SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED RECEIVABLES PURCHASE AGREEMENT Dated as of February 21, 2008 Among DEJ 98 FINANCE, LLC, as Seller, WOLVERINE FINANCE, LLC, as initial Servicer, WOLVERINE TUBE, INC., as Performance Guarantor, THE CIT GROUP/BUSINESS CREDIT,...
SECOND
AMENDED AND RESTATED RECEIVABLES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated
as of February 21, 2008
Among
DEJ
98 FINANCE, LLC, as
Seller,
WOLVERINE
FINANCE, LLC, as
initial Servicer,
WOLVERINE
TUBE, INC., as
Performance Guarantor,
THE
CIT GROUP/BUSINESS CREDIT, INC., individually
and as
Co-Agent
and
WACHOVIA
BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, individually
and as
Agent
|
1
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PAGE
ARTICLE
I. PURCHASE ARRANGEMENTS
|
2
|
|
Section
1.1
|
Purchase
Facility
|
2
|
Section
1.2
|
Incremental
Purchases
|
2
|
Section
1.3
|
Decreases
|
3
|
Section
1.4
|
Deemed
Collections; Purchase Limit.
|
3
|
Section
1.5
|
Payment
Requirements; Ratable Payments; Computations
|
4
|
ARTICLE
II. PAYMENTS AND COLLECTIONS
|
5
|
|
Section
2.1
|
Payments
of Recourse Obligations
|
5
|
Section
2.2
|
Collections
Prior to the Facility Termination Date
|
5
|
Section
2.3
|
Collections
on and after the Facility Termination Date
|
6
|
Section
2.4
|
Payment
Rescission
|
7
|
Section
2.5
|
Clean
Up Call
|
7
|
ARTICLE
III. [INTENTIONALLY DELETED]
|
7
|
|
ARTICLE
IV. FUNDINGs by THE COMMITTED PURCHASERS
|
8
|
|
Section
4.1
|
Fundings
by all Purchasers
|
8
|
Section
4.2
|
Yield
Payments
|
8
|
Section
4.3
|
Selection
and Continuation of Interest Periods.
|
8
|
Section
4.4
|
Committed
Purchaser Investment Yield Rates
|
8
|
Section
4.5
|
Suspension
of the LIBO Rate
|
8
|
Section
4.6
|
Default
Rate
|
9
|
ARTICLE
V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
|
9
|
|
Section
5.1
|
Representations
and Warranties of the Seller Parties
|
9
|
ARTICLE
VI. CONDITIONS OF PURCHASES
|
13
|
|
Section
6.1
|
Conditions
Precedent to Effectiveness of this Agreement
|
13
|
Section
6.2
|
Conditions
Precedent to All Purchases and Reinvestments
|
13
|
ARTICLE
VII. COVENANTS
|
14
|
|
Section
7.1
|
Affirmative
Covenants of the Seller Parties
|
14
|
Section
7.2
|
Negative
Covenants of the Seller Parties
|
22
|
ARTICLE
VIII. ADMINISTRATION AND COLLECTION
|
23
|
|
Section
8.1
|
Designation
of Servicer.
|
23
|
Section
8.2
|
Duties
of Servicer.
|
25
|
Section
8.3
|
Control
of Lock-Box and Collection Accounts
|
26
|
Section
8.4
|
Responsibilities
of Seller
|
26
|
Section
8.5
|
Settlement
and Weekly Reports
|
26
|
Section
8.6
|
Servicing
Fee
|
26
|
ARTICLE
IX. AMORTIZATION EVENTS
|
27
|
|
Section
9.1
|
Amortization
Events
|
27
|
Section
9.2
|
Remedies
|
30
|
ARTICLE
X. INDEMNIFICATION
|
30
|
|
Section
10.1
|
Indemnities.
|
30
|
Section
10.2
|
Increased
Cost and Reduced Return
|
35
|
Section
10.3
|
Other
Costs and Expenses
|
36
|
ARTICLE
XI. THE AGENT AND THE CO-AGENT
|
36
|
|
Section
11.1
|
Authorization
and Action
|
36
|
Section
11.2
|
Delegation
of Duties
|
37
|
Section
11.3
|
Exculpatory
Provisions
|
37
|
Section
11.4
|
Reliance
by Agent
|
37
|
Section
11.5
|
Non-Reliance
on Agent and Other Purchasers
|
38
|
Section
11.6
|
Reimbursement
and Indemnification
|
38
|
Section
11.7
|
Agent
in its Individual Capacity
|
38
|
Section
11.8
|
Successor
Agent
|
38
|
i
ARTICLE
XII. ASSIGNMENTS AND PARTICIPATIONS
|
39
|
|
Section
12.1
|
Prohibition
on Assignments by Seller Parties
|
39
|
Section
12.2
|
Assignments
by Purchasers
|
39
|
Section
12.3
|
Participations
|
39
|
ARTICLE
XIII. MISCELLANEOUS
|
40
|
|
Section
13.1
|
Waivers
and Amendments.
|
40
|
Section
13.2
|
Notices
|
40
|
Section
13.3
|
Protection
of Agent’s Security Interest.
|
41
|
Section
13.4
|
Confidentiality.
|
42
|
Section
13.5
|
[Intentionally
deleted]
|
42
|
Section
13.6
|
Limitation
of Recourse and Liability
|
42
|
Section
13.7
|
CHOICE
OF LAW
|
43
|
Section
13.8
|
CONSENT
TO JURISDICTION
|
43
|
Section
13.9
|
WAIVER
OF JURY TRIAL
|
44
|
Section
13.10
|
Integration;
Binding Effect; Survival of Terms.
|
44
|
Section
13.11
|
Counterparts;
Severability; Section References
|
44
|
Section
13.12
|
Characterization.
|
45
|
Exhibits
and Schedules
Exhibit
I
|
Definitions
|
Exhibit
II
|
Form
of Purchase Notice
|
Exhibit
III
|
Places
of Business of the Seller; Locations of Records; Federal Employer
and
Organizational Identification
Numbers
|
Exhibit
IV
|
Names
of Collection Banks; Collection
Accounts
|
Exhibit
V
|
Form
of Compliance Certificate
|
Exhibit
VI
|
Form
of Collection Account Agreement
|
Exhibit
VII
|
Credit
and Collection Policy
|
Exhibit
VIII
|
Form
of Settlement Report
|
Exhibit
IX
|
Form
of Performance Undertaking
|
Exhibit
X
|
Initial
Form of Weekly Report
|
Schedule
A
|
Commitments
of the Committed Purchasers
|
Schedule
B
|
Closing
Documents
|
ii
SECOND
AMENDED AND RESTATED RECEIVABLES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED RECEIVABLES PURCHASE
AGREEMENT, dated
as
of February 21, 2008 is entered into by and among:
(a)
DEJ
98 Finance, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Seller”),
(b)
Wolverine Finance, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company (“Wolverine
Finance”),
as
initial Servicer,
(c)
Wolverine Tube, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as Performance
Guarantor,
(d)
The
CIT Group/Business Credit, Inc., a New York corporation, in its individual
capacity (“CIT/BC”)
and as
co-agent (together with its successors and assigns in such latter capacity,
the “Co-Agent”),
(e)
Wachovia Bank, National Association, a national banking association, in its
individual capacity (“Wachovia”),
and as
agent for the Purchasers under the Transaction Documents (together with its
successors and assigns in such latter capacity, the“Agent”).
Unless
defined elsewhere herein, capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have
the meanings assigned to such terms in Exhibit I hereto (or, if not defined
in
Exhibit I hereto, the meanings assigned to such terms in Exhibit I to the U.S.
Receivables Sale Agreement or the Canadian Receivables Sale Agreement, as
applicable).
PRELIMINARY
STATEMENTS
The
parties hereto entered into that certain Amended and Restated Receivables
Purchase Agreement dated as of April 4, 2006, as amended from time to time
prior
to the date hereof (the “Existing
Agreement”).
Subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth, the parties wish to amend
and
restate the Existing Agreement from and after the date hereof as set forth
in
this Agreement.
Seller
desires to transfer and assign Receivable Interests to the Agent, on behalf
of
Purchasers from time to time.
Wachovia
shall purchase its Funding Percentage of such Receivable Interests from Seller
from time to time, and CIT/BC shall purchase its Funding Percentage of such
Receivable Interests from Seller from time to time.
The
CIT
Group/Business Credit, Inc. has been requested and is willing to act as Co-Agent
on behalf of CIT/BC and its permitted assigns in accordance with the terms
hereof.
Wachovia
Bank, National Association has been requested and is willing to act as Agent
on
behalf of the Purchasers in accordance with the terms hereof.
1
ARTICLE
I.
PURCHASE
ARRANGEMENTS
Section
1.1 Purchase
Facility.
(a)
Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement (including, without
limitation, Article VI):
(i) on
the
date hereof, Seller shall (and does hereby) sell and assign to the Agent on
behalf of the Purchasers (in accordance with their respective Receivable
Interests), (A) the universality of all present and future Quebec Receivables,
including each Quebec Receivable as to which the Seller hereafter otherwise
acquires any interest or becomes entitled, (B) all Related Security with respect
to such Quebec Receivables, and (C) all Collections with respect to, and other
proceeds of, such Quebec Receivables and Related Security (collectively, the
“Quebec
Assets”);
and
(ii) from
time
to time prior to the Facility Termination Date, Seller may also sell and assign
Receivable Interests to the Agent, on behalf of the Purchasers; provided
that
Seller
may not sell or assign any Receivable Interest to the Agent if, after giving
effect thereto, the outstanding Aggregate Invested Amount would exceed the
least
of (A) the Purchase Limit, (B) the Net Pool Balance minus
Required
Reserves and (C) the product of 85% times
the
aggregate Outstanding Balance of Eligible Receivables.
(b)
Seller may, upon at least 10 Business Days’ notice to the Agent and the
Co-Agent, terminate in whole or reduce in part the unused portion of the
Purchase Limit (and the Committed Purchasers’ Commitments shall correspondingly
be terminated or ratably reduced); provided
that
each
partial reduction of the Purchase Limit shall be in an amount equal to
US$5,000,000 (or a larger integral multiple of US$1,000,000 if in excess
thereof).
Section
1.2 Incremental
Purchases.
(a) Except
for the initial Incremental Purchase on or after the date of this Agreement,
Seller shall provide the Agent and the Co-Agent with at least two (2) Business
Days’ prior written notice in a form set forth as Exhibit II hereto of each
Incremental Purchase (each, a “Purchase
Notice”).
