STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES MASTER NOTE TRUST
EXHIBIT 4.3
STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES
MASTER NOTE TRUST
AMENDED AND RESTATED TRANSFER AND SERVICING AGREEMENT
among
STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES CORP.,
as Transferor
and
STERLING JEWELERS INC.,
as Servicer
and
STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES MASTER NOTE TRUST,
as Issuer
Dated as of May 15, 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE I
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DEFINITIONS
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1
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Section 1.01.
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Definitions
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1
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Section 1.02.
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Other Definitional Provisions
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14
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ARTICLE II
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CONVEYANCE OF RECEIVABLES
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15
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Section 2.01.
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Conveyance of Receivables
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15
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Section 2.02.
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Acceptance by Trust
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17
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Section 2.03.
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Representations and Warranties of Each Transferor Relating to Such Transferor
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17
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Section 2.04.
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Representations and Warranties of each Transferor Relating to the Agreement and Any Participation Interest Supplement and the Receivables
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19
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||
Section 2.05.
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Reassignment of Ineligible Receivables
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21
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Section 2.06.
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Reassignment of Trust Portfolio
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22
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Section 2.07.
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Covenants of each Transferor
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23
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Section 2.08.
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Covenants of each Transferor with Respect to the Applicable Receivables Purchase Agreement
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26
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Section 2.09.
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Addition of Accounts
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27
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Section 2.10.
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Removal of Accounts and Participation Interests
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29
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Section 2.11.
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Account Allocations
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31
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Section 2.12.
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Discount Option
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32
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ARTICLE III
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ADMINISTRATION AND SERVICING OF RECEIVABLES
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33
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Section 3.01.
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Acceptance of Appointment and Other Matters Relating to the Servicer
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33
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Section 3.02.
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Servicing Compensation
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34
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Section 3.03.
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Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Servicer
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34
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Section 3.04.
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Reports and Records for the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee
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37
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Section 3.05.
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Annual Certificate of the Servicer
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38
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Section 3.06.
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Annual Servicing Report of Independent Public Accountants; Copies of Reports Available
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38
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Section 3.07.
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Tax Treatment
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39
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Section 3.08.
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Notices to the Servicer
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39
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Section 3.09.
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Adjustments
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39
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i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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ARTICLE IV
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OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO EACH TRANSFEROR
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41
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Section 4.01.
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Liability of each Transferor
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41
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Section 4.02.
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Merger or Consolidation of, or Assumption of the Obligations of a Transferor
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41
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Section 4.03.
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Limitations on Liability of Each Transferor
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42
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ARTICLE V
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OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO THE SERVICER
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43
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Section 5.01.
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Liability of the Servicer
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43
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Section 5.02.
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Merger or Consolidation of, or Assumption of the Obligations of, the Servicer
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43
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Section 5.03.
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Limitation on Liability of the Servicer and Others
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43
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Section 5.04.
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Servicer Indemnification of the Trust, the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee
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44
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Section 5.05.
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Resignation of the Servicer
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44
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Section 5.06.
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Access to Certain Documentation and Information Regarding the Receivables
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45
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Section 5.07.
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Delegation of Duties
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45
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Section 5.08.
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Examination of Records
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45
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Section 5.09.
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Designation of a Co-Servicer
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ARTICLE VI
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INSOLVENCY EVENTS
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46
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Section 6.01.
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Rights upon the Occurrence of an Insolvency Event
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46
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ARTICLE VII
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SERVICER DEFAULTS
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47
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Section 7.01.
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Servicer Defaults
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47
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Section 7.02.
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Indenture Trustee To Act; Appointment of Successor
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49
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Section 7.03.
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Notification to Noteholders
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51
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ARTICLE VIII
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TERMINATION
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52
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Section 8.01.
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Termination of Agreement
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52
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ARTICLE IX
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MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
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53
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Section 9.01.
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Amendment; Waiver of Past Defaults
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53
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Section 9.02.
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Protection of Right, Title and Interest to Trust
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55
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Section 9.03.
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GOVERNING LAW
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56
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Section 9.04.
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Notices; Payments
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56
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Section 9.05.
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Severability of Provisions
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56
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Section 9.06.
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Further Assurances
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56
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Section 9.07.
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No Waiver: Cumulative Remedies
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57
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
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Section 9.08.
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Counterparts
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57
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Section 9.09.
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Third-Party Beneficiaries
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57
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Section 9.10.
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Actions by Noteholders
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57
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Section 9.11.
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Rule 144A Information
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57
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Section 9.12.
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Merger and Integration
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57
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Section 9.13.
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Headings
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58
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Section 9.14.
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Limitation of Liability
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58
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Section 9.15.
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Rights of the Indenture Trustee
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58
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iii
EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT A
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Reserved
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A-1
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EXHIBIT B
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Form of Reassignment of Receivables in Removed Accounts
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B-1
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EXHIBIT C
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Form of Annual Servicerβs Certificate
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C-1
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EXHIBIT D-1
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Form of Opinion of Counsel with Respect to Amendments
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X-0-0
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XXXXXXX X-0
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Form of Opinion of Counsel with Respect to Accounts
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D-2-1
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EXHIBIT D-3
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Provisions to be Included in Annual Opinion of Counsel
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D-3-1
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SCHEDULE 1
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List of Accounts
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14
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iv
AMENDED AND RESTATED TRANSFER AND SERVICING AGREEMENT, dated as of May 15, 2014 among STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES CORP., a Delaware corporation, as Transferor, STERLING JEWELERS INC., as Servicer, and STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES MASTER NOTE TRUST, a Delaware business trust, as Issuer.
WHEREAS, the Issuer, the Transferor and the Servicer have heretofore entered into that certain Transfer and Servicing Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2001 (the βOriginal Transfer and Servicing Agreementβ);
WHEREAS, Section 9.01 of the Original Transfer and Servicing Agreement provides for amendments to be made thereto in writing with (i) the delivery by the Transferor of an Officerβs Certificate to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee, dated the date of such action, stating that the Transferor reasonably believes that such action will not have an Adverse Effect and (ii) the satisfaction of the Rating Agency Condition with respect to such amendment;
WHEREAS, the Transferor, the Servicer and the Issuer propose to amend and restate the Original Transfer and Servicing Agreement as set forth herein and all conditions precedent for such amendment and restatement have been satisfied.
ARTICLE I
βAccountβ shall mean (a) each consumer revolving credit card account of Account Owner in existence on the Cut-Off Date that was an Eligible Account on the Cut-Off Date, (b) each consumer revolving credit card account established by an Obligor with an Account Owner from and after the Cut-Off Date that, as of the date of its origination, is an Eligible Account and that is covered by the Receivables Purchase Agreement, (c) each Related Account and (d) each Transferred Account, but shall exclude any Account all the Receivables in which are either reassigned or assigned to the Transferor or its designee or the Servicer in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. The definition of Account shall include each Transferred Account. The term βAccountβ shall be deemed to refer to an Additional Account only from and after the Addition Date with respect thereto, and the term βAccountβ shall be deemed to refer to any Removed Account only prior to the Removal Date with respect thereto.
βAccount Addition Testβ shall have the meaning set forth (if any) in any Indenture Supplement.
βAccount Ownerβ shall mean the Seller.
βAddition Dateβ shall mean (i) with respect to Additional Accounts, the date from and after which such Additional Accounts are to be included as Accounts pursuant to subsection 2.09(a)(i) and (ii) with respect to Participation Interests, the date from and after which such Participation Interests are to be included as assets of the Trust pursuant to subsection 2.09(a)(ii).
βAdditional Accountβ shall mean each Eligible Account designated pursuant to subsection 2.09(a) to be included as an Account and identified in the computer file or microfiche list delivered to the Indenture Trustee by the Transferor pursuant to Section 2.01 and subsection 2.09(a).
βAdditional Cut-Off Dateβ shall mean the date specified as such in the notice delivered with respect thereto pursuant to subsection 2.09(b).
βAdditional Transferorsβ shall have the meaning specified in subsection 2.09(d).
βAdjustment Paymentβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.09.
βAdverse Effectβ shall mean, with respect to any action, that such action will (a) result in the occurrence of a Pay Out Event or an Event of Default or (b) materially and adversely affect the amount or timing of distributions to be made to the Noteholders of any Series or Class pursuant to this Agreement, the Indenture or the related Indenture Supplement.
βAffiliateβ shall mean, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person controlling or controlled by or under common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, βcontrolβ shall mean the power to direct the management and policies of a Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms βcontrollingβ and βcontrolledβ have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
βAggregate Additionβ shall mean the designation of additional Eligible Accounts to be included as. Accounts or of Participation Interests to be included as Trust Assets pursuant to subsection 2.09(a).
βAgreementβ shall mean this Transfer and Servicing Agreement, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
βAppointment Dateβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.01.
βAssignmentβ shall have the meaning specified in subsection 2.09(e).
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βAuthorized Newspaperβ shall mean any newspaper or newspapers of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, printed in the English language (and, with respect to any Series or Class, if and so long as the Notes of such Series are Bearer Notes, in such place as may be specified in the applicable Indenture Supplement) and customarily published on each business day at such place, whether or not published on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays.
βBearer Notesβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βBusiness Dayβ shall mean any day other than (a) a Saturday or Sunday or (b) any other day on which national banking associations or state banking institutions in New York, New York, Ohio, Delaware or any other state in which the principal executive offices of Sterling, the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee or other Account Owner, as the case may be, are located, are authorized or obligated by law, executive order or governmental decree to be closed or (c) for purposes of any particular Series, any other day specified in the related Indenture Supplement.
βClassβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βClosing Dateβ shall mean, with respect to any Series, the closing date specified in the related Indenture Supplement.
βCollectionsβ shall mean all payments (including Insurance Proceeds) by or on behalf of Obligors received in respect of the Receivables, in the form of cash, checks, wire transfers, electronic transfers, ATM transfers or any other form of payment in accordance with a Credit Card Agreement in effect from time to time and all other amounts specified by this Agreement, the Indenture or any Indenture Supplement as constituting Collections. As specified in any Participation Interest Supplement or Indenture Supplement, Collections shall include amounts received with respect to Participation Interests. All Recoveries with respect to Receivables previously charged off as uncollectible will be treated as Collections of Finance Charge Receivables.
βContractual Methodβ shall mean the method of aging receivables in a consumer revolving credit card account with respect to which less than the full agreed upon minimum monthly payment for any month has been received by the Credit Card Originator pursuant to the terms of the related Credit Card Agreement, which method shall treat the entire unpaid principal balance of any such receivable as being outstanding.
βCorporate Trust Officeβ shall have the meaning (a) when used in respect of the Owner Trustee, specified in the Trust Agreement and (b) when used in respect of the Indenture Trustee, specified in the Indenture.
βCo-Servicerβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 5.09.
βCouponβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βCredit Card Agreementβ shall mean, with respect to a revolving credit card account, the agreements between an Account Owner and the Obligor governing the terms and conditions of such account, as such agreements may be amended, modified or otherwise changed from time to time and as distributed (including any amendments and revisions thereto) to holders of such account.
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βCredit Card Guidelinesβ shall mean the respective policies and procedures of the Account Owner, as such policies and procedures may be amended from time to time, (a) relating to the operation of its credit card business, which generally are applicable to its portfolio of revolving credit card accounts or, if the Account Owner has only a portion of its portfolio subject to the Receivables Purchase Agreement, applicable to such portion of its portfolio, and in each case which are consistent with prudent practice, including the policies and procedures for determining the creditworthiness of credit card customers and the extension of credit to credit card customers, and (b) relating to the maintenance of credit card accounts and collection of credit card receivables.
βCredit Card Originatorβ shall mean Sterling Jewelers Inc.
βCut-Off Dateβ shall mean May 21, 2014.
βDate of Processingβ shall mean, with respect to any transaction or receipt of Collections, the date on which such transaction is first recorded on the Servicerβs computer file of revolving credit card accounts (without regard to the effective date of such recordation).
βDefaulted Amountβ shall mean, with respect to any Monthly Period, an amount (which shall not be less than zero) equal to (a) the amount of Principal Receivables which became Defaulted Receivables in such Monthly Period, minus (b) the amount of any Defaulted Receivables of which the Transferor or the Servicer became obligated to accept reassignment or assignment in accordance with the terms of this Agreement during such Monthly Period; provided, however, that, if an Insolvency Event occurs with respect to the Transferor, the amount of such Defaulted Receivables which are subject to reassignment to the Transferor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement shall not be added to the sum so subtracted and, if any of the events described in subsection 7.01(d) occur with respect to the Servicer, the amount of such Defaulted Receivables which are subject to reassignment or assignment to the Servicer in accordance with the terms of this Agreement shall not be added to the sum so subtracted.
βDefaulted Receivablesβ shall mean, with respect to any Monthly Period, all Principal Receivables in any Account which are written off as uncollectible in such Monthly Period in accordance with the Credit Card Guidelines and the Servicerβs customary and usual servicing procedures for servicing consumer revolving credit card receivables comparable to the Receivables. A Receivable in any Account shall become a Defaulted Receivable on the day on which such Receivable is recorded as written off on the Servicerβs computer master file of consumer revolving credit card accounts, but in any event, shall be deemed a Defaulted Receivable no later than the last day of the seventh consecutive billing cycle in which such Receivable is delinquent (i.e., 211 days or more past due) as determined under the Contractual Method.
βDiscount Option Dateβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.12
βDiscount Option Receivablesβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.12. The aggregate amount of Discount Option Receivables on any Date of Processing shall equal the product of (a) the amount of Principal Receivables as of such Date of Processing and (b) the Discount Percentage, if any, in effect on such Date of Processing.
4
βDiscount Option Receivables Collectionsβ means on any Date of Processing, the product of (i) a fraction the numerator of which is the aggregate amount of Discount Option Receivables and the denominator of which is the sum of the aggregate amount of Principal Receivables and the aggregate amount of Discount Option Receivables, in each case at the end of the prior Date of Processing and (ii) Collections of Principal Receivables on such Date of Processing prior to any reduction for Finance Charge Receivables which are Discount Option Receivables received on such Date of Processing.
βDiscount Percentageβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.12.
