or proceeding is pending, or, to the knowledge of such Grantor, threatened, on
the date hereof (i) seeking to limit, cancel or question the validity of any
Intellectual Property or such Grantor’s ownership interest therein, or (ii)
which, if adversely determined, would have a material adverse effect on the
value of any Intellectual Property.
Section
4.12 Commercial Tort
Claims.
(a) On the
date hereof, except to the extent listed in Schedule 3, no Grantor has rights in
any Commercial Tort Claim with potential value in excess of
$100,000.
(b) Upon the
filing of a financing statement covering any Commercial Tort Claim referred to
in Section 5.08 against such Grantor in the jurisdiction specified in Schedule
3, the security interest granted in such Commercial Tort Claim will constitute a
valid perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the
ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, as collateral security for such
Grantor’s Obligations, enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof against
all creditors of such Grantor and any Persons purporting to purchase such
Collateral from such Grantor, which security interest shall be prior to all
other Liens on such Collateral except for unrecorded liens permitted by the
Credit Agreement which have priority over the Liens on such Collateral by
operation of law.
Section
4.13 Benefit to the
Guarantors. The Borrower is a member of an affiliated group of
companies that includes such Grantor, and the Borrower and the other Grantors
are engaged in related businesses. Such Grantor may reasonably be
expected to benefit, directly or indirectly, from the Transactions; and such
Grantor has determined that this Agreement is convenient to the conduct,
promotion and attainment of the business of such Grantor.
ARTICLE
V
Covenants
Each
Grantor covenants and agrees with the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that,
from and after the date of this Agreement until the Borrower Obligations shall
have been irrevocably and indefeasibly paid in full in cash, no Letter of Credit
shall be outstanding and all of the Commitments shall have
terminated:
Section
5.01 Covenants and Events of
Default in Credit Agreement. Such Grantor shall take, or shall
refrain from taking, as the case may be, each action that is necessary to be
taken or not taken, as the case may be, by it so that no Default or Event of
Default is caused by the failure to take such action or to refrain from taking
such action by such Grantor.
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Section
5.02 Delivery of Instruments,
Certificated Securities and Chattel Paper. If any amount
payable under or in connection with any of the Collateral shall be or become
evidenced by any Instrument, Certificated Security or Chattel Paper, such
Instrument, Certificated Security or Chattel Paper shall be immediately
delivered to the Administrative Agent, duly indorsed in a manner satisfactory to
the Administrative Agent, to be held as Collateral pursuant to this
Agreement.
Section
5.03 Maintenance of Perfected
Security Interest; Further Documentation.
(a) Such
Grantor shall maintain the security interest created by this Agreement as a
perfected security interest having at least the priority described in Section
4.03 and shall defend such security interest against the claims and demands of
all Persons whomsoever (other than holders of Liens permitted by Section 9.03 of
the Credit Agreement), subject to the rights of such Grantor under the Loan
Documents to dispose of the Collateral.
(b) Such
Grantor will furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders from time to
time statements and schedules further identifying and describing the assets and
property of such Grantor and such other reports in connection therewith as the
Administrative Agent may reasonably request, all in reasonable
detail.
(c) At any
time and from time to time, upon the written request of the Administrative
Agent, and at the sole expense of such Grantor, such Grantor will promptly and
duly execute and deliver, and have recorded, such further instruments and
documents and take such further actions as the Administrative Agent may
reasonably request for the purpose of obtaining or preserving the full benefits
of this Agreement and of the rights and powers herein granted, including,
without limitation, (i) delivering certificated securities, (ii) filing any
financing or continuation statements under the UCC (or other similar laws) in
effect in any jurisdiction with respect to the security interests created hereby
and (iii) in the case of Investment Property, Securities Accounts, Deposit
Accounts, Letter-of-Credit Rights and any other relevant Collateral, taking any
actions reasonably necessary to enable the Administrative Agent to obtain
“control” (within the meaning of the applicable Uniform Commercial Code) with
respect thereto.
Section
5.04 Changes in Locations, Name,
Etc. Such Grantor recognizes that financing statements
pertaining to the Collateral have been or may be filed where such Grantor
maintains any Collateral or is organized. Without limitation of
Section 8.01(k) of the Credit Agreement or any other covenant herein, such
Grantor will not cause or permit any change in (a) its corporate
name or in any trade name used to identify it in the conduct of its business or
in the ownership of its Properties, (b) the location of
its chief executive office or principal place of business, (c) its identity or
corporate structure or its jurisdiction of organization or its organizational
identification number in such jurisdiction of organization or (d) its federal
taxpayer identification number, unless, in each case, such Grantor shall have
first (i)
notified the Administrative Agent of such change at least thirty (30) days prior
the effective date of such change and (ii) taken all action
reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent for the purpose of maintaining
the perfection and priority of the Administrative Agent’s security interest
under this Agreement. In any notice furnished pursuant to this
Section 5.04, such Grantor will expressly state in a conspicuous manner that the
notice is required by this Agreement and contains facts that may require
additional filings of financing statements or other notices for the purposes of
continuing perfection of the Administrative Agent’s security interest in the
Collateral. At the request of the Administrative Agent, on or prior
to the occurrence of such event, the Borrower will provide to the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders an opinion of counsel, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, to the effect that such event will not
impair the validity of the security interest hereunder, the perfection and
priority thereof, the enforceability of the Loan Documents, and such other
matters as may be requested by the Administrative Agent.
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Section
5.05 Notices. Such
Grantor will advise the Administrative Agent and the Lenders promptly, in
reasonable detail, of:
(a) any Lien
(other than security interests created hereby or Liens permitted under the
Credit Agreement) on any of the Collateral which would adversely affect the
ability of the Administrative Agent to exercise any of its remedies hereunder;
and
(b) of the
occurrence of any other event which could reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse effect on the aggregate value of the Collateral or on the
security interests created hereby.
Section
5.06 Investment
Property.
(a) If such
Grantor shall receive any certificate (including, without limitation, any
certificate representing a dividend or a distribution in connection with any
reclassification, increase or reduction of capital or any certificate issued in
connection with any reorganization), option or rights in respect of the Equity
Interests of any Issuer, whether in addition to, in substitution of, as a
conversion of, or in exchange for, any shares of the Pledged Securities, or
otherwise in respect thereof, such Grantor shall accept the same as the agent of
the Secured Parties, hold the same in trust for the Secured Parties, segregated
from other Property of such Grantor, and deliver the same forthwith to the
Administrative Agent in the exact form received, duly indorsed by such Grantor
to the Administrative Agent, if required, together with an undated stock power
covering such certificate duly executed in blank by such Grantor and with, if
the Administrative Agent so requests, signature guaranteed, to be held by the
Administrative Agent, subject to the terms hereof, as additional collateral
security for the Obligations. Any sums paid upon or in respect of the
Investment Property upon the liquidation or dissolution of any Issuer shall be
paid over to the Administrative Agent to be held by it hereunder as additional
collateral security for the Obligations, and in case any distribution of capital
shall be made on or in respect of the Investment Property or any property shall
be distributed upon or with respect to the Investment Property pursuant to the
recapitalization or reclassification of the capital of any Issuer or pursuant to
the reorganization thereof, the property so distributed shall, unless otherwise
subject to a perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent,
be delivered to the Administrative Agent to be held by it hereunder as
additional collateral security for the Obligations. If any sums of
money or property so paid or distributed in respect of the Investment Property
shall be received by such Grantor, such Grantor shall, until such money or
property is paid or delivered to the Administrative Agent, hold such money or
property in trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, segregated from
other funds of such Grantor, as additional collateral security for the
Obligations.