Each
Purchase Notice shall be subject to Section 6.2 hereof and, except as set forth
below, shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested Purchase Price
(which shall not be less than US$2,000,000 or a larger integral multiple of
US$500,000), the amounts corresponding to Wachovia’s and CIT/BC’s respective
Funding Percentages of such Purchase Price and the Purchase Date.
(b) [Intentionally
deleted].
(c) On
each
Purchase Date, upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions precedent set
forth in Article VI, (i) Wachovia shall deposit to the Facility Account, in
immediately available funds, no later than 2:00 p.m. (New York time), an amount
equal to its Funding Percentage of the aggregate Purchase Price of the offered
Receivable Interests, and (ii) CIT/BC shall transfer to the Facility Account,
in
immediately available funds, no later than 2:00 p.m. (New York time), an amount
equal to CIT/BC’s Funding Percentage of the aggregate Purchase Price of the
offered Receivable Interests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on the Closing
Date, CIT/BC shall fund such percentage of the initial Purchase so that, after
giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds thereof, CIT/BC’s
Invested Amount, on the one hand, and Wachovia’s Invested Amount, on the other
hand, will equal their respective Funding Percentages of the Aggregate Invested
Amount.
2
(d) The
Commitments of each of the Committed Purchasers shall be several and not
joint.
Section
1.3 Decreases.
Seller
shall provide the Agent and the Co-Agent with prior written irrevocable notice
in conformity with the Required Notice Period (a “Reduction
Notice”)
of any
proposed reduction of Aggregate Invested Amount, each of which reductions shall
be made only from Collections. Such Reduction Notice shall designate (i) the
date (the “Proposed
Reduction Date”)
upon
which any such reduction of Aggregate Invested Amount shall occur (which date
shall give effect to the applicable Required Notice Period), (ii) the amount
of
Aggregate Invested Amount to be reduced (the “Aggregate
Reduction”),
and
(iii) the amounts corresponding to CIT/BC’s Funding Percentage and Wachovia’s
Funding Percentage of such Aggregate Reduction. Only one (1) Reduction Notice
shall be outstanding at any time.
Section
1.4 Deemed
Collections; Purchase Limit.
(a) If
on any
day:
(i) the
Outstanding Balance of any Receivable is reduced or cancelled as a result of
any
defective or rejected goods or services, any cash discount or any other
adjustment by any Originator or any Affiliate thereof, or as a result of any
governmental or regulatory action, or
(ii) the
Outstanding Balance of any Receivable is reduced or canceled as a result of
a
setoff in respect of any claim by the Obligor thereof (whether such claim arises
out of the same or a related or an unrelated transaction), or
(iii) the
Outstanding Balance of any Receivable is reduced on account of the obligation
of
any Originator or any Affiliate thereof to pay to the related Obligor any rebate
or refund, or
(iv) the
Outstanding Balance of any Receivable is less than the amount included with
respect to such Receivable in calculating the Net Pool Balance for purposes
of
any Settlement Report (for any reason other than (A) receipt of Collections,
(B)
fluctuations in the spot rate of exchange for U.S. dollars or Canadian dollars
since the date of such Settlement Report, or (C) such Receivable becoming a
Defaulted Receivable), or
3
(v) any
of
the representations or warranties of Seller set forth in Section 5.1(g), (i),
(j), (r), (s), (t) or (u) were not true when made with respect to any
Receivable,then, on such day, Seller shall be deemed to have received a
Collection of such Receivable (A) in the case of clauses (i)-(iv) above, in
the
amount of such reduction or cancellation or the difference between the actual
Outstanding Balance and the amount included with respect to such Receivable
in
calculating such Net Pool Balance, as applicable; and (B) in the case of clause
(v) above, in the amount of the Outstanding Balance of such Receivable and,
not
later than one (1) Business Day thereafter shall pay to the Agent’s Account, for
the benefit of the Purchasers, the amount of any such Collection deemed to
have
been received in the same manner as actual cash Collections are distributed
under the terms of this Agreement.
(b) Seller
shall ensure that the Aggregate Invested Amount at no time exceeds the Purchase
Limit. If at any time the Aggregate Invested Amount exceeds the Purchase Limit,
Seller shall pay to the Agent immediately an amount to be applied to reduce
the
Aggregate Invested Amount in accordance with Section 1.5(b) such that, after
giving effect to such payment, the Aggregate Invested Amount does not exceed
the
Purchase Limit.
(c) Seller
shall also ensure that the Receivable Interests shall at no time exceed in
the
aggregate 100%. If the aggregate of the Receivable Interests exceeds 100%,
Seller shall pay to the Agent on or before the next succeeding Settlement Date
or Weekly Adjustment Date (or, if such excess is discovered on a Settlement
Date
or Weekly Adjustment Date, on such Settlement Date or Weekly Adjustment Date,
as
the case may be) an amount to be applied to reduce the Aggregate Invested Amount
in accordance with Section 1.5(b) such that, after giving effect to such
payment, the aggregate of the Receivable Interests equals or is less than
100%.
Section
1.5 Payment
Requirements; Ratable Payments; Computations.
(a) All
amounts to be paid or deposited by any Seller Party pursuant to any provision
of
this Agreement shall be paid or deposited in accordance with the terms hereof
no
later than 12:00 noon (New York time) on the day when due in immediately
available funds, and if not received before 12:00 noon (New York time) shall
be
deemed to be received on the next succeeding Business Day. If such amounts
are
payable to the Agent for the account of any Purchaser, they shall be paid to
the
Agent’s Account, for the account of such Purchaser, until otherwise notified by
the Agent, and the Agent shall promptly remit each Purchaser’s share of any
amounts so received in like funds.
(b) Each
reduction of Aggregate Invested Amount shall be allocated ratably between
Wachovia, on the one hand, and CIT/BC, on the other, in accordance with their
respective Funding Percentages.
(c) All
computations of Yield, per
annum
fees
hereunder and per
annum
fees
under the Fee Letters shall be made on the basis of a year of 360 days for
the
actual number of days elapsed. If any amount hereunder shall be payable on
a day
which is not a Business Day, such amount shall be payable on the next succeeding
Business Day.
4
ARTICLE
II.
PAYMENTS
AND COLLECTIONS
Section
2.1 Payments
of Recourse Obligations.
Without
limiting Seller’s other obligations under this Agreement, Seller hereby promises
to pay the following (collectively, the “Recourse
Obligations”):
(a) all
amounts due and owing under Section 1.4 on the dates specified
therein;
(b) the
fees
set forth in the Fee Letters on the dates specified therein;
(c) all
accrued and unpaid Yield on the Receivable Interests accruing Yield at the
Alternate Base Rate or the Default Rate on each Settlement Date;
(d) all
accrued and unpaid Yield on the Receivable Interests accruing Yield at the
LIBO
Rate on each Settlement Date; and
(e) all
Broken Funding Costs, upon demand, and all Indemnified Amounts, within ten
(10)
days of demand.
Section
2.2 Collections
Prior to the Facility Termination Date.
(a) Prior
to
the Facility Termination Date, any Deemed Collections received by Servicer
and
the Purchasers’ portion of any Collections received by Servicer shall be set
aside by Servicer for the payment of any accrued and unpaid Aggregate Unpaids
or
for a Reinvestment as provided in this Section 2.2. If at any time any
Collections are received by Servicer prior to the Facility Termination Date,
except to the extent a Reduction Notice is pending, Seller hereby requests
that
the applicable Purchasers make, and the applicable Purchasers shall make,
simultaneously with such receipt, a reinvestment (each, a “Reinvestment”)
with
each applicable Purchasers’ portion of the balance of each and every Collection
received by such Servicer such that after giving effect to such Reinvestment,
the Invested Amount of such Receivable Interest immediately after such receipt
and corresponding Reinvestment shall be equal to the amount of Invested Amount
immediately prior to such receipt.
(b) On
each
Settlement Date prior to the Facility Termination Date, the Agent shall
distribute the amounts set aside during the preceding Settlement Period that
have not been subject to a Reinvestment (if not previously paid in accordance
with Section 2.1) in the following order:
first,
to
the
Servicer (if the Servicer at such time is not Wolverine Finance or one of its
Affiliates), in payment of the accrued and unpaid Servicing Fee for the
preceding Settlement Period,
second,
to the
Agent’s Account, ratably for the payment of all accrued and unpaid Yield and
Broken Funding Costs (if any) that are then due and owing,
5
third,
to the
Agent’s Account, ratably for the payment of all accrued and unpaid fees under
the Fee Letters; provided,
however, that
to
the extent that the fees payable to CIT/BC are accruing at a higher rate than
those being charged by Wachovia, the amount payable for the benefit of CIT/BC
under this clause third
shall
not
exceed the amount that would have been payable at Wachovia’s rates,
fourth,
to the
Agent’s Account, if required under Section 1.3 or 1.4, to the reduction of
Aggregate Invested Amount in accordance with Section 1.5(b),
fifth,
to the
Agent’s Account, for the ratable payment of all other unpaid Recourse
Obligations, if any, that are then due and owing and which are not covered
by
clause sixth
below,
sixth,
to
CIT/BC, in payment of any accrued and unpaid fees not paid pursuant to
clause
third above,
seventh,
to the
Servicer (if the Servicer at such time is Wolverine Finance or one of its
Affiliates), the amount of the accrued and unpaid Servicing Fee for the
preceding Settlement Period, and
eighth,
the
balance, if any, to Seller or otherwise in accordance with Seller’s
instructions.
(c) On
each
Weekly Adjustment Date prior to the Facility Termination Date, the Agent shall
distribute the Collections then held by it in the following order:
first,
to the
Agent’s Account, if required under Section 1.3 or 1.4, to the reduction of
Aggregate Invested Amount in accordance with Section 1.5(b), and
second,
the
balance, if any, to Seller or otherwise in accordance with Seller’s
instructions.
If
the
Collections held by the Agent on such Weekly Adjustment Date are insufficient
to
make any payment under the preceding clause first,
on the
next Business Day (and on each Business Day thereafter until such insufficiency
is eliminated), the Agent will continue to distribute Collections that come
into
its possession in accordance with the foregoing.
Section
2.3 Collections
on and after the Facility Termination Date.