βDistribution Dateβ shall mean, with respect to any Series, the date specified in the applicable Indenture Supplement.
βDocument Delivery Dateβ shall have the meaning specified in subsection 2.09(a)(i)(A).
βDollars,β β$β or βU.S. $β shall mean United States dollars.
βEarly Accumulation Periodβ shall have the meaning, with respect to any Series, if any, specified in the related Indenture Supplement.
βEligible Accountβ shall mean a consumer revolving credit card account owned by the Seller in the case of the Initial Accounts on the Cut-Off Date, or the Seller or other Account Owner, in the case of Additional Accounts after the Cut-Off Date which, as of the Cut-Off Date with respect to an Initial Account or as of the Addition Date with respect to an Additional Account meets the following requirements:
(a) is a revolving credit card account in existence and maintained by the Account Owner;
(b) is established pursuant to a Credit Card Agreement, only one original of which exists, which original is in the possession of the Seller;
(c) is payable in Dollars;
(d) has a cardholder who has provided, as his or her most recent billing address, an address located in the United States or its territories or possessions or a military address;
(e) except as provided below, has a cardholder who has not been identified by the Servicer in its computer files as being currently involved in a voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy proceeding;
(f) has not been identified as an account with respect to which the related card has been lost or stolen;
5
(g) has not been sold or pledged to any other party;
(h) does not have receivables which have been sold or pledged by the Account Owner to any other party other than SJRC pursuant to the Receivables Purchase Agreement or the Indenture Trustee pursuant to the Indenture or a Consignment Vendor;
(i) with respect to the Initial Accounts, is an account in existence and maintained by the Account Owner as of the Cut-Off Date or maintained by the Account Owner as of the Addition Date with respect to Additional Accounts;
(j) except as provided below, does not have any Receivables that are Defaulted Receivables;
(k) does not have any Receivables that have been identified by the Servicer or the relevant Obligor as having been incurred as a result of fraudulent use of any related credit card; and
(l) except as provided below, does not have any Receivables that are more than 211 days past due from the date of the initial billing statement.
Eligible Accounts may include Accounts, the Receivables of which have been charged off, or with respect to which the Servicer believes the related Obligor is bankrupt, in each case as of the Cut-Off Date, with respect to the Initial Accounts, and as of the related Addition Date, with respect to Additional Accounts; provided that (a) the balance of all Receivables included in such Accounts is reflected on the books and records of such Transferor (and is treated for purposes of this Agreement) as βzeroβ and (b) charging privileges with respect to all such Accounts have been canceled in accordance with the relevant Credit Card Guidelines.
βEligible Receivableβ shall mean each Receivable:
(a) which has arisen in an Eligible Account;
(b) which was created in compliance in all material respects with all Requirements of Law applicable to the institution which owned such Receivable at the time of its creation and pursuant to a Credit Card Agreement which complies in all material respects with all Requirements of Law applicable to the Account Owner;
(c) with respect to which all consents, licenses, approvals or authorizations of, or registrations or declarations with, any Governmental Authority required to be obtained, effected or given in connection with the creation of such Receivable or the execution, delivery and performance by the Account Owner of the Credit Card Agreement pursuant to which such Receivable was created, have been duly obtained, effected or given and are in full force and effect;
(d) as to which at the time of the transfer of such Receivable to the Trust, the Transferor or the Trust will have good and marketable title thereto and which itself is, and the underlying receivables are, free and clear of all Liens (other than any Lien for municipal or other local taxes if such taxes are not then due and payable or if the Transferor is then contesting the validity thereof in good faith by appropriate proceedings and has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto);
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(e) which has been the subject of either a valid transfer and assignment from the Transferor to the Trust of all the Transferorβs right, title and interest therein (including any proceeds thereof), or the grant of a first priority perfected security interest therein (and in the proceeds thereof), effective until the termination of the Trust;
(f) which at all times will be the legal, valid and binding payment obligation of the Obligor thereon enforceable against such Obligor in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws, now or hereafter in effect, affecting the enforcement of creditorsβ rights in general and except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity (whether considered in a suit at law or in equity);
(g) which, at the time of transfer to the Trust, has not been waived or modified except as permitted in accordance with the Credit Card Guidelines and which waiver or modification is reflected in the Servicerβs computer file of revolving credit card accounts;
(h) which, at the time of transfer to the Trust, is not subject to any right of rescission, setoff, counterclaim or any other defense (including defenses arising out of violations of usury laws) of the Obligor, other than defenses arising out of applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditorsβ rights in general;
(i) as to which, at the time of transfer to the Trust, the Account Owner, as the case may be, has satisfied all of its obligations required to be satisfied by such time;
(j) as to which, at the time of transfer to the Trust, none of the Transferor, Sterling or the Account Owner has taken any action which would impair, or omitted to take any action the omission of which would impair, the rights of the Trust or the Noteholders therein; and
(k) which constitutes an βaccount,β a βpayment intangibleβ or βtangible chattel paperβ under and as defined in Article 9 of the UCC as then in effect in the State of New York, the State of Delaware and any other state where the filing of a financing statement is required to perfect the Trustβs interest in the Receivables and the proceeds thereof.
βEligible Servicerβ shall mean the Indenture Trustee or, if the Indenture Trustee is not acting as Servicer, an entity which, at the time of its appointment as Servicer, (a) is servicing a portfolio of revolving credit card accounts, (b) is legally qualified and has the capacity to service the Accounts, (c) except for the purposes of Section 5.02, in the sole determination of the Indenture Trustee, which determination shall be conclusive and binding, has demonstrated the ability to service professionally and competently a portfolio of similar accounts in accordance with high standards of skill and care, (d) is qualified to use the software that is then being used to service the Accounts or obtains the right to use or has its own software which is adequate to perform its duties under this Agreement and (e) has a net worth of at least $50,000,000 as of the end of its most recent fiscal quarter.
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βEvent of Defaultβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βExcluded Accountβ shall mean any Account designated by the Transferor to be excluded from the calculation of the Account Addition Test.
βFinance Charge Receivablesβ shall mean all amounts billed to the Obligors on any Account in respect of (i) Periodic Rate Finance Charges, (ii) Late Fees, (iii) Returned Payment Check Fees, (iv) the amount of any insurance premiums billed to the Obligor; provided, however, that after the occurrence of an Insolvency Event relating to Sterling Jewelers Inc., such amount shall be net of amounts payable by the Account Owner to insurance providers or reinsurers, (v) Discount Option Receivables, and (vi) all other fees and charges with respect to the Accounts designated by the Transferor to be included as Finance Charge Receivables. All Collections in relation to Recoveries with respect to a Monthly Period will be treated as Collections of Finance Charge Receivables with respect to such Monthly Period. A Finance Charge Receivable shall be deemed to have been created at the end of the day on the Date of Processing of such Receivable.
βFitchβ shall mean Fitch, Inc. or its successors.
βGovernmental Authorityβ shall mean the United States of America, any state or other political subdivision thereof and any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government.
βIndentureβ shall mean the Master Indenture, dated as of November 2, 2001, among the Issuer, the Servicer and the Indenture Trustee, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
βIndenture Collateralβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
βIndenture Supplementβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βIndenture Trusteeβ shall mean Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas (formerly known as Bankers Trust Company), in its capacity as trustee under the Indenture, its successors in interest and any successor indenture trustee under the Indenture.
βIndependent Directorβ shall have the meaning specified in subsection 2.07(h)(vii).
βIneligible Receivablesβ shall have the meaning specified in subsection 2.05(a).
βInitial Accountβ shall mean each consumer revolving credit card account established pursuant to a Credit Card Agreement between the Seller and any Person, which account is identified in the computer file or microfiche list delivered to the Indenture Trustee by the Transferor pursuant to Section 2.01 on the Initial Funding Date.
βInitial Funding Dateβ shall mean May 27, 2014 or such other date as the Servicer and Transferor shall agree in writing.
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βInitial Issuance Dateβ shall mean November 2, 2001, the date the Transferorβs Certificate is delivered by the Trust to the Transferor pursuant to the Trust Agreement.
βInsolvency Eventβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.01.
βInsurance Proceedsβ shall mean any amounts received pursuant to the payment of benefits under any credit life insurance policies, credit disability or unemployment insurance policies covering any Obligor with respect to Receivables under such Obligorβs Account.
βInvested Amountβ shall mean, with respect to any Series and for any date, an amount equal to the invested amount or adjusted invested amount, as applicable, specified in the related Indenture Supplement.
βIssuerβ shall mean the Trust.
βLate Feesβ shall have the meaning specified in the Credit Card Agreement applicable to each Account for late fees or similar terms.
βLienβ shall mean any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, equity interest, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), preference, participation interest, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing and the filing of any financing statement under the UCC or comparable law of any jurisdiction to evidence any of the foregoing; provided, however, that any assignment permitted by subsection 3.06(b) of the Trust Agreement or Section 4.02 of, and the lien created by, this Agreement shall not be deemed to constitute a Lien.
βMonthly Payment Rateβ shall mean with respect to the last day of any prior Monthly Period, the percentage equivalent of a fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate amount of Collections of Principal Receivables with respect to such Monthly Period and the denominator of which is the aggregate amount of Principal Receivables as of the last day of the immediately preceding Monthly Period.
βMonthly Periodβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βMonthly Servicing Feeβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.02.
βNote Interest Rateβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βNote Ownerβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βNote Registerβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βNoteholderβ or βHolderβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βNoticesβ shall have the meaning specified in subsection 9.04(a).
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βObligorβ shall mean, with respect to any Account, the Person or Persons obligated to make payments with respect to such Account, including any guarantor thereof, but excluding any merchant.
βOfficerβs Certificateβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βOpinion of Counselβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βOwner Trusteeβ shall mean Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual capacity, but solely as owner trustee under the Trust Agreement, its successors in interest and any successor owner trustee under the Trust Agreement.
βParticipation Interest Supplementβ shall mean a supplement to this Agreement entered into pursuant to subsection 2.09(a)(ii) in connection with the conveyance of Participation Interests to the Trust.
βParticipation Interestsβ shall have the meaning specified in subsection 2.09(a)(ii).
βPay Out Eventβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βPaying Agentβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βPeriodic Rate Finance Chargesβ shall have the meaning specified in the Credit Card Agreement applicable to each Account for finance charges (due to periodic rate) or any similar term.
βPersonβ shall mean any legal person, including any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, governmental entity or other entity of any nature.
βPortfolio Yieldβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture Supplement.
βPrincipal Funding Accountβ shall have the meaning, with respect to any Series, specified in the related Indenture Supplement.
βPrincipal Funding Account Balanceβ shall have the meaning, with respect to any Series, specified in the related Indenture Supplement.
βPrincipal Receivablesβ shall mean all Receivables other than Finance Charge Receivables, Defaulted Receivables and Receivables arising in Excluded Accounts; provided, however, that after the Discount Option Date, Principal Receivables on any Date of Processing thereafter means Principal Receivables as otherwise determined pursuant to this definition minus the amount of any Discount Option Receivables. Principal Receivables shall also include the principal portion of Participation Interests as shall be determined pursuant to, and only if so provided in, the applicable Participation Interest Supplement or Indenture Supplement for any Series. In calculating the aggregate amount of Principal Receivables on any day, the amount of Principal Receivables shall be reduced by the aggregate amount of credit balances in the Accounts on such day. Any Principal Receivables which the Transferor is unable to transfer as provided in Section 2.11 shall not be included in calculating the amount of Principal Receivables.
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βRating Agencyβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βRating Agency Conditionβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βReassignmentβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.10.
βReceivablesβ shall mean all amounts shown on the Servicerβs records as amounts payable by Obligors on any Account from time to time, including amounts payable for Principal Receivables and Finance Charge Receivables. Receivables which become Defaulted Receivables will cease to be included as Receivables as of the day on which they become Defaulted Receivables. Unless the context otherwise requires (whether or not there is a specific reference to the underlying receivable), any reference in this Agreement, the Indenture or any Indenture Supplement to a Receivable (including any Principal Receivable, Finance Charge Receivable or Defaulted Receivable) and any Collections thereon or other amounts recoverable with respect thereto (including any Insurance Proceeds or Recoveries with respect thereto) shall refer to only the fractional undivided interest in the amounts paid or payable by Obligors on the Accounts that are transferred by Seller to SJRC pursuant to the Receivables Purchase Agreement.
βReceivables Purchase Agreementβ shall mean, the Third Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 15, 2014, between the Seller and the Transferor.
βRecoveriesβ shall mean all amounts received (net of out-of-pocket costs of collection) including Insurance Proceeds, which is reasonably estimated by the Servicer to be attributable to Defaulted Receivables, including the net proceeds of any sale of such Defaulted Receivables by the Transferor.
βRegistered Notesβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βRelated Accountβ shall mean an Account with respect to which a new credit account number has been issued by the Account Owner or Servicer or the applicable Transferor under circumstances resulting from a lost or stolen credit card and not requiring standard application and credit evaluation procedures under the Credit Card Guidelines.
βRemoval Dateβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.10.
βRemoved Accountsβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.10.
βRemoved Participation Interestsβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.10.
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βRequired Minimum Principal Balanceβ shall mean, unless otherwise provided in an Indenture Supplement relating to any Series, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to the sum of the numerators used in the calculation of the Investor Percentages with respect to Principal Receivables for all outstanding Series on such date; provided that with respect to any Series in its Early Accumulation Period or such other period as designated in the related Indenture Supplement with an Invested Amount as of such date of determination equal to the Principal Funding Account Balance relating to such Series taking into account any deposit to be made to the Principal Funding Account on the Distribution Date following such date of determination, the numerator used in the calculation of the Investor Percentage with respect to Principal Receivables relating to such Series shall, solely for the purpose of the definition of Required Minimum Principal Balance, be deemed to equal zero.
βRequired Transferor Interestβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βRequirements of Lawβ shall mean any law, treaty, rule or regulation, or determination of an arbitrator or Governmental Authority, whether Federal, state or local (including usury laws, the Federal Truth in Lending Act and Regulation B and Regulation Z of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), and, when used with respect to any Person, the certificate of incorporation and by-laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person.
