GUARANTEE AGREEMENT dated as of August 8, 2012, among BLUE PET PRODUCTS, INC., as Holdings, and THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS IDENTIFIED HEREIN, and CITIBANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent
Exhibit 10.14
EXECUTION VERSION
dated as of
August 8, 2012,
among
BLUE PET PRODUCTS, INC.,
as Holdings,
and
THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS
IDENTIFIED HEREIN,
and
CITIBANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE I | ||||||
DEFINITIONS | ||||||
SECTION 1.01. |
Credit Agreement |
1 | ||||
SECTION 1.02. |
Other Defined Terms |
1 | ||||
ARTICLE II | ||||||
THE GUARANTEES | ||||||
SECTION 2.01. |
Guarantee |
2 | ||||
SECTION 2.02. |
Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee |
3 | ||||
SECTION 2.03. |
No Limitations on Guarantee |
3 | ||||
SECTION 2.04. |
Reinstatement |
5 | ||||
SECTION 2.05. |
Agreement to Pay; Subrogation |
5 | ||||
SECTION 2.06. |
Information |
5 | ||||
SECTION 2.07. |
Immediate Recourse |
5 | ||||
SECTION 2.08. |
Payments Free of Taxes |
5 | ||||
ARTICLE III | ||||||
SUBROGATION AND SUBORDINATION | ||||||
SECTION 3.01. |
Contribution and Subrogation |
5 | ||||
SECTION 3.02. |
Subordination |
6 | ||||
ARTICLE IV | ||||||
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | ||||||
ARTICLE V | ||||||
MISCELLANEOUS | ||||||
SECTION 5.01. |
Notices |
6 | ||||
SECTION 5.02. |
Waivers; Amendment |
6 | ||||
SECTION 5.03. |
Administrative Agent’s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification |
7 | ||||
SECTION 5.04. |
Successors and Assigns |
7 | ||||
SECTION 5.05. |
Survival of Agreement |
7 | ||||
SECTION 5.06. |
Counterparts; Effectiveness; Several Agreement |
7 | ||||
SECTION 5.07. |
Severability |
8 | ||||
SECTION 5.08. |
Right of Set-Off |
8 | ||||
SECTION 5.09. |
Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process; Appointment of Service of Process Agent |
8 | ||||
SECTION 5.10. |
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL |
9 | ||||
SECTION 5.11. |
Headings |
10 |
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Page | ||||||
SECTION 5.12. |
Termination or Release |
10 | ||||
SECTION 5.13. |
Additional Guarantors |
10 | ||||
SECTION 5.14. |
Currency of Payments of Guaranteed Obligations |
10 |
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit A | — | Form of Guarantee Supplement |
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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT dated as of August 8, 2012 (this “Agreement”), among BLUE PET PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the SUBSIDIARY GUARANTOR identified herein, CITIBANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent, a Swingline Lender and an Issuing Bank on behalf of itself and the other Guaranteed Parties.
Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of August 8, 2012 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented, extended, refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Holdings, Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the lenders from time to time party thereto and Citibank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, a Swingline Lender and an Issuing Bank. The Lenders and the Issuing Banks have agreed to extend credit to the Borrower subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Credit Agreement. The obligations of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks to extend such credit are conditioned upon, among other things, the execution and delivery of this Agreement. Holdings and the Subsidiary Guarantors are affiliates of the Borrower, will derive substantial benefits from the extension of credit to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement and are willing to execute and deliver this Agreement in order to induce the Lenders and the Issuing Banks to extend such credit. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01. Credit Agreement.
(a) Capitalized terms used in this Agreement (including in the introductory paragraph hereto) and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings specified in the Credit Agreement.
(b) The rules of construction specified in Section 1.03 of the Credit Agreement also apply to this Agreement, mutatis mutandis.
SECTION 1.02. Other Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
“Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Claiming Party” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.01.
“Contributing Party” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.01.