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(b) Without
the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such Grantor will not (i)
unless otherwise expressly permitted hereby or under the other Loan Documents,
vote to enable, or take any other action to permit, any Issuer to issue any
Equity Interests of any nature or to issue any other securities convertible into
or granting the right to purchase or exchange for any Equity Interests of any
nature of any Issuer, (ii) sell, assign, transfer, exchange, or otherwise
dispose of, or grant any option with respect to, the Investment Property or
Proceeds thereof (except pursuant to a transaction expressly permitted by the
Credit Agreement), (iii) create, incur or permit to exist any Lien or option in
favor of, or any claim of any Person with respect to, any of the Investment
Property or Proceeds thereof, or any interest therein, except for Liens
permitted by Section 9.03 of the Credit Agreement and the security interests
created by this Agreement or (iv) enter into any agreement or undertaking
restricting the right or ability of such Grantor or the Administrative Agent to
sell, assign or transfer any of the Investment Property or Proceeds
thereof.
(c) In the
case of each Grantor that is an Issuer, such Issuer agrees that (i) it will be
bound by the terms of this Agreement relating to the Investment Property issued
by it and will comply with such terms insofar as such terms are applicable to
it, (ii) it will notify the Administrative Agent promptly in writing of the
occurrence of any of the events described in Section 5.06(a) with
respect to the Investment Property issued by it and (iii) the terms of
Section
6.03(c) and Section 6.07 shall apply to it, mutatis
mutandis,
with respect to all actions that may be required of it pursuant to Section 6.03(c) or
Section
6.07 with respect to the
Investment Property issued by it. In the case of any Issuer that is
not a Grantor hereunder, such Grantor shall promptly cause such Issuer to
execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Acknowledgment and
Consent.
(d) In the
case of each Grantor that is a partner in a Partnership, such Grantor hereby
consents to the extent required by the applicable Partnership Agreement to the
pledge by each other Grantor, pursuant to the terms hereof, of the Pledged
Partnership Interests in such Partnership and to the transfer of such Pledged
Partnership Interests to the Administrative Agent or its nominee and to the
substitution of the Administrative Agent or its nominee as a substituted partner
in such Partnership with all the rights, powers and duties of a general partner
or a limited partner, as the case may be. In the case of each Grantor
that is a member of an LLC, such Grantor hereby consents to the extent required
by the applicable LLC Agreement to the pledge by each other Grantor, pursuant to
the terms hereof, of the Pledged LLC Interests in such LLC and to the transfer
of such Pledged LLC Interests to the Administrative Agent or its nominee and to
the substitution of the Administrative Agent or its nominee as a substituted
member of the LLC with all the rights, powers and duties of a member of such
LLC.
(e) Such
Grantor shall not agree to any amendment of a Partnership Agreement or an LLC
Agreement that (i) in any way adversely affects the perfection of the security
interest of the Administrative Agent in the Pledged Partnership Interests or
Pledged LLC Interests pledged by such Grantor hereunder or (ii) causes any
Partnership Agreement or LLC Agreement to include an election to treat the
membership interests or partnership interests of such Grantor as a security
under Section 8.103 of the UCC.
(f) Such
Grantor shall furnish to the Administrative Agent such stock or equity powers
and other instruments as may be required by the Administrative Agent to assure
the transferability of the Investment Property when and as often as may be
reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.
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(g) The
Pledged Securities set forth on Schedule 2 will at all times constitute not less
than 100% of the Equity Interests of the Issuer thereof owned by such
Grantor. Such Grantor will not permit any Issuer of any of the
Pledged Securities set forth on Schedule 2 to issue any new shares of any class
of Equity Interests of such Issuer without the prior written consent of the
Administrative Agent.
Section
5.07 Intellectual
Property.
(a) Such
Grantor (either itself or through licensees) will (i) continue to use each
material Trademark on each and every trademark class of goods applicable to its
current line as reflected in its current catalogs, brochures and price lists in
order to maintain such Trademark in full force free from any claim of
abandonment for non-use, (ii) maintain as in the past the quality of products
and services offered under such Trademark, (iii) use such Trademark with the
appropriate notice of registration and all other notices and legends required by
applicable Governmental Requirements, (iv) not adopt or use any xxxx which is
confusingly similar or a colorable imitation of such Trademark unless the
Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, shall
obtain a perfected security interest in such xxxx pursuant to this Agreement and
(v) not (and not permit any licensee or sublicensee thereof to) do any act or
knowingly omit to do any act whereby such Trademark may become invalidated or
impaired in any way.
(b) Such
Grantor (either itself or through licensees) will not do any act, or omit to do
any act, whereby any material Patent may become forfeited, abandoned or
dedicated to the public.
(c) Such
Grantor (either itself or through licensees) (i) will employ each material
Copyright and (ii) will not (and will not permit any licensee or sublicensee
thereof to) do any act or knowingly omit to do any act whereby any material
portion of the Copyrights may become invalidated or otherwise
impaired. Such Grantor will not (either itself or through licensees)
do any act whereby any material portion of the Copyrights may fall into the
public domain.
(d) Such
Grantor (either itself or through licensees) will not do any act that knowingly
uses any material Intellectual Property to infringe the intellectual property
rights of any other Person.
(e) Such
Grantor will notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders immediately if it
knows, or has reason to know, that any application or registration relating to
any material Intellectual Property may become forfeited, abandoned or dedicated
to the public, or of any adverse determination or development (including,
without limitation, the institution of, or any such determination or development
in, any proceeding in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United
States Copyright Office or any court or tribunal in any country) regarding such
Grantor’s ownership of, or the validity of, any material Intellectual Property
or such Grantor’s right to register the same or to own and maintain the
same.
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(f) Whenever
such Grantor, either by itself or through any agent, employee, licensee or
designee, shall file an application for the registration of any Intellectual
Property with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States
Copyright Office or any similar office or agency in any other country or any
political subdivision thereof, such Grantor shall report such filing to the
Administrative Agent within five Business Days after the last day of the fiscal
quarter in which such filing occurs. Upon request of the
Administrative Agent, such Grantor shall execute and deliver, and have recorded,
any and all agreements, instruments, documents, and papers as the Administrative
Agent may request to evidence the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’
security interest in any Copyright, Patent or Trademark and the goodwill and
General Intangibles of such Grantor relating thereto or represented
thereby.