βReturned Payment Check Feeβ shall have the meaning specified in the Credit Card Agreement applicable to each Account for returned payment check fees or similar items.
βSellerβ shall mean Sterling.
βSeriesβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βSeries Accountβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βSeries Enhancementβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βSeries Enhancerβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βService Transferβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.01.
βServicerβ shall mean Sterling, in its capacity as Servicer under this Agreement, and, after any Service Transfer, the Successor Servicer.
βServicer Defaultβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.01.
βServicing Feeβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.02.
βServicing Fee Rateβ shall mean, with respect to any Series, the servicing fee rate specified in the related Indenture Supplement.
βSJRCβ shall mean Sterling Jewelers Receivables Corp., a Delaware corporation, and its successors and permitted assigns, in its capacity as Transferor under this Agreement and the Trust Agreement.
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βSpecial Funding Accountβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βSpecial Funding Amountβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βStandard & Poorβsβ shall mean Standard & Poorβs Ratings Services, or its successor.
βSterlingβ shall mean Sterling Jewelers Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors and permitted assigns, in its capacity as Servicer under this Agreement, or as a Seller under the Receivables Purchase Agreement, as the context requires.
βSuccessor Servicerβ shall have the meaning specified in subsection 7.02(a).
βSupplemental Certificateβ shall have the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.
βTax Opinionβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βTermination Noticeβ shall have the meaning specified in subsection 7.01(e).
βTransfer Agent and Registrarβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βTransfer Restriction Eventβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.11.
βTransferorβ shall mean (a) SJRC, a wholly owned special purpose subsidiary of Sterling and incorporated in the State of Delaware, or its successor under this Agreement, and (b) any Additional Transferor or Transferors. References to βeach Transferorβ shall refer to each entity mentioned in the preceding sentence and references to βthe Transferorβ shall refer to all of such entities.
βTransferor Certificatesβ shall have the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.
βTransferor Interestβ shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.
βTransferred Accountβ shall mean each account into which an Account shall be transferred; provided that (i) such transfer was made in accordance with the Credit Card Guidelines and (ii) such account can be traced or identified as an account into which an Account has been transferred.
βTrustβ shall mean the Sterling Jewelers Receivables Master Note Trust, a Delaware business trust.
βTrust Agreementβ shall mean the Trust Agreement relating to the Trust, dated as of October 18, 2001, between SJRC and the Owner Trustee, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
βTrust Assetsβ shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
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βUCCβ shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code, as amended from time to time, as in effect in any specified jurisdiction.
(a) With respect to any Series, all terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have meanings ascribed to them in the Trust Agreement, the Indenture or the related Indenture Supplement, as applicable.
(b) All terms defined in this Agreement shall have the defined meanings when used in any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto unless otherwise defined therein.
(c) As used in this Agreement and in any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, accounting terms not defined in this Agreement or in any such certificate or other document, and accounting terms partly defined in this Agreement or in any such certificate or other document to the extent not defined, shall have the respective meanings given to them under GAAP. To the extent that the definitions of accounting tents in this Agreement or in any such certificate or other document are inconsistent with the meanings of such terms under GAAP, the definitions contained in this Agreement or in any such certificate or other document shall control.
(d) The agreements, representations and warranties of SJRC and Sterling in this Agreement in each of their respective capacities as Transferor and Servicer shall be deemed to be the agreements, representations and warranties of SJRC and Sterling solely in each such capacity for so long as SJRC and Sterling act in each such capacity under this Agreement.
(e) Any reference to each Rating Agency shall only apply to any specific rating agency if such rating agency is then rating any outstanding Series.
(f) Unless otherwise specified, references to any amount as on deposit or outstanding on any particular date shall mean such amount at the close of business on such day.
(g) The words βhereof,β βherein,β βhereunderβ and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; references to any subsection, Section, Schedule or Exhibit are references to subsections, Sections, Schedules and Exhibits in or to this Agreement unless otherwise specified; and the term βincludingβ means βincluding without limitation.β
[END OF ARTICLE I]
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ARTICLE II
Each Transferor agrees to record and file, at its own expense, financing statements (and continuation statements when applicable) with respect to the Receivables and other Trust Assets conveyed by such Transferor now existing and hereafter created meeting the requirements of applicable state law in such manner and in such jurisdictions as are necessary to perfect, and maintain the perfection of, the transfer and assignment of its interest in such Receivables to the Trust, and to deliver a file stamped copy of each such financing statement or other evidence of such filing to the Owner Trustee as soon as practicable after the Initial Funding Date, in the case of Receivables arising in the Initial Accounts, and (if any additional filing is so necessary) as soon as practicable after the applicable Addition Date, in the case of Receivables arising in Additional Accounts. The Owner Trustee shall be under no obligation whatsoever to file such financing or continuation statements or to make any other filing under the UCC in connection with such transfer and assignment.
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Each Transferor further agrees, at its own expense, on or prior to (x) the Initial Funding Date, in the case of the Initial Accounts, (y) the applicable Addition Date, in the case of Additional Accounts with respect to such Transferor, if any, and (z) the applicable Removal Date, in the case of Removed Accounts with respect to such Transferor, (a) to indicate in the appropriate computer files that Receivables created (or reassigned, in the case of Removed Accounts) in connection with the Accounts have been conveyed to the Trust pursuant to this Agreement (or conveyed to each such Transferor or its designee in accordance with Section 2.10, in the case of Removed Accounts) and (b) to deliver to the Indenture Trustee a computer file or microfiche list containing a true and complete list of all such Accounts specifying for each such Account, as of April 30, 2014, in the case of the Initial Accounts, the applicable Addition Date in the case of Additional Accounts, and the applicable Removal Date in the case of Removed Accounts, its account number and the aggregate amount outstanding in such Account and the aggregate amount of Principal Receivables outstanding in such Account. Each such file or list, as supplemented, from time to time, to reflect Additional Accounts and Removed Accounts, shall be marked as Schedule 1 to this Agreement and is hereby incorporated into and made a part of this Agreement. Each Transferor further agrees not to alter the code referenced in this paragraph with respect to any Account during the term of this Agreement unless and until such Account becomes a Removed Account.
If the arrangements with respect to the Receivables hereunder shall constitute a loan and not a purchase and sale of such Receivables, it is the intention of the parties hereto that this Agreement shall constitute a security agreement under applicable law, and that each Transferor shall be deemed to have granted to the Trust a first priority perfected security interest in all of such Transferorβs right, title and interest, whether owned on the Initial Funding Date or thereafter acquired, in, to and under the Receivables and the other Trust Assets conveyed by such Transferor, and all money, accounts, general intangibles, chattel paper, instruments, documents, goods, investment property, deposit accounts, certificates of deposit, letters of credit, and advices of credit consisting of, arising from or related to the Trust Assets, and all proceeds thereof, to secure its obligations hereunder; and in such circumstances only, each of the Transferor and the Trust represents and warrants as to itself that each remittance of Collections by the Transferor to the Trust under this Agreement will have been: (i) in payment of a debt incurred by the Transferor in the ordinary course of business or financial affairs of the Transferor and the Trust; and (ii) made in the ordinary course of business or financial affairs of the Transferor and the Trust.
To the extent that any Transferor retains any interest in the Trust Assets, such Transferor hereby grants to the Indenture Trustee for the benefit of the Noteholders a security interest in all of such Transferorβs right, title and interest, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in, to and under the Receivables, and the other Trust Assets, and all money, accounts, general intangibles, chattel paper, instruments, documents, goods, investment property, deposit accounts, certificates of deposit, letters of credit, advices of credit, and letter-of-credit rights consisting of, arising from or related to the Trust Assets, and all proceeds thereof (collectively, the βIndenture Collateralβ), to secure the performance of all of its obligations hereunder, under the Indenture and under the Transaction Documents. With respect to the Indenture Collateral, the Indenture Trustee shall have all of the rights that it has under the Indenture and the Transaction Documents. The Indenture Trustee shall have all of the rights of a secured creditor under the UCC.
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(a) The Trust hereby acknowledges its acceptance of all right, title and interest to the property, now existing and hereafter created, conveyed to the Trust pursuant to Section 2.01. The Indenture Trustee acknowledges that, prior to or on the Initial Funding Date, the Transferor will deliver to the Indenture Trustee the computer file or microfiche list relating to the Initial Accounts described in the third paragraph of Section 2.01. The Indenture Trustee shall maintain a copy of Schedule 1, as delivered from time to time, at its Corporate Trust Office.
(b) The Indenture Trustee, by its signature hereto, hereby agrees not to disclose to any Person any of the account numbers or other information contained in the computer files or microfiche lists marked as Schedule 1 and delivered to the Indenture Trustee, from time to time, except (i) to a Successor Servicer or as required by a Requirement of Law applicable to the Indenture Trustee, (ii) in connection with the performance of the Indenture Trusteeβs or the Trustβs duties hereunder, or (iii) to bona fide creditors or potential creditors of the Trust, the Owner Trustee, the Seller, SJRC or any Transferor for the limited purpose of enabling any such creditor to identify applicable Receivables or Accounts subject to this Agreement or the Receivables Purchase Agreements. The Indenture Trustee agrees to take such measures as shall be reasonably requested by any Transferor to protect and maintain the security and confidentiality of such information and, in connection therewith, shall allow each Transferor or its duly authorized representatives to inspect the Indenture Trusteeβs security and confidentiality arrangements as they specifically relate to the administration of the Trust from time to time during normal business hours upon prior written notice. The Indenture Trustee shall provide the applicable Transferor with notice five (5) Business Days prior to disclosure of any information of the type described in this subsection 2.02(b).
(c) The Indenture Trustee, by its signature hereto, hereby agrees not to use any information it obtains pursuant to this Agreement, including any of the account numbers or other information contained in the computer files, microfiche lists or printed lists marked as Schedule 1 or otherwise delivered by the Transferor to the Indenture Trustee pursuant to Sections 2.01, 2.09 or 2.10, to compete or assist any person in competing with the Account Owner or any Transferor in its credit card business.
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(f) All Consents. All authorizations, consents, orders or approvals of or registrations or declarations with any Governmental Authority required to be obtained, effected or given by such Transferor in connection with the execution and delivery by such Transferor of this Agreement and each applicable Participation Interest Supplement and the performance of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each applicable Participation Interest Supplement by such Transferor have been duly obtained, effected or given and are in full force and effect.
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Section 2.04. Representations and Warranties of each Transferor Relating to the Agreement and Any Participation Interest Supplement and the Receivables.
(i) this Agreement and the applicable Participation Interest Supplement each constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Transferor enforceable against such Transferor in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditorsβ lights generally from time to time in effect or general principles of equity;
(ii) as of the Cut-Off Date with respect to the Initial Accounts (and the Receivables arising therein), and as of the related Document Delivery Date with respect to Additional Accounts (and the Receivables arising therein), the portion of Schedule 1 to this Agreement under such Transferorβs name, as supplemented to such date, is an accurate and complete listing in all material respects of all the Accounts the Receivables in which were transferred by such Transferor as of the Cut-Off Date or such Addition Date, as the case may be, and the information contained therein with respect to the identity of such Accounts and the Receivables existing thereunder is true and correct in all material respects as of the Cut-Off Date or such Document Delivery Date, as the case may be;
(iii) on the date each Receivable is conveyed to the Trust by such Transferor, such Receivable has been conveyed to the Trust free and clear of any Lien, claim or encumbrance of any Person;
(iv) all authorizations, consents, orders or approvals of or registrations or declarations with any Governmental Authority required to be obtained, effected or given by such Transferor in connection with the conveyance by such Transferor of Receivables to the Trust have been duly obtained, effected or given and are in full force and effect;
(v) either this Agreement or, in the case of Additional Accounts, the related Assignment constitutes a valid sale, transfer and assignment to the Trust of all right, title and interest of such Transferor in the Receivables conveyed to the Trust by such Transferor and the proceeds thereof and Recoveries identified as relating to the Receivables conveyed to the Trust by such Transferor which have become Defaulted Receivables or, if this Agreement or, in the case of Additional Accounts, the related Assignment does not constitute a sale of such property, it constitutes a grant of a perfected βsecurity interestβ (as defined in the UCC) in such property to the Trust, and which security interest is prior to all other Liens (other than any Lien for municipal or other local taxes if such taxes are not then due and payable or if such Transferor is then contesting the validity thereof in good faith by appropriate proceedings and has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto), which, in the case of existing Receivables and the proceeds thereof and said Recoveries, is enforceable upon execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, with respect to then existing Receivables in Additional Accounts, as of the applicable Addition Date, and which will be enforceable with respect to such Receivables hereafter and thereafter created and the proceeds thereof upon such creation. Upon the filing of the financing statements and, in the case of Receivables hereafter created and the proceeds thereof, upon the creation thereof, the Trust shall have a first priority perfected security or ownership interest in such property and proceeds prior to all other Liens, which is enforceable against creditors of and purchasers from such Transferor;
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(vi) such Transferor has not authorized the filing of and is not aware of any financing statements against such Transferor that include a description of collateral covering the Receivables other than any financing statement (i) relating to the security interest granted to the Issuer hereunder or (ii) that has been terminated.