“Credit Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
“Guarantee Supplement” means an instrument substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, or any other form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
“Guaranteed Cash Management Obligations” means the due and punctual payment and performance of all obligations of Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of (unless otherwise elected by the Borrower) any overdraft and related liabilities arising from treasury, depository and cash management services or any automated clearing house transfers of funds provided to Holdings, the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and
whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor)) that are (a) owed to the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates, (b) owed on the Effective Date to a Person that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender as of the Effective Date (or who becomes a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender within 30 days of the Effective Date) or (c) owed to a Person that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time such obligations are incurred or shall become a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender after it has incurred such obligations.
“Guaranteed Obligations” means (a) the Loan Document Obligations, (b) the Guaranteed Cash Management Obligations and (c) the Guaranteed Swap Obligations.
“Guaranteed Parties” means (a) each Lender, (b) each Issuing Bank, (c) the Administrative Agent, (d) each Person to whom any Guaranteed Cash Management Obligations are owed, (e) each counterparty to any Swap Agreement the obligations under which constitute Guaranteed Swap Obligations, (f) the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (g) the permitted successors and assigns of each of the foregoing.
“Guaranteed Swap Obligations” means the due and punctual payment and performance of all obligations of Holdings, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries under (unless otherwise elected by the Borrower) each Swap Agreement that (a) is with a counterparty that is the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates, (b) is in effect on the Effective Date with a counterparty that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender as of the Effective Date (or who becomes a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender within 30 days of the Effective Date) or (c) is entered into after the Effective Date with any counterparty that is a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Swap Agreement is entered into or shall become a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender after it has entered into such agreement.
“Guarantors” means Holdings and the Subsidiary Guarantors.
“Holdings” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Loan Documents” means the Credit Agreement and the other “Loan Documents” as defined in the Credit Agreement.
“Subsidiary Guarantors” means the Subsidiaries signatory hereto and each other Subsidiary that becomes a party to this Agreement as a Subsidiary Guarantor after the Effective Date pursuant to Section 5.13; provided that if a Subsidiary is released from its obligations as a Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder as provided in Section 5.12(b), such Subsidiary shall cease to be a Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder effective upon such release.
ARTICLE II
The Guarantees
SECTION 2.01. Guarantee. Each Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each of the Guaranteed Parties, jointly with the other Guarantors and severally, as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety, by way of an independent payment obligation, the due and punctual payment and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations. Each Guarantor further agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, or amended or modified, without notice to or further assent from it, and that it will remain bound upon its guarantee hereunder notwithstanding any such extension or renewal, or amendment or modification, of any of the Guaranteed Obligations. Each Guarantor waives presentment to, demand of payment from and protest to the Borrower or any other Loan Party of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, and also waives notice of acceptance of its guarantee and notice of protest for nonpayment.
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SECTION 2.02. Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee. Each Guarantor further agrees that its guarantee hereunder constitutes a guarantee of payment when due (whether or not any bankruptcy or similar proceeding shall have stayed the accrual of collection of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or operated as a discharge thereof) and not merely of collection, and waives any right to require that any resort be had by the Administrative Agent or any other Guaranteed Party to any security held for the payment of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or to any balance of any deposit account or credit on the books of the Administrative Agent or any other Guaranteed Party in favor of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any other Person. Each Guarantor agrees that its guarantee hereunder is continuing in nature and applies to all of its Guaranteed Obligations, whether currently existing or hereafter incurred.
SECTION 2.03. No Limitations on Guarantee.
