September 5, 2008 World Financial Network Credit Card Master Note Trust $120,750,000 Class A Fixed Rate Asset Backed Notes, Series 2008-B $5,732,000 Class M Fixed Rate Asset Backed Notes, Series 2008-B UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.2 | EXECUTION COPY |
September 5, 2008
World Financial Network Credit Card Master Note Trust
$120,750,000 Class A Fixed Rate Asset Backed Notes, Series 2008-B
$5,732,000 Class M Fixed Rate Asset Backed Notes, Series 2008-B
$120,750,000 Class A Fixed Rate Asset Backed Notes, Series 2008-B
$5,732,000 Class M Fixed Rate Asset Backed Notes, Series 2008-B
Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.
as an Underwriter and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters set forth
on Schedule A hereto
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
as an Underwriter and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters set forth
on Schedule A hereto
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
as an Underwriter and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters set forth
on Schedule A hereto
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
as an Underwriter and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters set forth
on Schedule A hereto
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1. Introductory. WFN Credit Company, LLC (“WFN LLC”) proposes to cause World
Financial Network Credit Card Master Note Trust (the “Issuer”) to issue $120,750,000
aggregate principal amount of World Financial Network Credit Card Master Note Trust Class A Fixed
Rate Asset Backed Notes, Series 2008-B (the “Class A Notes”), $5,732,000 aggregate
principal amount of World Financial Network Credit Card Master Note Trust Class M Fixed Rate Asset
Backed Notes, Series 2008-B (the “Class M Notes”), $7,260,000 aggregate principal amount of
World Financial Network Credit Card Master Note Trust Class B Fixed Rate Asset Backed Notes, Series
2008-B (the “Class B Notes”), and $19,106,000 aggregate principal amount of World Financial
Network Credit Card Master Note Trust Class C Fixed Rate Asset Backed Notes, Series 2008-B (the
“Class C Notes”) (collectively, the Class A Notes, the Class M Notes, the Class B Notes and
the Class C Notes are the “Notes”). The Class A Notes and the Class M Notes are referred
to herein, collectively, as the “Underwritten Notes”. The representatives of the
Underwriters may be referred to herein individually as a “Representative” and collectively
as the “Representatives.”
The Issuer is a Delaware statutory trust formed pursuant to (a) an Amended and Restated Trust
Agreement, dated as of August 1, 2001, between WFN LLC, as transferor (the “Transferor”),
and U.S. Bank Trust National Association (“U.S. Bank”), as successor to Chase Bank USA,
National Association (“Chase”), as owner trustee (the “Owner Trustee”), as
supplemented by the Instrument
of Resignation, Appointment and Acceptance, dated as of September 29, 2006, by and among the
Transferor, Chase, as resigning Owner Trustee, and U.S. Bank, as successor Owner Trustee (as
heretofore amended and supplemented, the “Trust Agreement”), and (b) the filing of a
certificate of trust with the Secretary of State of Delaware on July 27, 2001, as amended by the
Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Trust of World Financial Network Credit Card Master Note
Trust, filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on September 29, 2006. The Notes will be
issued pursuant to a Master Indenture, dated as of August 1, 2001, as amended by the Omnibus
Amendment referred to below, the Supplemental Indenture No. 1 to Master Indenture, dated as of
August 13, 2003, the Supplemental Indenture No. 2 to Master Indenture, dated as of June 13, 2007
and the Supplemental Indenture No. 3 to Master Indenture, dated as of May 27, 2008, each between
the Issuer and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (“BNYMTCNA”), as successor
to BNY Midwest Trust Company (“BNYMTC”), as indenture trustee (the “Indenture
Trustee”), and as supplemented by the Agreement of Resignation, Appointment and Acceptance,
dated as of May 27, 2008, by and among World Financial Network National Bank (the “Bank”),
as Administrator, the Issuer, BNYMTC, as resigning Indenture Trustee, and BNYMTCNA, as successor
Indenture Trustee (as heretofore amended and supplemented, the “Master Indenture”), and as
further supplemented by the Series 2008-B Indenture Supplement with respect to the Notes, to be
dated as of September 12, 2008 (the “Indenture Supplement” and, together with the Master
Indenture, the “Indenture”).
The primary asset of the Issuer is a certificate (the “Collateral Certificate”)
representing a beneficial interest in the assets held in the World Financial Network Credit Card
Master Trust (“WFNMT”), issued pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Pooling and
Servicing Agreement, dated as of January 17, 1996, as amended and restated as of September 17,
1999, as amended and restated a second time as of August 1, 2001, as amended by the Omnibus
Amendment referred to below, the Second Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Pooling and
Servicing Agreement, dated as of May 19, 2004, the Third Amendment to Second Amended and Restated
Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2005, the Fourth Amendment to the Second
Amended and Restated Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2007, the Fifth
Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of October,
26, 2007 and the Sixth Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Pooling and Servicing
Agreement, dated as of May 27, 2008, each among the Transferor, the Bank, as servicer (the
“Servicer”), and BNYMTCNA, as successor to BNYMTC (the successor-in-interest to the
corporate trust administration of Xxxxxx Trust and Savings Bank), as trustee (the “WFNMT
Trustee”), and as supplemented by the Agreement of Resignation, Appointment and Acceptance,
dated as of May 27, 2008, by and among the Transferor, BNYMTC, as resigning WFNMT Trustee, and
BNYMTCNA, as successor WFNMT Trustee (as heretofore amended and supplemented, the “Amended and
Restated Pooling and Servicing Agreement”), and as further supplemented by the Collateral
Series Supplement to the Amended and Restated Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of August
21, 2001, and as amended as of November 7, 2001 (as heretofore amended, the “Collateral
Supplement” and, together with the Amended and Restated Pooling and Servicing Agreement, the
“PSA”). The assets of WFNMT include, among other things, certain amounts due (the
“Receivables”) on a pool of private label credit card accounts of the Bank (the
“Accounts”).
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The Receivables are transferred to WFNMT pursuant to the Amended and Restated Pooling
Servicing Agreement. The Receivables transferred to WFNMT by the Transferor are acquired by the
Transferor from the Bank pursuant to a Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 1, 2001
(the “Receivables Purchase Agreement”), between WFN LLC and the Bank. The Collateral
Certificate has been transferred by the Transferor to the Issuer pursuant to the Transfer and
Servicing Agreement, dated as of August 1, 2001, as amended by the First Amendment to Transfer and
Servicing Agreement, dated as of November 7, 2002, the Omnibus Amendment referred to below, the
Third Amendment to Transfer and Servicing Agreement, dated as of May 19, 2004, the Fourth Amendment
to Transfer and Servicing Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2005, the Fifth Amendment to the
Transfer and Servicing Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2007, and the Sixth Amendment to the
Transfer and Servicing Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2007 (as heretofore amended, the
“TSA”), among the Transferor, the Servicer, and the Issuer. References to the “Omnibus
Amendment” herein refer to that certain Omnibus Amendment, dated as of March 31, 2003, among the
Transferor, the Bank, the Servicer, the Issuer, the WFNMT Trustee and the Indenture Trustee.
The Bank has agreed to provide notices and perform on behalf of the Issuer certain other
administrative obligations required by the TSA, the Master Indenture and each indenture supplement
for each series of notes issued by the Issuer, pursuant to an Administration Agreement, dated as of
August 1, 2001 (the “Administration Agreement”), between the Bank, as administrator (in
such capacity, the “Administrator”), and the Issuer. The TSA, the PSA, the Receivables
Purchase Agreement, the Indenture, the Trust Agreement and the Administration Agreement are
referred to herein, collectively, as the “Program Documents.”
This Underwriting Agreement is referred to herein as this “Agreement.” To the extent
not defined herein, capitalized terms used herein have the meanings assigned in the Program
Documents. $7,260,000 aggregate principal amount of the Class B Notes and $19,106,000 aggregate
principal amount of the Class C Notes (the “Purchased Notes”) will be offered and sold
directly by WFN LLC to an affiliate of WFN LLC (the “Purchased Notes Transaction”). In
connection with the Purchased Notes Transaction, WFN LLC has prepared a Notice (the “Canadian
Notice”), a copy of which has been provided to each Representative, relating solely to the
Purchased Notes, and has delivered or will deliver the Canadian Notice, together with each of the
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (each as defined below), as applicable, solely to such
affiliate as required under the laws of Canada and its Provinces.
A shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (having registration number 333-133170) has been
prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) in
accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Rules and Regulations”),
including a form of prospectus, relating to the Notes and the Collateral Certificate. For purposes
of this Agreement, “Effective Time” means the date and time as of which such registration
statement, or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, if any, was declared effective by
the Commission and “Initial Effective Date” means the date of the Effective Time. The registration
statement as amended has been declared effective by the Commission. If any post-effective
amendment has been filed with respect thereto, prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, the most recent such
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amendment has been declared effective by the Commission. Such registration statement, as
amended at the Effective Time, including all materials incorporated by reference therein and
including all information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of
effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Act, is referred to in this Agreement as the
“Registration Statement.”
WFN LLC proposes to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (“Rule 424(b)”)
of the Rules and Regulations of the Commission under the Act a supplement (together with the
information referred to under the caption “Static Pool Information” therein and set forth in Annex
II thereto (the “Static Pool Information”), without regard to whether such information is
deemed to be a part of a prospectus pursuant to Item 1105(d) of Regulation AB under the Act (the
“Prospectus Supplement”)) to the prospectus included in the Registration Statement (such
prospectus, in the form it appears in the Registration Statement or in the form most recently
revised and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), is hereinafter referred to as the
“Base Prospectus”) relating to the Notes and the method of distribution thereof. The Base
Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, together with any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto, is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.”