On the
Facility Termination Date and on each day thereafter, the Agent shall set aside
for the Secured Parties all Collections received on each such day. On and after
the Facility Termination Date, the Servicer shall, on each Settlement Date
and
on each other Business Day specified by the Agent distribute in the following
manner the amounts set aside pursuant to the preceding sentence:
first,
to the
Servicer (if the Servicer at such time is not Wolverine Finance or one of its
Affiliates), in payment of the accrued and unpaid Servicing Fee as of such
date,
second,
to the
Agent’s Account, for the reimbursement of the Agent’s costs of collection and
enforcement of this Agreement,
6
third,
to the
Agent’s Account, ratably for the payment of all accrued and unpaid Yield and
Broken Funding Costs,
fourth,
to the
Agent’s Account, ratably for the payment of all accrued and unpaid fees under
the Fee Letters; provided,
however, that
to
the extent that the fees payable to CIT/BC are accruing at a higher rate than
those being charged by Wachovia, the amount payable for the benefit of CIT/BC
under this clause fourth
shall
not exceed the amount that would have been payable at Wachovia’s
rates.
fifth,
to the
Agent’s Account, for the reduction of Aggregate Invested Amount in accordance
with Section 1.5(b),
sixth,
to the
Agent’s Account, for the ratable payment of all other Aggregate Unpaids that are
not covered by clause seventh
below,
seventh,
to
CIT/BC, in payment of any accrued and unpaid fees not paid pursuant to clause
fourth
above,
eighth,
to the
Servicer (if the Servicer at such time is Wolverine Finance or one of its
Affiliates), in payment of the accrued and unpaid Servicing Fee as of such
date,
and
ninth,
after
the Final Payout Date, to Seller the balance, if any.
Section
2.4 Payment
Rescission.
No
payment of any of the Aggregate Unpaids shall be considered paid or applied
hereunder to the extent that, at any time, all or any portion of such payment
or
application is rescinded by application of law or judicial authority, or must
otherwise be returned or refunded for any reason. Seller shall remain obligated
for the amount of any payment or application so rescinded, returned or refunded,
and shall promptly pay to the Agent (for application to the Person or Persons
who suffered such rescission, return or refund) the full amount thereof,
plus
interest
thereon at the Default Rate from the date of any such rescission, return or
refunding.
Section
2.5 Clean
Up
Call.
In
addition to Seller’s rights pursuant to Section 1.3, Servicer shall have the
right (after providing written notice to the Agent in accordance with the
Required Notice Period), at any time following the reduction of the Aggregate
Invested Amount to a level that is less than 10.0% of the original Purchase
Limit, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the then outstanding
Receivable Interests. The purchase price in respect thereof shall be an amount
equal to the Aggregate Unpaids through the date of such repurchase, payable
in
immediately available funds to the Agent’s Account. Such repurchase shall be
without representation, warranty or recourse of any kind by, on the part of,
or
against any Purchaser or the Agent.
ARTICLE
III.
[INTENTIONALLY
DELETED]
7
ARTICLE
IV.
FUNDINGS
BY THE COMMITTED PURCHASERS
Section
4.1 Fundings
by all Purchasers.
Prior to
the occurrence of an Amortization Event, the outstanding Invested Amount of
each
Committed Purchaser Investment shall accrue Yield for each day during its
Interest Period at either the LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate in accordance
with the terms and conditions hereof. Until Seller gives the required notice
to
the Agent and the Co-Agent of another Yield Rate in accordance with Section
4.4,
the initial Yield Rate for each Committed Purchaser Investment shall be the
Alternate Base Rate (unless the Default Rate is then applicable).
Section
4.2 Yield
Payments.
On each
Settlement Date, regardless of whether an Interest Period ends on that
Settlement Date or a subsequent Settlement Date, Seller shall pay to the Agent,
for the benefit of the applicable Committed Purchaser(s), an aggregate amount
equal to the accrued and unpaid Yield on such Committed Purchaser’s Investment
in accordance with Article II.
Section
4.3 Selection
and Continuation of Interest Periods.
(a) With
consultation from (and, in the case of periods of longer than one month,
approval by) the applicable Committed Purchaser, Seller shall from time to
time
request Interest Periods for Committed Purchaser Investments, provided
that
each
Interest Period shall end on a Settlement Date.
(b) Seller,
on the one hand, or the Agent or the Co-Agent, as applicable, on the other,
upon
notice to and consent by the other received at least three (3) Business Days
prior to the end of an Interest Period (the “Terminating
Tranche”)
for any
Committed Purchaser Investment, may, effective on the last day of the
Terminating Tranche: (i) divide any such Committed Purchaser Investment into
multiple Committed Purchaser Investments, (ii) combine any such Committed
Purchaser Investment with one or more other Committed Purchaser Investments
of
the same Committed Purchaser that have a Terminating Tranche ending on the
same
day as such Terminating Tranche or (iii) combine any such Committed Purchaser
Investment with a new Committed Purchaser Investment to be made by the same
Committed Purchaser(s) on the day such Terminating Tranche ends.
Section
4.4 Committed
Purchaser Investment Yield Rates.
Seller
may select the LIBO Rate (subject to Section 4.5 below) or the Alternate Base
Rate for each Committed Purchaser Investment. Seller shall by 12:00 noon (New
York time): (i) at least three (3) Business Days prior to the expiration of
any
Terminating Tranche with respect to which the LIBO Rate is being requested
as a
new Yield Rate and (ii) at least one (1) Business Day prior to the expiration
of
any Terminating Tranche with respect to which the Alternate Base Rate is being
requested as a new Yield Rate, give the Agent and the Co-Agent irrevocable
notice of the new Yield Rate for the Committed Purchaser Investment associated
with such Terminating Tranche.
Section
4.5 Suspension
of the LIBO Rate.
If any
Committed Purchaser notifies the Agent that it has determined that funding
any
Committed Purchaser Investment at a LIBO Rate would violate any applicable
law,
rule, regulation, or directive of any governmental or regulatory authority,
whether or not having the force of law, or that (i) deposits of a type and
maturity appropriate to match-fund its investment at such LIBO Rate are not
available or (ii) such LIBO Rate does not accurately reflect the cost of
acquiring or maintaining its Committed Purchaser Investment at such LIBO Rate,
then the Agent shall suspend the availability of such LIBO Rate as to such
Committed Purchaser and require Seller to select the Alternate Base Rate for
any
Committed Purchaser Investment of such Committed Purchaser accruing Yield at
such LIBO Rate.
8
Section
4.6 Default
Rate.
From and
after the occurrence of an Amortization Event, all Committed Purchaser
Investments shall accrue Yield at the Default Rate.
ARTICLE
V.
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
Section
5.1 Representations
and Warranties of the Seller Parties.
Each
Seller Party hereby represents and warrants to the Agent and the Purchasers,
as
to itself, as of the date hereof and as of the date of each Incremental Purchase
and the date of each Reinvestment that:
(a) Existence
and Power.
Such
Seller Party’s jurisdiction of organization is correctly set forth in the
preamble to this Agreement. Such Seller Party is duly organized under the laws
of that jurisdiction and no other state or jurisdiction. Such Seller Party
is
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of
organization. Such Seller Party is duly qualified to do business and is in
good
standing as a foreign entity, and has and holds all organizational power and
all
governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals required to carry
on its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted except
where the failure to so qualify or so hold could not reasonably be expected
to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Power
and
Authority; Due Authorization, Execution and Delivery.
The
execution and delivery by such Seller Party of this Agreement and each other
Transaction Document to which it is a party, and the performance of its
obligations hereunder and thereunder and, in the case of Seller, Seller’s use of
the proceeds of Purchases made hereunder, are within its corporate powers and
authority and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on
its
part. This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which such Seller
Party is a party has been duly executed and delivered by such Seller
Party.
(c) No
Conflict.
The
execution and delivery by such Seller Party of this Agreement and each other
Transaction Document to which it is a party, and the performance of its
obligations hereunder and thereunder do not contravene or violate (i) its
certificate or articles of incorporation or by-laws, (ii) any law, rule or
regulation applicable to it, (iii) any restrictions under any agreement,
contract or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its
property is bound, or (iv) any order, writ, judgment, award, injunction or
decree binding on or affecting it or its property, and do not result in the
creation or imposition of any Adverse Claim on assets of such Seller Party
or
its Subsidiaries (except as created hereunder) except, in any case, where such
contravention or violation could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect; and no transaction contemplated hereby requires compliance
with
any bulk sales act or similar law.
9
(d) Governmental
Authorization.
Other
than the filing of the financing statements required hereunder, no authorization
or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any
governmental authority or regulatory body is required for the due execution
and
delivery by such Seller Party of this Agreement and each other Transaction
Document to which it is a party and the performance of its obligations hereunder
and thereunder.
(e) Actions,
Suits.
There
are no actions, suits or proceedings pending, or to the best of such Seller
Party’s knowledge, threatened, against or affecting such Seller Party, or any of
its properties, in or before any court, arbitrator or other body, that could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Such Seller Party
is
not in default with respect to any order of any court, arbitrator or
governmental body that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(f) Binding
Effect.
This
Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which such Seller Party is
a
party constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of such Seller Party
enforceable against such Seller Party in accordance with their respective terms,
except as such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or other similar laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights
generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement
is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(g) Accuracy
of Information.
All
information heretofore furnished by such Seller Party or any of its Affiliates
to the Agent or any Purchasers for purposes of or in connection with this
Agreement, any of the other Transaction Documents or any transaction
contemplated hereby or thereby is, and all such information hereafter furnished
by such Seller Party or any of its Affiliates to the Agent or any Purchaser
will
be, true and accurate in every material respect on the date such information
is
stated or certified and not incomplete by omitting to state any material fact
necessary to make such information not misleading at such time. There is no
fact
now known to any Authorized Officer of any Seller Party which has, or
would
reasonably be expected to have,
a
Material Adverse Effect which fact has not been set forth herein, in the
financial statements, or any certificate, opinion or other written statement
made or furnished by such Seller Party or any of its Affiliates to the Agent
and
the Purchasers.
(h) Use
of
Proceeds.
No
proceeds of any Purchase hereunder will be used (i) for a purpose that violates,
or would be inconsistent with, (A) Section 7.2(e) of this Agreement or (B)
Regulation T, U or X promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System from time to time or (ii) to acquire any security in any
transaction which is subject to Section 12, 13 or 14 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.
(i) Good
Title.