(a) Except for the termination or release of a Guarantor’s obligations hereunder as expressly provided in Section 5.12, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason, including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, and shall not be subject to any defense or set-off, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, any impossibility in the performance of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except for the termination or release of its obligations hereunder as expressly provided in Section 5.12 to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by:
(i) the failure of any Guaranteed Party or any other Person to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy under the provisions of any Loan Document or otherwise;
(ii) any rescission, waiver, amendment, restatement or modification of, or any release from any of the terms or provisions of, any Loan Document or any other agreement, including with respect to any other Guarantor under this Agreement;
(iii) the release of, or any impairment of or failure to perfect any Lien on, any security held by any Guaranteed Party for any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(iv) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(v) any other act or omission that may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or otherwise operate as a discharge of any Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than the payment in full in cash of all the Loan Document Obligations (including LC Disbursements, if any, but excluding contingent obligations and obligations in respect of Letters of Credit which have been Cash Collateralized in accordance with the Credit Agreement));
(vi) any illegality, lack of validity or lack of enforceability of any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
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(vii) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any Loan Party, or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting any Loan Party or its assets or any resulting release or discharge of any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(viii) the existence of any claim, set-off or other rights that any Guarantor may have at any time against the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any other Guaranteed Party or any other Person, whether in connection with the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents or any unrelated transaction;
(ix) this Agreement having been determined (on whatsoever grounds) to be invalid, non-binding or unenforceable against any other Guarantor ab initio or at any time after the Effective Date;
(x) the fact that any Person that, pursuant to the Loan Documents, was required to become a party hereto may not have executed or is not effectually bound by this Agreement, whether or not this fact is known to the Guaranteed Parties
(xi) any action permitted or authorized hereunder (except as set out in Section 5.12); or
(xii) any other circumstance (including any statute of limitations), or any existence of or reliance on any representation by the Administrative Agent, any Guaranteed Party or any other Person, that might otherwise constitute a defense to, or a legal or equitable discharge of, the Borrower, any Guarantor or any other guarantor or surety (other than the payment in full in cash of all the Loan Document Obligations (including LC Disbursements, if any, but excluding contingent obligations and obligations in respect of Letters of Credit which have been Cash Collateralized in accordance with the Credit Agreement)).
Each Guarantor expressly authorizes the Guaranteed Parties to take and hold security in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents for the payment and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations, to exchange, waive or release any or all such security (with or without consideration), to enforce or apply such security and direct the order and manner of any sale thereof in their sole discretion or to release or substitute any one or more other guarantors or obligors upon or in respect of the Guaranteed Obligations, all without affecting the obligations of any Guarantor hereunder.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or the unenforceability of the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, other than the payment in full in cash of all the Loan Document Obligations (including LC Disbursements, if any, but excluding contingent obligations and obligations in respect of Letters of Credit which have been Cash Collateralized in accordance with the Credit Agreement). The Administrative Agent and the other Guaranteed Parties may, at their election and in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, foreclose on any security held by one or more of them by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such security in lieu of foreclosure, compromise or adjust any part of the Guaranteed Obligations, make any other accommodation with the Borrower or any other Loan Party or exercise any other right or remedy available to them against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of any Guarantor hereunder except to the extent the Loan Document Obligations have been paid in full in cash (including LC Disbursements, if any, but excluding contingent obligations and obligations in respect of Letters of Credit which have been Cash Collateralized in accordance with the Credit Agreement). To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense arising out of any such
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election even though such election operates, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or to extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, as the case may be, or any security.
SECTION 2.04. Reinstatement. Each Guarantor agrees that, unless released pursuant to Section 5.12(b), its guarantee hereunder shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Guaranteed Party upon the bankruptcy or reorganization (or any analogous proceeding in any jurisdiction) of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or otherwise.
SECTION 2.05. Agreement to Pay; Subrogation. In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right that the Administrative Agent or any other Guaranteed Party has at law or in equity against any Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Borrower or any other Loan Party to pay any Guaranteed Obligation when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, after notice of prepayment or otherwise, each Guarantor hereby promises to and will forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, to the Administrative Agent for distribution to the applicable Guaranteed Parties in cash the amount of such unpaid Guaranteed Obligation. Upon payment by any Guarantor of any sums to the Administrative Agent as provided above, all rights of such Guarantor against the Borrower or any other Loan Party arising as a result thereof by way of right of subrogation, contribution, reimbursement, indemnity or otherwise shall in all respects be subject to Article III.