(g) Such
Grantor will take all reasonable and necessary steps, including, without
limitation, in any proceeding before the United States Patent and Trademark
Office, the United States Copyright Office or any similar office or agency in
any other country or any political subdivision thereof, to maintain and pursue
each application (and to obtain the relevant registration) and to maintain each
registration of the material Intellectual Property, including, without
limitation, filing of applications for renewal, affidavits of use and affidavits
of incontestability.
(h) In the
event that any material Intellectual Property is infringed, misappropriated or
diluted by a third party, such Grantor shall (i) take such actions as such
Grantor shall reasonably deem appropriate under the circumstances to protect
such Intellectual Property and (ii) if such Intellectual Property is of material
economic value, promptly notify the Administrative Agent after it learns thereof
and xxx for infringement, misappropriation or dilution, to seek injunctive
relief where appropriate and to recover any and all damages for such
infringement, misappropriation or dilution.
Section
5.08 Commercial Tort
Claims. If such Grantor shall obtain an interest in any
Commercial Tort Claim with a potential value in excess of $100,000, such Grantor
shall, within 30 days of obtaining such interest, sign and deliver documentation
acceptable to the Administrative Agent granting a security interest under the
terms and provisions of this Agreement in and to such Commercial Tort
Claim.
ARTICLE
VI
Remedial
Provisions
Section
6.01 Certain Matters Relating to
Receivables.
(a) The
Administrative Agent shall have the right to make test verifications of the
Receivables in any manner and through any medium that it reasonably considers
advisable, and each Grantor shall furnish all such assistance and information as
the Administrative Agent may require in connection with such test
verifications. At any time and from time to time, upon the
Administrative Agent’s request and at the expense of the relevant Grantor, such
Grantor shall cause independent public accountants or others satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent to furnish to the Administrative Agent reports showing
reconciliations, aging and test verifications of, and trial balances for, the
Receivables.
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(b) The
Administrative Agent hereby authorizes each Grantor to collect such Grantor’s
Receivables and the Administrative Agent may curtail or terminate said authority
at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of
Default. If required by the Administrative Agent at any time after
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, any payments
of Receivables, when collected by any Grantor, (i) shall be forthwith (and, in
any event, within two Business Days) deposited by such Grantor in the exact form
received, duly indorsed by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent if required,
in a Collateral Account maintained under the sole dominion and control of the
Administrative Agent, subject to withdrawal by the Administrative Agent for the
account of the Lenders only as provided in Section 6.05 and (ii) until so turned
over, shall be held by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such Grantor. Each such
deposit of Proceeds of Receivables shall be accompanied by a report identifying
in reasonable detail the nature and source of the payments included in the
deposit.
(c) At the
Administrative Agent’s request, each Grantor shall deliver to the Administrative
Agent all original and other documents evidencing, and relating to, the
agreements and transactions which gave rise to the Receivables, including,
without limitation, all original orders, invoices and shipping
receipts.
Section
6.02 Communications with
Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable.
(a) The
Administrative Agent in its own name or in the name of others may at any time
communicate with obligors under the Receivables and parties to the Contracts to
verify with them to the Administrative Agent’s satisfaction the existence,
amount and terms of any Receivables.
(b) Upon the
request of the Administrative Agent at any time after the occurrence and during
the continuance of an Event of Default, each Grantor shall notify obligors on
the Receivables that the Receivables have been assigned to the Administrative
Agent for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties and that payments in
respect thereof shall be made directly to the Administrative Agent.
(c) Anything
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, each Grantor shall remain liable under
each of the Receivables to observe and perform all the conditions and
obligations to be observed and performed by it thereunder, all in accordance
with the terms of any agreement giving rise thereto. Neither the
Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation or liability under
any Receivable (or any agreement giving rise thereto) by reason of or arising
out of this Agreement or the receipt by the Administrative Agent or any Lender
of any payment relating thereto, nor shall the Administrative Agent or any
Lender be obligated in any manner to perform any of the obligations of any
Grantor under or pursuant to any Receivable (or any agreement giving rise
thereto), to make any payment, to make any inquiry as to the nature or the
sufficiency of any payment received by it or as to the sufficiency of any
performance by any party thereunder, to present or file any claim, to take any
action to enforce any performance or to collect the payment of any amounts which
may have been assigned to it or to which it may be entitled at any time or
times.
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Section
6.03 Pledged Securities.
(a) Unless an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Administrative
Agent shall have given notice to the relevant Grantor of the Administrative
Agent’s intent to exercise its corresponding rights pursuant to Section
6.03(b), each Grantor shall be
permitted to receive all cash dividends paid in respect of the Pledged
Securities and all payments made in respect of the Pledged Notes, in each case
paid in the normal course of business of the relevant Issuer and consistent with
past practice, to the extent permitted in the Credit Agreement, and to exercise
all voting and corporate or other organizational rights with respect to the
Investment Property; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or corporate
or other organizational right exercised or other action taken which would impair
the Collateral or which would be inconsistent with or result in any violation of
any provision of the Credit Agreement, this Agreement or any other Loan
Document.
(b) If an
Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and the Administrative Agent
shall give notice of its intent to exercise such rights to the relevant Grantor
or Grantors, (i) the Administrative Agent shall have the right to receive any
and all cash dividends, payments or other Proceeds paid in respect of the
Investment Property and make application thereof to the Obligations in such
order as the Administrative Agent may determine, and (ii) any or all of the
Investment Property shall be registered in the name of the Administrative Agent
or its nominee, and the Administrative Agent or its nominee may thereafter
exercise (A) all voting, corporate and other rights pertaining to such
Investment Property at any meeting of shareholders of the relevant Issuer or
Issuers or otherwise and (B) any and all rights of conversion, exchange and
subscription and any other rights, privileges or options pertaining to such
Investment Property as if it were the absolute owner thereof (including, without
limitation, the right to exchange at its discretion any and all of the
Investment Property upon the merger, consolidation, reorganization,
recapitalization or other fundamental change in the corporate or other
organizational structure of any Issuer, or upon the exercise by any Grantor or
the Administrative Agent of any right, privilege or option pertaining to such
Investment Property, and in connection therewith, the right to deposit and
deliver any and all of the Investment Property with any committee, depositary,
transfer agent, registrar or other designated agency upon such terms and
conditions as the Administrative Agent may determine), all without liability
except to account for property actually received by it, but the Administrative
Agent shall have no duty to any Grantor to exercise any such right, privilege or
option and shall not be responsible for any failure to do so or delay in so
doing.