Seller
is the legal and beneficial owner of the Receivables, Collections and Related
Security with respect thereto, in each case free and clear of any Adverse Claim,
except as created by the Transaction Documents. There have been duly filed
all
financing statements or other similar instruments or documents necessary under
the UCC, the PPSA (as applicable) or any comparable law of all appropriate
jurisdictions to perfect Seller’s ownership interest in each Receivable, its
Collections and the Related Security.
(j) Perfection.
Subject
to Section 13.12, this Agreement is effective to create a valid security
interest in favor of the Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties in the
Purchased Assets to secure payment of the Aggregate Unpaids, free and clear
of
any Adverse Claim except as created by the Transactions Documents. There have
been duly filed all financing statements or other similar instruments or
documents necessary under the UCC, the PPSA (as applicable) or any comparable
law of all appropriate jurisdictions to perfect the Agent’s (on behalf of the
Secured Parties) security interest in the Purchased Assets.
10
(k) Places
of
Business and Locations of Records.
The
principal place of business and chief executive office of Seller and the offices
where it keeps all of its Records are located at the address(es) listed on
Exhibit III or such other locations of which the Agent has been notified in
accordance with Section 7.2(a) in jurisdictions where all action required by
Section 13.3(a) has been taken and completed. Seller’s Federal Employer
Identification Number and Delaware Organization Identification Number are
correctly set forth on Exhibit III.
(l) Collections.
The
conditions and requirements set forth in Section 7.1(j) and Section 8.2 have
at
all times been satisfied and duly performed. The names, addresses and
jurisdictions of organization of all Collection Banks, together with the account
numbers of the Collection Accounts of Seller at each Collection Bank and the
post office box number of each Lock-Box, are listed on Exhibit IV. Seller has
not granted any Person, other than the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Agent
and the Bank Agent, dominion and control of any Lock-Box or Collection Account,
or the right to take dominion and control of any such Lock-Box or Collection
Account at a future time or upon the occurrence of a future event.
(m) Material
Adverse Effect.
(i) The initial Servicer represents and warrants that since December 31,
2005, no event has occurred that would have a material adverse effect on the
financial condition or operations of the initial Servicer or the ability of
the
initial Servicer to perform its obligations under this Agreement, (ii) the
Performance Guarantor represents and warrants that since December 31, 2005,
no
event has occurred that would have a material adverse effect on the financial
condition or operations of the Performance Guarantor and its Subsidiaries or
the
ability of the Performance Guarantor to perform its obligations under this
Agreement, and (iii) Seller represents and warrants that since the date of
this Agreement, no event has occurred that would have a material adverse effect
on (A) the financial condition or operations of Seller, (B) the ability of
Seller to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents, or (C) the
collectibility of the Receivables generally or any material portion of the
Receivables.
(n) Names.
The name
in which Seller has executed this Agreement is identical to the name of Seller
as indicated on the public record of its state of organization which shows
Seller to have been organized. In the past five (5) years, Seller has not used
any legal names, trade names or assumed names other than the name in which
it
has executed this Agreement.
11
(o) Ownership
of Seller.
Performance Guarantor owns, directly or indirectly, 100% of the issued and
outstanding non-voting Equity Interests in Seller and 49% of the issued and
outstanding voting Equity Interests in Seller, in each case free and clear
of
any Adverse Claim. Such Equity Interests are validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable, and there are no options, warrants or other rights to acquire
securities of Seller.
(p) Not
an
Investment Company.
Such
Seller Party is not an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, or any successor statute.
(q) Compliance
with Law.
Such
Seller Party has complied in all respects with all applicable laws, rules,
regulations, orders, writs, judgments, injunctions, decrees or awards to which
it is subject, except where the failure to so comply could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Receivable, together with
the
Contract related thereto, does not contravene any laws, rules or regulations
applicable thereto (including, without limitation, laws, rules and regulations
relating to truth in lending, fair credit billing, fair credit reporting, equal
credit opportunity, fair debt collection practices and privacy), and no part
of
such Contract is in violation of any such law, rule or regulation, except where
such contravention or violation could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(r) Compliance
with Credit and Collection Policy.
Such
Seller Party has complied in all material respects with the Credit and
Collection Policy with regard to each Receivable and the related Contract,
and
has not made any change to such Credit and Collection Policy, except such
material change as to which the Agent has been notified in accordance with
Section 7.1(a)(vii).
(s) Payments
to Applicable Originator.
With
respect to each Receivable transferred to Seller under a Receivables Sale
Agreement, Seller has given reasonably equivalent value to the applicable
Originator in consideration therefor and such transfer was not made for or
on
account of an antecedent debt. No transfer by any Originator of any Receivable
under a Receivables Sale Agreement is or may be voidable under any section
of
the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 (11 U.S.C. §§ 101 et
seq.),
as
amended or, as applicable, under any Debtor Relief Laws (as defined in the
Canadian Receivables Sale Agreement).
(t) Enforceability
of Contracts.
Each
Contract with respect to each Receivable is effective to create, and has
created, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the related Obligor to pay
the
Outstanding Balance of the Receivable created thereunder (or, in the case of
any
Receivable denominated in Canadian dollars, to pay the outstanding principal
balance thereof in Canadian dollars) and any accrued interest thereon,
enforceable against the Obligor in accordance with its terms, except as such
enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization
or other similar laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights generally and by
general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in
a
proceeding in equity or at law).
(u) Eligible
Receivables.
Each
Receivable included in the Net Pool Balance as an Eligible Receivable on the
date of any Settlement Report was an Eligible Receivable on such
date.
12
(v) Purchase
Limit and Maximum Receivable Interests.
Immediately after giving effect to each Incremental Purchase hereunder, the
Aggregate Invested Amount is less than or equal to the Purchase Limit and the
aggregate of the Receivable Interests does not exceed 100%.
(w) Accounting.
The
manner in which such Seller Party accounts for the transactions contemplated
by
this Agreement and the Receivables Sale Agreements does not jeopardize the
true
sale analysis.
(x) OFAC.
None of
the Seller Parties, any Subsidiary of any Seller Party or to the best knowledge
of any Seller Party, any Affiliate of any Seller Party (a) is a Sanctioned
Person, (b) does business in a Sanctioned Country in violation of the economic
sanctions of the United States administered by OFAC or (c) does business in
such
country or with any such agency, organization or person, in violation of the
economic sanctions of the United States administered by OFAC.
ARTICLE
VI.
CONDITIONS
OF PURCHASES
Section
6.1 Conditions
Precedent to Effectiveness of this Agreement.
Effectiveness of the amendment and restatement of the Existing Agreement
embodied in this Agreement is subject to the conditions precedent that (a)
the
Agent shall have received on or before the date of such Purchase those documents
listed on Schedule B and (b) the Agent and each of the Purchasers have received
all fees and expenses required to be paid on such date pursuant to the terms
of
this Agreement, the Fee Letters and the amendment fee letters dated as of
January 24, 2008.
Section
6.2 Conditions
Precedent to All Purchases and Reinvestments.
Each
Incremental Purchase and each Reinvestment shall be subject to the further
conditions precedent that (a) in the case of each such Purchase: (i) the
Servicer shall have delivered to the Agent on or prior to the date of such
Purchase, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent, all Settlement
Reports as and when due under Section 8.5 and (ii) upon the Agent’s request, the
Servicer shall have delivered to the Agent at least two (2) days prior to such
Purchase an interim Settlement Report showing the amount of Eligible
Receivables; (b) the Agent shall have received such other approvals, opinions
or
documents as it may reasonably request and (c) on each Purchase Date, the
following statements shall be true (and acceptance of the proceeds of such
Incremental Purchase or Reinvestment shall be deemed a representation and
warranty by Seller that such statements are then true):
(i) the
representations and warranties set forth in Section 5.1 are true and correct
on
and as of the date of such Incremental Purchase or Reinvestment as though made
on and as of such Purchase Date;
(ii) no
event
has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Incremental Purchase
or Reinvestment, that will constitute an Amortization Event, and no event has
occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Incremental Purchase
or
Reinvestment, that would constitute an Unmatured Amortization
Event;
13
(iii) the
Aggregate Invested Amount does not exceed the Purchase Limit and the aggregate
Receivable Interests do not exceed 100%; and
(iv) Servicer
shall have delivered to the Agent the calculation required by Section 7.1(j)
of
the ABL Credit Agreement for the Production Month then most recently
ended.
It
is
expressly understood that each Reinvestment shall, unless otherwise directed
by
the Agent, occur automatically on each day that the Servicer shall receive
any
Collections without the requirement that any further action be taken on the
part
of any Person and notwithstanding the failure of Seller to satisfy any of the
foregoing conditions precedent in respect of such Reinvestment. The failure
of
Seller to satisfy any of the foregoing conditions precedent in respect of any
Reinvestment shall give rise to a right of the Agent, which right may be
exercised at any time on demand of the Agent, to rescind the related purchase
and direct Seller to pay to the Agent’s Account, for the benefit of the
applicable Purchaser(s), an amount equal to the Collections prior to the
Facility Termination Date that shall have been applied to the affected
Reinvestment.
ARTICLE
VII.
COVENANTS
Section
7.1 Affirmative
Covenants of the Seller Parties.
Until
the date on which the Aggregate Unpaids have been indefeasibly paid in full
and
this Agreement terminates in accordance with its terms, each Seller Party hereby
covenants, as to itself, as set forth below:
(a) Financial
Reporting.
Such
Seller Party will maintain, for itself and each of its Subsidiaries, a system
of
accounting established and administered in accordance with GAAP, and furnish
or
cause to be furnished to the Agent:
(i) Annual
Reporting.
(x)
Within 90 days after the close of each of its respective fiscal years, audited,
unqualified consolidated financial statements (which shall include balance
sheets, statements of income and retained earnings and a statement of cash
flows) of Performance Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year
certified in a manner acceptable to the Agent by independent public accountants
reasonably acceptable to the Agent, and (y) within 120 days after the close
of
each of its respective fiscal years, audited, financial statements (which shall
include balance sheets, statements of income and retained earnings and a
statement of cash flows) of Seller for such fiscal year, all certified by its
chief financial officer.
(ii) Quarterly
Reporting.
Within
45 days after the close of the first three (3) quarterly periods of each of
its
respective fiscal years, (i) consolidated balance sheets of Performance
Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as at the close of each such period and
consolidated statements of income and retained earnings and a statement of
cash
flows of Performance Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for the period from the
beginning of such fiscal year to the end of such quarter, all certified by
Performance Guarantor’s chief financial officer and (ii) balance sheets of
Seller as at the close of each such period and consolidated statements of income
and retained earnings and a statement of cash flows of Seller for the period
from the beginning of such fiscal year to the end of such quarter, all certified
by its chief financial officer.