SECTION 2.06. Information. Each Guarantor assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrower’s and each other Loan Party’s financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Guaranteed Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that such Guarantor assumes and incurs hereunder, and agrees that none of the Guaranteed Parties will have any duty to advise such Guarantor of information known to it or any of them regarding such circumstances or risks.
SECTION 2.07. Immediate Recourse. Each Subsidiary Guarantor waives any right it may have of first requiring any Loan Party (or any trustee or agent on its behalf) to proceed against or enforce any other rights or security or claim payment from any person before claiming from that Subsidiary Guarantor under this Agreement. This waiver applies irrespective of any law or any provision of a Loan Document to the contrary.
SECTION 2.08. Payments Free of Taxes. The provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement shall apply to each Guarantor, mutatis mutandis.
ARTICLE III
Subrogation and Subordination
SECTION 3.01. Contribution and Subrogation. Each Guarantor (a “Contributing Party”) agrees (subject to Section 3.02) that, in the event a payment shall be made by any other Guarantor (the “Claiming Party”) hereunder in respect of any Guaranteed Obligations or assets of any other Guarantor shall be sold pursuant to any Security Document to satisfy any Guaranteed Obligation owed to any Guaranteed Party, the Contributing Party shall indemnify the Claiming Party in an amount equal to the amount of such payment or the greater of the book value or the fair market value of such assets, as the case may be, in each case multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the net worth of the Contributing Party on the date hereof (or, in the case of any Guarantor becoming a party hereto pursuant to Section 5.13, the date of the Guarantee Supplement executed and delivered by such Guarantor) and the denominator shall be the aggregate net worth of all the Guarantors on the date hereof (or, in the case of any Guarantor becoming a party hereto pursuant to Section 5.13, such other date).
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SECTION 3.02. Subordination.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, all rights of the Guarantors under Section 3.01 and all other rights of the Guarantors of contribution or subrogation under applicable law or otherwise shall be fully subordinated to the payment in full in cash of all the Loan Document Obligations (including LC Disbursements, if any, but excluding contingent obligations and obligations in respect of Letters of Credit which have been Cash Collateralized in accordance with the Credit Agreement). No failure on the part of the Borrower or any Guarantor to make the payments required by Section 3.01 (or any other payments required under applicable law or otherwise) shall in any respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Guarantor with respect to its obligations hereunder, and each Guarantor shall remain liable for the full amount of the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder.
(b) Each Guarantor hereby agrees that upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default and after notice from the Administrative Agent (provided that no such notice shall be required to be given in the case of any Event of Default arising under Section 7.01(h) or 7.01(i) of the Credit Agreement), all Indebtedness and other monetary obligations owed by it to any Guarantor, or to it by any other Guarantor or any other Restricted Subsidiary shall be fully subordinated to the payment in full in cash of all the Loan Document Obligations (including LC Disbursements, if any, but excluding contingent obligations and obligations in respect of Letters of Credit which have been Cash Collateralized in accordance with the Credit Agreement).
ARTICLE IV
Representations and Warranties
Each Subsidiary Guarantor represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the other Guaranteed Parties that the representations and warranties set forth in the Credit Agreement applicable to such Subsidiary Guarantor are true and correct on each date as required by Article IV of the Credit Agreement.
ARTICLE V
Miscellaneous
SECTION 5.01. Notices. All communications and notices hereunder shall (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein) be in writing and given as provided in Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to any Subsidiary Guarantor shall be given to it in care of the Borrower as provided in Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement.
SECTION 5.02. Waivers; Amendment.
(a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this
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Agreement or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section 5.02, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time. No notice or demand on any Loan Party in any case shall entitle any Loan Party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Guarantor or Guarantors with respect to which such waiver, amendment or modification is to apply, subject to any consent required in accordance with Section 9.02 of the Credit Agreement; provided that the Administrative Agent may, without the consent of any Guaranteed Party, consent to a departure by any Guarantor from any covenant of such Guarantor set forth herein to the extent such departure is consistent with the authority of the Administrative Agent set forth in the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” in the Credit Agreement.