(c) Each
Grantor hereby authorizes and instructs each Issuer of any Investment Property
pledged by such Grantor hereunder to (i) comply with any instruction received by
it from the Administrative Agent in writing that (A) states that an Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing and (B) is otherwise in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement, without any other or further instructions from such
Grantor, and each Grantor agrees that each Issuer shall be fully protected in so
complying, and (ii) unless otherwise expressly permitted hereby, pay any
dividends or other payments with respect to the Investment Property directly to
the Administrative Agent.
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Section
6.04 Proceeds to be Turned Over
to Administrative Agent. In addition to the rights of the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders specified in Section 6.01 with respect to
payments of Receivables, if an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing,
all Proceeds received by any Grantor consisting of cash, checks and other
near-cash items shall be held by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such Grantor, and shall,
forthwith upon receipt by such Grantor, be turned over to the Administrative
Agent in the exact form received by such Grantor (duly indorsed by such Grantor
to the Administrative Agent, if required). All Proceeds received by
the Administrative Agent hereunder shall be held by the Administrative Agent in
a Collateral Account maintained under its sole dominion and
control. All Proceeds while held by the Administrative Agent in a
Collateral Account (or by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders) shall continue to be held as collateral security for all the
Obligations and shall not constitute payment thereof until applied as provided
in Section 6.05.
Section
6.05 Application of
Proceeds. At such intervals as may be agreed upon by the
Borrower and the Administrative Agent, or, if an Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing, at any time at the Administrative Agent’s election,
the Administrative Agent may apply all or any part of Proceeds constituting
Collateral, whether or not held in any Collateral Account, and any proceeds of
the guarantee set forth in Article II, in payment of the Obligations in
accordance with Section 10.02(c) of the Credit
Agreement.
Section
6.06 Code and Other
Remedies.
(a) If an
Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the Administrative Agent, on
behalf of the Secured Parties, may exercise, in addition to all other rights and
remedies granted to them in this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and in any
other instrument or agreement securing, evidencing or relating to the
Obligations, all rights and remedies of a secured party under the UCC or any
other applicable law or otherwise available at law or equity. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent, without
demand of performance or other demand, presentment, protest, advertisement or
notice of any kind (except any notice required by law referred to below) to or
upon any Grantor or any other Person (all and each of which demands, defenses,
advertisements and notices are hereby waived), may in such circumstances
forthwith collect, receive, appropriate and realize upon the Collateral, or any
part thereof, and/or may forthwith sell, lease, assign, give option or options
to purchase, or otherwise dispose of and deliver the Collateral or any part
thereof (or contract to do any of the foregoing), in one or more parcels at
public or private sale or sales, at any exchange, broker’s board or office of
any Secured Party or elsewhere upon such terms and conditions as it may deem
advisable and at such prices as it may deem best, for cash or on credit or for
future delivery without assumption of any credit risk. Any Secured
Party shall have the right upon any such public sale or sales, and, to the
extent permitted by law, upon any such private sale or sales, to purchase the
whole or any part of the Collateral so sold, free of any right or equity of
redemption in any Grantor, which right or equity is hereby waived and
released. Each Grantor further agrees, at the Administrative Agent’s
request, to assemble the Collateral and make it available to the Administrative
Agent at places which the Administrative Agent shall reasonably select, whether
at such Grantor’s premises or elsewhere. Any such sale or transfer by
the Administrative Agent either to itself or to any other Person shall be
absolutely free from any claim of right by any Grantor, including any equity or
right of redemption, stay or appraisal which any Grantor has or may have under
any rule of law, regulation or statute now existing or hereafter adopted (and
each Grantor hereby waives any rights it may have in respect
thereof).
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Upon any
such sale or transfer, the Administrative Agent shall have the right to deliver,
assign and transfer to the purchaser or transferee thereof the Collateral so
sold or transferred. The Administrative Agent shall apply the net
proceeds of any action taken by it pursuant to this Section 6.06, after
deducting all reasonable costs and expenses of every kind incurred in connection
therewith or incidental to the care or safekeeping of any of the Collateral or
in any way relating to the Collateral or the rights of the Administrative Agent
and the Secured Parties hereunder, including, without limitation, reasonable
attorneys’ fees and disbursements, to the payment in whole or in part of the
Obligations, in accordance with Section 10.02(c) of the Credit Agreement,
and only after such application and after the payment by the Administrative
Agent of any other amount required by any provision of law, including, without
limitation, Section 9.615(a)(3) of the UCC, need the Administrative Agent
account for the surplus, if any, to any Grantor. To the extent
permitted by applicable law, each Grantor waives all claims, damages and demands
it may acquire against the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party arising out
of the exercise by them of any rights hereunder except to the extent caused by
the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent or such
Secured Party or their respective agents. If any notice of a proposed
sale or other disposition of Collateral shall be required by law, such notice
shall be deemed reasonable and proper if given at least 10 days before such sale
or other disposition.
(b) In the
event that the Administrative Agent elects not to sell the Collateral, the
Administrative Agent retains its rights to dispose of or utilize the Collateral
or any part or parts thereof in any manner authorized or permitted by law or in
equity, and to apply the proceeds of the same towards payment of the
Obligations. Each and every method of disposition of the Collateral
described in this Agreement shall constitute disposition in a commercially
reasonable manner. Without limitation of the foregoing, any
disposition involving three (3) or more bidders that are “accredited investors”
(within the meaning of the Securities Act) shall constitute disposition in a
commercially reasonable manner.
(c) The
Administrative Agent may appoint any Person as agent to perform any act or acts
necessary or incident to any sale or transfer of the Collateral.
Section
6.07 Registration
Rights.
(a) If the
Administrative Agent shall determine to exercise its right to sell any or all of
the Pledged Securities pursuant to Section 6.06, and if in the opinion of the
Administrative Agent it is necessary or advisable to have the Pledged
Securities, or that portion thereof to be sold, registered under the provisions
of the Securities Act, the relevant Grantor will cause the Issuer thereof to (i)
execute and deliver, and cause the directors and officers of such Issuer to
execute and deliver, all such instruments and documents, and do or cause to be
done all such other acts as may be, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent,
necessary or advisable to register the Pledged Securities, or that portion
thereof to be sold, under the provisions of the Securities Act, (ii) use its
best efforts to cause the registration statement relating thereto to become
effective and to remain effective for a period of one year from the date of the
first public offering of the Pledged Securities, or that portion thereof to be
sold and (iii) make all amendments thereto and/or to the related prospectus
which are reasonably necessary or advisable, all in conformity with the
requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission applicable thereto. Each Grantor
agrees to cause such Issuer to comply with the provisions of the securities or
“Blue Sky” laws of any and all jurisdictions which the Administrative Agent
shall designate and to make available to its security holders, as soon as
practicable, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) which will
satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.