Prior to 2:42 p.m. (Eastern Time U.S.) on September 5, 2008, which is the time the first
“Contract of Sale” (within the meaning of Rule 159 of the Act) with respect to the Underwritten
Notes, as designated by the Representatives, was entered into (hereinafter referred to as the
“Time of Sale”), the Bank and the Transferor prepared a Preliminary Prospectus, dated
September 3, 2008 (subject to completion) (the “Time of Sale Information”). As used herein,
“Preliminary Prospectus” means, with respect to any date or time referred to herein, the
most recent preliminary Prospectus Supplement, as amended or supplemented (including any Corrected
Prospectus (as defined below)), if applicable, together with the Static Pool Information (the
“Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”), together with the Base Prospectus, which has been
prepared and delivered by the Bank and the Transferor to the Underwriters in accordance to the
provisions hereof. As used herein, the “Effective Date” means September 5, 2008, which is the
earlier of the date the Prospectus was first used or the date of the Time of Sale, which therefore
is the date as of which the Propectus is deemed to be part of and included in the Registration
Statement pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the Act.
If, subsequent to the Time of Sale (as defined above) and prior to the Closing Date, the
Preliminary Prospectus included an untrue statement of material fact or omitted to state a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading and the Transferor has prepared and delivered to the
Underwriters a Corrected Prospectus (as defined below), and as a result investors in the Notes
elect to terminate their existing Contracts of Sale and enter into new Contracts of Sale (within
the meaning of Rule 159 under the Act) for any Notes, then “Time of Sale Information” will refer to
the information conveyed to investors on the date of entry into the first such new Contract of Sale
pursuant to an amended Preliminary Prospectus approved by the Transferor and the Representatives
that corrects such material misstatements or omissions (a “Corrected Prospectus”) and “Time
of Sale” will refer to the date on which such new Contracts of Sale were first entered into.
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The Transferor and the Bank hereby agree, severally and not jointly, with the underwriters for
the Class A Notes listed on Schedule A hereto (the “Class A Underwriters”) and the
underwriters for the Class M Notes listed on Schedule A hereto (the “Class M
Underwriters” and, together with the Class A Underwriters, the “Underwriters”) as
follows:
2. Representations and Warranties of the Transferor and the Bank. Each of the
Transferor (the representations and warranties as to the Transferor being given by the Transferor)
and the Bank (the representations and warranties as to the Bank being given by the Bank) represents
and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriters that:
(a) The Transferor is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing as a
limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware, has all requisite power,
authority and legal right to own its property, transact the business in which it is now
engaged and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and had at all relevant times and has currently
all requisite power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its
obligations under this Agreement, the TSA, the PSA, the Receivables Purchase Agreement and
the Trust Agreement and to authorize the issuance of the Notes and the Collateral
Certificate.
(b) The Bank is a national banking association duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of the United States, and is in good standing under the laws
of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification wherein it owns or leases material
properties or conducts material business, except where failure to so qualify would not have
a material adverse effect, has all requisite power, authority and legal right to own its
property and conduct its credit card business as such properties are presently owned and
such business is presently conducted, and conduct its business as described in the
Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and to own the
Accounts, and had at all relevant times and has currently all requisite power, authority
and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Receivables
Purchase Agreement, the TSA, the PSA and the Administration Agreement.
(c) The execution, delivery and performance of each of the Program Documents to which
it is a party, the incurrence of the obligations herein and therein set forth, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and the consummation of
the Purchased Notes Transaction, and with respect to the Transferor, the issuance of the
Notes and the Collateral Certificate, have been duly and validly authorized by the
Transferor and the Bank, as applicable, by all necessary action on the part of the
Transferor and the Bank, as applicable.
(d) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Transferor
and the Bank.
(e) Each of the Program Documents to which the Transferor or the Bank is a party has
been, or on or before the Closing Date will be, executed and delivered by the Transferor
and the Bank, as applicable, and when executed and delivered by the other
5
parties thereto, will constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Transferor and
the Bank, as applicable, enforceable against the Transferor and the Bank, as applicable, in
accordance with its terms, except, in each case, to the extent that (i) the enforceability
thereof may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, receivership
or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ or other obligees’
rights generally or the rights of creditors or other obligees of institutions insured by
the FDIC, (ii) the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of
equitable relief may be subject to equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court
before which any proceeding therefor may be brought and (iii) certain remedial provisions
of the Indenture may be unenforceable in whole or in part under the UCC, but the inclusion
of such provisions does not render the other provisions of the Indenture invalid and
notwithstanding that such provisions may be unenforceable in whole or in part, the
Indenture Trustee, on behalf of the holders of the Notes (the “Noteholders”), will
be able to enforce the remedies of a secured party under the UCC.
(f) The Notes have been duly authorized, will be issued pursuant to the terms of the
Indenture and, when executed by the Owner Trustee on behalf of the Issuer and authenticated
by the Indenture Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and delivered pursuant to the
Indenture and this Agreement, will be duly and validly executed, issued and outstanding and
will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Issuer, enforceable against the
Issuer in accordance with their terms, subject to (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency,
moratorium, receivership, reorganization, liquidation and other similar laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally, (ii) the effect of general principles of equity including
(without limitation) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith, fair dealing
(regardless of whether considered and applied in a proceeding in equity or at law), and
also to the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief, and (iii)
the unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions indemnifying a party against
liability or requiring contribution from a party for liability where such indemnification
or contribution is contrary to public policy. The Notes will be in the form contemplated
by the Indenture, and the Notes and the Indenture will conform to the descriptions thereof
contained in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement.
(g) The Collateral Certificate has been issued pursuant to the terms of the PSA and,
when executed and authenticated by the WFNMT Trustee in accordance with the PSA, was
validly issued. The Collateral Certificate remains outstanding. The Collateral
Certificate is in the form contemplated by the PSA, and the Collateral Certificate and the
PSA conform to the descriptions thereof contained in the Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus and the Registration Statement.
(h) Neither the Transferor nor the Bank is in violation of any Requirement of Law or
in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or
condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement,
note, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which
any of its property is subject, which violation or defaults separately or in the aggregate
would have a material adverse effect on the Transferor or the Bank.
6
(i) None of the issuance and sale of the Notes, the issuance of the Collateral
Certificate or the execution and delivery by the Transferor or the Bank of this Agreement
or any Program Document to which it is a party, nor the incurrence by the Transferor or the
Bank of the obligations herein and therein set forth, nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereunder or thereunder, nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof
or thereof, nor the consummation of the Purchased Notes Transaction, does or will (A)
violate any Requirement of Law presently in effect, applicable to it or its properties or
by which it or its properties are or may be bound or affected, (B) conflict with, or result
in a breach of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, contract, agreement,
mortgage, deed of trust or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or its
properties are bound, which conflict, breach or default would have a material adverse
effect on the Notes, the Collateral Certificate, the Transferor or the Bank, or (C) result
in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of its property or assets (except for
those encumbrances created under the Program Documents), which Lien would have a material
adverse effect on the Notes, the Collateral Certificate, the Transferor or the Bank.
(j) All approvals, authorizations, consents, orders and other actions of any Person or
of any court or other governmental body or official required in connection with the
issuance and sale of the Notes, the execution and delivery by the Transferor or the Bank of
this Agreement or the Program Documents to which it is a party or to the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder, or to the fulfillment of the terms
hereof and thereof, or to the consummation of the Purchased Notes Transaction, have been or
will have been obtained on or before the Closing Date.
(k) The Bank has authorized the conveyance of the Receivables to the Transferor and
WFNMT, as applicable; the Transferor has authorized the conveyance of the Receivables to
WFNMT; the Transferor has authorized the issuance of the Collateral Certificate by WFNMT;
and the Transferor has authorized the Issuer to issue and sell the Notes.
(l) All actions required to be taken by the Transferor or the Bank as a condition to
the offer and sale of the Notes as described herein or the consummation of any of the
transactions described in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration
Statement have been or, prior to the Closing Date, will be taken.
(m) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended (the “TIA”), and complies as to form with the TIA and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(n) The representations and warranties made by the Transferor in the TSA, the PSA, the
Trust Agreement and the Receivables Purchase Agreement or made in any Officer’s Certificate
of the Transferor delivered pursuant to any Program Document to which it is a party were
true and correct in all material respects at the time made and will be true and correct in
all material respects on and as of the Closing Date, as if set forth herein, except that to
the extent that any such representation or warranty expressly relates to an
7
earlier date, such representation or warranty was true and correct at and as of such
earlier date.
(o) The representations and warranties made by the Bank in the Receivables Purchase
Agreement, and in its capacity as Servicer and Administrator, in the TSA, the PSA and the
Administration Agreement, respectively, or made in any Officer’s Certificate of the Bank
delivered pursuant to any Program Document to which it is a party were true and correct in
all material respects at the time made and will be true and correct in all material
respects on and as of the Closing Date, as if set forth herein, except that to the extent
that any such representation or warranty expressly relates to an earlier date, such
representation or warranty was true and correct at and as of such earlier date.
(p) The Transferor agrees it has not granted, assigned, pledged or transferred and
shall not grant, assign, pledge or transfer to any Person a security interest in, or any
other right, title or interest in, the Receivables or the Collateral Certificate, except as
provided in the PSA and the TSA, and agrees to take all action required by the PSA and the
TSA in order to maintain the security interest in the Receivables and the Collateral
Certificate granted pursuant to the PSA and the TSA, as applicable.