SECTION 5.03. Administrative Agent’s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification. The provisions of Section 9.03 of the Credit Agreement shall apply to each Guarantor, mutatis mutandis.
SECTION 5.04. Successors and Assigns. Whenever in this Agreement any of the parties hereto is referred to, such reference shall be deemed to include the permitted successors and assigns of such party; and all covenants, promises and agreements by or on behalf of any Guarantor or the Administrative Agent that are contained in this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.
SECTION 5.05. Survival of Agreement. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in this Agreement or any other Loan Document and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the Guaranteed Parties and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Guaranteed Party and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Lender or any other Guaranteed Party may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended under the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, and shall continue in full force and effect until such time as (a) all the Loan Document Obligations (including LC Disbursements, if any, but excluding contingent obligations and obligations in respect of Letters of Credit which have been Cash Collateralized in accordance with the Credit Agreement) have been paid in full in cash, (b) all Commitments have terminated or expired and (c) the LC Exposure has been reduced to zero (including as a result of obtaining the consent of the applicable Issuing Bank as described in Section 9.05 of the Credit Agreement). Each of the Guarantors agrees that its obligations hereunder and the security interest created hereunder shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as applicable, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by the Guaranteed Party upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of any Guarantor or otherwise.
SECTION 5.06. Counterparts; Effectiveness; Several Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Agreement. This Agreement shall become
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effective as to any Guarantor when a counterpart hereof executed on behalf of such Guarantor shall have been delivered to the Administrative Agent and a counterpart hereof shall have been executed on behalf of the Administrative Agent, and thereafter shall be binding upon such Guarantor and the Administrative Agent and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of such Guarantor, the Administrative Agent and the other Guaranteed Parties and their respective successors and assigns, except that no Guarantor shall have the right to assign or transfer its rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein (and any such assignment or transfer shall be void) except as expressly provided in this Agreement and the Credit Agreement. This Agreement shall be construed as a separate agreement with respect to each Guarantor and may be amended, modified, supplemented, waived or released with respect to any Guarantor without the approval of any other Guarantor and without affecting the obligations of any other Guarantor hereunder.
SECTION 5.07. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace any invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid, legal and enforceable provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as reasonably possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.
SECTION 5.08. Right of Set-Off. The provisions of Section 9.08 of the Credit Agreement shall apply to each Guarantor, mutatis mutandis.
SECTION 5.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process; Appointment of Service of Process Agent.
(a) This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York.
(b) Each party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally:
(i) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the general and exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York (the “New York Supreme Court”), and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Federal District Court,” and together with the New York Supreme Court, the “New York Courts”), and appellate courts from either of them;
(ii) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient forum and agrees not to plead or claim the same;
(iii) agrees that the New York Courts and appellate courts from either of them shall be the exclusive forum for any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, and that it shall not initiate (or collusively assist in the initiation or prosecution of) any such action or proceeding in any court other than the New York Courts and appellate courts from either of them; provided that:
(A) if all such New York Courts decline jurisdiction over any Person, or decline (or in the case of the Federal District Court, lack) jurisdiction over the subject matter of such action or proceeding, a legal action or proceeding may be brought with respect thereto in another court having such jurisdiction;
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(B) in the event that a legal action or proceeding is brought against any party hereto or involving any of its property or assets in another court (without any collusive assistance by such party or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates), such party shall be entitled to assert any claim or defense (including any claim or defense that this Section 5.09(b)(iii) would otherwise require to be asserted in a legal action or proceeding in a New York Court) in any such action or proceeding;
(C) the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may bring any legal action or proceeding against any Guarantor in any jurisdiction in connection with the enforcement of any rights under this Agreement and the other Security Documents; provided that any Guarantor shall be entitled to assert any claim or defense (including any claim or defense that this Section 5.09(b)(iii) would otherwise require to be asserted in a legal action or proceeding in a New York Court) in any such action or proceeding; and
(D) any party hereto may bring any legal action or proceeding in any jurisdiction for the recognition and enforcement of any judgment;
(iv) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to the Borrower, the applicable Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, in the manner provided for notices in Section 5.01 or at such other address of which the Administrative Agent, any such Lender and the Borrower shall have been notified pursuant thereto; and
(v) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or (subject to the preceding clause (iii)) shall limit the right to xxx in any other jurisdiction.