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(b) Each
Grantor recognizes that the Administrative Agent may be unable to effect a
public sale of any or all the Pledged Securities, by reason of certain
prohibitions contained in the Securities Act and applicable state securities
laws or otherwise, or may determine that a public sale is
impracticable or not commercially reasonable, and, accordingly, may resort to
one or more private sales thereof to a restricted group of purchasers which will
be obliged to agree, among other things, to acquire such securities for their
own account for investment and not with a view to the distribution or resale
thereof. Each Grantor acknowledges and agrees that any such private
sale may result in prices and other terms less favorable than if such sale were
a public sale and, notwithstanding such circumstances, agrees that any such
private sale shall be deemed to have been made in a commercially reasonable
manner. The Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to
delay a sale of any of the Pledged Securities for the period of time necessary
to permit the Issuer thereof to register such securities for public sale under
the Securities Act, or under applicable state securities laws, even if such
Issuer would agree to do so.
(c) Each
Grantor agrees to use its best efforts to do or cause to be done all such other
acts as may be necessary to make such sale or sales of all or any portion of the
Pledged Securities pursuant to this Section 6.07 valid and binding and in
compliance with any and all other applicable Governmental
Requirements. Each Grantor further agrees that a breach of any of the
covenants contained in this Section 6.07 will cause irreparable injury to the
Secured Parties, that the Secured Parties have no adequate remedy at law in
respect of such breach and, as a consequence, that each and every covenant
contained in this Section 6.07 shall be specifically enforceable against such
Grantor, and such Grantor hereby waives and agrees not to assert any defenses
against an action for specific performance of such covenants except for a
defense that no Event of Default has occurred under the Credit
Agreement.
Section
6.08 Waiver;
Deficiency. Each Grantor waives and agrees not to assert any
rights or privileges which it may acquire under the UCC. Each Grantor
shall remain liable for any deficiency if the proceeds of any sale or other
disposition of the Collateral are insufficient to pay its Obligations and the
reasonable fees and disbursements of any attorneys employed by the
Administrative Agent or any Secured Party to collect such
deficiency.
Section
6.09 Non-Judicial
Enforcement. The Administrative Agent may enforce its rights
hereunder without prior judicial process or judicial hearing, and to the extent
permitted by law, each Grantor expressly waives any and all legal rights which
might otherwise require the Administrative Agent to enforce its rights by
judicial process.
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ARTICLE
VII
The
Administrative Agent
Section
7.01 Administrative Agent’s
Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact, Etc.
(a) Each
Grantor hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Administrative Agent and
any officer or agent thereof, with full power of substitution, as its true and
lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in the place
and stead of such Grantor and in the name of such Grantor or in its own name,
for the purpose of carrying out the terms of this Agreement, to take any and all
appropriate action and to execute any and all documents and instruments which
may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of this Agreement, and,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Grantor hereby gives the
Administrative Agent the power and right, on behalf of such Grantor, without
notice to or assent by such Grantor, to do any or all of the
following:
(i) in the
name of such Grantor or its own name, or otherwise, take possession of and
indorse and collect any checks, drafts, notes, acceptances or other instruments
for the payment of moneys due under any Receivable or with respect to any other
Collateral and file any claim or take any other action or proceeding in any
court of law or equity or otherwise deemed appropriate by the Administrative
Agent for the purpose of collecting any and all such moneys due under any
Receivable or with respect to any other Collateral whenever
payable;
(ii) in the
case of any Intellectual Property, execute and deliver, and have recorded, any
and all agreements, instruments, documents and papers as the Administrative
Agent may request to evidence the Administrative Agent’s and the Secured
Parties’ security interest in such Intellectual Property and the goodwill and
general intangibles of such Grantor relating thereto or represented
thereby;
(iii) pay or
discharge Taxes and Liens levied or placed on or threatened against the
Collateral, effect any repairs or any insurance called for by the terms of this
Agreement or any other Loan Document and pay all or any part of the premiums
therefor and the costs thereof;
(iv) execute,
in connection with any sale provided for in Section 6.06 or Section 6.07, any
indorsements, assignments or other instruments of conveyance or transfer with
respect to the Collateral; and
(v) (A)
direct any party liable for any payment under any of the Collateral to make
payment of any and all moneys due or to become due thereunder directly to the
Administrative Agent or as the Administrative Agent shall direct; (B) ask or
demand for, collect, and receive payment of and receipt for, any and all moneys,
claims and other amounts due or to become due at any time in respect of or
arising out of any Collateral; (C) sign and indorse any invoices, freight or
express bills, bills of lading, storage or warehouse receipts, drafts against
debtors, assignments, verifications, notices and other documents in connection
with any of the Collateral; (D) in the name of such Grantor, or in its own name,
or otherwise, commence and prosecute any suits, actions or proceedings at law or
in equity in any court of competent jurisdiction to collect the Collateral or
any portion thereof and to enforce any other right in respect of any Collateral;
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(E)
defend any suit, action or proceeding brought against such Grantor with respect
to any Collateral; (F) settle, compromise or adjust any such suit, action or
proceeding and, in connection therewith, give such discharges or releases as the
Administrative Agent may deem appropriate; (G) assign any Copyright, Patent or
Trademark (along with the goodwill of the business to which any such Copyright,
Patent or Trademark pertains), throughout the world for such term or terms, on
such conditions, and in such manner, as the Administrative Agent shall in its
sole discretion determine; and (H) generally, sell, transfer, pledge and make
any agreement with respect to or otherwise deal with any of the Collateral as
fully and completely as though the Administrative Agent were the absolute owner
thereof for all purposes, and do, at the Administrative Agent’s option and such
Grantor’s expense, at any time, or from time to time, all acts and things which
the Administrative Agent deems necessary to protect, preserve or realize upon
the Collateral and the Administrative Agent’s and the Secured Parties’ security
interests therein and to effect the intent of this Agreement, all as fully and
effectively as such Grantor might do.
Anything
in this Section 7.01(a) to the contrary notwithstanding, the Administrative
Agent agrees that it will not exercise any rights under the power of attorney
provided for in this Section 7.01(a) unless an Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing.
(b) If any
Grantor fails to perform or comply with any of its agreements contained herein,
the Administrative Agent, at its option, but without any obligation so to do,
may perform or comply, or otherwise cause performance or compliance, with such
agreement.
(c) The
expenses of the Administrative Agent incurred in connection with actions
undertaken as provided in this Section 7.01, together with interest thereon at
the post-default rate specified in Section 3.02(c) of the Credit Agreement, but
in no event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate, from the date of payment by the
Administrative Agent to the date reimbursed by the relevant Grantor, shall be
payable by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent on demand.
(d) Each
Grantor hereby ratifies all that said attorneys shall lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof. All powers, authorizations and agencies
contained in this Agreement are coupled with an interest and are irrevocable
until this Agreement is terminated and the security interests created hereby are
released.