(q) The Bank agrees it has not granted, assigned, pledged or transferred and shall not
grant, assign, pledge or transfer to any Person a security interest in, or any other right,
title or interest in, the Receivables, except as provided in the PSA or the Receivables
Purchase Agreement, as applicable, and agrees to take all action required by the PSA or the
Receivables Purchase Agreement, as applicable, in order to maintain the security interests
in the Receivables granted pursuant to the Receivables Purchase Agreement and the PSA, as
applicable.
(r) Other than as set forth or contemplated in the Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings or investigations pending or, to
its knowledge, threatened to which the Transferor, the Bank or any of their respective
Affiliates is or may be a party or to which any property of the Transferor, the Bank or any
of their respective Affiliates is or may be the subject (i) which, if determined adversely
to the Transferor, the Bank, or such Affiliate, as applicable, could individually or in the
aggregate reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the general affairs,
business, prospects, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of
operations of the Transferor or the Bank and their respective Affiliates, taken as a whole,
or that would reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the interests of the
Noteholders, (ii) asserting the invalidity of this Agreement, any of the Program Documents,
the Purchased Notes Transaction or the Notes or (iii) seeking to prevent the issuance of
the Notes or of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any of the
Program Documents, or the Purchased Notes Transaction.
(s) No Early Amortization Event, and no event that would become an Early Amortization
Event after any applicable grace period has elapsed, exists with respect to any outstanding
Series of notes issued by the Issuer and no event has occurred that would
8
constitute (after the issuance of such notes) an Early Amortization Event or would
become an Early Amortization Event after any applicable grace period has elapsed.
(t) The Registration Statement has been filed with, and has been declared effective
by, the Commission.
(u) On each of the Initial Effective Date and the Effective Date, the Registration
Statement conformed in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the Act and
the Rules and Regulations of the Commission thereunder and the TIA and the rules and
regulations thereunder and did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, and on the date of this Agreement, the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Base Prospectus conform, and at the time of
filing of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) the
Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus will conform, in all
material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and the
TIA and the rules and regulations thereunder and no such documents includes, or will
include, any untrue statement of a material fact or omits, or will omit, to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein not misleading; provided, however, that neither the Transferor nor
the Bank makes any representations or warranties as to statements in or omissions from any
of such documents based upon written information furnished to the Transferor or the Bank by
the Underwriters specifically for use therein. Each of the Transferor and the Bank hereby
acknowledges that (i) the only information provided by the Class A Underwriters for
inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus is
set forth on the cover page of the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus
Supplement in the table under the heading “Class A Notes” and on the line across from
“Price to public,” in the table listing the Class A Underwriters and the Principal Amount
of Class A Notes under the heading “Underwriting” in the Prospectus Supplement, in the
table following the third paragraph under the heading “Underwriting” in the Prospectus
Supplement in the column labeled “Class A Notes”, and in the penultimate paragraph under
the heading “Underwriting” in the Prospectus Supplement (the “Class A Underwriters’
Information”) and (ii) the only information provided by the Class M Underwriters for
inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus is
set forth on the cover page of the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus
Supplement in the table under the heading “Class M Notes” and on the line across from
“Price to public,” in the table listing the Class M Underwriters and the Principal Amount
of Class M Notes under the heading “Underwriting” in the Prospectus Supplement, in the
table following the third paragraph under the heading “Underwriting” in the Prospectus
Supplement in the column labeled “Class M Notes”, and in the penultimate paragraph under
the heading “Underwriting” in the Prospectus Supplement (the “Class M Underwriters’
Information” and together with the Class A Underwriters’ Information, the
“Underwriters’ Information”).
9
(v) The Time of Sale Information at the Time of Sale did not, and any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto, as of its respective date did not, and at the Closing Date
will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood that no
representation or warranty is made with respect to the omission of pricing and
price-dependent information, which information shall of necessity appear only in the final
Prospectus); provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall
not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with
Underwriters’ Information.
(w) The Prospectus at the date of the Prospectus Supplement, and any amendment thereof
or supplement thereto, as of its respective date, did not and at the Closing Date will not,
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided,
however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or
omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriters’ Information.
(x) (i) Other than the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Canadian Notice and
the Permitted Additional Information, the Transferor and the Bank (including its agents and
representatives other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) have not made, used,
prepared, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize,
approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) that
constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes;
provided, however, that the Transferor and the Bank may prepare and
disseminate a “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) in a form
agreed to by the parties hereto (the “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”); (ii) the
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus will not, as of the date such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
is disseminated, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit any material fact
necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; (iii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall
contain a legend substantially in the form of and in compliance with Rule 433(c)(2)(i) of
the Act, and shall otherwise conform to any requirements for “free writing prospectuses”
under the Act; and (iv) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall be filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 433 thereunder in the manner and within the time period
required by Rule 433(d)(1).
(y) (i) It did not enter into any contract of sale for any Purchased Notes prior to
the Time of Sale and (ii) it will convey to each investor to whom Purchased Notes are sold
by it during the period prior to the filing of the final Prospectus, at or prior to the
applicable time of any such contract of sale with respect to such investor, the Preliminary
Prospectus.
(z) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, except as otherwise set forth
10
therein, there has not been any material adverse change in (i) the condition,
financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations, of the Bank or the
Transferor and (ii) the financial or statistical information contained in the Preliminary
Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus Supplement under the captions “Receivables
Performance” and “The Trust Portfolio.”
(aa) The Transferor was not, on the date on which the first bona fide offer of the
Notes was made, an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rules 405 under the Act.
3. Purchase, Sale, Payment and Delivery of the Underwritten Notes.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained,
but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Transferor agrees to sell to
the Class A Underwriters, and the Class A Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from the Transferor, at a purchase price of 99.6411% of the principal amount
thereof, $120,750,000 aggregate principal amount of the Class A Notes, each Class A
Underwriter to purchase the amounts shown on Schedule A hereto.
(b) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained,
but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Transferor agrees to sell to
the Class M Underwriters, and the Class M Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from the Transferor, at a purchase price of 99.4987% of the principal amount
thereof, $5,732,000 aggregate principal amount of the Class M Notes, each Class M
Underwriter to purchase the amounts shown on Schedule A hereto.
(c) The Transferor will cause the Issuer to deliver the Underwritten Notes to the
Underwriters against payment of the purchase price in immediately available funds, drawn to
the order of the Transferor, at the office of Xxxxx Xxxxx LLP, in Chicago, Illinois at
10:00 a.m., Chicago time, on September 12, 2008, or at such other time not later than seven
full business days thereafter as the Representatives and the Transferor determine, such
time being herein referred to as the “Closing Date.” Each of the Class A Notes and
the Class M Notes so to be delivered shall be represented by one or more definitive notes
registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for The Depository Trust Company. The
Notes will be available for inspection by the Underwriters at the office at which the Notes
are to be delivered no later than five hours before the close of business in New York City
on the business day prior to the Closing Date.
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that after the Initial Effective Date,
the Underwriters propose to offer the Underwritten Notes for sale to the public (which may include
selected dealers) as set forth in the Prospectus.
5. Certain Agreements of the Transferor. The Transferor agrees with the Underwriters
that:
11
(a) Immediately following the execution of this Agreement, the Transferor will prepare
a Prospectus Supplement setting forth the amount of the Notes covered thereby and the terms
thereof not otherwise specified in the Base Prospectus, the price at which the Underwritten
Notes are to be purchased by the Underwriters, the initial public offering price, the
selling concessions and allowances, and such other information as the Transferor deems
appropriate. The Transferor will transmit the Prospectus, including such Prospectus
Supplement, to the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) by a means reasonably calculated to
result in filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b). The Transferor will not file
any amendment to the Registration Statement with respect to the Notes or supplement to the
Prospectus unless a copy has been furnished to each Representative for its review a
reasonable time prior to the proposed filing thereof or to which the Representatives shall
reasonably object in writing. The Transferor will advise the Representatives promptly of
(i) the effectiveness of any amendment or supplementation of the Registration Statement, the
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, (ii) any request by the Commission for any amendment
or supplementation of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus or for any additional information, (iii) the receipt by the Transferor of any
notification with respect to the suspension of qualification of the Notes for sale in any
jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purposes and (iv)
the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceeding in respect of the
Registration Statement, or of any prevention or suspension of the use of the Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus, and will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any
such stop order and to obtain as soon as possible its lifting, if issued.
(b) If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Notes is required to be delivered
under the Act, any event occurs as a result of which the Preliminary Prospectus or
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary
at any time to amend the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus to comply with the Act,
the Transferor promptly will notify each Representative of such event and prepare and file
with the Commission an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission
or an amendment which will effect such compliance. Neither the Underwriters’ consent to,
nor the Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a
waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 6.
(c) As soon as practicable, the Transferor will cause the Issuer to make generally
available to the Noteholders an earnings statement or statements of the Issuer covering a
period of at least 12 months beginning after the Effective Date which will satisfy the
provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated
thereunder; provided that this covenant may be satisfied by posting monthly investor
reports for the Issuer for each month in such 12-month period on a publicly available
website.
(d) The Transferor will furnish to each Representative an electronic copy of the
Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments and
supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available.
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(e) The Transferor will endeavor to qualify the Underwritten Notes for sale under the
securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably
request and the determination of the eligibility for investment of the Underwritten Notes
under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and will continue
such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Underwritten
Notes; provided, however, that the Transferor shall not be obligated to
qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where such qualification would subject the
Transferor to general or unlimited service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not
now so subject.