(vii) on the Cut-Off Date, each Initial Account specified in Schedule 1 with respect to such Transferor is an Eligible Account and, on the applicable Addition Date, each related Additional Account with respect to such Transferor is an Eligible Account;
(viii) on the Cut-Off Date, each Receivable then existing and conveyed to the Trust by such Transferor is an Eligible Receivable and, on the applicable Addition Date, each Receivable contained in the related Additional Accounts and conveyed to the Trust by such Transferor is an Eligible Receivable;
(ix) as of the date of the creation of any new Receivable transferred to the Trust by such Transferor, such Receivable is an Eligible Receivable;
(x) other than the procedures specified herein, no selection procedures believed by such Transferor to be materially adverse to the interests of the Noteholders have been used in selecting such Accounts;
(xi) this Agreement creates a valid and continuing security interest (as defined in the applicable UCC) in the Receivables described in Section 2.01 in favor of the Trust, which security interest is prior to all other Liens (other than any Lien for municipal or other local taxes if such taxes are not then due and payable or if such Transferor is then contesting the validity thereof in good faith by appropriate proceedings and has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto), and is enforceable as such against creditors of and purchasers from such Transferor;
(xii) such Receivables constitute βaccounts,β βpayment intangiblesβ or βtangible chattel paperβ within the meaning of the applicable UCC;
(xiii) such Transferor owns and has good and marketable title to such Receivables free and clear of any Lien, claim or encumbrance (other than any Lien for municipal or other local taxes if such taxes are not then due and payable or if such Transferor is then contesting the validity thereof in good faith by appropriate proceedings and has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto) of any Person;
(xiv) such Transferor has caused or will have caused, within ten days of this Agreement or the applicable Assignment, the filing of all appropriate financing statements in the proper filing office in the appropriate jurisdictions under applicable law in order to perfect the security interest in such Receivables granted to the Issuer hereunder;
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(xv) other than the security interest granted to the Trust pursuant to this Agreement, such Transferor has not pledged, assigned, sold, granted a security interest in, or otherwise conveyed any of such Receivables. Such Transferor has not authorized the filing of and is not aware of any financing statements against such Transferor that include a description of collateral covering such Receivables other than any financing statement (i) relating to the security interest granted to the Trust hereunder, or (ii) that has been terminated;
(xvi) only one original Credit Card Agreement exists with respect to each Account, and each such original is in the possession of the related Seller; and
(xvii) no Credit Card Agreement has any marks or notations indicating that it has been pledged, assigned, or otherwise conveyed to any Person other than the Indenture Trustee.
(c) The representations and warranties in Section 2.04(a)(xi)-(xvii) shall survive termination of this Agreement and, if Standard & Poorβs is then a Rating Agency, shall not be waived without the written consent of Standard and Poorβs.
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(b) Price of Reassignment. The Servicer shall deduct the portion of such Ineligible Receivables required to be reassigned to each Transferor which are Principal Receivables from the aggregate amount of the Principal Receivables used to calculate the Transferor Interest and (unless otherwise specified) any other amount required herein or in the Indenture or any Indenture Supplement to be calculated by reference to the amount of Principal Receivables. In the event that, following the exclusion of such Principal Receivables from the calculation of the Transferor Interest, the Transferor Interest would be less than the Required Transferor Interest, not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the first Distribution Date following the Monthly Period in which such reassignment obligation arises, the applicable Transferor shall make a deposit into the Special Funding Account in immediately available funds in an amount equal to the amount by which the Transferor Interest would be below the Required Transferor Interest (up to the amount of such Principal Receivables).
Upon reassignment of any Ineligible Receivable, the Trust shall automatically and without further action be deemed to transfer, assign, set over and otherwise convey to the applicable Transferor or its designee, without recourse, representation or warranty, all the right, title and interest of the Trust in and to such Ineligible Receivable, all Recoveries related thereto, all monies and amounts due or to become due and all proceeds thereof and such reassigned Ineligible Receivable shall be treated by the Trust as collected in full as of the date on which it was transferred. The obligation of each Transferor to accept reassignment of any Ineligible Receivables conveyed to the Trust by such Transferor, and to make the deposits, if any, required to be made to the Special Funding Account as provided in this Section, shall constitute the sole remedy respecting the event giving rise to such obligation available to the Trust, the Noteholders (or the Indenture Trustee on behalf of the Noteholders) or any Series Enhancer. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection 2.05(b), a reassignment of an Ineligible Receivable in excess of the amount that would cause the Transferor Interest to be less than the Required Transferor Interest shall not occur if the applicable Transferor fails to make any deposit required by this subsection 2.05(b) with respect to such Ineligible Receivable. The Trust shall execute such documents and instruments of transfer or assignment and take such other actions as shall reasonably be requested and provided by the applicable Transferor to effect the conveyance of such Ineligible Receivables pursuant to this subsection 2.05(b), but only upon receipt of an Officerβs Certificate from such Transferor that states that all conditions set forth in this Section 2.05 have been satisfied.
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The applicable Transferor shall deposit in the Collection Account in immediately available funds not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the first Distribution Date following the Monthly Period in which such reassignment obligation arises, in payment for such reassignment, an amount equal to the sum of the amounts specified therefor with respect to each outstanding Series in the related Indenture Supplement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, such amounts shall be distributed to the Noteholders on such Distribution Date in accordance with the terms of each Indenture Supplement. If the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders give notice directing the applicable Transferor to accept a reassignment of the Receivables and Participation Interests as provided above, the obligation of such Transferor to accept such reassignment pursuant to this Section 2.06 and to make the deposit required to be made to the Collection Account as provided in this paragraph shall constitute the sole remedy respecting an event of the type specified in the first sentence of this Section 2.06 available to the Noteholders (or the Indenture Trustee on behalf of the Noteholders) or any Series Enhancer. Upon reassignment of the Receivables and the Participation Interests on such Distribution Date, the Trust shall automatically and without further action be deemed to transfer, assign, set-over and otherwise convey to the applicable Transferor, without recourse, representation or warranty, all the right, title and interest of the Trust in and to the Receivables and the Participation Interests, all Recoveries allocable to the Trust, and all monies and amounts due or to become due with respect thereto and all proceeds thereof. The Trust shall execute such documents and instruments of transfer or assignment and take such other actions as shall reasonably be requested by the applicable Transferor to effect the conveyance of such property pursuant to this subsection.
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(i) Maintain in full effect its existence, rights and franchises as a corporation or limited liability company under the laws of the state of its incorporation and will obtain and preserve its qualification to do business in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is or shall be necessary to protect the validity and enforceability of this Agreement and each other instrument or agreement necessary or appropriate to proper administration hereof and permit and effectuate the transactions contemplated hereby.
(ii) Except as provided herein, maintain its own deposit, securities and other account or accounts, separate from those of any Affiliate of such Transferor, with financial institutions. The funds of such Transferor will not be diverted to any other Person or for other than the corporate use of such Transferor, and, except as may be expressly permitted by this Agreement or the applicable Receivables Purchase Agreement, the funds of such Transferor shall not be commingled with those of any other person or entity.
(iii) Ensure that, to the extent that it shares the same officers or other employees as any of its stockholders or Affiliates, the salaries of and the expenses related to providing benefits to such officers and other employees shall be fairly allocated among such entities, and each such entity shall bear its fair share of the salary and benefit costs associated with all such common officers and employees.
(iv) Ensure that, to the extent that it jointly contracts with any of its stockholders or Affiliates to do business with vendors or service providers or to share overhead expenses, the costs incurred in so doing shall be allocated fairly among such entities, and each such entity shall bear its fair share of such costs. To the extent that such Transferor contracts or does business with vendors or service providers where the goods and services provided are partially for the benefit of any other Person, the costs incurred in so doing shall be fairly allocated to or among such entities for whose benefit the goods and services are provided, and each such entity shall bear its fair share of such costs. All material transactions between such Transferor and any of its Affiliates shall be only on an armβs-length basis and shall receive the approval of such Transferorβs Board of Directors including at least one Independent Director (defined below).
(v) Maintain a principal executive and administrative office through which its business is conducted and a telephone number separate from those of its stockholders and Affiliates. To the extent that such Transferor and any of its stockholders or Affiliates have offices in contiguous space, there shall be fair and appropriate allocation of overhead costs (including rent) among them, and each such entity shall bear its fair share of such expenses.
(vi) Conduct its affairs strictly in accordance with its certificate of incorporation and observe all necessary, appropriate and customary corporate formalities, including, but not limited to, holding all regular and special stockholdersβ and directorsβ meetings appropriate to authorize all corporate action, keeping separate and accurate minutes of such meetings, passing all resolutions or consents necessary to authorize actions taken or to be taken, and maintaining accurate and separate books, records and accounts, including, but not limited to, intercompany transaction accounts. Regular stockholdersβ and directorsβ meetings shall be held at least annually.
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(vii) Ensure that its board of directors shall at all times include at least one Independent Director (for purposes hereof, βIndependent Directorβ shall mean any member of the board of directors of such Transferor that is not and has not at any time been (x) an officer, agent, advisor, consultant, attorney, accountant, employee or shareholder of any Affiliate which is not a special purpose entity of such Transferor, (y) a director of any Affiliate of such Transferor other than an independent director of any Affiliate which is a special purpose entity or (z) a member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing).
(viii) Ensure that decisions with respect to its business and daily operations shall be independently made by such Transferor (although the officer making any particular decision may also be an officer or director of an Affiliate of such Transferor) and shall not be dictated by an Affiliate of such Transferor.
(ix) Act solely in its own corporate name and through its own authorized officers and agents, and no Affiliate of such Transferor shall be appointed to act as agent of such Transferor. Such Transferor shall at all times use its own stationery and business forms and describe itself as a separate legal entity.
(x) Ensure that no Affiliate of such Transferor shall advance funds to such Transferor, and no Affiliate of such Transferor will otherwise guaranty debts of, such Transferor.
(xi) Other than organizational expenses and as expressly provided herein, pay all expenses, indebtedness and other obligations incurred by it using its own funds.
(xii) Not enter into any guaranty, or otherwise become liable, with respect to or hold its assets or creditworthiness out as being available for the payment of any obligation of any Affiliate of such Transferor nor shall such Transferor make any loans to any Person.
(xiii) Ensure that any financial reports required of such Transferor shall comply with generally accepted accounting principles and shall be issued separately from, but may be consolidated with, any reports prepared for any of its Affiliates so long as such consolidated reports contain footnotes describing the effect of the transactions between the Transferor and such Affiliate and also state that the assets of the Transferor are not available to pay creditors of the Affiliate.
(xiv) Ensure that at all times it is adequately capitalized to engage in the transactions contemplated in its Certificate of Incorporation.
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(a) Periodic Rate Finance Charges. (i) Except (x) as otherwise required by any Requirements of Law or (y) as is deemed by the Seller to be necessary in order for it to maintain its credit card business or a program operated by such credit card business on a competitive basis based on a good faith assessment by it of the nature of the competition with respect to the credit card business or such program, it shall not at any time take any action which would have the effect of reducing the Portfolio Yield to a level that could be reasonably expected to cause any Series to experience any Pay Out Event or Event of Default based on the insufficiency of the Portfolio Yield or any similar test and (ii) it shall not take any action unless such action is also applied to all comparable segments of consumer revolving credit card accounts owned by the Credit Card Originator which have characteristics the same as, or substantially similar to, such Accounts.
(a)
(i) The Transferor shall on each Business Day designate as Accounts hereunder all newly created consumer revolving credit card accounts of the Seller that have been transferred to the Transferor that are Eligible Accounts (the βAdditional Accountsβ). The Transferor agrees that it shall meet the following requirement in connection with the designation of such Additional Accounts:
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(A)
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On the Determination Date immediately following the Monthly Period during which an Addition Date shall have occurred (the βDocument Delivery Dateβ), the Transferor shall have delivered to the Indenture Trustee a computer file, magnetic tape or microfiche list containing a true and complete list of all Accounts, including Additional Accounts, identified by account number and the aggregate amount of the Principal Receivables and aggregate amount of Finance Charge Receivables in such Accounts and Additional Accounts as of the close of the preceding Monthly Period, which computer file, magnetic tape or microfiche lists shall be as of the date of such delivery incorporated into and made a part of this Agreement as Schedule 1; and
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(B)
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On or before the Document Delivery Date, the Servicer shall determine whether the Account Addition Test is satisfied and shall designate the Excluded Accounts, if any, necessary to cause the Account Addition Test to be satisfied. Each Excluded Account (and all Receivables thereunder) shall automatically and without further action be re-conveyed by the Issuer to the Transferor upon such designation (and such re-conveyance shall be effective as of the Addition Date for such Account.
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(ii) In addition to causing the designation of Additional Accounts pursuant to clause (i) above, the Transferor may (but shall not be required), subject to the conditions specified in paragraph (b) below, convey to the Trust participations (including 100% participations) representing undivided interests in a pool of assets primarily consisting of revolving credit card receivables and any interests in any of the foregoing, including securities representing or backed by such receivables and collections, together with all earnings, revenue, dividends, distributions, income, issues and profits thereon (βParticipation Interestsβ). Receivables shall not be treated as a Participation Interest for purposes of this Agreement. The addition of Participation Interests in the Trust pursuant to this paragraph (a) shall be effected by a Participation Interest Supplement, dated the applicable Addition Date and entered into pursuant to subsection 9.01(a).
(iii) Any Participation Interests designated to be included as Trust Assets pursuant to clause (ii) above may only be so included if the applicable conditions specified in paragraph (b) below have been satisfied.
(i) on or before the eighth Business Day immediately preceding the Addition Date, the applicable Transferor shall have given the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee, the Servicer and each Rating Agency written notice (unless such notice requirement is otherwise waived) that the Participation Interests will be included and specifying the applicable Additional Cut-Off Date and Addition Date;
(ii) such Transferor shall have delivered to the Owner Trustee and Indenture Trustee copies of UCC-1 financing statements covering such Participation Interests, if necessary to perfect the Trustβs interest in the Receivables arising therein;
(iii) to the extent required by Section 8.04 of the Indenture, such Transferor shall have deposited in the Collection Account all Collections with respect to such Participation Interests since the Addition Date;
(iv) as of each of the Additional Cut-Off Date and the Addition Date, no Insolvency Event with respect to the Seller, SJRC or other Transferor shall have occurred nor shall the transfer to the Trust of the Participation Interests have been made in contemplation of the occurrence thereof;
(v) the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied;
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(vi) such Transferor shall have delivered to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee an Officerβs Certificate, dated the Addition Date, confirming, to the extent applicable, the items set forth in clauses (ii) through (v) above and clause (vii) below;
(vii) the acquisition by the Trust of the Participation Interests will not result in an Adverse Effect and such Transferor shall have delivered to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee an Officerβs Certificate, dated the Addition Date, stating that such Transferor reasonably believes that the acquisition by the Trust of the Participation Interests will not have an Adverse Effect; and
(viii) such Transferor shall have delivered to the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency an Opinion of Counsel, dated the Addition Date, in accordance with subsection 9.02(d)(ii) or (iv), as applicable.