Section
7.02 Duty of Administrative
Agent. The Administrative Agent’s sole duty with respect to
the custody, safekeeping and physical preservation of the Collateral in its
possession, under Section 9.207 of the UCC or otherwise, shall be to deal with
it in the same manner as the Administrative Agent deals with similar Property
for its own account, and the Administrative Agent shall be deemed to have
exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of the Collateral in
its possession if the Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to
that which comparable secured parties accord comparable
collateral. Neither the Administrative Agent, any Secured Party nor
any of their Related Parties shall be liable for failure to demand, collect or
realize upon any of the Collateral or for any delay in doing so or shall be
under any obligation to sell or otherwise dispose of any Collateral upon the
request of any Grantor or any other Person or to take any other action
whatsoever with regard to the Collateral or any part thereof.
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The
powers conferred on the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties hereunder
are solely to protect the Administrative Agent’s and the Secured Parties’
interests in the Collateral and shall not impose any duty upon the
Administrative Agent or any Secured Party to exercise any such
powers. The Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties shall be
accountable only for amounts that they actually receive as a result of the
exercise of such powers, and neither they nor any of their Related Parties shall
be responsible to any Grantor for any act or failure to act hereunder, except
for their own gross negligence or willful misconduct. To the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law, the Administrative Agent shall be under no
duty whatsoever to make or give any presentment, notice of dishonor, protest,
demand for performance, notice of non-performance, notice of intent to
accelerate, notice of acceleration, or other notice or demand in connection with
any Collateral or the Obligations, or to take any steps necessary to preserve
any rights against any Grantor or other Person or ascertaining or taking action
with respect to calls, conversions, exchanges, maturities, tenders or other
matters relative to any Collateral, whether or not it has or is deemed to have
knowledge of such matters. Each Grantor, to the extent permitted by
applicable law, waives any right of marshaling in respect of any and all
Collateral, and waives any right to require the Administrative Agent or any
Secured Party to proceed against any Grantor or other Person, exhaust any
Collateral or enforce any other remedy which the Administrative Agent or any
Secured Party now has or may hereafter have against any Grantor or other
Person.
Section
7.03 Execution of Financing
Statements. Pursuant to the UCC and any other applicable law,
each Grantor authorizes the Administrative Agent to file or record financing
statements and other filing or recording documents or instruments with respect
to the Collateral without the signature of such Grantor in such form and in such
offices as the Administrative Agent determines appropriate to perfect the
security interests of the Administrative Agent under this
Agreement. A photographic or other reproduction of this Agreement
shall be sufficient as a financing statement or other filing or recording
document or instrument for filing or recording in any
jurisdiction. Each Grantor authorizes the Administrative Agent to use
the collateral description “all personal property” or “all assets” in any such
financing statements. Each Grantor hereby ratifies and authorizes the
filing by the Administrative Agent of any financing statement with respect to
the Collateral made prior to the date hereof.
Section
7.04 Authority of Administrative
Agent. Each Grantor acknowledges that the rights and
responsibilities of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement with respect
to any action taken by the Administrative Agent or the exercise or non-exercise
by the Administrative Agent of any option, voting right, request, judgment or
other right or remedy provided for herein or resulting or arising out of this
Agreement shall, as between the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties, be
governed by the Credit Agreement and by such other agreements with respect
thereto as may exist from time to time among them, but, as between the
Administrative Agent and the Grantors, the Administrative Agent shall be
conclusively presumed to be acting as agent for the Secured Parties with full
and valid authority so to act or refrain from acting, and no Grantor shall be
under any obligation, or entitlement, to make any inquiry respecting such
authority.
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ARTICLE
VIII
Subordination
of Indebtedness
Section
8.01 Subordination of All Grantor
Claims. As used herein, the term “Grantor Claims” shall
mean all debts and obligations of the Borrower or any other Grantor to any other
Grantor, whether such debts and obligations now exist or are hereafter incurred
or arise, or whether the obligation of the debtor thereon be direct, contingent,
primary, secondary, several, joint and several, or otherwise, and irrespective
of whether such debts or obligations be evidenced by note, contract, open
account, or otherwise, and irrespective of the Person or Persons in whose favor
such debts or obligations may, at their inception, have been, or may hereafter
be created, or the manner in which they have been or may hereafter be acquired
by. After and during the continuation of an Event of Default, no
Grantor shall receive or collect, directly or indirectly, from any obligor in
respect thereof any amount upon the Grantor Claims.
Section
8.02 Claims in
Bankruptcy. In the event of receivership, bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, debtor’s relief, or other insolvency proceedings
involving any Grantor, the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Administrative
Agent and the Secured Parties shall have the right to prove their claim in any
proceeding, so as to establish their rights hereunder and receive directly from
the receiver, trustee or other court custodian, dividends and payments which
would otherwise be payable upon Grantor Claims. Each Grantor hereby
assigns such dividends and payments to the Administrative Agent for the benefit
of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties for application against the
Borrower Obligations as provided under Section 10.02(c) of the Credit
Agreement. Should the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party
receive, for application upon the Obligations, any such dividend or payment
which is otherwise payable to any Grantor, and which, as between such Grantors,
shall constitute a credit upon the Grantor Claims, then upon irrevocable and
indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Borrower Obligations, the expiration
of all Letters of Credit outstanding under the Credit Agreement and the
termination of all of the Commitments, the intended recipient shall become
subrogated to the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties to
the extent that such payments to the Administrative Agent and the Secured
Parties on the Grantor Claims have contributed toward the liquidation of the
Obligations, and such subrogation shall be with respect to that proportion of
the Obligations which would have been unpaid if the Administrative Agent and the
Secured Parties had not received dividends or payments upon the Grantor
Claims.
Section
8.03 Payments Held in
Trust. In the event that, notwithstanding Section 8.01 and
Section 8.02, any Grantor should receive any fund, payment, claim or
distribution which is prohibited by such Sections, then it agrees: (a) to hold in trust
for the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties an amount equal to the
amount of all funds, payments, claims or distributions so received and (b) that it shall
have absolutely no dominion over the amount of such funds, payments, claims or
distributions except to pay them promptly to the Administrative Agent, for the
benefit of the Secured Parties; and each Grantor covenants promptly to pay the
same to the Administrative Agent.
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Section
8.04 Liens
Subordinate. Each Grantor agrees that, until the Borrower
Obligations are irrevocably and indefeasibly paid in full in cash, no Letter of
Credit shall be outstanding and the termination of all of the Commitments, any
Liens securing payment of the Grantor Claims shall be and remain inferior and
subordinate to any Liens securing payment of the Obligations, regardless of
whether such encumbrances in favor of such Grantor, the Administrative Agent or
any Secured Party presently exist or are hereafter created or
attach. Without the prior written consent of the Administrative
Agent, no Grantor, during the period in which any of the Borrower Obligations
are outstanding or the Commitments are in effect, shall (a) exercise or
enforce any creditor’s right it may have against any debtor in respect of the
Grantor Claims or (b) foreclose,
repossess, sequester or otherwise take steps or institute any action or
proceeding (judicial or otherwise, including without limitation the commencement
of or joinder in any liquidation, bankruptcy, rearrangement, debtor’s relief or
insolvency proceeding) to enforce any Lien held by it.