(f) So long as any Underwritten Note is outstanding, the Transferor will furnish, or
cause the Servicer to furnish, to each Representative copies of (i) each certificate and the
annual statements of compliance delivered to the WFNMT Trustee and each Rating Agency
pursuant to Section 3.5 of the PSA and independent certified public accountants’ servicing
reports furnished to the WFNMT Trustee, the Servicer and each Rating Agency pursuant to
Sections 3.6(a) and (b) of the PSA and (ii) copies of each certificate and the annual
statements of compliance delivered to the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee and each
Rating Agency pursuant to Section 3.5 of the TSA and independent certified public
accountants’ servicing reports furnished to the Indenture Trustee, the Servicer and the
Rating Agencies pursuant to Sections 3.6(a) and (b) of the TSA, by first class mail as soon
as practicable after such certificates, statements and reports are furnished to the WFNMT
Trustee, the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee or the Rating Agencies, as the case may
be; provided, however, that the Transferor’s obligations pursuant to this
subsection 5(f) shall be deemed satisfied to the extent that such certificates, statements
or reports are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”)
pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on
or before the date the Transferor would otherwise be required to furnish to each
Representative copies of such certificates, statements or reports pursuant to this
subsection 5(f).
(g) So long as any Underwritten Note is outstanding, the Transferor will furnish, or
cause the Servicer to furnish, to each Representative, by first-class mail as soon as
practicable (i) all documents concerning the Receivables, the Collateral Certificate or the
Notes distributed by the Transferor or the Servicer (under each of the PSA and TSA) to the
Noteholders, or filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act, (ii) any order of
the Commission under the Act or the Exchange Act applicable to the Issuer, to WFNMT, or to
the Transferor, or pursuant to a “no-action” letter obtained from the staff of the
Commission by the Transferor and affecting the Issuer, WFNMT, or the Transferor and (iii)
from time to time, such other information concerning the Issuer or WFNMT as the
Representatives may reasonably request.
(h) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or
this Agreement is terminated for any reason, except a default by the Underwriters hereunder,
the Transferor will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under
this Agreement (except as otherwise agreed in writing between the Transferor and the
Representatives) and will reimburse the Underwriters for any expenses
13
incurred by them in connection with qualification of the Underwritten Notes for sale
and determination of the eligibility of the Underwritten Notes for investment under the laws
of such jurisdictions as the Representatives designate, and for any fees charged by
investment rating agencies for the rating of the Notes and for any filing fee of the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. relating to the Notes. The Transferor will
bear its own fees and disbursements of counsel at all times (which will include all legal
fees relating to Blue Sky matters) and the fees and disbursements of counsel to the
Underwriters incurred on or prior to March 31, 2008. The Underwriters will bear their own
fees and disbursements of counsel incurred after March 31, 2008.
(i) To the extent, if any, that any of the ratings provided with respect to the Notes
by any Rating Agency are conditional upon the furnishing of documents or the taking of any
other actions by the Transferor, the Transferor shall furnish such documents and take any
such other actions as are reasonably necessary to satisfy such condition.
6. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Underwritten Notes will be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties by the Transferor and the Bank herein, to the accuracy of the
statements of officers of the Transferor and the Bank made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to
the performance by the Transferor and the Bank of their respective obligations hereunder and to the
following additional conditions precedent:
(a) The Representatives shall have received letters, dated as of the date of the
Preliminary Prospectus and as of the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, from
Deloitte & Touche, confirming that they are independent public accountants within the
meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder,
substantially in the form heretofore agreed to and otherwise in form and in substance
satisfactory to the Representatives and their counsel.
(b) The Representatives shall have received (i) fully executed copies of this
Agreement, the Indenture and the other Program Documents duly executed and delivered by the
parties thereto and (ii) evidence satisfactory to the Representatives that the Purchased
Notes Transaction has been consummated.
(c) The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus shall have been filed with the
Commission in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and Section 5(a) of this Agreement;
and, prior to the Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have
been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Transferor or the Representatives, shall be
contemplated by the Commission. The Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and
the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of their respective effective
or issue dates, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
Act.
14
(d) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement none of the following
shall have occurred: (i) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in
or affecting particularly WFNMT, the Issuer, the business or properties of the Transferor or
the Bank which, in the judgment of the Underwriters make it impractical or inadvisable to
proceed with the completion and sale of and payment for the Underwritten Notes, (ii) trading
in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the
over-the-counter market shall have been suspended, limited or minimum prices shall have been
established on either of such exchanges or such market by the Commission, by such exchange
or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction; (iii) a
banking moratorium shall have been declared by Federal or state authorities; (iv) any
material disruption in securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, the
direct effect of which on any party involved in the settlement or clearance of the Notes
would make it impractical to proceed with the completion and sale of and payment for the
Notes; or (v) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there shall have
been an escalation of hostilities involving the United States or there shall have been a
declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States or any other substantial
national or international calamity or emergency which, in the judgment of the Underwriters,
the effect of such hostilities, escalation, declaration or other calamity or emergency makes
it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the completion and sale of and payment for the
Underwritten Notes.
(e) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Xxxx
X. Xxxxxx, General Counsel of the Bank, as counsel for the Transferor and the Bank,
satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and their counsel to the effect
that:
(i) The Bank is a national banking association in good standing and validly
existing under the laws of the United States of America; and each of the Transferor
and the Bank (each collectively referred to in this subsection 6(d) as a “WFN
Entity”) is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing under the laws
of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification wherein it owns or leases
material properties or conducts material business, except where failure to so
qualify would not have a material adverse effect on such WFN Entity, and has full
power and authority to own its properties, to conduct its business as described in
the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, to enter
into and perform its obligations under the Program Documents to which it is a party,
and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby.
(ii) Each of the Program Documents and this Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by each WFN Entity that is a party thereto.
(iii) None of the execution and delivery of the Program Documents and this
Agreement by either WFN Entity that is party thereto, the consummation of any of the
transactions contemplated therein nor the fulfillment of the terms thereof, or the
consummation of the Purchased Notes Transaction, violates, results in a material
15
breach of or constitutes a default under (A) any Requirements of Law under the
laws of the states of New York and Illinois and the federal law of the United States
of America (collectively, the “Included Laws”) applicable to such WFN
Entity, (B) any term or provision of any order known to such counsel to be currently
applicable to such WFN Entity of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency
or governmental body having jurisdiction over such WFN Entity or (C) any term or
provision of any indenture or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to
which such WFN Entity is a party or by which either of them or any of their
properties are bound, except, in the case of clauses (B) and (C), to the extent such
violation, breach or default would not have a material adverse effect on the Notes,
the Collateral Certificate, or any WFN Entity.
(iv) Except as otherwise disclosed in the Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus or the Registration Statement, there is no pending or, to the best of
such counsel’s knowledge, threatened action, suit or proceeding before any court or
governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator with respect to WFNMT, the
Issuer, the Collateral Certificate, the Notes, any of the Program Documents or any
of the transactions contemplated therein, or the Purchased Notes Transaction, with
respect to a WFN Entity which, if adversely determined, would have a material
adverse effect on the Notes, the Collateral Certificate, WFNMT or the Issuer or upon
the ability of any WFN Entity to perform its obligations under the Program
Documents.
(v) The statements included in the Prospectus describing statutes under the
Included Laws, legal proceedings, contracts and other documents relating to the WFN
Entities, the Accounts, the Receivables, the business of the Bank, the Transferor,
WFNMT and the Issuer are accurate in all material respects.
(f) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of
Xxxxx Xxxxx LLP, special counsel to the Transferor and the Bank, satisfactory in form and
substance to the Representatives and their counsel to the effect that:
(i) The Transferor is a limited liability company in good standing, duly
organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware; and has full
limited liability company power and authority to execute, deliver and perform all of
its obligations under the Program Documents to which it is a party and to consummate
the transactions contemplated thereby, and to consummate the Purchased Notes
Transaction; and each of the Program Documents to which the Transferor or the Bank
is a party constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement of the Transferor and
the Bank, as the case may be, under the laws of New York, enforceable against each
such Person in accordance with its terms, subject to (A) the effect of bankruptcy,
insolvency, moratorium, receivership, reorganization, liquidation and other similar
laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and the rights of creditors of national
banking associations (including, without limitation, the determination pursuant to
12 U.S.C. §1821(e) of any liability for the disaffirmance or
16
repudiation of any contract), (B) the effect of general principles of equity
including (without limitation) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith,
fair dealing (regardless of whether considered and applied in a proceeding in equity
or at law), and also to the possible unavailability of specific performance or
injunctive relief, and (C) the unenforceability under certain circumstances of
provisions indemnifying a party against liability or requiring contribution from a
party for liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public
policy.
(ii) The execution and delivery by the Transferor of the Program Documents to
which it is a party, and the consummation of each of the transactions contemplated
thereby, and the consummation of the Purchased Notes Transaction, will not violate
any applicable law, statute or governmental rule or regulation.
(iii) [Reserved]
(iv) The Notes are in due and proper form and when executed, authenticated and
delivered as specified in the Indenture, and when delivered against payment of the
consideration for the Underwritten Notes specified in this Agreement and the
consideration for the Purchased Notes, will be validly issued and outstanding, will
constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Issuer, enforceable against
the Issuer in accordance with their terms and will be entitled to the benefits of
the Indenture, subject to (A) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium,
receivership, reorganization, liquidation and other similar laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally, (B) the effect of general principles of equity
including (without limitation) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith,
fair dealing (regardless of whether considered and applied in a proceeding in equity
or at law), and also to the possible unavailability of specific performance or
injunctive relief, and (C) the unenforceability under certain circumstances of
provisions indemnifying a party against liability or requiring contribution from a
party for liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public
policy.