(i) on or before the eighth Business Day immediately preceding the Removal Date, such Transferor shall have given written notice to the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee, the Servicer, the Rating Agency and each Series Enhancer (unless such notice requirement is otherwise waived) of such removal and specifying the date for removal of the Removed Accounts and removed Participation Interests (the βRemoval Dateβ);
(ii) on or prior to the date that is five (5) Business Days on or before the Removal Date, such Transferor shall amend Schedule 1 by delivering to the Indenture Trustee a computer file or microfiche list containing a true and complete list of the Removed Accounts specifying for each such Account, as of the date notice of the Removal Date is given, its account number, the aggregate amount outstanding in such Account and the aggregate amount of Principal Receivables outstanding in such Account;
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(iii) such Transferor shall have represented and warranted as of the Removal Date that the list of Removed Accounts delivered pursuant to paragraph (ii) above, as of the Removal Date, is true and complete in all material respects;
(iv) the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied with respect to the removal of the Removed Accounts and removed Participation Interests;
(v) such Transferor shall have delivered to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee an Officerβs Certificate, dated the Removal Date, to the effect that such Transferor reasonably believes that (A) such removal will not have a material adverse effect on the Noteholders, (B) such removal will not result in the occurrence of a Pay Out Event or Event of Default, and (C) no selection procedures believed by such Transferor to be materially adverse to the interests of the Noteholders have been used in selecting the Removed Accounts; and
(vi) any other conditions specified in the related Indenture Supplement.
(b) Upon satisfaction of the above conditions, the Trust shall execute and deliver to such Transferor a written reassignment in substantially the form of Exhibit B (the βReassignmentβ) and shall, without further action, be deemed to transfer, assign, set over and otherwise convey to such Transferor or its designee, effective as of the Removal Date, without recourse, representation or warranty, all the right, title and interest of the Trust in and to the Receivables arising in the Removed Accounts and Removed Participation Interests, all Recoveries related thereto, all monies due and to become due and all amounts received or receivable with respect thereto after the Removal Date and all proceeds thereof and any Insurance Proceeds relating thereto. The Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee may conclusively rely on the Officerβs Certificate delivered pursuant to this Section 2.10 and shall have no duty to make inquiries with regard to the matters set forth therein and shall incur no personal liability in so relying.
In addition to the foregoing, on the date when any Receivable in an Account becomes a Defaulted Receivable, the Trust shall automatically and without further action or consideration be deemed to transfer, set over and otherwise convey to the Transferor with respect to such Account, without recourse, representation or warranty, all right, title and interest of the Trust in and to the Defaulted Receivables in such Account, all monies and amounts due or to become due with respect thereto and all proceeds thereof; provided that Recoveries of such Account shall be applied as provided herein.
In addition to the foregoing, each Transferor may designate Removed Accounts as provided in and subject to the terms and conditions contained in this Section 2.10 if the Removed Accounts are designated in response to a third-party action or decision not to act and not the unilateral action of any Transferor.
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(c) With respect to Removed Accounts described in subsection 2.11(a), in addition to the foregoing requirements (i) there shall be no more than one Removal Date per Transferor in any Monthly Period, (ii) for each Removal Date, the Accounts to be designated as Removed Accounts shall be selected at random by the applicable Transferor and (iii) the Removed Accounts shall not, as of the Removal Notice Date, contain Principal Receivables which in the aggregate exceed an amount equal to the positive difference, if any, between the Transferor Interest and the Required Transferor Interest.
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(a) The Transferor shall have the option to designate at any time and from time to time a percentage or percentages, which may be a fixed percentage or a variable percentage based on a formula (the βDiscount Percentageβ), of all or any specified portion of Principal Receivables existing on or after the Discount Option Date to be treated as Finance Charge Receivables (βDiscount Option Receivablesβ). As of the Initial Issuance Date, the Transferor hereby exercises such option and designates a Discount Percentage of 5.0% to be effective as of the Initial Issuance Date and to be applied to all Principal Receivables. Subject to the conditions specified below, the Transferor may, without notice to or the consent of any Noteholder, from time to time, increase, reduce or eliminate the Discount Percentage for all or any specified portion of Principal Receivables and if the Discount Percentage has been withdrawn to again designate a Discount Percentage on or after a specified date (each, a βDiscount Option Dateβ) at any time and from time to time. The Transferor shall provide thirty (30) days prior written notice of any such change in the Discount Percentage and the related Discount Option Date to the Servicer, the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee and any Rating Agency and such change in the Discount Percentage shall become effective on such Discount Option Date (i) unless such designation in the reasonable belief of the Transferor would cause a Pay Out Event or Event of Default with respect to any Series to occur, or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a Pay Out Event or Event of Default with respect to any Series and (ii) only if the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied with respect to such designation.
(b) On each Date of Processing, Collections of Discount Option Receivables, if any, shall be treated as Collections of Finance Charge Receivables.
[END OF ARTICLE
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ARTICLE III
ADMINISTRATION AND SERVICING
OF RECEIVABLES
Section 3.01. Acceptance of Appointment and Other Matters Relating to the Servicer.
(a) Sterling agrees to act as the Servicer under this Agreement and the Noteholders by their acceptance of Notes consent to Sterling acting as Servicer.
(b) As agent for each Transferor and the Trust, the Servicer shall service and administer the Receivables (including the underlying receivables) and any Participation Interests, shall collect and deposit into the Collection Account amounts received under the Receivables (including the underlying receivables) and any Participation Interests and shall charge off as uncollectible Receivables, all in accordance with to customary and usual servicing procedures for servicing credit card receivables comparable to the Receivables and in accordance with the Credit Card Guidelines. As agent for each Transferor and the Trust, the Servicer shall have full power and authority, acting alone or through any party properly designated by it hereunder, to do any and all things in connection with such servicing and administration which it may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that subject to the rights of the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders hereunder, SJRC shall have the absolute right to direct the Servicer with respect to any power conferred on the Servicer hereunder in accordance with any such direction. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing and subject to Section 7.01, the Servicer or its designee is hereby authorized and empowered, unless such power is revoked by the Indenture Trustee on account of the occurrence of a Servicer Default pursuant to Section 7.01, (i) to instruct the Owner Trustee or the Indenture Trustee in writing to make withdrawals and payments from the Collection Account, the Special Funding Account and any Series Account, as set forth in this Agreement, the Indenture or any Indenture Supplement, (ii) to take any action required or permitted under any Series Enhancement, as set forth in this Agreement, the Indenture or any Indenture Supplement, (iii) to execute and deliver, on behalf of the Trust, any and all instruments of satisfaction or cancellation, or of partial or full release or discharge, and all other comparable instruments, with respect to the Receivables and, after the delinquency of any Receivable and to the extent permitted under and in compliance with applicable Requirements of Law, to commence collection proceedings with respect to such Receivable and in its discretion, to sell Defaulted Receivables, and (iv) to make any filings, reports, notices, applications and registrations with, and to seek any consents or authorizations from, the Securities and Exchange Commission and any state securities authority on behalf of the Trust as may be necessary or advisable to comply with any Federal or state securities or reporting requirements or other laws. or regulations. The Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee upon written request therefor shall furnish the Servicer with any documents necessary or appropriate to enable the Servicer to carry out its servicing and administrative duties hereunder.
(c) The Servicer shall not, and no Successor Servicer shall, be obligated to use separate servicing procedures, offices, employees or accounts for servicing the Receivables from the procedures, offices, employees and accounts used by the Servicer or such Successor Servicer, as the case may be, in connection with servicing other credit card receivables.
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(d) The Servicer shall comply with and perform its servicing obligations with respect to the Accounts and Receivables in accordance with the Credit Card Agreements relating to the Accounts and the Credit Card Guidelines, except insofar as any failure to so comply or perform would not materially and adversely affect the Trust or the Noteholders.
(e) The Servicer shall pay out of its own funds, without reimbursement, all expenses incurred in connection with the Trust and the servicing activities hereunder including expenses related to enforcement of the Receivables, fees and disbursements of the Owner Trustee (as such and in its individual capacity), the Administrator and the Indenture Trustee in accordance with Section 6.07 of the Indenture (including the reasonable fees and expenses of its outside counsel) and independent accountants and all other fees and expenses, including the costs of filing UCC continuation statements, the costs and expenses relating to obtaining and maintaining the listing of any Notes on any stock exchange and any stamp, documentary, excise, property (whether on real, personal or intangible property) or any similar tax levied on the Trust or the Trustβs assets that are not expressly stated in this Agreement to be payable by the Trust or the Transferor (other than federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise taxes, if any, or any interest or penalties with respect thereto, assessed on the Trust).
Section 3.02. Servicing Compensation. As full compensation for its servicing activities hereunder and as reimbursement for any expense incurred by it in connection therewith, the Servicer shall be entitled to receive a servicing fee (the βServicing Feeβ) with respect to each Monthly Period, payable monthly on the related Distribution Date, in an amount equal to one-twelfth of the product of (a) the weighted average of the Servicing Fee Rates with respect to each outstanding Series (based upon the Servicing Fee Rate for each Series and the Invested Amount (or such other amount as specified in the related Indenture Supplement) of such Series, in each case as of the last day of the prior Monthly Period) and (b) the amount of Principal Receivables on the last day of the prior Monthly Period prior to the termination of the Trust pursuant to Section 8.01 of the Trust Agreement. The share of the Servicing Fee allocable to a Series of Notes with respect to any Monthly Period (the βMonthly Servicing Feeβ) shall be determined in accordance with the relevant Indenture Supplement. The portion of the Servicing Fee with respect to any Monthly Period not paid pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid by the Holders of the Transferor Certificates on the related Distribution Date and in no event shall the Trust, the Owner Trustee (as such or in its individual capacity), the Indenture Trustee, the Noteholders of any Series or any Series Enhancer be liable for the share of the Servicing Fee with respect to any Monthly Period to be paid by the Holders of the Transferor Certificates.
Section 3.03. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Servicer. Sterling, as initial Servicer, hereby makes, and any Successor Servicer by its appointment hereunder shall make, with respect to itself, on each Closing Date (and on the date of any such appointment), the following representations, warranties and covenants on which the Trust and the Indenture Trustee shall be deemed to have relied in accepting the Receivables in trust and in entering into the Indenture:
(a) Organization and Good Standing. The Servicer is a Delaware corporation duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has, in all material respects, full power and authority to own its properties and conduct its credit card servicing business as presently owned or conducted, and to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement.
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(b) Due Qualification. The Servicer is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other foreign entity (or is exempt from such requirements) and has obtained all necessary licenses and approvals in each jurisdiction in which the servicing of the Receivables (including the underlying receivables) and any Participation Interests as required by this Agreement requires such qualification except where the failure to so qualify or obtain licenses or approvals would not have a material adverse effect on its ability to perform its obligations as Servicer under this Agreement.
(c) Due Authorization. The execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement and the other agreements and instruments executed or to be executed by the Servicer as contemplated hereby, have been duly authorized by the Servicer by all necessary action on the part of the Servicer.
(d) Binding Obligation. This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Servicer, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditorsβ rights generally from time to time in effect or by general principles of equity.
(e) No Conflict. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Servicer, and the performance of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the fulfillment of the terms hereof and thereof applicable to the Servicer, will not conflict with, violate or result in any breach of any of the material terms and provisions of, or constitute (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) a material default under, any indenture, contract, agreement, mortgage, deed of trust or other instrument to which the Servicer is a party or by which it or its properties are bound.
(f) No Violation. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Servicer, the performance of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the fulfillment of the terms hereof and thereof applicable to the Servicer will not conflict with or violate any Requirements of Law applicable to the Servicer.
(g) No Proceedings. There are no proceedings or investigations pending or, to the best knowledge of the Servicer, threatened against the Servicer before any Governmental Authority seeking to prevent the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or seeking any determination or ruling that, in the reasonable judgment of the Servicer, would materially and adversely affect the performance by the Servicer of its obligations under this Agreement.
(h) Compliance with Requirements of Law. The Servicer shall duly satisfy all obligations on its part to be fulfilled under or in connection with each Receivable (and the underlying receivable) and the related Account, if any, will maintain in effect all qualifications required under Requirements of Law in order to service properly each Receivable and the related Account, if any, and will comply in all material respects with all other Requirements of Law in connection with servicing each Receivable and the related Account the failure to comply with which would have an Adverse Effect.
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(i) No Rescission or Cancellation. The Servicer shall not permit any rescission or cancellation of any Receivable (or the underlying receivable) except in accordance with the Credit Card Guidelines or as ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Authority.
(j) Protection of Rights. The Servicer shall take no action which, nor omit to take any action the omission of which, would impair the rights of the Trust, the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders in any Receivable (or the underlying receivable) or the related Account, if any, nor shall it reschedule, revise or defer payments due on any Receivable, except in accordance with the Credit Card Guidelines.
(k) Receivables Not To Be Evidenced by Promissory Notes. Except in connection with its enforcement or collection of an Account, the Servicer will take no action to cause any Receivable to be evidenced by any instrument (as defined in the UCC) and if any Receivable is so evidenced it shall be reassigned or assigned to the Servicer as provided in this Section.
(l) All Consents. All authorizations, consents, orders or approvals of or registrations or declarations with any Governmental Authority required to be obtained, effected or given by the Servicer in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Servicer and the performance of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by the Servicer, have been duly obtained, effected or given and are in full force and effect.
In the event (x) any of the representations, warranties or covenants of the Servicer contained in subsection 3.03(h), (i) or (j) with respect to any Receivable or the related Account is breached, and such breach has a material adverse effect on such Receivable (which determination shall be made without regard to whether funds are then available to any Noteholders pursuant to any Series Enhancement) and is not cured within sixty (60) days (or such longer period, not in excess of 150 days, as may be agreed to by the Indenture Trustee and the Transferor in writing) of the earlier to occur of the discovery of such event by the Servicer, or receipt by the Servicer of notice of such event given by the Indenture Trustee or the Transferor, or (y) as provided in subsection 3.03(k) with respect to any Receivable, all Receivables in the Account or Accounts to which such event relates shall be assigned and transferred to the Servicer on the terms and conditions set forth below.
The Servicer shall effect such assignment by making a deposit into the Collection Account in immediately available funds on the Distribution Date following the Monthly Period in which such assignment obligation arises in an amount equal to the amount of such Receivables.