Section
8.05 Notation of
Records. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent, all
promissory notes and all accounts receivable ledgers or other evidence of the
Grantor Claims accepted by or held by any Grantor shall contain a specific
written notice thereon that the indebtedness evidenced thereby is subordinated
under the terms of this Agreement.
ARTICLE
IX
Miscellaneous
Section
9.01 No Waiver by Course of
Conduct; Cumulative Remedies. Neither the Administrative Agent
nor any Secured Party shall by any act (except by a written instrument pursuant
to Section 9.04), delay, indulgence, omission or otherwise be deemed to have
waived any right or remedy hereunder or to have acquiesced in any Default or
Event of Default. No failure to exercise, nor any delay in
exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party, and no
course of dealing with respect to, any right, power or privilege hereunder, or
any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such right, power or
privilege, shall operate as a waiver thereof. No single or partial
exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder shall preclude any other or
further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or
privilege. A waiver by the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party
of any right or remedy hereunder on any one occasion shall not be construed as a
bar to any right or remedy which the Administrative Agent or such Secured Party
would otherwise have on any future occasion. The rights and remedies
herein provided are cumulative, may be exercised singly or concurrently and are
not exclusive of any other rights or remedies provided by law or
equity.
Section
9.02 Notices. All
notices and other communications provided for herein shall be given in the
manner and subject to the terms of Section 12.01 of the Credit Agreement;
provided that any such notice, request or demand to or upon any Guarantor shall
be addressed to such Guarantor at its notice address set forth on Schedule
1.
Section
9.03 Enforcement Expenses;
Indemnities.
(a) Each
Guarantor agrees to pay or reimburse each Secured Party and the Administrative
Agent for all its costs and expenses incurred in collecting against such
Guarantor under the guarantee contained in Article II or otherwise enforcing or
preserving any rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which
such Guarantor is a party, including, without limitation, the fees and
disbursements of counsel (including the allocated fees and expenses of in-house
counsel) to each Secured Party and of counsel to the Administrative
Agent.
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(b) Each
Guarantor agrees to pay, and to save the Administrative Agent and the Secured
Parties harmless from, any and all liabilities with respect to, or resulting
from any delay in paying, any and all Other Taxes which may be payable or
determined to be payable with respect to any of the Collateral or in connection
with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(c) Each
Guarantor agrees to pay, and to save the Administrative Agent and the Secured
Parties harmless from, any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages,
penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any
kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the execution, delivery, enforcement,
performance and administration of this Agreement to the extent the Borrower
would be required to do so pursuant to Section 12.03 of the Credit
Agreement.
(d) The
agreements in this Section 9.03 shall survive repayment of the Obligations
and all other amounts payable under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan
Documents.
Section
9.04 Amendments in
Writing. None of the terms or provisions of this Agreement may
be waived, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified except in accordance with
Section 12.02 of the Credit Agreement.
Section
9.05 Successors and
Assigns. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding
upon the Grantors and their successors and assigns and shall inure to the
benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties and their respective
successors and assigns; provided that no Grantor may assign, transfer or
delegate any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior
written consent of the Administrative Agent, and any such purported assignment,
transfer or delegation shall be null and void.
Section
9.06 Survival; Revival;
Reinstatement.
(a) All
covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by any Grantor herein
and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or
pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which it is a party
shall be considered to have been relied upon by the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any
investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding
that the Administrative Agent, the other agents, the Issuing Bank or any Lender
may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or
warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in
full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any
Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under the Credit Agreement is
outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the
Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of
Section 9.03 shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless
of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of
the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the
Commitments or the termination of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any
provision hereof or thereof.
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(b) To the
extent that any payments on the Obligations or proceeds of any Collateral are
subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside
or required to be repaid to a trustee, debtor in possession, receiver or other
Person under any bankruptcy law, common law or equitable cause, then to such
extent, the Obligations so satisfied shall be revived and continue as if such
payment or proceeds had not been received and the Administrative Agent’s and the
Secured Parties’ Liens, security interests, rights, powers and remedies under
this Agreement and each other Loan Document shall continue in full force and
effect. In such event, each Loan Document shall be automatically
reinstated and the Borrower shall take such action as may be reasonably
requested by the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties to effect such
reinstatement.
Section
9.07 Counterparts; Integration;
Effectiveness.
(a) This
Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts (and by different parties
hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original,
but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single
contract.
(b) This
Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with
respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire
contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and
supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written,
relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN
DOCUMENTS (OTHER THAN THE LETTERS OF CREDIT AND THE LETTER OF CREDIT AGREEMENTS)
REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO AND THERETO AND MAY NOT
BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL
AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS
BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
(c) This
Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the
Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received
counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of
the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of the parties hereto, the Lenders and their respective successors and
assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of
this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed
counterpart of this Agreement.
Section
9.08 Severability. Any
provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document held to be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be
ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability
without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions hereof or thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a
particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other
jurisdiction.
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Section
9.09 Set-Off. If
an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each
of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time,
without notice to such Person or any other Grantor, any such notice being
expressly waived by each Grantor, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set
off and appropriate and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or
demand, provisional or final), in any currency, and any other credits,
indebtedness, claims or obligations (of whatsoever kind, including, without
limitations obligations under Swap Agreements), in any currency, whether direct
or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or
owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any
Grantor against any of and all the obligations and liabilities of the Grantor
owed to such Lender now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other
Loan Document, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any
demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such
obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this
Section 9.09 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other
rights of setoff) which such Lender or its Affiliates may have.
Section
9.10 Governing Law; Submission to
Jurisdiction;
Waiver of Jury Trial.
(a) THIS
AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF
THE STATE OF TEXAS.
(b) ANY LEGAL
ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT
MAY BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS OR OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, AND, BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF
THIS AGREEMENT, EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY ACCEPTS FOR ITSELF AND (TO THE EXTENT
PERMITTED BY LAW) IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, GENERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY, THE
JURISDICTION OF THE AFORESAID COURTS. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY
WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING
OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR
HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH
RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS. THIS SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION IS
NON-EXCLUSIVE AND DOES NOT PRECLUDE A PARTY FROM OBTAINING JURISDICTION OVER
ANOTHER PARTY IN ANY COURT OTHERWISE HAVING JURISDICTION.