(c) Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates, appoints and empowers the Borrower as its designee, appointee and agent to receive, accept and acknowledge for and on its behalf, and in respect of its property, service of any and all legal process, summons, notices and documents that may be served in any such action or proceeding.
SECTION 5.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 5.10.
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SECTION 5.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
SECTION 5.12. Termination or Release.
(a) Subject to Section 2.04, this Agreement and the Guarantees made herein shall terminate when (i) all the Loan Document Obligations (including LC Disbursements, if any, but excluding contingent obligations and obligations in respect of Letters of Credit which have been Cash Collateralized in accordance with the Credit Agreement) have been paid in full in cash, (ii) all Commitments have terminated or expired and (iii) the LC Exposure has been reduced to zero (including as a result of obtaining the consent of the applicable Issuing Bank as described in Section 9.05 of the Credit Agreement).
(b) The guarantee of any Person that becomes a Successor Borrower in accordance with Section 6.05(a) of the Credit Agreement shall terminate and be released at the time such Person becomes a Successor Borrower.
(c) The guarantees made herein shall also terminate and be released at the time or times and in the manner set forth in Section 9.15 of the Credit Agreement.
(d) In connection with any termination or release pursuant to paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall execute and deliver to any Loan Party, at such Loan Party’s expense, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release so long as the applicable Loan Party shall have provided the Administrative Agent such certifications or documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request in order to demonstrate compliance with this Section 5.12. Any execution and delivery of documents by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 5.12 shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 5.13. Additional Guarantors. Pursuant to the Credit Agreement, additional Subsidiaries may be required to become Guarantors after the date hereof. Upon execution and delivery by the Administrative Agent and a Subsidiary of a Guarantee Supplement, any such Subsidiary shall become a Guarantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as such herein. The execution and delivery of any such instrument shall not require the consent of any other Guarantor hereunder. The rights and obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any Subsidiary as a party to this Agreement.
SECTION 5.14. Currency of Payments of Guaranteed Obligations. The obligations of the Guarantors under this Agreement to make payments in the respective currency or currencies in which the respective Guaranteed Obligations are required to be paid (such currency being herein called the “Obligation Currency”) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender or recovery pursuant to any judgment expressed in or converted into any currency other than the Obligation Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery results in the effective receipt by the Administrative Agent or the other Secured Party of the full amount of the Obligation Currency expressed to be payable to the Administrative Agent or such other Secured Party under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any Guarantee Swap Agreement or any Guaranteed Cash Management Obligations, as applicable. If for the purpose of obtaining or enforcing judgment against the Guarantors in any court or in any jurisdiction, it becomes necessary to convert into or from any currency other than the Obligation Currency (such other currency being hereinafter referred to as the “Judgment Currency”) an amount due in the Obligation Currency, the conversion shall be made, at the rate of exchange (quoted by the Administrative Agent, determined, in each case, as of the date immediately preceding the day on which the judgment is given (such Business Day being hereinafter referred to as the “Judgment Currency Conversion Date”).
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Guarantee Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
BLUE PET PRODUCTS, INC., | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||
Title: | CEO | |||
SEIRRA PET PRODUCTS, LLC | ||||
GREAT PLAINS LEASING LLC | ||||
HEARTLAND PET FOODS MANUFACTURING, INC. | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||
Title: | CEO |
[signature page Blue Buffalo Guarantee Agreement]
CITIBANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |||
Title: | Director & Vice President |
[signature page Blue Buffalo Guarantee Agreement]