(v) The Collateral Certificate is in due and proper form, and is validly issued
and outstanding and entitled to the benefits of the PSA.
(vi) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act, and the
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus have been filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) thereunder in the manner and within the time period required
by Rule 424(b). To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings
for that purpose have been instituted or are threatened by the Commission, and the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of their respective effective or issue
dates each complies as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
Act.
17
(vii) No approval, authorization, consent, order, registration, filing,
qualification, license or permit of or with any court or governmental agency or body
is required for the consummation by the Bank, the Transferor, WFNMT or the Issuer of
the transactions contemplated in the Program Documents, except such as have been
obtained under the Act and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction inside the United States in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Underwritten Notes by the Underwriters.
(viii) The statements in the Base Prospectus under the headings “Risk
Factors—If a conservator or receiver were appointed for World Financial Network
National Bank, delays or reductions in payment of your notes could occur,” “The
Sponsor—Certain Regulatory Matters,” “The Issuing Entity— Perfection and Priority
of Security Interests” and “— Conservatorship and Receivership; Bankruptcy,” “The
Trust Portfolio— Consumer Protection Laws,” “ERISA Considerations” and “Federal
Income Tax Consequences” and the statements in the Prospectus Supplement under the
headings “Structural Summary—Tax Status” and “—ERISA Considerations” to the extent
that they constitute matters of law or legal conclusions with respect thereto, have
been reviewed by such counsel and are correct in all material respects.
(ix) This Agreement, the Program Documents, the Collateral Certificate and the
Notes conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the
Prospectus.
(x) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the TIA and complies as to form
with the TIA and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. The Issuer
is not now, and immediately following the issuance of the Notes pursuant to the
Indenture and the application of proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus
will not be, required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
(xi) The PSA need not be qualified under the TIA. WFNMT is not now, and
immediately following the issuance of the Notes pursuant to the Indenture and the
application of proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be,
required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(xii) Subject to the discussion in the Base Prospectus under the heading
“Federal Income Tax Consequences,” (A) the Notes will properly be characterized as
indebtedness and neither WFNMT nor the Issuer will be treated as an association (or
publicly traded partnership) taxable as a corporation, for U.S. federal income tax
purposes and (B) the issuance of the Notes will not cause or constitute an event in
which gain or loss would be recognized by any holder of notes or Investor
Certificates of any outstanding series or class, for U.S. federal income tax
purposes.
(xiii) [Reserved]
18
(xiv) For Illinois corporate franchise tax and corporate income tax (apart from
the personal property replacement tax) purposes, neither WFNMT nor the Issuer will
be treated as an entity subject to tax and Noteholders not otherwise subject to
Illinois corporate franchise tax or Illinois individual or corporate income tax
(apart from the personal property replacement tax) will not become subject to the
Illinois corporate franchise tax or Illinois individual or corporate income tax
(apart from the personal property replacement tax) by reason of their ownership of
the Notes, together with such other opinions related thereto as the Representatives
reasonably request.
(xv) The Indenture constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the
Issuer under the laws of the State of New York, subject to (A) the effect of
bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, receivership, reorganization, liquidation and
other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (B) the effect of general
principles of equity including (without limitation) concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith, fair dealing (regardless of whether considered and
applied in a proceeding in equity or at law), and also to the possible
unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief, and (C) the
unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions indemnifying a party
against liability or requiring contribution from a party for liability where such
indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy.
(xvi) Each of the Registration Statement, as of its effective date, the
Preliminary Prospectus, as of its date, and the Prospectus, as of its date, complied
as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Rules
and Regulations under the Act, except that in each case such counsel need not
express any opinion as to the financial and statistical data included therein or
excluded therefrom or the exhibits to the Registration Statement and, except as and
to the extent set forth in paragraphs (viii) and (ix), such counsel does not assume
any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus.
(xvii) If the FDIC were appointed as conservator or receiver for the Bank (a)
the FDIC regulation entitled “Treatment by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
as Conservator or Receiver of Financial Assets Transferred by an Insured Depository
Institution in Connection with a Securitization or Participation,” 12 CFR §360.6
(the “Rule”) would be applicable to the transfers of Receivables by the Bank
to the Transferor under the Receivables Purchase Agreement, (b) under the Rule, the
FDIC could not, by exercise of its authority to disaffirm or repudiate contracts
under 12 U.S.C. §1821(e), reclaim or recover the Receivables or the proceeds thereof
from Transferor or the Issuer or recharacterize the Receivables or the proceeds
thereof as property of the Bank or of the conservatorship or receivership for the
Bank, (c) neither the FDIC (acting for itself as a creditor or as representative of
the Bank or its shareholders or creditors) nor any creditor of the
19
Bank would have the right, under any bankruptcy or insolvency law applicable in
the conservatorship or receivership of the Bank, to avoid the transfers of
Receivables by the Bank to the Transferor under the Receivables Purchase Agreement,
to recover the Receivables, or to require the Receivables to be turned over to the
FDIC or such creditor (including by way of any order consolidating the assets and
liabilities of the Transferor with those of the Bank) and (d) there is no other
power exercisable by the FDIC as conservator or receiver for the Bank that would
permit the FDIC as such conservator or receiver to reclaim or recover the
Receivables from the Transferor or WFNMT or to recharacterize the Receivables as
property of the Bank or of the conservatorship or receivership for the Bank;
provided, however, that such counsel need not offer any opinion as
to whether, in receivership, the FDIC or any creditor of the Bank may reclaim or
recover the Receivables from the Transferor or WFNMT, or recharacterize the
Receivables as property of the Bank or of the conservatorship or receivership for
the Bank, if the Noteholders receive payment of the principal amount of their Notes
and the interest earned thereon (at the interest rates specified in respect of such
Notes) through the date the Noteholders are so paid.
(xviii) If the FDIC were to be appointed as a conservator or receiver for the
Bank a court having jurisdiction over the conservatorship or receivership would (a)
hold the transfers of Receivables by the Bank to the Transferor under the
Receivables Purchase Agreement to be a true conveyance and not a secured loan or a
grant of a security interest to secure a loan and (b) determine that the rights,
titles, powers, and privileges of the FDIC as conservator or receiver of the Bank
would not extend to the Receivables.
(xix) Certain matters relating to the transfer of the Receivables from the Bank
to the Transferor under the Receivables Purchase Agreement and from the Bank to
WFNMT under the PSA, as applicable, together with such other opinions related
thereto as the Representatives reasonably request.
(xx) Certain matters relating to the transfer of the Receivables from the
Transferor to WFNMT under the PSA.
(xxi) The perfection of the security interest in favor of WFNMT in the
Receivables and the proceeds thereof transferred to WFNMT from the Transferor under
the PSA.
(xxii) Certain matters relating to the transfer of the Collateral Certificate
from the Transferor to the Issuer under the TSA.
(xxiii) The perfection of the security interest in favor of the Issuer in the
Collateral Certificate and the proceeds thereof.
20
(xxiv) The perfection of the security interest in favor of the Indenture
Trustee in the Collateral Certificate and the proceeds thereof.
(xxv) The provisions of the Indenture are effective under the NY UCC to create
in favor of the Indenture Trustee a security interest in the Issuer’s rights in the
Collateral and in any identifiable proceeds thereof. To the extent that The Bank of
New York, as agent for the Indenture Trustee, has physical possession of the
Collateral Certificate in the State of New York, and such Collateral Certificate has
been registered in the name of the Indenture Trustee upon the books maintained for
that purpose by or on behalf of WFNMT, or endorsed to the Indenture Trustee or in
blank, the Indenture Trustee’s security interest in the Collateral Certificate will
be perfected by “control” (within the meaning of the NY UCC). Further assuming the
Indenture Trustee does not have notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of
NY UCC § 8-102(a)(1)), upon becoming perfected in the foregoing manner the Indenture
Trustee’s security interest in the Collateral Certificate will be free of any
adverse claim.
Such counsel also shall state that they have participated in conferences with
representatives of the Transferor and the Bank and their accountants, the Underwriters and
counsel to the Underwriters concerning the Registration Statement, the Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus, and that, on the basis of the information such counsel gained
in the course of performing its professional engagement, nothing came to its attention that
caused it to believe that (a) the Registration Statement, at the Effective Date, contained
an untrue statement of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading; (b) the Preliminary Prospectus, as of the Time of
Sale, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (c) the Prospectus, as of
its date, and as of the Closing Date, included or includes an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that it need not assume any responsibility for the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (except as stated in paragraphs
(viii) and (ix) above), and it need not express any belief with respect to the financial
statements or other financial, statistical or accounting data contained in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or, in the case of the Preliminary
Prospectus, with respect to the omission of pricing and price-dependent information, which
information shall of necessity appear only in the Prospectus.
In rendering such opinion, counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application
of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York and the United States, to the
extent deemed proper and stated in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good
standing believed by such counsel to be reliable and acceptable to the Representatives and
their counsel, and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent deemed proper
21
and as stated xxxxxxx, on certificates of responsible officers of the Issuer, the Bank,
the Transferor and public officials.