(c) EACH
PARTY IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO THE SERVICE OF PROCESS OF ANY OF THE
AFOREMENTIONED COURTS IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY THE MAILING OF COPIES
THEREOF BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL, POSTAGE PREPAID, TO IT AT THE ADDRESS
SPECIFIED IN SECTION 12.01 OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT (OR SUCH OTHER ADDRESS
AS IS SPECIFIED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12.01 OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT) OR
SCHEDULE 1 HERETO, AS APPLICABLE, SUCH SERVICE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE THIRTY (30)
DAYS AFTER SUCH MAILING. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF A
PARTY OR ANY HOLDER OF A NOTE TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY
LAW OR TO COMMENCE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS OR OTHERWISE PROCEED AGAINST ANOTHER PARTY
IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.
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(d) EACH
PARTY HEREBY (i) IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT
PERMITTED BY LAW, TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO
THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN; (ii)
IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY LAW, ANY RIGHT IT
MAY HAVE TO CLAIM OR RECOVER IN ANY SUCH LITIGATION ANY SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY,
PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES OTHER THAN, OR IN ADDITION TO,
ACTUAL DAMAGES; (iii) CERTIFIES THAT NO PARTY HERETO NOR ANY REPRESENTATIVE OR
AGENT OF COUNSEL FOR ANY PARTY HERETO HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE,
OR IMPLIED THAT SUCH PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO
ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVERS AND (IV) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO
ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT, THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND THE TRANSACTIONS
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND
CERTIFICATIONS CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION 9.10.
Section
9.11 Headings. Article
and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience
of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the
construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this
Agreement.
Section
9.12 Acknowledgments. Each
Grantor hereby acknowledges that:
(a) it has
been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party;
(b) neither
the Administrative Agent nor any Secured Party has any fiduciary relationship
with or duty to any Grantor arising out of or in connection with this Agreement
or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship between the Grantors,
on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and Secured Parties, on the other
hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor;
and
(c) no joint
venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents or otherwise exists by
virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Secured Parties or
among the Grantors and the Secured Parties.
(d) Each of
the parties hereto specifically agrees that it has a duty to read this
Agreement, the Security Instruments and the other Loan Documents and agrees that
it is charged with notice and knowledge of the terms of this Agreement, the
Security Instruments and the other Loan Documents; that it has in fact read this
Agreement, the Security Instruments and the other Loan Documents and is fully
informed and has full notice and knowledge of the terms, conditions and effects
thereof; that it has been represented by independent legal counsel of its choice
throughout the negotiations preceding its execution of this Agreement and the
Security Instruments; and has received the advice of its attorney in entering
into this Agreement and the Security Instruments; and that it recognizes that
certain of the terms of this Agreement and the Security Instruments result in
one party assuming the liability inherent in some aspects of the transaction and
relieving the other party of its responsibility for such
liability. EACH
PARTY HERETO AGREES AND COVENANTS THAT IT WILL NOT CONTEST THE VALIDITY OR
ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY EXCULPATORY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT AND THE SECURITY
INSTRUMENTS ON THE BASIS THAT THE PARTY HAD NO NOTICE OR KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH
PROVISION OR THAT THE PROVISION IS NOT “CONSPICUOUS.”
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Section
9.13 Additional Grantors and
Additional Pledged
Securities. Each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is required
to become a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.13 of the Credit
Agreement shall become a party hereto as a Grantor for all
purposes of this Agreement upon execution and delivery by such Subsidiary of an
Assumption Agreement and shall thereafter have the same rights, benefits and
obligations as a Grantor party hereto on the date hereof. Each
Grantor that is required to pledge additional Equity Interests pursuant to the
Credit Agreement shall execute and deliver a Supplement.
Section
9.14 Releases.
(a) Release Upon Payment in
Full. Upon the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the
Borrower Obligations, the termination or expiration of all Letters of Credit,
the termination or expiration of all Secured Swap Agreements and the termination
of all of the Commitments, the security interest granted hereby shall terminate
and all rights to the Collateral shall revert to the applicable Grantor to the
extent such Collateral shall not have been sold or otherwise applied pursuant to
the terms hereof. Upon any such termination, the Administrative Agent
will, at the Grantors’ expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Grantor
such documents (including, without limitation, UCC-3 termination statements) as
such Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination.
(b) Partial
Releases. If any of the Collateral shall be sold, transferred
or otherwise disposed of by any Grantor in a transaction permitted by the Credit
Agreement, then the Administrative Agent, at the request and sole expense of
such Grantor, shall promptly execute and deliver to such Grantor all releases or
other documents reasonably necessary or desirable for the release of the Liens
created hereby on such Collateral. At the request and sole expense of
the Borrower, a Guarantor shall be released from its obligations hereunder in
the event that all the Equity Interests of such Guarantor shall be sold,
transferred or otherwise disposed of in a transaction permitted by the Credit
Agreement; provided that the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative
Agent, at least fifteen Business Days prior to the date of the proposed release,
a written request of a Responsible Officer for release identifying the relevant
Guarantor and the terms of the sale or other disposition in reasonable detail,
including the price thereof and any expenses in connection therewith, together
with a certification by the Borrower stating that such transaction is in
compliance with the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
(c) Retention in
Satisfaction. Except as may be expressly applicable pursuant
to Section 9.620 of the UCC, no action taken or omission to act by the
Administrative Agent or the Secured Parties hereunder, including, without
limitation, any exercise of voting or consensual rights or any other action
taken or inaction, shall be deemed to constitute a retention of the Collateral
in satisfaction of the Obligations or otherwise to be in full satisfaction of
the Obligations, and the Obligations shall remain in full force and effect,
until the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties shall have applied
payments (including, without limitation, collections from Collateral) towards
the Obligations in the full amount then outstanding or until such subsequent
time as is provided in Section 9.14(a).
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Section
9.15 Acceptance. Each
Grantor hereby expressly waives notice of acceptance of this Agreement,
acceptance on the part of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties being
conclusively presumed by their request for this Agreement and delivery of the
same to the Administrative Agent.
Section
9.16 Intercreditor
Agreement. Each party hereunder agrees that it will be bound
by and will take no actions contrary to the provisions of the Intercreditor
Agreement.
[Remainder
of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows]
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IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Guaranty and Collateral
Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above
written.
BORROWER:
|
Petro
Resources Corporation
|
By: /s/ Xxxxx
Xxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxx
Xxxx
|
|
Title: CEO
|
|
GUARANTORS:
|
PRC
Williston, LLC
|
By: Petro
Resources Corporation,
|
|
its
sole member
|
|
By: /s/ Xxxxx
Xxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxx
Xxxx
|
|
Title: CEO
|
Acknowledged
and Agreed to as
of the
date hereof by:
ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT:
|
CIT CAPITAL USA
INC.,
|
as
Administrative Agent
|
|
By: /s/ Xxxxxx
XxXxxx
|
|
Name:
Xxxxxx XxXxxx
|
|
Title:
Vice President
|
Signature Page
2 – Guaranty and
Collateral Agreement