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Upon each such reassignment or assignment to the Servicer, the Trust shall automatically and without further action be deemed to sell, transfer, assign, set over and otherwise convey to the Servicer, without recourse, representation or warranty, all right, title and interest of the Trust in and to such Receivables, all Recoveries related thereto, all monies due or to become due and all amounts received or receivable with respect thereto and all proceeds thereof. The Trust shall execute such documents and instruments of transfer or assignment and take such other actions as shall be reasonably requested by the Servicer to effect the conveyance of any such Receivables pursuant to this Section but only upon receipt of an Officerβs Certificate of the Servicer that states that all conditions set forth in this section have been satisfied. The obligation of the Servicer to accept reassignment or assignment of such Receivables, and to make the deposits, if any, required to be made to the Collection Account as provided in the preceding paragraph, shall constitute the sole remedy respecting the event giving rise to such obligation available to Noteholders (or the Indenture Trustee on behalf of Noteholders) or any Series Enhancer, except as provided in Section 5.04.
Section 3.04. Reports and Records for the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee.
(a) Daily Records. On each Business Day, the Servicer shall make or cause to be made available at the office of the Servicer for inspection by the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee and the Co-Servicer upon reasonable request a record that shall:
(i) set forth (x) the aggregate amount of Collections processed by the Servicer on the second preceding Business Day, (y) the amount on deposit in the Special Funding Account on the preceding Business Day and (z) a calculation of the Transferor Interest and the Required Transferor Interest on the second preceding Business Day based on the estimates described below and a determination of whether the Transferor Interest on the second preceding Business Day was greater than the Required Transferor Interest on such second preceding Business Day and such other information as may be specified in any applicable Indenture Supplement; and
(ii) allocate for such second preceding Business Day in the manner specified below, (x) the aggregate amount of Collections processed by the Servicer with respect to Principal Receivables and (y) the aggregate amount of Collections processed by the Servicer with respect to Finance Charge Receivables.
The estimate of the aggregate amount of Collections processed by the Servicer with respect to Principal Receivables required by paragraph (ii) above shall equal the product of (a) the aggregate amount of the Collections and (b) a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the aggregate amount of Collections of Principal Receivables during the preceding Monthly Period and the denominator of which shall be the aggregate amount of Collections during such Monthly Period. The estimate of the aggregate amount of Collections processed by the Servicer with respect to Finance Charge Receivables required by paragraph (ii) above shall equal the product of (a) the aggregate amount of Collections and (b) a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the aggregate amount of Collections of Finance Charge Receivables during the preceding Monthly Period and the denominator of which shall be the aggregate amount of Collections during such Monthly Period. On the Determination Date following each Monthly Period during which the foregoing methods of estimation shall have been used by the Servicer, the Servicer shall make an appropriate βtrue-upβ adjustment of the aggregate amounts allocated as Collections of Principal Receivables and Finance Charge Receivables in the Collection Account for such Monthly Period pursuant to paragraph (ii) above to the actual amount of Collections of Principal Receivables included in the Trust Assets and the actual amount of Collections of Finance Charge Receivables included in the Trust Assets, in each case, to reflect the difference between (x) the amounts that should have been recorded as Collections in respect of Principal Receivables and Finance Charge Receivables if actual Collections of Principal Receivables and Finance Charge Receivables had been known and (y) the amount allocated thereto pursuant to the preceding sentence.
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(b) Monthly Servicerβs Certificate. Not later than the second Business Day preceding each Distribution Date, the Servicer shall, with respect to each outstanding Series, deliver to the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency a certificate of an Authorized Officer in substantially the form set forth in the related Indenture Supplement.
Section 3.05. Annual Certificate of the Servicer. The Servicer shall deliver to the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency on or before April 30 of each calendar year, beginning with April 30, 2015, an Officerβs Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
Section 3.06. Annual Servicing Report of Independent Public Accountants; Copies of Reports Available.
(a) On or before April 30, of each calendar year, beginning with April 30, 2015, the Servicer shall cause a firm of nationally recognized independent public accountants (who may also render other services to the Servicer or the Transferor or any Account Owner) to furnish a report (addressed to the Indenture Trustee) to the Indenture Trustee, the Servicer and each Rating Agency to the effect that they have applied certain procedures agreed upon with the Servicer and examined certain documents and records relating to the servicing of the Receivables under this Agreement, the Indenture and each Indenture Supplement for the prior calendar year and that, on the basis of such agreed-upon procedures, nothing has come to the attention of such accountants that caused them to believe that the servicing (including the allocation of Collections set forth in Article VIII of the Indenture and in each Indenture Supplement) has not been conducted in compliance with the terms and conditions set forth in Article III and Section 5.08 of this Agreement, Article VIII of the Indenture and the applicable provisions of each Indenture Supplement, except for such exceptions as they believe to be immaterial and such other exceptions as shall be set forth in such statement. Such report shall set forth the agreed-upon procedures performed.
(b) On or before April 30 of each calendar year, beginning with April 30, 2015, the Servicer shall cause a firm of nationally recognized independent public accountants (who may also render other services to the Servicer or Transferor) to furnish a report to the Indenture Trustee, the Servicer and each Rating Agency to the effect that they have applied certain procedures agreed upon with the Servicer to compare the mathematical calculations of certain amounts set forth in the Servicerβs certificates delivered pursuant to subsection 3.04(b) during the period covered by such report with the Servicerβs computer reports that were the source of such amounts and that on the basis of such agreed-upon procedures and comparison, such accountants are of the opinion that such amounts are in agreement, except for such exceptions as they believe to be immaterial and such other exceptions as shall be set forth in such statement. Such report shall set forth the agreed-upon procedures performed.
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(c) A copy of each certificate and report provided pursuant to subsection 3.04(b), or Section 3.05 or 3.06, may be obtained by any Noteholder or Note Owner by a request in writing to the Indenture Trustee addressed to the Corporate Trust Office.
Section 3.07. Tax Treatment. Unless otherwise specified in the Indenture or an Indenture Supplement with respect to a particular Series, the Transferor has entered into this Agreement, and the Notes will be issued, with the intention that, for federal, state and local income and franchise tax purposes, (i) the Notes of each Series which are characterized as indebtedness at the time of their issuance will qualify as indebtedness secured by the Receivables and (ii) the Trust shall not be treated as an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation. The Transferor, by entering into this Agreement, and each Noteholder, by the acceptance of any such Note (and each Note Owner, by its acceptance of an interest in the applicable Note), agree to treat such Notes for federal, state and local income and franchise tax purposes as indebtedness of the Transferor. Each Holder of such Note agrees that it will cause any Note Owner acquiring an interest in a Note through it to comply with this Agreement as to treatment as indebtedness under applicable tax law, as described in this Section 3.07. The parties hereto agree that they shall not cause or permit the making, as applicable, of any election under Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3 whereby the Trust or any portion thereof would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes and, except as required by Section 6.13 of the Indenture, shall not file tax returns or obtain any federal employer identification number for the Trust but shall treat the Trust as a disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes. The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in furtherance of the foregoing intended tax treatment.
Section 3.08. Notices to the Servicer. In the event that Sterling is no longer acting as Servicer, any Successor Servicer shall deliver or make available to Sterling each certificate and report required to be provided thereafter pursuant to subsection 3.04(b) and Sections 3.05 and 3.06.
Section 3.09. Adjustments.
(a) If the Servicer adjusts downward the amount of any Receivable because of a rebate, refund, unauthorized charge or billing error to a cardholder, or because such Receivable was created in respect of merchandise which was refused or returned by a cardholder, then, in any such case, the amount of Principal Receivables used to calculate the Transferor Interest, and (unless otherwise specified) any other amount required herein or in the Indenture or any Indenture Supplement to be calculated by reference to the amount of Principal Receivables, will be reduced by the amount of the adjustment. Similarly, the amount of Principal Receivables used to calculate the Transferor Interest and (unless otherwise specified) any other amount required herein or in any Indenture Supplement to be calculated by reference to the amount of Principal Receivables will be reduced by the principal amount of any Receivable which was discovered as having been created through a fraudulent or counterfeit charge or with respect to which the covenant contained in subsection 2.07(b) was breached or which arises in an Excluded Account first designated as such on the related Determination Date. Any adjustment required pursuant to either of the two preceding sentences shall be made on or prior to the end of the Monthly Period in which such adjustment obligation arises or, with respect to Excluded Accounts, the Determination Date following such Monthly Period. In the event that, following the exclusion of such Principal Receivables from the calculation of the Transferor Interest, the Transferor Interest would be less than the Required Transferor Interest, not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Distribution Date following the Monthly Period (or, in the case of Excluded Account, the related Determination Date) in which such adjustment obligation arises, the Transferor shall make a deposit into the Special Funding Account in immediately available funds in an amount equal to the amount by which the Transferor Interest would be less than the Required Transferor Interest, due to adjustments with respect to Receivables conveyed by such Transferor (up to the amount of such Principal Receivables). Any amount deposited into the Special Funding Account in connection with the adjustment of a Receivable (an βAdjustment Paymentβ) shall be applied in accordance with the terms of Section 8.03 of the Indenture and, if applicable, the Indenture Supplement relating to any Series of Notes.
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(b) If (i) the Servicer makes a deposit into the Collection Account in respect of a Collection of a Receivable and such Collection was received by the Servicer in the form of a check which is not honored for any reason or (ii) the Servicer makes a mistake with respect to the amount of any Collection and deposits an amount that is less than or more than the actual amount of such Collection or (iii) the Servicer deposits into the Collection Account fund representing collections of any Excluded Account, then the Servicer shall appropriately adjust the amount subsequently deposited into the Collection Account to reflect such dishonored check or mistake. Any Receivable in respect of which a dishonored check is received shall be deemed not to have been paid. Notwithstanding the first two sentences of this paragraph, adjustments made pursuant to this Section 3.09 shall not require any change in any report previously delivered pursuant to subsection 3.04(a).
[END OF ARTICLE III]
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ARTICLE IV
OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO EACH TRANSFEROR
Section 4.01. Liability of each Transferor. Each Transferor shall be severally, and not jointly, liable for all obligations, covenants, representations and warranties of such Transferor arising under or related to this Agreement. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, each Transferor shall be liable only to the extent of the obligations specifically undertaken by it in its capacity as a Transferor.
Section 4.02. Merger or Consolidation of, or Assumption of the Obligations of a Transferor.
(a) No Transferor shall dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or convey, transfer or sell its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person unless:
(i) (x) the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which such Transferor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance, transfer or sale the properties and assets of the Transferor substantially as an entirety shall be, if such Transferor is not the surviving entity, organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any state or the District of Columbia, and shall be a savings association, a national banking association, a bank or other entity which is not eligible to be a debtor in a case under Title 11 of the United States Code or is a special purpose corporation whose powers and activities are limited to substantially the same degree as provided in the certificate of incorporation of SJRC and, if such Transferor is not the surviving entity, shall expressly assume, by an agreement supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee, the performance of every covenant and obligation of such Transferor hereunder; and (y) such Transferor or the surviving entity, as the case may be, has delivered to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee (with a copy to each Rating Agency) an Officerβs Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or sale and such supplemental agreement comply with this Section, that such supplemental agreement is a valid and binding obligation of such surviving entity enforceable against such surviving entity in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditorsβ rights generally from time to time in effect or general principles of equity, and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with; and
(ii) the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied with respect to such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer.
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(b) Except as permitted by subsection 2.07(c), the obligations, rights or any part thereof of each Transferor hereunder shall not be assignable nor shall any Person succeed to such obligations or rights of any Transferor hereunder except (i) for conveyances, mergers, consolidations, assumptions, sales or transfers in accordance with the provisions of the foregoing paragraph and (ii) for conveyances, mergers, consolidations, assumptions, sales or transfers to other entities (1) which such Transferor and the Servicer determine will not result in an Adverse Effect, (2) which meet the requirements of clause (ii) of the preceding paragraph and (3) for which such purchaser, transferee, pledgee or entity shall expressly assume, in an agreement supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee in writing in form satisfactory to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee, the performance of every covenant and obligation of such Transferor thereby conveyed.
Section 4.03. Limitations on Liability of Each Transferor. Subject to Section 4.01, no Transferor nor any of the directors, officers, employees, incorporators or agents of any Transferor acting in such capacities shall be under any liability to the Trust, the Owner Trustee, the Indenture Trustee, the Noteholders, any Series Enhancer or any other Person for any action taken, or for refraining from the taking of any action, in good faith in such capacities pursuant to this Agreement, it being expressly understood that such liability is expressly waived and released as a condition of, and consideration for, the execution of this Agreement, the Indenture and any Indenture Supplement and the issuance of the Notes; provided, however, that this provision shall not protect any Transferor or any such person against any liability which would otherwise be imposed by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of duties or by reason of reckless disregard of obligations and duties hereunder. Each Transferor and any director, officer, employee or agent of such Transferor may rely in good faith on any document of any kind prima facie properly executed and submitted by any Person (other than such Transferor) respecting any matters arising hereunder.
[END OF ARTICLE IV]
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ARTICLE V
(a) (i) the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Servicer is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance, transfer or sale the properties and assets of the Servicer substantially as an entirety shall be, if the Servicer is not the surviving entity, a Person or a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any state or the District of Columbia, and, if the Servicer is not the surviving entity, such entity shall expressly assume, by an agreement supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee, the performance of every covenant and obligation of the Servicer hereunder;
(ii) the Servicer has delivered to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee an Officerβs Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or sale comply with this Section 5.02 and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with;
(iii) the Servicer shall have given the Rating Agencies notice of such consolidation, merger or transfer or assets; and
(b) the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Servicer is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer the properties and assets of the Servicer substantially as an entirety shall be an Eligible Servicer.
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Section 5.07. Delegation of Duties. In the ordinary course of business, the Servicer may at any time delegate its duties hereunder with respect to the Accounts and the Receivables to any Person that agrees to conduct such duties in accordance with the Credit Card Guidelines and this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, such delegation shall not relieve the Servicer of its liability and responsibility with respect to such duties, and shall not constitute a resignation within the meaning of Section 5.05. The Servicer shall give prompt notice of such delegation of duties to the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency.