14
(iii) Compliance
Certificate.
Together
with the financial statements required hereunder, a compliance certificate in
substantially the form of Exhibit V signed by such Seller Party’s Authorized
Officer and dated the date of such annual financial statement or such quarterly
financial statement, as the case may be.
(iv) Shareholders
Statements and Reports.
Promptly
upon the furnishing thereof to the shareholders of such Seller Party copies
of
all financial statements, reports and proxy statements so
furnished.
(v) S.E.C.
Filings.
Promptly
upon the filing thereof, copies of all registration statements and annual,
quarterly, monthly or other regular reports which any Seller Party or any of
its
Affiliates files with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(vi) Copies
of
Notices.
Promptly
upon its receipt of any notice, request for consent, financial statements,
certification, report or other communication under or in connection with any
Transaction Document from any Person other than the Agent or the Purchasers,
copies of the same.
(vii) Change
in
Credit and Collection Policy.
At least
thirty (30) days prior to the effectiveness of any material change in or
material amendment to the Credit and Collection Policy, a copy of the Credit
and
Collection Policy then in effect and a notice (A) indicating such proposed
change or amendment, and (B) if such proposed change or amendment would be
reasonably likely to adversely affect the collectibility of the Receivables
or
decrease the credit quality of any newly created Receivables, requesting the
Agent’s consent thereto.
(viii) Other
Information.
Promptly, from time to time, such other information, documents, records or
reports relating to the Receivables or the condition or operations, financial
or
otherwise, of such Seller Party as the Agent may from time to time reasonably
request in order to protect the interests of the Agent, for the benefit of
the
Purchasers, under or as contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Notices.
Such
Seller Party will notify the Agent in writing signed by an Authorized Officer
of
such Seller Party of any of the following promptly upon learning of the
occurrence thereof, describing the same and, if applicable, the steps being
taken with respect thereto:
(i) Amortization
Events or Unmatured Amortization Events.
The
occurrence of each Amortization Event and each Unmatured Amortization
Event.
(ii) Judgments
and Proceedings.
(A) (1)
The entry of any judgment or decree against the Performance Guarantor, the
Servicer or any of the Performance Guarantor’s other Subsidiaries if the
aggregate amount of all judgments and decrees then outstanding against the
Performance Guarantor, the Servicer and the Performance Guarantor’s other
Subsidiaries exceeds US$2,500,000 (or the Canadian Dollar Equivalent thereof)
after deducting (a) the amount with respect to which the Performance Guarantor,
the Servicer or any such other Subsidiary of the Performance Guarantor, as
the
case may be, is insured and with respect to which the insurer has not denied
coverage, and (b) the amount for which the Performance Guarantor, the Servicer
or any such other Subsidiary of the Performance Guarantor is otherwise
indemnified if the terms of such indemnification are satisfactory to the Agent,
and (2) the institution of any litigation, arbitration proceeding or
governmental proceeding against the Performance Guarantor or the Servicer which,
individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect; and (B) the entry of any judgment or decree or the
institution of any litigation, arbitration proceeding or governmental proceeding
against Seller.
15
(iii) Material
Adverse Effect.
The
occurrence of any event or condition that has had, or could reasonably be
expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
(iv) Termination
Event.
The
occurrence of a “Termination
Event”
under
and as defined in either of the Receivables Sale Agreements.
(v) Defaults
Under Other Agreements.
The
occurrence of a default or an event of default under any other financing
arrangement pursuant to which such Seller Party is a debtor or an obligor and
such financing arrangement is in excess of US$2,500,000 (or the Canadian Dollar
Equivalent thereof).
(vi) Notices
under Receivables Sale Agreements.
Copies
of all notices delivered under a Receivables Sale Agreement.
(vii) Downgrade
of Performance Guarantor.
Any
downgrade in the rating of any Indebtedness of the Performance Guarantor by
S&P or Xxxxx’x, setting forth the Indebtedness affected and the nature of
such change.
(c) Compliance
with Laws and Preservation of Corporate Existence.
Such
Seller Party will comply in all respects with all applicable laws, rules,
regulations, orders, writs, judgments, injunctions, decrees or awards to which
it is subject, except where the failure to so comply could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Such Seller Party will preserve
and
maintain its corporate existence, rights, franchises and privileges in the
jurisdiction of its incorporation, and qualify and remain qualified in good
standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction where its business is
conducted, except where the failure to so preserve and maintain or qualify
could
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Audits.
Such
Seller Party will furnish to the Agent from time to time such information with
respect to it and the Receivables as the Agent or the Co-Agent may reasonably
request. Such Seller Party will, from time to time during regular business
hours
as requested by the Agent or the Co-Agent upon reasonable notice and at the
sole
cost of such Seller Party, permit the Agent and the Co-Agent, or their agents
or
representatives (and shall cause each Originator to permit the Agent and the
Co-Agent or their agents or representatives): (i) to examine and make copies
of
and abstracts from all Records in the possession or under the control of such
Person relating to the Purchased Assets, including, without limitation, the
related Contracts, and (ii) to visit the offices and properties of such Person
for the purpose of examining such materials described in clause (i) above,
and
to discuss matters relating to such Person’s financial condition or the
Purchased Assets or any Person’s performance under any of the Transaction
Documents or any Person’s performance under the Contracts and, in each case,
with any of the officers or employees of Seller or the Servicer having knowledge
of such matters (each of the foregoing examinations and visits, a “Review”);
provided,
however, that,
so
long as no Amortization Event has occurred and is continuing, the number of
Reviews in any one calendar year shall be limited to a maximum of four (4)
and;
provided,
further,
that,
the Seller Parties, collectively, shall not be responsible for the reasonable
costs and expenses of more than two (2) Reviews in any one calendar year unless
(X) the immediately preceding audit was unsatisfactory to the Agent or the
Co-Agent with respect to missing information, erroneous reporting, other
non-compliance with the provisions of the Transaction Documents or questions
that have not been answered to the Agent’s and CIT/BC’s satisfaction, or (Y) the
Aggregate Invested Amount exceeds an amount equal to 0.75 times the difference
between the most recently computed Net Pool Balance and the most recently
computed Required Reserve.
16
(e) Keeping
and Marking of Records and Books.
(i) The
Servicer will (and will cause each Originator to) maintain and implement
administrative and operating procedures (including, without limitation, an
ability to recreate records evidencing Receivables in the event of the
destruction of the originals thereof), and keep and maintain all documents,
books, records and other information reasonably necessary or advisable for
the
collection of all Receivables (including, without limitation, records adequate
to permit the immediate identification of each new Receivable and all
Collections of and adjustments to each existing Receivable). The Servicer will
(and will cause each Originator to) give the Agent and the Co-Agent notice
of
any material change in the administrative and operating procedures referred
to
in the previous sentence.
(ii) Such
Seller Party will (and will cause each Originator to): (A) on or prior to the
date hereof, xxxx its master data processing records and other books and records
relating to the Receivables with a legend, acceptable to the Agent, describing
the Agent’s security interest in the Purchased Assets and (B) upon the request
of the Agent following the occurrence of an Amortization Event: (x) xxxx each
Contract with a legend describing the Agent’s security interest and (y) deliver
to the Agent all Contracts (including, without limitation, all multiple
originals of any such Contract constituting an instrument, a certificated
security or chattel paper) relating to the Receivables.
(f) Compliance
with Contracts and Credit and Collection Policy.
Such
Seller Party will (and will cause each Originator to) timely and fully (i)
perform and comply with all provisions, covenants and other promises required
to
be observed by it under the Contracts related to the Receivables, and (ii)
comply in all respects with the Credit and Collection Policy in regard to each
Receivable and the related Contract.
17
(g) Performance
and Enforcement of Receivables Sale Agreements.
Seller
will, and will require each Originator to, perform each of their respective
obligations and undertakings under and pursuant to the applicable Receivables
Sale Agreement, will purchase Receivables thereunder in strict compliance with
the terms thereof and will vigorously enforce the rights and remedies accorded
to Seller under the Receivables Sale Agreements. Seller will take all actions
to
perfect and enforce its rights and interests (and the rights and interests
of
the Agent, as Seller’s assignee) under the Receivables Sale Agreements as the
Agent may from time to time reasonably request, including, without limitation,
making claims to which it may be entitled under any indemnity, reimbursement
or
similar provision contained in the Receivables Sale Agreements.
(h) Ownership.
Seller
will (or will cause each Originator to) take all necessary action to (i) vest
legal and equitable title to the Purchased Assets purchased under the
Receivables Sale Agreements irrevocably in Seller, free and clear of any Adverse
Claims (other than Adverse Claims in favor of the Agent, for the benefit of
the
Secured Parties) including, without limitation, the filing of all financing
statements or other similar instruments or documents necessary under the UCC,
the PPSA (as applicable) or any comparable law of all appropriate jurisdictions
to perfect Seller’s interest in such Purchased Assets and such other action to
perfect, protect or more fully evidence the interest of Seller therein as the
Agent may reasonably request), and (ii) establish and maintain, in favor of
the
Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a valid and perfected first
priority security interest in all Purchased Assets, free and clear of any
Adverse Claims, including, without limitation, the filing of all financing
statements or other similar instruments or documents necessary under the UCC,
the PPSA (as applicable) or any comparable law of all appropriate jurisdictions
to perfect the Agent’s (for the benefit of the Secured Parties) security
interest in the Purchased Assets and such other action to perfect, protect
or
more fully evidence the interest of the Agent for the benefit of the Secured
Parties as the Agent may reasonably request.
(i) Reliance.