(g) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx LLP,
special counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with
respect to such matters relating to this transaction as the Representatives may require, and
the Transferor shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the
purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(h) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx LLC, special Ohio counsel for the Transferor and the Bank, satisfactory in
form and substance to the Representatives and their counsel with respect to (i) certain
matters relating to the transfer of the Receivables from the Bank to the Transferor under
the Receivables Purchase Agreement and from the Bank to WFNMT under the PSA, as applicable,
(ii) the perfection of the security interest in favor of the Transferor and WFNMT, as
applicable, in the Receivables and the proceeds thereof and (iii) for purposes of the Ohio
corporate franchise tax, commercial activities tax, or dealers intangibles tax, neither
WFNMT nor the Issuer will be treated as an entity subject to such taxes, and (iv)
Noteholders not otherwise subject to Ohio corporate franchise tax or Ohio personal income
tax will not become subject to the Ohio corporate franchise tax or Ohio personal income tax
by reason of their ownership of the Notes.
(i) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx LLC, special District of Columbia counsel for the Transferor and the Bank,
satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and their counsel with respect to
(i) certain matters relating to the transfer of the Receivables from the Bank to the
Transferor under the Receivables Purchase Agreement and from the Bank to WFNMT under the
PSA, as applicable and(ii) the perfection of the security interest in favor of the
Transferor and WFNMT, as applicable, in the Receivables and the proceeds thereof.
(j) The Representatives shall have received a certificate from each of the Transferor
and the Bank, dated the Closing Date, of a Treasurer, Vice President or more senior officer
of the Transferor or the Bank, as the case may be, in which such officer, to the best of
his/her knowledge after reasonable investigation, shall state that (i) the representations
and warranties of the Transferor and the Bank, as the case may be, in this Agreement are
true and correct on and as of the Closing Date, (ii) the Transferor or the Bank, as the case
may be, has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, (iii) the representations
and warranties of the Transferor or the Bank, as the case may be, contained in this
Agreement and the Program Documents to which it is a party are true and correct as of the
dates specified herein and therein, (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are threatened by the Commission, (v) nothing has come to such officers’
attention that would lead such officers to believe that the Prospectus as of the date of the
Prospectus Supplement, as of the date of any amendment or supplement thereto, and as of
22
the Closing Date, or the Preliminary Prospectus as of its date, as of the date of any
amendment or supplement thereto, and as of the Time of Sale, contained or contains an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, and (vi) subsequent to the date of the Prospectus, there has been
no material adverse change in the financial position or results of operation of the Bank’s
credit card business except as set forth in or contemplated by the Prospectus or as
described in such certificate.
(k) The Representatives shall have received an opinion of Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx,
P.A., counsel to the Owner Trustee, dated the Closing Date, satisfactory in form and
substance to the Representatives and their counsel, to the effect that:
(i) U.S. Bank is duly formed and validly existing as a national banking
association under the laws of the United States of America and had at all relevant
times and has currently the power and authority to execute, deliver and perform the
Trust Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby, and, on
behalf of the Issuer, to execute and deliver the Indenture and the TSA (the
Indenture and the TSA collectively referred to in this subsection 6(k) as the
“Trust Documents”) and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby.
(ii) The Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
U.S. Bank and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of U.S. Bank,
enforceable against U.S. Bank in accordance with its terms.
(iii) The Trust Documents have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Owner Trustee on behalf of the Issuer.
(iv) Neither the execution, delivery or performance by U.S. Bank of the Trust
Agreement or, as Owner Trustee on behalf of the Issuer, of the Trust Documents, nor
the consummation of any of the transactions by U.S. Bank or the Owner Trustee, as
the case may be, contemplated thereby, required or requires the consent or approval
of, the withholding of objection on the part of, the giving of notice to, the
filing, registration or qualification with, or the taking of any other action in
respect of, any governmental authority or agency of the State of Delaware or the
United States of America governing the trust powers of U.S. Bank (other than the
filing of the Certificate of Trust, which Certificate of Trust has been duly filed).
(v) Neither the execution, delivery and performance by U.S. Bank of the Trust
Agreement or, as Owner Trustee on behalf of the Issuer, of the Trust Documents, nor
the consummation of any of the transactions by U.S. Bank or the Owner Trustee, as
the case may be, contemplated thereby, is in violation of the articles of
association or bylaws of U.S. Bank or of any law, governmental rule or regulation of
the State of Delaware or of the United States of America governing the banking or
trust powers of U.S. Bank or, to such counsel’s knowledge, without
23
independent investigation, any indenture, mortgage, bank credit agreement, note
or bond purchase agreement, long-term lease, license or other agreement or
instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or, to such counsel’s
knowledge, without independent investigation, of any judgment or order applicable to
U.S. Bank.
(vi) To such counsel’s knowledge, without independent investigation, there are
no pending or threatened actions, suits or proceedings affecting the Owner Trustee
before any court or other governmental authority which, if adversely determined,
would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Owner Trustee to carry out
the transactions contemplated by the Trust Agreement.
(l) The Representatives shall have received an opinion of Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx,
P.A., special Delaware counsel to the Issuer, dated the Closing Date, satisfactory in form
and substance to the Representatives and their counsel, to the effect that:
(i) The Issuer has been duly formed and is validly existing in good standing as
a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. 3801 et seq.
(referred to in this subsection 6(l) as the “Trust Act”).
(ii) The Trust Agreement is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the
Transferor and the Owner Trustee, enforceable against the Transferor and the Owner
Trustee, in accordance with its terms.
(iii) Under the Trust Act and the Trust Agreement, the execution and delivery
of the TSA and the Indenture (the TSA and the Indenture collectively referred to in
this subsection 6(l) as the “Trust Documents”), the issuance of the Notes,
and the granting of the Collateral to the Indenture Trustee as security for the
Notes has been duly authorized by all necessary trust action on the part of the
Issuer.
(iv) Under the Trust Act and the Trust Agreement, the Issuer has (A) the trust
power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Trust
Documents and the Notes, and (B) duly authorized, executed and delivered such
agreements and obligations.
(v) Neither the execution, delivery and performance by the Issuer of the Trust
Documents or the Notes, nor the consummation by the Issuer of any of the
transactions contemplated thereby, requires the consent or approval of, the
withholding of objection on the part of, the giving of notice to, the filing,
registration or qualification with, or the taking of any other action in respect of,
any governmental authority or agency of the State of Delaware, other than the filing
of the Certificate of Trust with the Delaware Secretary of State (which Certificate
of Trust has been duly filed) and the filing of any UCC financing statements with
the Delaware Secretary of State pursuant to the Indenture.
24
(vi) Neither the execution, delivery and performance by the Issuer of the Trust
Documents or the Notes, nor the consummation by the Issuer of the transactions
contemplated thereby, is in violation of the Trust Agreement or of any law, rule, or
regulation of the State of Delaware applicable to the Issuer.
(vii) Under Section 3805(b) of the Trust Act, no creditor of the Transferor in
its capacity as beneficial owner of the Issuer shall have any right to obtain
possession of, or otherwise exercise legal or equitable remedies with respect to,
the property of the Issuer except in accordance with the terms of the Trust
Agreement.
(viii) Under Sections 3808(a) and (b) of the Trust Act, the Issuer may not be
terminated or revoked by the Transferor, and the dissolution, termination or
bankruptcy of the Transferor shall not result in the termination or dissolution of
the Issuer, except to the extent otherwise provided in the Trust Agreement.
(ix) The Owner Trustee is not required to hold legal title to the Trust Estate
in order for the Issuer to qualify as a valid statutory trust under the Trust Act.
(x) The Transferor is the sole beneficial owner of the Issuer.
(xi) With respect to the Issuer and the Receivables: (A) there is no document,
stamp, excise or other similar tax imposed by the State of Delaware upon the
perfection of a security interest in the Collateral Certificate or the Receivables,
in the transfer of the Collateral Certificate or the Receivables to or from the
Issuer or the WFNMT or upon the issuance of Collateral Certificate or the Notes; (B)
there is no personal property tax imposed by the State of Delaware upon or measured
by the corpus of the Issuer or the WFNMT; (C) the characterization of the Issuer and
the WFNMT for federal income tax purposes will be determinative of the
characterization of the Issuer and the WFNMT for Delaware income tax purposes and
assuming that the Issuer and the WFNMT will not be taxed as associations or as
publicly traded partnerships for federal income tax purposes, neither of the Issuer
nor the WFNMT will be subject to Delaware income tax and Noteholders who are not
otherwise subject to Delaware income tax will not be subject to tax by reason of
their ownership of the Notes and the receipt of income therefrom; and (D) any income
tax imposed by the State of Delaware that might be applicable to the Issuer would be
based upon “federal taxable income,” and for the purposes of determining such
income, the characterization of such income for federal income tax purposes will be
determinative, whether the characterization of the transaction is that of a sale or
a loan.
(xii) The Transferor Interest is entitled to the benefits of the Trust
Agreement.
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(m) The Representatives shall have received an opinion of Xxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx, X.X.,
counsel to the Indenture Trustee, dated the Closing Date, satisfactory in form and substance
to the Representatives and their counsel, to the effect that:
(i) The Indenture Trustee is a national banking association organized and
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the United States of America
and is authorized and qualified to accept the trusts imposed by the Indenture and to
act as Indenture Trustee under the Indenture.
(ii) The acknowledgment by the Indenture Trustee of the TSA has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Indenture Trustee. The Indenture Trustee
has duly authorized, executed and delivered the Indenture. Assuming the due
authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the other parties thereto, the
Indenture is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Indenture Trustee,
enforceable against the Indenture Trustee in accordance with its terms, subject to
bankruptcy and insolvency laws and general principles of equity.
(iii) The Indenture Trustee has duly executed and authenticated the Notes.
(iv) The Indenture Trustee is duly authorized and empowered to exercise trust
powers under applicable law.