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ARTICLE VI
[END OF ARTICLE VII
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ARTICLE VII
(a) any failure by the Servicer to make any payment, transfer or deposit or to give instructions or to give notice to the Indenture Trustee to make such payment, transfer or deposit on or before the date occurring five (5) Business Days after the date such payment, transfer or deposit or such instruction or notice is required to be made or given, as the case may be, under the terms of this Agreement, the Indenture or any Indenture Supplement;
(b) failure on the part of the Servicer duly to observe or perform in any material respect any other covenants or agreements of the Servicer set forth in this Agreement which has an Adverse Effect and which continues unremedied for a period of sixty (60) days after the date on which written notice of such failure, requiring the same to be remedied, shall have been given to the Servicer by the Owner Trustee or the Indenture Trustee, or to the Servicer, the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee by Holders of Notes evidencing not less than 10% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Notes (or, with respect to any such failure that does not relate to all Series, 10% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Series to which such failure relates); or the Servicer shall assign or delegate its duties under this Agreement, except as permitted by Sections 5.02 and 5.07;
(c) any representation, warranty or certification made by the Servicer in this Agreement or in any certificate delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect when made, which has an Adverse Effect on the rights of the Noteholders of any Series (which determination shall be made without regard to whether funds are then available pursuant to any Series Enhancement) and which Adverse Effect continues for a period of sixty (60) days after the date on which written notice thereof, requiring the same to be remedied, shall have been given to the Servicer by the Owner Trustee or the Indenture Trustee, or to the Servicer, the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee by the Holders of Notes evidencing not less than 10% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Notes (or, with respect to any such representation, warranty or certification that does not relate to all Series, 10% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Series to which such representation, warranty or certification relates);
(d) the Servicer shall consent to the appointment of a bankruptcy trustee or conservator or receiver or liquidator in any bankruptcy proceeding or other insolvency, readjustment of debt, marshalling of assets and liabilities or similar proceedings of or relating to the Servicer or of or relating to all or substantially all its property, or a decree or order of a court or agency or supervisory authority having jurisdiction in the premises for the appointment of a bankruptcy trustee or a conservator or receiver or liquidator in any bankruptcy, insolvency, readjustment of debt, marshalling of assets and liabilities or similar proceedings, or the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs, shall have been entered against the Servicer and such decree or order shall have remained in force undischarged or unstayed for a period of sixty (60) days; or the Servicer shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, file a petition to take advantage of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization statute, make any assignment for the benefit of its creditors or voluntarily suspend payment of its obligations; or
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(e) any other Servicer Default described in the related Indenture Supplement;
then, in the event of any Servicer Default, so long as the Servicer Default shall not have been remedied, either the Indenture Trustee or the Holders of Notes evidencing more than 50% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Notes, by notice then given to the Servicer and the Owner Trustee (and to the Indenture Trustee if given by the Noteholders) (a βTermination Noticeβ), may terminate all but not less than all the rights and obligations of the Servicer as Servicer under this Agreement; provided, however, if within sixty (60) days of receipt of a Termination Notice the Indenture Trustee does not receive any bids from Eligible Servicers in accordance with subsection 7.02(c) to act as a Successor Servicer and receives an Officerβs Certificate of the Servicer to the effect that the Servicer cannot in good faith cure the Servicer Default which gave rise to the Termination Notice, the Indenture Trustee shall grant a purchase option and right of first refusal to the Transferor which would permit the Transferor at its option to redeem or acquire the Notes on the Distribution Date in the next calendar month; provided further, however, the foregoing purchase option or right of first refusal shall not apply in the case of a Servicer Default set forth in subsection 7.01(d).
The price to redeem or acquire the Notes shall be equal to the sum of the amounts specified therefor with respect to each outstanding Series in the related Indenture Supplement. The Transferor shall notify the Indenture Trustee in writing prior to the Record Date for the Distribution Date of the acquisition if it is exercising such purchase option and right of first refusal. If the Transferor exercises such purchase option or right of first refusal, the Transferor shall deposit the price into the Collection Account not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on such Distribution Date in immediately available funds. The price shall be allocated and distributed to Noteholders in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and each Indenture Supplement.
After receipt by the Servicer of a Termination Notice, and on the date that a Successor Servicer is appointed by the Indenture Trustee pursuant to Section 7.02, all authority and power of the Servicer under this Agreement shall pass to and be vested in the Successor Servicer (a βService Transferβ); and, without limitation, the Indenture Trustee is hereby authorized and empowered (upon the failure of the Servicer to cooperate) to execute and deliver, on behalf of the Servicer, as attorney-in-fact or otherwise, all documents and other instruments upon the failure of the Servicer to execute or deliver such documents or instruments, and to do and accomplish all other acts or things necessary or appropriate to effect the purposes of such Service Transfer. The Servicer agrees to cooperate with the Indenture Trustee and such Successor Servicer in effecting the termination of the responsibilities and rights of the Servicer to conduct servicing hereunder, including the transfer to such Successor Servicer of all authority of the Servicer to service the Receivables provided for under this Agreement, including all authority over all Collections which shall on the date of transfer be held by the Servicer for deposit, or which have been deposited by the Servicer, in the Collection Account, or which shall thereafter be received with respect to the Receivables, and in assisting the Successor Servicer. The Servicer shall within twenty (20) Business Days transfer its electronic records relating to the Receivables to the Successor Servicer in such electronic form as the Successor Servicer may reasonably request and shall promptly transfer to the Successor Servicer all other records, correspondence and documents necessary for the continued servicing of the Receivables in the manner and at such times as the Successor Servicer shall reasonably request. To the extent that compliance with this Section shall require the Servicer to disclose to the Successor Servicer information of any kind which the Servicer deems to be confidential, the Successor Servicer shall be required to enter into such customary licensing and confidentiality agreements as the Servicer shall deem reasonably necessary to protect its interests.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, a delay in or failure of performance referred to in paragraph (a) above for a period of ten (10) Business Days after the applicable grace period or under paragraph (b) or (c) above for a period of sixty (60) Business Days after the applicable grace period, shall not constitute a Servicer Default if such delay or failure could not be prevented by the exercise of reasonable diligence by the Servicer and such delay or failure was caused by an act of God or the public enemy, acts of declared or undeclared war, public disorder, rebellion or sabotage, epidemics, landslides, lightning, fire, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods or similar causes. The preceding sentence shall not relieve the Servicer from using all commercially reasonable efforts to perform its obligations in a timely manner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Servicer shall provide the Indenture Trustee, Owner Trustee, each Transferor and any Series Enhancer with an Officerβs Certificate giving prompt notice of such failure or delay by it, together with a description of its efforts so to perform its obligations.
(a) On and after the receipt by the Servicer of a Termination Notice pursuant to Section 7.01, the Servicer shall continue to perform all servicing functions under this Agreement until the date specified in the Termination Notice or otherwise specified by the Indenture Trustee or until a date mutually agreed upon by the Servicer and the Indenture Trustee. The Indenture Trustee shall as promptly as possible after the giving of a Termination Notice appoint an Eligible Servicer as a successor servicer (the βSuccessor Servicerβ), and such Successor Servicer shall accept its appointment by a written assumption in a form acceptable to the Indenture Trustee. In the event that a Successor Servicer has not been appointed or has not accepted its appointment at the time when the Servicer ceases to act as Servicer, the Indenture Trustee without further action shall automatically be appointed the Successor Servicer. The Indenture Trustee may delegate any of its servicing obligations to an Affiliate or agent in accordance with subsection 3.01(b) and Section 5.07. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indenture Trustee shall, if it is legally unable so to act, petition at the expense of the Servicer a court of competent jurisdiction to appoint any established institution qualifying as an Eligible Servicer as the Successor Servicer hereunder. The Indenture Trustee shall give prompt notice to each Rating Agency and each Series Enhancer upon the appointment of a Successor Servicer.
(b) Upon its appointment, the Successor Servicer shall be the successor in all respects to the Servicer with respect to servicing functions under this Agreement and shall be subject to all the responsibilities, duties and liabilities relating thereto placed on the Servicer by the terms and provisions hereof, and all references in this Agreement to the Servicer shall be deemed to refer to the Successor Servicer.
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(c) In connection with any Termination Notice, the Indenture Trustee will review any bids which it obtains from Eligible Servicers and shall be permitted to appoint any Eligible Servicer submitting such a bid as a Successor Servicer for servicing compensation not in excess of the aggregate Servicing Fees for all Series plus the sum of the amounts with respect to each Series and with respect to each Distribution Date equal to any Collections of Finance Charge Receivables allocable to Noteholders of such Series which are payable to the Holders of the Transferor Certificates after payment of all amounts owing to the Noteholders of such Series with respect to such Distribution Date or required to be deposited in the applicable Series Accounts with respect to such Distribution Date and any amounts required to be paid to any Series Enhancer for such Series with respect to such Distribution Date pursuant to the terms of any Enhancement Agreement; provided, however, that the Holders of the Transferor Certificates shall be responsible for payment of the Transferorβs portion of such aggregate Servicing Fees and all other such amounts in excess of such aggregate Servicing Fees. Each Holder of the Transferorβs Certificates agrees that, (i) if Sterling (or any Successor Servicer) is terminated as Servicer hereunder, the portion of the Collections in respect of Finance Charge Receivables that the Transferor is entitled to receive pursuant to this Agreement, the Indenture or any Indenture Supplement shall be reduced by an amount sufficient to pay the Transferorβs share of the compensation of the Successor Servicer and (ii) if a Servicer Default has occurred and is continuing, the remaining Collections that the Transferor is entitled to receive pursuant thereto shall be reduced, if necessary, by an amount sufficient to pay any amounts due and unpaid to the Indenture Trustee pursuant to Section 6.07 of the Indenture.
(d) All authority and power granted to the Servicer under this Agreement shall automatically cease and terminate upon termination of the Trust pursuant to Section 8.01 of the Trust Agreement, and shall pass to and be vested in the Transferor and, without limitation, the Transferor is hereby authorized and empowered to execute and deliver, on behalf of the Servicer, as attorney-in-fact or otherwise, all documents and other instruments, and to do and accomplish all other acts or things necessary or appropriate to effect the purposes of such transfer of servicing rights. The Servicer agrees to cooperate with the Transferor in effecting the termination of the responsibilities and rights of the Servicer to conduct servicing of the Receivables. The Servicer shall transfer its electronic records relating to the Receivables to the Transferor or its designee in such electronic form as it may reasonably request and shall transfer all other records, correspondence and documents to it in the manner and at such times as it shall reasonably request. To the extent that compliance with this Section shall require the Servicer to disclose to the Transferor information of any kind which the Servicer deems to be confidential, the Transferor shall be required to enter into such customary licensing and confidentiality agreements as the Servicer shall deem necessary to protect its interests.
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[END OF ARTICLE VII]
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ARTICLE VIII
Section 8.01. Termination of Agreement. This Agreement and the respective obligations and responsibilities of the Trust, the Transferor and the Servicer under this Agreement shall terminate, except with respect to the duties described in Section 5.04, on the Trust Termination Date.
[END OF ARTICLE VIII]
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ARTICLE IX
(a) This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto from time to time prior to, or in connection with, the issuance of the first Series of Notes hereunder without the requirement of any consents or the satisfaction of any conditions set forth below. This Agreement may be amended from time to time by the Servicer, the Transferor and the Trust, by a written instrument signed by each of them, without the consent of the Indenture Trustee or any of the Noteholders; provided that (i) the Transferor shall have delivered to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee an Officerβs Certificate, dated the date of any such Amendment, stating that the Transferor reasonably believes that such amendment will not have an Adverse Effect and (ii) the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied with respect to any such amendment. Additionally, notwithstanding the preceding sentence, this Agreement will be amended by the Servicer and the Trust at the direction of the Transferor without the consent of the Indenture Trustee or any of the Noteholders or Series Enhancers to add, modify or eliminate such provisions as may be necessary or advisable in order to enable all or a portion of the Trust (i) to qualify as, and to permit an election to be made to cause the Trust to be treated as, a βfinancial asset securitization investment trustβ as described in the provisions of Section 860L of the Code, and (ii) to avoid the imposition of state or local income or franchise taxes imposed on the Trustβs property or its income; provided, however, that (i) the Transferor delivers to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee an Officerβs Certificate to the effect that the proposed amendments meet the requirements set forth in this subsection, (ii) each Rating Agency will have notified the Transferor, the Servicer, the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee in writing that the amendment will not result in a reduction or withdrawal of the rating of any outstanding Series or Class as to which it is a Rating Agency and (iii) such amendment does not affect the rights, duties, benefits, protections, privileges or immunities of the Indenture Trustee or the Owner Trustee (as such or in its individual capacity) hereunder.
(b) This Agreement may be amended from time to time to add a new Seller and a new Receivables Purchase Agreement and to delete a Seller or a Receivables Purchase Agreement without the consent of Noteholders or any other Persons if (x) the new Seller is an Affiliate of Sterling and (y) the new Seller acquires from Sterling Jewelers Inc. the Receivables that would have been otherwise directly transferred to the Transferor pursuant to the Receivables Purchase Agreement and sells them to the Transferor pursuant to such new Receivables Purchase Agreement; provided, however, that the Transferor delivers (i) an Officerβs Certificate to the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee stating that there is no Adverse Effect; (ii) a Tax Opinion; (iii) an Opinion of Counsel relating to security interest matters relating to the Receivables; and (iv) prior written notice to the Rating Agencies then rating any outstanding Series or Class of Notes.
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(c) This Agreement may also be amended from time to time by the Servicer, the Transferor and the Trust, with the consent of the Holders of Notes evidencing not less than 50% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Notes of all affected Series for which the Transferor has not delivered an Officerβs Certificate stating that there is no Adverse Effect, for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Agreement or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Noteholders; provided, however, that no such amendment shall (i) reduce in any manner the amount of or delay the timing of any distributions (changes in Pay Out Events or Events of Default that decrease the likelihood of the occurrence thereof shall not be considered delays in the timing of distributions for purposes of this clause) to be made to Noteholders or deposits of amounts to be so distributed or the amount available under any Series Enhancement without the consent of each affected Noteholder, (ii) change the definition of or the manner of calculating the interest payable to any Noteholder without the consent of each affected Noteholder, (iii) reduce the aforesaid percentage required to consent to any such amendment without the consent of each Noteholder or (iv) adversely affect the rating of any Series or Class by each Rating Agency without the consent of the Holders of Notes of such Series or Class evidencing not less than 50% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Notes of such Series or Class.