Seller
acknowledges that the Agent and the Purchasers are entering into the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement in reliance upon Seller’s identity
as a legal entity that is separate from each Originator. Therefore, from and
after the date of execution and delivery of this Agreement, Seller shall take
all reasonable steps, including, without limitation, all steps that the Agent
or
any Purchaser may from time to time reasonably request, to maintain Seller’s
identity as a separate legal entity and to make it manifest to third parties
that Seller is an entity with assets and liabilities distinct from those of
each
Originator and any Affiliates thereof (other than Seller) and not just a
division of any Originator or any such Affiliate. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing and in addition to the other covenants set forth
herein, Seller will:
(A) conduct
its own business in its own name and require that all full-time employees of
Seller, if any, identify themselves as such and not as employees of any
Originator (including, without limitation, by means of providing appropriate
employees with business or identification cards identifying such employees
as
Seller’s employees);
(B) compensate
all employees, consultants and agents directly, from Seller’s own funds, for
services provided to Seller by such employees, consultants and agents and,
to
the extent any employee, consultant or agent of Seller is also an employee,
consultant or agent of any Originator or any Affiliate thereof, allocate the
compensation of such employee, consultant or agent between Seller and such
Originator or such Affiliate, as applicable, on a basis that reflects the
services rendered to Seller and such Originator or such Affiliate, as
applicable;
18
(C) clearly
identify its offices (by signage or otherwise) as its offices and, if such
office is located in the offices of any Originator, Seller shall lease such
office at a fair market rent;
(D) have
a
separate telephone number, which will be answered only in its name and separate
stationery and checks in its own name;
(E) conduct
all transactions with each Originator and the Servicer (including, without
limitation, any delegation of its obligations hereunder as Servicer) strictly
on
an arm’s-length basis, allocate all overhead expenses (including, without
limitation, telephone and other utility charges) for items shared between Seller
and such Originator on the basis of actual use to the extent practicable and,
to
the extent such allocation is not practicable, on a basis reasonably related
to
actual use;
(F) at
all
times have a board of managers consisting of three members, at least one member
of which is an Independent Manager;
(G) observe
all corporate formalities as a distinct entity, and ensure that all limited
liability company actions relating to (A) the selection, maintenance or
replacement of the Independent Manager, (B) the dissolution or liquidation
of
Seller or (C) the initiation of, participation in, acquiescence in or consent
to
any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding involving
Seller, are duly authorized by unanimous vote of its board of managers
(including the Independent Manager);
(H) maintain
Seller’s books and records separate from those of each Originator and any
Affiliate thereof and otherwise readily identifiable as its own assets rather
than assets of any Originator or any Affiliate thereof;
(I) prepare
its financial statements separately from those of each Originator and insure
that any consolidated financial statements of any Originator or any Affiliate
thereof that include Seller and that are filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission or any other governmental agency have notes clearly stating that
Seller is a separate legal entity and that its assets will be available first
and foremost to satisfy the claims of the creditors of Seller;
(J) except
as
herein specifically otherwise provided, to the fullest extent practicable (1)
maintain the funds or other assets of Seller separate from, and not commingled
with, those of any Originator or any Affiliate thereof and (B) only maintain
bank accounts or other depository accounts to which Seller alone is the account
party, into which Seller alone makes deposits and from which Seller alone (or
the Agent hereunder) has the power to make withdrawals;
19
(K) pay
all
of Seller’s operating expenses from Seller’s own assets (except for certain
payments by any Originator or other Persons pursuant to allocation arrangements
that comply with the requirements of this Section 7.1(i));
(L) operate
its business and activities such that: it does not engage in any business or
activity of any kind, or enter into any transaction or indenture, mortgage,
instrument, agreement, contract, lease or other undertaking, other than the
transactions contemplated and authorized by this Agreement and the Receivables
Sale Agreements; and does not create, incur, guarantee, assume or suffer to
exist any indebtedness or other liabilities, whether direct or contingent,
other
than (1) as a result of the endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit
or
collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business, (2)
the
incurrence of obligations under this Agreement, (3) the incurrence of
obligations, as expressly contemplated in the Receivables Sale Agreements,
to
make payment to the applicable Originator thereunder for the purchase of
Receivables from such Originator under the Receivables Sale Agreements, and
(4)
the incurrence of operating expenses in the ordinary course of business of
the
type otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;
(M) maintain
its Organizational Documents in conformity with this Agreement, such that it
does not amend, restate, supplement or otherwise modify its Organizational
Documents in any respect that would impair its ability to comply with the terms
or provisions of any of the Transaction Documents, including, without
limitation, Section 7.1(i) of this Agreement (it being understood and agreed
that each of the Agent and the Purchasers has reviewed and approved the
amendment to Sellers limited liability company agreement dated as of March
31,
2006);
(N) maintain
the effectiveness of, and continue to perform under the Receivables Sale
Agreements and the Performance Undertaking, such that it does not amend,
restate, supplement, cancel, terminate or otherwise modify the Receivables
Sale
Agreements or the Performance Undertaking, or give any consent, waiver,
directive or approval thereunder or waive any default, action, omission or
breach under the Receivables Sale Agreements or the Performance Undertaking
or
otherwise grant any indulgence thereunder, without (in each case) the prior
written consent of the Agent;
(O) maintain
its limited liability company separateness such that it does not merge or
consolidate with or into, or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of
(whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions, and except as
otherwise contemplated herein) all or substantially all of its assets (whether
now owned or hereafter acquired) to, or acquire all or substantially all of
the
assets of, any Person, nor at any time create, have, acquire, maintain or hold
any interest in any Subsidiary.
20
(P) maintain
at all times the Required Capital Amount (as defined in the Receivables Sale
Agreements) and refrain from making any dividend, distribution, redemption
of
Equity Interests or payment of any subordinated indebtedness which would cause
the Required Capital Amount to cease to be so maintained; and
(Q) take
such
other actions as are necessary on its part to ensure that the facts and
assumptions set forth in the opinions relating to substantive consolidation
issues issued by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx LLP and Blake, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP in
connection with the Receivables Sale Agreements, and in the certificates
accompanying such opinion, remain true and correct in all material respects
at
all times.
(j) Collections.
Such
Seller Party will cause (1) all proceeds from all Lock-Boxes to be directly
deposited by a Collection Bank into a Collection Account and (2) each Lock-Box
and Collection Account to be subject at all times to a Collection Account
Agreement that is in full force and effect. In the event any payments relating
to the Purchased Assets are remitted directly to Seller or any Affiliate of
Seller, Seller will remit (or will cause all such payments to be remitted)
directly to a Collection Bank and deposited into a Collection Account within
two
(2) Business Days following receipt thereof, and, at all times prior to such
remittance, Seller will itself hold or, if applicable, will cause such payments
to be held in trust for the exclusive benefit of the Agent and the Purchasers.
The ownership, dominion and control (subject to the terms of this Agreement)
of
each Lock-Box and Collection Account shall be exclusively maintained by the
Collateral Agent and Seller shall not grant the right to take dominion and
control of any Lock-Box or Collection Account at a future time or upon the
occurrence of a future event to any Person, except to the Collateral Agent
as
contemplated by this Agreement.
(k) Taxes.
Such
Seller Party will file all tax returns and reports required by law to be filed
by it and will promptly pay all taxes and governmental charges at any time
owing, except any such taxes which are not yet delinquent or are being
diligently contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which
adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP shall have been set aside on its
books. Seller will pay when due any taxes payable in connection with the
Receivables, exclusive of taxes on or measured by income or gross receipts
of
the Agent or any Purchaser.
(l) Payment
to Applicable Originator.
With
respect to each Receivable purchased by Seller from any Originator, such sale
shall be effected under, and in strict compliance with the terms of, the
applicable Receivables Sale Agreement, including, without limitation, the terms
relating to the amount and timing of payments to be made to such Originator
in
respect of the purchase price for such Receivable.
Section
7.2 Negative
Covenants of the Seller Parties.
Until
the date on which the Aggregate Unpaids have been indefeasibly paid in full
and
this Agreement terminates in accordance with its terms, each Seller Party hereby
covenants, as to itself, that:
(a) Name
Change, Offices and Records.
Such
Seller Party will not change its name, identity or structure (within the meaning
of any applicable enactment of the UCC), change its jurisdiction of
organization, or change any office where Records are kept unless it shall have:
(i) given the Agent and the Co-Agent at least ten (10) Business Days’ prior
written notice thereof and (ii) delivered to the Agent all financing statements,
instruments and other documents requested by the Agent in connection with such
change or relocation.
21
(b) Change
in
Payment Instructions to Obligors.
Except
as may be required by the Agent pursuant to Section 8.2(b), such Seller Party
will not add or terminate any bank as a Collection Bank, or make any change
in
the instructions to Obligors regarding payments to be made to any Lock-Box
or
Collection Account, unless the Agent and the Co-Agent shall have received,
at
least ten (10) days before the proposed effective date therefor, (i) written
notice of such addition, termination or change and (ii) with respect to the
addition of a Collection Bank or a Collection Account or Lock-Box, an executed
Collection Account Agreement with respect to the new Collection Account or
Lock-Box; provided,
however,
that the
Servicer may make changes in instructions to Obligors regarding payments if
such
new instructions require such Obligor to make payments to another existing
Collection Account.
(c) Modifications
to Contracts and Credit and Collection Policy.
Such
Seller Party will not make, and will not consent to any Originator’s making, any
change to the Credit and Collection Policy that could adversely affect the
collectibility of the Receivables or decrease the credit quality of any newly
created Receivables. Except as provided in Section 8.2(d), the Servicer will
not, and will not permit any Originator to, extend, amend or otherwise modify
the terms of any Receivable or any Contract related thereto other than in
accordance with the Credit and Collection Policy.
(d) Sales,
Liens.
Except
as otherwise expressly permitted by the Transaction Documents, Seller will
not
sell, assign (by operation of law or otherwise) or otherwise dispose of, or
grant any option with respect to, or create or suffer to exist any Adverse
Claim
upon (including, without limitation, the filing of any financing statement)
or
with respect to, any of the Purchased Assets, or assign any right to receive
income with respect thereto (other than, in each case, the creation of a
security interest therein in favor of the Agent as provided for herein), and
Seller will defend the right, title and interest of the Secured Parties in,
to
and under any of the foregoing property, against all claims of third parties
claiming through or under Seller or any Originator.
(e) Use
of
Proceeds.
Seller
will not use the proceeds of the Purchases for any purpose other than (i) paying
for Receivables and Related Security under and in accordance with the
Receivables Sale Agreements, including without limitation, making payments
on
the Subordinated Notes to the extent permitted thereunder and under the U.S.
Receivables Sale Agreement, (ii) paying its ordinary and necessary operating
expenses when and as due, and (iii) making Restricted Junior Payments to the
extent permitted under this Agreement.
(f) Termination
Date Determination.
Seller
will not designate the Termination Date (as defined in either of the Receivables
Sale Agreements), or send any written notice to any Originator in respect
thereof, without the prior written consent of the Agent, except with respect
to
the occurrence of such Termination Date arising pursuant to Section 5.1(e)
of
either Receivables Sale Agreement.