(v) None of (A) the execution and authentication of the Notes, (B) the
acknowledgment of the TSA or (C) the execution, delivery and performance of the
Indenture by the Indenture Trustee conflicts with or will result in a violation of
(i) any law or regulation of the United States of America or the States of Illinois
governing the banking or trust powers of the Indenture Trustee or (ii) the
organization certificate or bylaws of the Indenture Trustee.
(vi) No approval, authorization or other action by, or filing with, any
governmental authority of the United States of America or the State of Illinois
having jurisdiction over the banking or trust powers of the Indenture Trustee was or
is required in connection with the execution and delivery by the Indenture Trustee
of the Indenture or the performance by the Indenture Trustee of the terms of the
Indenture or the acknowledgment of the TSA.
(n) The Representatives shall have received an opinion of Xxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx, X.X.,
counsel to the WFNMT Trustee, dated the Closing Date, satisfactory in form and substance to
the Representatives and their counsel, to the effect that:
(i) The WFNMT Trustee is a national banking association organized and validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the United States of America and is
authorized and qualified to accept the trusts imposed by the PSA and to act as WFNMT
Trustee under the PSA.
26
(ii) The WFNMT Trustee has duly authorized, executed and delivered the PSA.
Assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the other parties
thereto, the PSA is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the WFNMT Trustee,
enforceable against the WFNMT Trustee in accordance with its terms, subject to
bankruptcy and insolvency laws and general principles of equity.
(iii) The WFNMT Trustee has duly executed and authenticated the Collateral
Certificate.
(iv) The WFNMT Trustee is duly authorized and empowered to exercise trust
powers under applicable law.
(v) None of (A) the execution and authentication of the Collateral Certificate,
and (B) the execution, delivery and performance of the PSA by the WFNMT Trustee
conflicts with or will result in a violation of (i) any law or regulation of the
United States of America or the States of Illinois governing the banking or trust
powers of the WFNMT Trustee or (ii) the organization certificate or bylaws of the
WFNMT Trustee.
(vi) No approval, authorization or other action by, or filing with, any
governmental authority of the United States of America or the State of Illinois
having jurisdiction over the banking or trust powers of the WFNMT Trustee was or is
required in connection with the execution and delivery by the WFNMT Trustee of the
PSA or the performance by the WFNMT Trustee of the terms of the PSA.
(o) The Representatives shall have received an opinion of Xxxxxxx, Fane, Xxxxx & Xxxxxx
LLP, special Kansas counsel to the Issuer, dated the Closing Date, satisfactory in form and
substance to the Representatives and their counsel, to the effect that (i) if WFNMT or the
Issuer were determined to be a foreign corporation or a foreign business trust, it would be
subject to an annual Kansas franchise tax up to a maximum of $20,000 per year, but only if
it either (A) qualifies or registers to do business in the State of Kansas or (B) transacts
business in the State of Kansas and if WFNMT or the Issuer were determined not to be one of
these entities, it will not be subject to Kansas franchise tax; (ii) for Kansas income tax
purposes, neither WFNMT nor the Issuer will be treated as an entity subject to tax; and
(iii) Noteholders not otherwise subject to Kansas income tax or Kansas franchise tax will
not become subject to the Kansas income tax or Kansas franchise tax by reason of their
ownership of the Notes, together with such other opinions related thereto as the
Representatives reasonably request.
(p) The Representatives shall have received an opinion of Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx
P.C., special Colorado counsel to the Issuer, dated the Closing Date, satisfactory in form
and substance to the Representatives and their counsel, to the effect that (i) for Colorado
income tax purposes, neither WFNMT nor the Issuer will be treated as an entity subject to
tax and (ii) Noteholders, not otherwise subject to Colorado income tax, will
27
not become subject to the Colorado income tax by reason of their ownership of the
Notes, together with such other opinions related thereto as the Representatives reasonably
request.
(q) The Representatives shall have received a certificate from the Indenture Trustee
certifying that The Bank of New York, as agent for the Indenture Trustee, holds the
Collateral Certificate in New York, New York and that such Collateral Certificate has been
registered in the name of the Indenture Trustee upon the books maintained for that purpose
by or on behalf of World Financial Network Credit Card Master Trust or endorsed to the
Indenture Trustee or in blank.
(r) The Representatives shall have received evidence satisfactory to the
Representatives that the Class A Notes shall be rated “AAA” by Standard & Poor’s Ratings
Services (“Standard & Poor’s”) and “AAA” by Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), that the
Class M Notes shall be rated no lower than “AA” by Standard & Poor’s and “AA” by Fitch, that
the Class B Notes shall be rated no lower than “A” by Standard & Poor’s and “A+” by Fitch,
and that the Class C Notes shall be rated no lower than “BBB” by Standard & Poor’s and “BBB”
by Fitch.
(s) The Representatives shall have received a copy of the Indemnification Agreement,
dated the Closing Date, by and among WFN Credit Company, LLC, the Issuer, the Swap
Counterparty named therein and the Representatives, satisfactory in form and substance to
the Representatives and their counsel.
(t) The Transferor will furnish the Representatives with such conformed copies of such
opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives reasonably request.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Transferor and the Bank, jointly and severally, will indemnify and hold
harmless each Underwriter and each Person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against (i) any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Underwriters or any of them
may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus (it being understood that such indemnification with
respect to the Preliminary Prospectus does not include any loss, claim, damage or liability
which arises solely as the result of the omission of pricing and price-dependent
information, which information shall of necessity appear only in the Prospectus), the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact or necessary to make the
statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter and each Person who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act for any actual
legal or other
28
expenses reasonably incurred by the Underwriter in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred;
provided, however, that Transferor and the Bank will not be liable in any
such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is
based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged
omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with the Class A
Underwriters’ Information or the Class M Underwriters’ Information; and (ii) any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) that arise out of or are
based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained
in the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and will
reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by each Underwriter and each
Person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section
20 of the Exchange Act in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Issuer, the Transferor and the Bank, and each of their respective directors and officers
and each Person who controls the Transferor and the Bank, respectively, within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, a “WFN Indemnified
Party”), against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Transferor or
the Bank, as the case may be, may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or
are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact
contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus (it being understood
that such indemnification with respect to the Preliminary Prospectus does not include any
loss, claim, damage or liability which arises solely as the result of the omission of
pricing and price-dependent information, which information shall of necessity appear only in
the Prospetus), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or
are based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that,
with respect to each of the Class A Underwriters and the Class M Underwriters, such untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance
upon and in conformity with the Class A Underwriters’ Information or the Class M
Underwriters’ Information, respectively, and will reimburse any actual legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by the Transferor, the Bank and each other WFN Indemnified
Party in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless each
WFN Indemnified Party (i) with respect to the failure on the part of such Underwriter to
deliver to any investor with whom such Underwriter entered into a Contract of Sale prior to
the time of such Contract of Sale, the Preliminary Prospectus, or if the Prospectus is then
available, the Prospectus; provided, however, that, to the extent such
Preliminary Prospectus
29
or Prospectus, as the case may be, has been amended or supplemented, such indemnity
shall not inure to the benefit of any such WFN Indemnified Party unless such amendment or
supplement shall have been delivered to such Underwriter in a reasonable period of time
prior to the time of such Contract of Sale and (ii) against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) that arise out of or are based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Underwriter Free
Writing Prospectus (as defined below), or that arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and will
reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Issuer, the Transferor, the
Bank or any other WFN Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that no
Underwriter will be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage
or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement, or any such omission or alleged omission from, in any Underwriter Free Writing
Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with (i) any written information furnished to
the related Underwriter by the Transferor, the Issuer or the Bank specifically for use
therein or approved for use therein or (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, which
information was not corrected by information subsequently provided by the Transferor, the
Issuer or the Bank to the related Underwriter prior to the time of use of such Underwriter
Free Writing Prospectus.
(d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this section of notice of the
commencement of any action or the assertion by a third party of a claim, such indemnified
party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under
subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve
it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party except and to the extent of
any prejudice to such indemnifying party arising from such failure to provide such notice.
In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to
participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying
party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the
indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the
indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense
thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this
section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation, unless the
indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified party. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior
written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened
action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity
could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement includes
an unconditional release of such
30
indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such
action and does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or
failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(e) If the indemnification provided for in this section is unavailable or insufficient
to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party
as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a), (b)
or (c) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits
received by the Transferor and the Bank on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other
from the offering of the Underwritten Notes, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause
(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative
fault of the Transferor and the Bank on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by the Transferor and the Bank on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the
offering (before deducting expenses) of the Notes received by the Transferor bear to the
total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to
the Underwritten Notes. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Transferor
and the Bank or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission with
respect to the Notes. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d)
shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is
the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d),
the Underwriters shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by
which the total underwriting discount as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus
Supplement exceeds the amount of damages which the Underwriters have otherwise been required
to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
with respect to the Notes. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who
was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(f) The obligations of the Transferor and the Bank under this Section shall be in
addition to any liability which the Transferor or the Bank may otherwise have and shall
extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each Person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of any Underwriter under this
Section shall be in addition to any liability that such Underwriter may otherwise have and
shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each director of the Transferor or
31
the Bank, to each officer of the Transferor who has signed the Registration Statement
and to each Person, if any, who controls the Transferor or the Bank within the meaning of
the Act.
8. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities,
agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Transferor and the Bank or
their officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain
in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof,
made by or on behalf of the Underwriters, the Transferor, the Bank or any of their respective
representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and
payment for the Underwritten Notes. If this Agreement is terminated or if for any reason other
than default by the Underwriters the purchase of the Underwritten Notes by the Underwriters is not
consummated, the Transferor and the Bank shall remain responsible for the expenses to be paid by
them pursuant to Section 5 and the respective obligations of the Transferor, the Bank and the
Underwriters pursuant to Section 7 shall remain in effect. If for any reason the purchase of the
Underwritten Notes by the Underwriters is not consummated other than solely because of the
occurrence of any event specified in clause (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) of Section 6(c), the
Transferor and the Bank will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses reasonably
incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Underwritten Notes.
9. Offering Communications.
(a) Other than (i) the Preliminary Prospectus, (ii) the Prospectus and (iii) any
materials included in one or more “road shows” (as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Act)
relating to the Notes authorized or approved by the Bank (the “Permitted Additional
Information”), each Underwriter severally represents, warrants and agrees with the
Transferor, the Issuer and the Bank that it has not made, used, prepared, authorized,
approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any
“written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) that constitutes an offer to
sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, including, but not limited to any “ABS
informational and computational materials” as defined in Item 1101(a) of Regulation AB under
the Act unless such Underwriter has obtained the prior written approval of the Transferor;
provided, however, each Underwriter may prepare and convey to one or more of
its potential investors one or more “written communications” (as defined in Rule 405 under
the Act) containing no more than the following: (i) information contemplated by Rule 134
under the Act and included or to be included in the Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, (ii) the weighted average life, pot/retention allocation, expected settlement
date, and expected pricing information with respect to the Notes and (iii) a column or other
entry showing the status of the subscriptions for the Notes and/or expected pricing
parameters of the Notes (each such written communication, an “Underwriter Free Writing
Prospectus”); provided that no such Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus would be
required to be filed with the Commission.
(b) Each Underwriter severally represents, warrants and agrees with the Transferor, the
Issuer and the Bank that:
32
(i) each Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus prepared by it will not,
as of the date such Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus was conveyed or
delivered to any prospective purchaser of Notes, include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit any material fact necessary to make the
statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; provided, however, that no
Underwriter makes such representation, warranty or agreement to the extent
such misstatements or omissions were the result of any inaccurate or
incomplete information which was included in the Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus or any written information furnished to the related Underwriter
by the Transferor, the Issuer or the Bank specifically for use therein or
approved for use therein, which information was not corrected by information
subsequently provided by the Transferor, the Issuer or the Bank to the
related Underwriter prior to the time of use of such Underwriter Free
Writing Prospectus; and
(ii) each Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus prepared by it shall
contain a legend substantially in the form of and in compliance with Rule
433(c)(2)(i) of the Act, and shall otherwise conform to any requirements for
“free writing prospectuses” under the Act.
(c) Each Underwriter severally represents and agrees (i) that it did not enter into any
contract of sale for any Notes prior to the Time of Sale and (ii) that it will, at any time
that such Underwriter is acting as an “underwriter” (as defined in Section 2(a)(11) of the
Act) with respect to the Notes, convey to each investor to whom Notes are sold by it during
the period prior to the filing of the final Prospectus (as notified to the Underwriters by
the Transferor), at or prior to the applicable time of any such contract of sale with
respect to such investor, the Preliminary Prospectus.
10. Obligations of the Underwriters.
(a) Each Underwriter represents and agrees that it has not and will not, directly or
indirectly, offer, sell or deliver any of the Underwritten Notes or distribute the
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any other offering materials relating to the
Underwritten Notes in or from any jurisdiction except under circumstances that will, to the
best of its knowledge and belief, result in compliance with any applicable laws and
regulations thereof and that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, will not impose any
obligations on the Transferor, the Bank or the Issuer except as set forth herein.
(b) Each Underwriter further represents and agrees that it will not, in connection with
the initial distribution of the Underwritten Notes, transfer, deposit or otherwise convey
any Underwritten Notes into a trust or other type of special purpose vehicle that issues
securities or other instruments backed in whole or in part by, or that represents interests
in, such Underwritten Notes unless either (i) the Underwritten Notes so transferred,
together with any other securities issued by the Transferor, the Bank, any of their
affiliates or any
33
trust to which the Transferor or the Bank transfers receivables, make up less than 10%
of the assets of such special purpose vehicle or (ii) the Bank gives its prior written
consent to such conveyance, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(c) Each Underwriter agrees that, if, an electronic copy of the Prospectus is delivered
by an Underwriter for any purpose, such copy shall be the same electronic file containing
the Prospectus in the identical form transmitted electronically to such Underwriter by or on
behalf of the Transferor specifically for use by such Underwriter pursuant to this Section
10(c); for example, if the Prospectus is delivered to an Underwriter by or on behalf of the
Transferor in a single electronic file in .pdf format, then such Underwriter will deliver
the electronic copy of the Prospectus in the same single electronic file in .pdf format.
11. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase
and pay for any of the Underwritten Notes agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or
Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance
of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated
severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Underwritten
Notes set forth opposite their names in Schedule A hereto bear to the aggregate amount of
Underwritten Notes set forth opposite the names of all such remaining Underwriters) the
Underwritten Notes which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase;
provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate amount of Notes which the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the
aggregate amount of Underwritten Notes set forth in Schedule A hereto, the remaining Underwriters
shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of
such Underwritten Notes, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all such
Underwritten Notes, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting
Underwriter, the Transferor or the Bank. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth
in this Section 11, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days,
as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements
may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter for
its liability, if any, to the Transferor and the Bank and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages
occasioned by its default hereunder.
12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the
Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or telecopied and confirmed to:
Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Fax: (000) 000-0000
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Fax: (000) 000-0000
and
34
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: X. Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Fax: (000) 000-0000
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: X. Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Fax: (000) 000-0000
13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one
and the same Agreement.
14. Applicable Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS, AND
OBLIGATIONS, RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SUCH LAWS.
15. Financial Services Act. Each Underwriter represents and warrants to, and agrees
with, the Transferor and the Bank that it (i) has complied and shall comply with all applicable
provisions of the Financial Services Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”) with respect to anything
done by it in relation to the Underwritten Notes and (ii) has only communicated or caused to be
communicated and it will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement
to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA), received by it in
connection with the issue or sale of any Underwritten Notes in circumstances in which section 21(1)
of the FSMA does not apply to the Transferor or the Issuer.
16. Non-petition Covenant. Notwithstanding any prior termination of this Agreement,
each of the Underwriters and each WFN Indemnified Party agree that it shall not, until the date
which is one year and one day after the earlier of an event of default, early amortization event or
the final maturity date, acquiesce, petition or otherwise invoke or cause the Issuer to invoke the
process of the United States of America, any State or other political subdivision thereof or any
entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or
pertaining to government for the purpose of commencing or sustaining a case by or against the
Issuer under a federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law or appointing a receiver,
liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator or other similar official of the Issuer or
all or any part of the property or assets of the Issuer or ordering the winding up or liquidation
of the affairs of the Issuer.
17. Representatives. The Representatives will act for the several Underwriters in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and any action undertaken
under this Agreement taken by the Representatives will be binding upon the Underwriters.
18. No Fiduciary Duty. The Bank and the Transferor acknowledge and agree that the
Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the
Bank and the Transferor with respect to the transaction contemplated hereby (including in
connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as financial advisors or fiduciaries
to,
35
or agents of, the Bank, the Transferor or any other person. Additionally, neither the
Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Bank, the Transferor or any other person
as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Bank
and the Transferor shall consult with their own advisors concerning such matters and shall be
responsible for making their own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions
contemplated hereby, and neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter shall have any
responsibility or liability to the Bank or the Transferor with respect thereto. Any review by the
Representatives or any Underwriter of the Bank, the Transferor, and the transactions contemplated
hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of
the Representatives or such Underwriter, as the case may be, and shall not be on behalf of the
Bank, the Transferor or any other person.
[Signature Page Follows]
36
If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please sign two counterparts hereof and return one
to the Transferor whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall become a binding agreement among
the Transferor, the Bank and the Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
WFN CREDIT COMPANY, LLC
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: President
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: President
WORLD FINANCIAL NETWORK
NATIONAL BANK
NATIONAL BANK
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
Title: Asst. Treasurer
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
Title: Asst. Treasurer
The foregoing Agreement is
hereby confirmed and accepted
as of the date hereof:
hereby confirmed and accepted
as of the date hereof:
GREENWICH CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.,
as an Underwriter and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters set forth herein
as an Underwriter and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters set forth herein
By /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.,
as an Underwriter and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters set forth herein
as an Underwriter and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters set forth herein
By /s/ X. Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Name: X. Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Title: Executive Director
Name: X. Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Title: Executive Director
SCHEDULE A
Class A Notes
Principal Amount of | ||||
Underwriters | Class A Notes | |||
Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. |
$ | 24,150,000 | ||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. |
$ | 24,150,000 | ||
Barclays Capital Inc. |
$ | 24,150,000 | ||
RBC Capital Markets Corporation |
$ | 24,150,000 | ||
Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC |
$ | 24,150,000 | ||
Total |
$ | 120,750,000 | ||
Class M Notes
Principal Amount of | ||||
Underwriters | Class M Notes | |||
Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. |
$ | 1,146,400 | ||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. |
$ | 1,146,400 | ||
Barclays Capital Inc. |
$ | 1,146,400 | ||
RBC Capital Markets Corporation |
$ | 1,146,400 | ||
Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC |
$ | 1,146,400 | ||
Total |
$ | 5,732,000 | ||