(d) Promptly after the execution of any such amendment or consent (other than an amendment pursuant to paragraph (a)), the Trust shall furnish written notification of the substance of such amendment to the Indenture Trustee and each Noteholder, and the Servicer shall furnish notification of the substance of such amendment to each Rating Agency and each Series Enhancer.
(e) It shall not be necessary for the consent of Noteholders under this Section 9.01 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the substance thereof. The manner of obtaining such consents and of evidencing the authorization of the execution thereof by Noteholders shall be subject to such reasonable requirements as the Indenture Trustee may prescribe.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 9.01 to the contrary, no amendment may be made to this Agreement or any Participation Interest Supplement which would adversely affect in any material respect the interests of any Series Enhancer or the Indenture Trustee without the prior written consent of such Series Enhancer or the Indenture Trustee, respectively.
(g) Any Indenture Supplement executed in accordance with the provisions of Article X of the Indenture shall not be considered an amendment of this Agreement for the purposes of this Section 9.01.
(h) The Holders of Notes evidencing more than 66-2/3% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Notes of each Series or, with respect to any Series with two (2) or more Classes, of each Class (or, with respect to any default that does not relate to all Series, 66-2/3% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Notes of each Series to which such default relates or, with respect to any such Series with two or more Classes, of each Class) may, on behalf of all Noteholders, waive any default by the Transferor or the Servicer in the performance of their obligations hereunder and its consequences, except the failure to make any distributions required to be made to Noteholders or to make any required deposits of any amounts to be so distributed. Upon any such waiver of a past default, such default shall cease to exist, and any default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been remedied for every purpose of this Agreement. No such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon except to the extent expressly so waived.
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(i) The Owner Trustee or the Indenture Trustee, may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such amendment which affects the Owner Trusteeβs or Indenture Trusteeβs, as applicable, rights, duties, benefits, protections, privileges or immunities under this Agreement or otherwise. In connection with the execution of any amendment hereunder, the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee shall be entitled to receive the Opinion of Counsel described in subsection 9.02(d).
(a) The Transferor shall cause this Agreement, all amendments and supplements hereto and all financing statements and continuation statements and any other necessary documents covering the Indenture Trusteeβs and the Trustβs right, title and interest to the Trust to be promptly recorded, registered and filed, and at all times to be kept recorded, registered and filed, all in such manner and in such places as may be required by law fully to preserve and protect the right, title and interest of the Indenture Trustee, Noteholders and the Trust hereunder to all property comprising the Trust. The Transferor shall deliver to the Owner Trustee and Indenture Trustee file-stamped copies of, or filing receipts for, any document recorded, registered or filed as provided above, as soon as available following such recording, registration or filing. The Transferor shall cooperate fully with the Servicer in connection with the obligations set forth above and will execute any and all documents reasonably required to fulfill the intent of this paragraph.
(b) Within thirty (30) days after any Transferor makes any change in its name, identity or corporate structure which would make any financing statement or continuation statement filed in accordance with paragraph (a) seriously misleading within the meaning of Section 9-402(7) (or any comparable provision) of the UCC, such Transferor shall give the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee written notice of any such change and shall file such financing statements or amendments as may be necessary to continue the perfection of the Trustβs security interest or ownership interest in the Receivables and the proceeds thereof.
(c) Each Transferor shall give the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee prompt notice of any relocation of its chief executive office or any change in the jurisdiction under whose laws it is organized and whether, as a result of such relocation or change, the applicable provisions of the UCC would require the filing of any amendment of any previously filed financing or continuation statement or of any new financing statement and shall file such financing statements or amendments as may be necessary to perfect or to continue the perfection of the Trustβs security interest in the Receivables and the proceeds thereof. Each Transferor shall at all times maintain its chief executive offices within the United States and shall at all times be organized under the laws of a jurisdiction located within the United States.
(d) The Transferor shall deliver to the Owner Trustee and the Indenture Trustee (i) upon the execution and delivery of each amendment of this Agreement, an Opinion of Counsel to the effect specified in Exhibit D-1; (ii) quarterly, with respect to Additional Accounts, and on each Addition Date on which any Participation Interests are to be included in the Trust pursuant to subsection 2.09(a), an Opinion of Counsel covering the same substantive legal issues addressed by Exhibits D-1 and D-2 but conformed to the extent appropriate to relate to Additional Accounts and Participation Interests; and (iii) on or before April 30 of each year, beginning with April 30, 2015, an Opinion of Counsel substantially in the form of Exhibit D-3.
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Section 9.03. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE 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.
(a) All demands, notices, instructions, directions and communications (collectively, βNoticesβ) under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered at, mailed by registered mail, return receipt requested, or sent by facsimile transmission (i) in the case of the Transferor, to SJRC, at 000 Xxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx, Xxxx 00000, Attention: Corporate Treasury Department (facsimile no. (000) 000-0000), (ii) in the case of the Servicer, to Sterling Jewelers Inc., at 000 Xxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx, Xxxx 00000, Attention: Corporate Treasury Department (facsimile no. (000) 000-0000), (iii) in the case of the Trust or the Owner Trustee, to Wilmington Trust Company, Xxxxxx Square North, 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration (facsimile no. (000) 000-0000), (iv) in the case of the Rating Agency for a particular Series, the address, if any, specified in the Indenture Supplement relating to such Series, and (v) to any other Person as specified in the Indenture or any Indenture Supplement; or, as to each party, at such other address or facsimile number as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to each other party.
(b) Any Notice required or permitted to be given to a Holder of Registered Notes shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, by hand or by overnight courier, at the address of such Holder as shown in the Note Register. No Notice shall be required to be mailed to a Holder of Bearer Notes or Coupons but shall be given as provided below. Any Notice so mailed within the time prescribed in this Agreement shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Noteholder receives such Notice. In addition, in the case of any Series or Class with respect to which any Bearer Notes are outstanding, any Notice required or permitted to be given to Noteholders of such Series or Class shall be published in an Authorized Newspaper within the time period prescribed in this Agreement.
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(a) Wherever in this Agreement a provision is made that an action may be taken or a Notice given by Noteholders, such action or Notice may be taken or given by any Noteholder, unless such provision requires a specific percentage of Noteholders.
(b) Any Notice, request, authorization, direction, consent, waiver or other act by the Holder of a Note shall bind such Holder and every subsequent Holder of such Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by the Owner Trustee, the Transferor or the Servicer in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Note.
Section 9.12. Merger and Integration. Except as specifically stated otherwise herein, this Agreement sets forth the entire understanding of the parties relating to the subject matter hereof, and all prior understandings, written or oral, are superseded by this Agreement. This Agreement may not be modified, amended, waived or supplemented except as provided herein.
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[END OF ARTICLE IX)
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Transferor, the Servicer and the Trust have caused this Transfer and Servicing Agreement to be duly executed by their respective officers as of the day and year first above written.
STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES CORP., as Transferor | ||
By: |
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
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|
Name: |
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
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|
Title: |
VP
|
STERLING JEWELERS INC., as Servicer | ||
By: |
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name: |
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
|
Title: |
SVP
|
STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES MASTER NOTE TRUST,
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||
By:
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Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual capacity but solely as Owner Trustee on behalf of the Trust,
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|
By:
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/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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|
Name: |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
|
|
Title: |
Vice President
|
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO TRANSFER AND SERVICING AGREEMENT]
Acknowledged and Accepted:
DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS,
not in its individual capacity but
solely as Indenture Trustee
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx X.X. Xxxx
|
||
Name: Xxxxxxx H.Y. Voon
|
|||
Title: Vice President
|
|||
By:
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/s/ Xxxx XxXxxxxxx
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||
Name: Xxxx XxXxxxxxx
|
|||
Title: Vice President
|
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO TRANSFER AND SERVICING AGREEMENT]
EXHIBIT A
Reserved
A-1
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF REASSIGNMENT OF RECEIVABLES IN REMOVED ACCOUNTS
(As required by Section 2.10 of
the Transfer and Servicing Agreement)
REASSIGNMENT No. _______ OF RECEIVABLES dated as of _______,1 by and among SJRC, a Delaware corporation, as Transferor (the βTransferorβ), STERLING JEWELERS INC., an Ohio corporation, as Servicer (the βServicerβ) and STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES MASTER NOTE TRUST, (the βTrustβ), pursuant to the Transfer and Servicing Agreement referred to below.
βRemoval Dateβ shall mean, with respect to the Removed Accounts designated hereby,
βRemoval Notice Dateβ shall mean, with respect to the Removed Accounts ____________, _____
1 To be dated as of the Removal Date.
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(b) In connection with such transfer, the Trust agrees to execute and deliver to the Transferor on or prior to the date this Reassignment is delivered, applicable termination statements prepared by the Transferor with respect to the Receivables existing at the close of business on the Removal Date and thereafter created from time to time in the Removed Accounts reassigned hereby and the proceeds thereof evidencing the release by the Trust of its interest in the Receivables in the Removed Accounts, and meeting the requirements of applicable state law, in such manner and such jurisdictions as are necessary to terminate such interest.
7. GOVERNING LAW. THIS REASSIGNMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS, AND THE OBLIGATIONS, RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUCH LAWS.
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STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES CORP., as Transferor | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
STERLING JEWELERS INC.,
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as Servicer
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By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
STERLING JEWELERS RECEIVABLES MASTER NOTE TRUST,
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By:
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Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual capacity but solely as Owner Trustee on behalf of the Trust,
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By:
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Name: | ||
Title: |
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EXHIBIT C
FORM OF ANNUAL SERVICERβS CERTIFICATE
(To be delivered on or before April 30 of
each calendar year beginning with April 30, 2015,
pursuant to Section 3.05 of the Transfer and
Servicing Agreement referred to below)
The undersigned, a duly authorized representative of Sterling Jewelers Inc., as Servicer (βSterlingβ), pursuant to the Transfer and Servicing Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2001 (as amended and supplemented, the βAgreementβ), among SJRC, as transferor, Sterling, and Sterling Jewelers Receivables Master Note Trust, does hereby certify that:
1. Sterling is, as of the date hereof, the Servicer under the Agreement. Capitalized terms used in this Certificate have their respective meanings as set forth in the Agreement.
2. The undersigned is an Authorized Officer who is duly authorized pursuant to the Agreement to execute and deliver this Certificate to the Trust.
3. A review of the activities of the Servicer during the year ended December 31, ____, and of its performance under the Agreement was conducted under my supervision.
4. Based on such review, the Servicer has, to the best of my knowledge, performed in all material respects its obligations under the Agreement throughout such year and no default in the performance of such obligations has occurred or is continuing except as set forth in paragraph 5 below.
5. The following is a description of each default in the performance of the Servicerβs obligations under the provisions of the Agreement known to me to have been made by the Servicer during the year ended December 31, _____ which sets forth in detail (i) the nature of each such default, (ii) the action taken by the Servicer, if any, to remedy each such default and (iii) the current status of each such default: [If applicable, insert βNone.β]
STERLING JEWELERS INC.,
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as Servicer
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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XXXXXXX X-0
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL
WITH RESPECT TO AMENDMENTS
Provisions to be included in
Opinion of Counsel to be delivered pursuant
to subsection 9.02(d)(i)
The opinions set forth below may be subject to all the qualifications, assumptions, limitations and exceptions taken or made in the Opinions Of Counsel delivered on any applicable Closing Date.
(i) The amendment to the Transfer and Servicing Agreement, attached hereto as Schedule 1 (the βAmendmentβ), has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Transferor and constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement of the Transferor, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws from time to time in effect affecting creditorsβ rights generally. The enforceability of the Transferorβs obligations is also subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law)
(ii) The Amendment has been entered into in accordance with the terms and provisions of Section 9.01 of the Transfer and Servicing Agreement.
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XXXXXXX X-0
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL
WITH RESPECT TO ACCOUNTS
Provisions to be included in
Opinion of Counsel to be
delivered pursuant to
subsection 9.02(d)(ii) or (iii)
The opinions set forth below may be subject to all the qualifications, assumptions, limitations and exceptions taken or made in the Opinions of Counsel delivered on any applicable Closing Date.
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1.
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To the extent that Article 9 of the New York UCC applies to the transfer of Receivables in certain identified Additional Accounts from a Seller to SJRC pursuant to a Supplemental Conveyance or a Receivables Purchase Agreement, respectively, such Supplemental Conveyance or such Receivables Purchase Agreement creates in favor of SJRC a security interest in the rights of the Seller in such Receivables.
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2.
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To the extent that the transfer of Receivables in certain identified Additional Accounts by SJRC to the Issuer pursuant to the Transfer and Servicing Agreement does not constitute an absolute assignment by SJRC to the Issuer of such Receivables, the Transfer and Servicing Agreement creates in favor of the Issuer a security interest in the rights of SJRC in such Receivables.
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3.
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The security interests described in paragraphs 1 and 2 above are perfected.
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XXXXXXX X-0
PROVISIONS TO BE INCLUDED IN
ANNUAL OPINION OF COUNSEL
The opinions set forth below may be subject to all the qualifications, assumptions, limitations and exceptions taken or made in the Opinions of Counsel delivered on any applicable Closing Date with respect to similar matters. Unless otherwise indicated, all capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Transfer and Servicing Agreement.
1. No filing or other action, other than such filing or other action described in such opinion, is necessary from the date of such opinion through April 30 of the following year to continue the perfected status of the security interest of the Trust in the Receivables described in the financing statements referenced in such opinion.
2. No filing or other action, other than such filing or other action described in such opinion, is necessary from the date of such opinion through April 30 of the following year to continue the perfected status of the security interest of the relevant Transferor in the Receivables described in the financing statements referenced in such opinion.
3. No filing or other action, other than such filing or other action described in such opinion, is necessary from the date of such opinion through April 30 of the following year to continue the perfected status of the security interest of SJRC in the Receivables described in the financing statements referenced in such opinion.
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SCHEDULE I
List of Accounts
[Original list delivered to Indenture Trustee]
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