22
(g) Restricted
Junior Payments.
Seller
will not make any Restricted Junior Payment if after giving effect thereto,
Seller’s Net Worth (as defined in the U.S. Receivables Sale Agreement) would be
less than the Required Capital Amount (as defined in the U.S. Receivables Sale
Agreement).
(h) Seller
Indebtedness.
Seller
will not incur or permit to exist any Indebtedness or liability on account
of
deposits except: (i) the Aggregate Unpaids, (ii) the Subordinated Loans, and
(iii) other current accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business
and not overdue.
(i) Prohibition
on Certain Additional Agreements.
From and
after the date of the Existing Agreement, the Seller Parties will not enter
into
or assume any agreement (other than the Transaction Documents) that (i)
prohibits or restricts any Originator’s conveyance of the Receivables and
Related Security to Seller in accordance with the Receivables Sale Agreements,
(ii) prohibits or restricts Seller’s conveyance of Receivable Interests or grant
of security interests in the Purchased Assets pursuant to this Agreement and
the
other Transaction Documents, or (iii) creates any Adverse Claim upon the
Subordinated Notes.
ARTICLE
VIII.
ADMINISTRATION
AND COLLECTION
Section
8.1 Designation
of Servicer.
(a) The
servicing, administration and collection of the Receivables shall be conducted
by such Person (the “Servicer”)
so
designated from time to time in accordance with this Section 8.1. Wolverine
Finance is hereby designated as, and hereby agrees to perform the duties and
obligations of, the Servicer pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The Agent
may at any time following the occurrence of an Amortization Event designate
as
Servicer any Person to succeed Wolverine Finance or any successor
Servicer.
(b) Wolverine
Finance may delegate, and Wolverine Finance hereby advises the Agent and the
Purchasers that it has delegated, to the U.S. Originators, as sub-servicers
of
the Servicer, certain of its duties and responsibilities as Servicer hereunder
in respect of the Receivables originated by such U.S. Originator. Without the
prior written consent of the Agent and the Co-Agent, Wolverine Finance shall
not
be permitted to delegate any of its duties or responsibilities as Servicer
to
any Person other than (i) Seller, (ii) the U.S. Originators, and (iii) with
respect to certain Defaulted Receivables, outside collection agencies in
accordance with its customary practices. Neither Seller nor any Originator
shall
be permitted to further delegate to any other Person any of the duties or
responsibilities of the Servicer delegated to it by Wolverine Finance. If at
any
time following an Amortization Event, the Agent shall designate as Servicer
any
Person other than Wolverine Finance, all duties and responsibilities theretofore
delegated by Wolverine Finance to Seller or the U.S. Originators may, at the
discretion of the Agent, be terminated forthwith on notice given by the Agent
to
Wolverine Finance and to Seller and the U.S. Originators.
23
(c) Notwithstanding
the foregoing subsection (b) or anything else contained herein or in any other
Transaction Document:
(i)
Wolverine Finance shall be and remain primarily liable to the Agent and the
Purchasers for the full and prompt performance of all duties and
responsibilities of the Servicer hereunder and the Agent and the Purchasers
shall be entitled to deal exclusively with Wolverine Finance in matters relating
to the discharge by the Servicer of its duties and responsibilities
hereunder;
(ii)
the
Agent and the Purchasers shall not be required to give notice, demand or other
communication to any Person other than Wolverine Finance in order for
communication to the Servicer and its sub-servicer or other delegate with
respect thereto to be accomplished. Wolverine Finance, at all times that it
is
the Servicer, shall be responsible for providing any sub-servicer or other
delegate of the Servicer with any notice given to the Servicer under this
Agreement; and
(iii)
the
Servicer may not, directly or indirectly, delegate to the Canadian Originator
(or any other Person which is a resident of Canada or carries on business in
Canada for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada)), the right to, and neither
the Canadian Originator nor any such other Person may, perform any services
in
Canada in connection with the Receivables or, without limitation, contract
for,
or conclude contracts in the name of, or otherwise act as agent for, the
Purchasers or the Agent in Canada and neither the Servicer nor Seller nor any
delegate thereof is permitted to (nor has authority to) carry on business on
behalf of, or establish an office or other fixed place of business of, the
Purchasers or the Agent in Canada.
In
any
event, any Person to whom the Servicer delegates any responsibility, may only
carry out such delegated responsibility from a place of business in the United
States and shall not, in any manner whatsoever, carry out any such delegated
responsibility in Canada. To the extent any responsibilities of the Servicer
or
Seller in respect of the Receivables and Related Rights hereunder or under
any
other Transaction Document involve or require the Servicer or Seller to contract
for, or conclude a contract in the name of, the Purchasers or the Agent,
such servicing responsibility shall be fulfilled solely by the Servicer (and
not
by any other person) and the Servicer is authorized to take such action, but
only from a place of business in the United States. None of the functions,
obligations or authority of the Servicer in respect of the Receivables and
Related Rights shall be carried out in Canada; provided that the Servicer may
engage Canadian counsel from time to time for the sole purpose of bringing
legal
action on behalf of the Servicer to enforce payment of Receivables.
Section
8.2 Duties
of
Servicer.
(a) The
Servicer shall take or cause to be taken all such actions as may be necessary
or
advisable to collect each Receivable from time to time, all in accordance with
applicable laws, rules and regulations, with reasonable care and diligence,
and
in accordance with the Credit and Collection Policy.
24
(b) The
Servicer will instruct all Obligors to pay all Collections directly to a
Lock-Box or Collection Account. The Servicer shall effect a Collection Account
Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit VI with each bank party to a
Collection Account at any time. In the case of any remittances received in
any
Lock-Box or Collection Account that shall have been identified, to the
satisfaction of the Servicer, to not constitute Collections or other proceeds
of
the Receivables or the Related Security, the Servicer shall promptly remit
such
items to the Person identified to it as being the owner of such remittances.
The
Agent may request that the Servicer, and the Servicer thereupon promptly shall
instruct all Obligors with respect to the Receivables, to remit all payments
thereon to a new depositary account specified by the Agent and, at all times
thereafter, Seller and the Servicer shall not deposit or otherwise credit,
and
shall not permit any other Person to deposit or otherwise credit to such new
depositary account any cash or payment item other than Collections.
(c) The
Servicer shall administer the Collections in accordance with the procedures
described herein and in Article II. The Servicer shall set aside and hold in
trust for the account of Seller and the Purchasers their respective shares
of
the Collections in accordance with Article II. The Servicer shall, upon the
request of the Agent, segregate, in a manner acceptable to the Agent, all cash,
checks and other instruments received by it from time to time constituting
Collections from the general funds of the Servicer or Seller prior to the
remittance thereof in accordance with Article II. If the Servicer shall be
required to segregate Collections pursuant to the preceding sentence, the
Servicer shall segregate and deposit with a bank designated by the Agent such
allocable share of Collections of Receivables set aside for the Purchasers
on
the first Business Day following receipt by the Servicer of such Collections,
duly endorsed or with duly executed instruments of transfer.
(d) The
Servicer may, in accordance with the Credit and Collection Policy, extend the
maturity of any Receivable or adjust the Outstanding Balance of any Receivable
as the Servicer determines to be appropriate to maximize Collections thereof;
provided,
however,
that
such extension or adjustment shall not alter the status of such Receivable
as a
Delinquent Receivable or Defaulted Receivable or limit the rights of the Agent
or any Purchaser under this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained herein, the Agent shall have the absolute and unlimited right upon
the
occurrence and during the continuation of an Amortization Event to direct the
Servicer to commence or settle any legal action with respect to any Receivable
or to foreclose upon or repossess any Related Security.
(e) The
Servicer shall hold in trust for Seller and the Agent and the Purchasers all
Records that (i) evidence or relate to the Receivables, the related Contracts
and Related Security or (ii) are otherwise necessary or desirable to collect
the
Receivables and shall, as soon as practicable upon demand of the Agent, deliver
or make available to the Agent all such Records, at a place selected by the
Agent. The Servicer shall, as soon as practicable following receipt thereof
turn
over to Seller any cash collections or other cash proceeds received with respect
to Indebtedness not constituting Receivables. The Servicer shall, from time
to
time at the request of the Agent or any Purchaser, furnish to the Purchasers
(promptly after any such request) a calculation of the amounts set aside for
the
Purchasers pursuant to Article II.
(f) Any
payment by an Obligor in respect of any indebtedness owed by it to Originator
or
Seller shall, except as otherwise specified by such Obligor or otherwise
required by contract or law and unless otherwise instructed by the Agent, be
applied as a Collection of any Receivable of such Obligor (starting with the
oldest such Receivable) to the extent of any amounts then due and payable
thereunder before being applied to any other receivable or other obligation
of
such Obligor.
25
Section
8.3 Control
of Lock-Box and Collection Accounts.
Seller
hereby transfers to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Agent and
the
Bank Agent, the exclusive control of each Lock-Box and the Collection Accounts.
Seller hereby authorizes the Collateral Agent and the Agent, and agrees that
the
Collateral Agent and the Agent shall be entitled (i) to endorse Seller’s
name on checks and other instruments representing Collections, (ii) to take
such
action as shall be necessary or desirable to cause all cash, checks and other
instruments constituting Collections of Receivables to come into the possession
of the Collateral Agent or Agent rather than Seller and (iii) at any time after
the occurrence and during the continuation of an Amortization Event, to enforce
the Receivables, the related Contracts and the Related Security.
Section
8.4 Responsibilities
of Seller.
Anything
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the exercise by the Agent, on behalf
of
the Purchasers, of the Agent’s rights hereunder shall not release the Servicer,
any Originator or Seller from any of their duties or obligations with respect
to
any Receivables or under the related Contracts. The Agent and the Purchasers
shall have no obligation or liability with respect to any Receivables or related
Contracts, nor shall any of them be obligated to perform the obligations of
Seller or any Originator thereunder.
Section
8.5 Settlement
and Weekly Reports.
The
Servicer shall prepare and forward to the Agent and the Co-Agent (i) on each
Monthly Reporting Date, a Settlement Report and an electronic file of the data
contained therein, (ii) upon two (2) Business Day’s notice by Agent, a listing
by Obligor of all Receivables together with an aging of such Receivables in
an
electronic file format satisfactory to the Agent, and (iii) not later than
12:00
noon (Alabama time) on each Weekly Reporting Date, a Weekly Report as of
midnight (Alabama time) on the immediately preceding Sunday, and an electronic
file of the data contained therein; provided,
however,
that
the Agent may request that the Servicer deliver a Settlement Report more
frequently than monthly.
Section
8.6 Servicing
Fee.
As
compensation for the Servicer’s servicing activities on their behalf, the
Servicer shall be paid the Servicing Fee in arrears on each Settlement Date
out
of Collections in accordance with Article II.
ARTICLE
IX.
AMORTIZATION
EVENTS
Section
9.1 Amortization
Events.
The
occurrence of any one or more of the following events shall constitute an
Amortization Event:
(a) Any
Seller Party shall fail to make any payment or deposit required to be made
by it
under the Transaction Documents when due and, for any such payment or deposit
which is not in respect of the Aggregate Invested Amount, such failure continues
for three (3) consecutive Business Days.
26
(b) Any
representation, warranty, certification or statement made by any Seller Party
in
any Transaction Document to which it is a party or in any other document
delivered pursuant thereto shall prove to have been incorrect when made or
deemed made.
(c) Any
Seller Party shall fail to perform or observe any covenant contained in Section
7.2 or 8.5 when performance or observance is due; provided,
however, that
no
Amortization Event shall exist if the Servicer is one Business Day late in
delivering a Weekly Report not more than once in any calendar month (it being
understood that such late delivery shall not delay the Weekly Adjustment Date
for such week).
(d) Any
Seller Party shall fail to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement
under any Transaction Documents and such failure shall continue for ten (10)
consecutive Business Days.
(e) Failure
of Seller to pay any Indebtedness (other than the Aggregate Unpaids) when due
or
the default by Seller in the performance of any term, provision or condition
contained in any agreement under which any such Indebtedness was created or
is
governed, the effect of which is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders
of
such Indebtedness to cause, such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated
maturity; or any such Indebtedness of Seller shall be declared to be due and
payable or required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled payment)
prior to the date of maturity thereof.
(f) Failure
of Performance Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries other than Seller to pay
Indebtedness in excess of US$2,500,000 (or the Canadian Dollar Equivalent
thereof) in aggregate principal amount (hereinafter, “Material
Indebtedness”)
when
due; or the default by Performance Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries other
than Seller in the performance of any term, provision or condition contained
in
any agreement under which any Material Indebtedness was created or is governed,
the effect of which is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such
Material Indebtedness to cause, such Material Indebtedness to become due prior
to its stated maturity; or any Material Indebtedness of the Performance
Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries other than Seller shall be declared to
be
due and payable or required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled
payment) prior to the date of maturity thereof.
(g) An
Event
of Bankruptcy shall occur with respect to the Performance Guarantor or any
of
its Subsidiaries.
(h) As
at the
end of any Calculation Period:
(i) the
three-month rolling average Delinquency Ratio shall exceed 2.75%,
(ii) the
three-month rolling average Default Ratio shall exceed 2.50%, or
(iii) the
three-month rolling average Dilution Ratio shall exceed 5.0%.
(i) A
Change
of Control shall occur.
27
(j) (i)
One
or more final judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount of
US$12,300 (or the Canadian Dollar Equivalent thereof)or more shall be entered
against Seller or (ii) one or more final judgments for the payment of money
in
an amount in excess of US$2,500,000 (or the Canadian Dollar Equivalent thereof),
individually or in the aggregate, shall be entered against Performance Guarantor
or any of its Subsidiaries (other than Seller on claims not covered by insurance
or as to which the insurance carrier has denied its responsibility, and such
judgment shall continue unsatisfied and in effect for thirty (30) consecutive
days without a stay of execution.
(k) The
“Termination
Date”
under
and as defined in either of the Receivables Sale Agreements shall occur under
such Receivables Sale Agreement or any Originator shall for any reason cease
to
transfer, or cease to have the legal capacity to transfer, or otherwise be
incapable of transferring Receivables to Seller under the applicable Receivables
Sale Agreement (other than solely by reason of a merger of such Originator
with
and into another Originator).
(l) This
Agreement shall terminate in whole or in part (except in accordance with its
terms), or shall cease to be effective or to be the legally valid, binding
and
enforceable obligation of Seller, or any Obligor shall directly or indirectly
contest in any manner such effectiveness, validity, binding nature or
enforceability, or the Agent for the benefit of the Purchasers shall cease
to
have a valid and perfected first priority security interest in the Purchased
Assets.
(m) On
any
Settlement Date, after giving effect to the turnover of Collections by the
Servicer on such date and the application thereof to the Aggregate Unpaids
in
accordance with this Agreement, the Aggregate Invested Amount shall exceed
the
Purchase Limit.
(n) The
Performance Undertaking shall cease to be effective or to be the legally valid,
binding and enforceable obligation of Performance Guarantor, or Performance
Guarantor shall directly or indirectly contest in any manner such effectiveness,
validity, binding nature or enforceability of its obligations
thereunder.
(o) The
Internal Revenue Service shall file notice of a lien pursuant to Section 6323
of
the Tax Code with regard to any of the Purchased Assets and such lien shall
not
have been released within seven (7) days, or the PBGC shall, or shall indicate
its intention to, file notice of a lien pursuant to Section 4068 of ERISA with
regard to any of the Purchased Assets.
(p) Any
Plan
of Performance Guarantor or any of its ERISA Affiliates:
(i) shall
fail to be funded in accordance with the minimum funding standard required
by
applicable law, the terms of such Plan, Section 412 of the Tax Code or Section
302 of ERISA for any plan year or a waiver of such standard is sought or granted
with respect to such Plan under applicable law, the terms of such Plan or
Section 412 of the Tax Code or Section 303 of ERISA; or
(ii) is
being,
or has been, terminated or the subject of termination proceedings under
applicable law or the terms of such Plan; or
28
(iii) shall
require Performance Guarantor or any of its ERISA Affiliates to provide security
under applicable law, the terms of such Plan, Section 401 or 412 of the Tax
Code
or Section 306 or 307 of ERISA; or
(iv) results
in a liability to Performance Guarantor or any of its ERISA Affiliates under
applicable law, the terms of such Plan, or Title IV ERISA,
and
there
shall result from any such failure, waiver, termination or other event a
liability to the PBGC or a Plan that would have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(q) Any
event
shall occur which (i) materially and adversely impairs the ability of the
Originators to originate Receivables of a credit quality that is at least equal
to the credit quality of the Receivables sold or contributed to Seller on or
prior to the date of this Agreement or (ii) has, or could be reasonably expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) The
Net
Pool Balance shall at any time be less than an amount equal to the sum of (i)
the Aggregate Invested Amount plus
(ii) the
Required Reserve after giving effect to the turnover of Collections by the
Servicer on the next Settlement Date and the application thereof to the
Aggregate Unpaid in accordance with this Agreement.
(s) Failure
of the Consolidated Parties
to
maintain a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio during any period (i) beginning on
the date on which the Obligations outstanding under and as defined in the ABL
Credit Agreement shall equal or exceed US$25,000,000 and continuing until the
termination of ABL Credit Agreement and the repayment in full of all such
Obligations and (ii) after the termination of ABL Credit Agreement,
equal to or more than the following amounts as of the last day of each month
ended in the periods indicated below:
Period
|
Ratio
|
1st
Fiscal Quarter 2005 through 1st Fiscal Quarter 2006
|
1.00
to 1.0
|
2nd
Fiscal Quarter 2006 through 3rd
Fiscal Quarter 2006
|
1.05
to 1.0
|
4th
Fiscal Quarter 2006 through 2nd
Fiscal Quarter 2007
|
1.10
to 1.0
|
3rd
Fiscal Quarter 2007
|
1.15
to 1.0
|
4th
Fiscal Quarter and thereafter
|
1.20
to 1.0
|
29
(t) The
Consolidated Parties
shall make
Capital Expenditures in excess of US$15,000,000 or the Canadian Dollar
Equivalent thereof) during any fiscal year.
(u) Commencing
with the fiscal quarter of the Consolidated Parties ending closest to June
30,
2007, and for each fiscal quarter thereafter, Consolidated EBITDA for the
Consolidated Parties shall be less than US$32,000,000 (or the Canadian Dollar
Equivalent thereof), calculated on a rolling four quarter basis.
(v) The
ABL
Credit Agreement is terminated.
Section
9.2 Remedies.
Upon the
occurrence and during the continuation of an Amortization Event, the Agent
may,
or upon the direction of Wachovia and CIT/BC shall, take any of the following
actions: (i) replace the Person then acting as Servicer, (ii) declare the
Facility Termination Date to have occurred, whereupon Reinvestments shall
immediately terminate and the Facility Termination Date shall forthwith occur,
all without demand, protest or further notice of any kind, all of which are
hereby expressly waived by each Seller Party; provided,
however,
that
upon the occurrence of an Event of Bankruptcy with respect to any Seller Party,
the Facility Termination Date shall automatically occur, without demand, protest
or any notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by each
Seller Party, (iii) exercise all rights and remedies of a secured party upon
default under the UCC, the PPSA and other applicable laws, and (iv) notify
Obligors of the Agent’s security interest in the Receivables and other Purchased
Assets. The aforementioned rights and remedies shall be without limitation,
and
shall be in addition to all other rights and remedies of the Agent and the
Purchasers otherwise available under any other provision of this Agreement,
by
operation of law, at equity or otherwise, all of which are hereby expressly
preserved, including, without limitation, all rights and remedies provided
under
the UCC, the PPSA (as applicable) or any comparable law, all of which rights
shall be cumulative.
ARTICLE
X.
INDEMNIFICATION
Section
10.1 Indemnities.
10.1.1 Indemnities
by Seller.
Without
limiting any other rights that the Agent or the Purchasers, may have hereunder
or under applicable law, Seller hereby agrees to indemnify (and pay upon demand
to) the Agent, each of the Purchasers and each of the respective assigns,
officers, directors, agents and employees of the foregoing (each, an
“Indemnified
Party”)
from
and against any and all damages, losses, claims, taxes, liabilities, costs,
expenses and for all other amounts payable, including reasonable attorneys’ fees
(which attorneys may be employees of the Agent or another Indemnified Party)
and
disbursements (all of the foregoing being collectively referred to as
“Indemnified
Amounts”)
awarded
against or incurred by any of them arising out of or as a result of this
Agreement or the acquisition, either directly or indirectly, by any Purchaser
of
an interest in the Receivables, excluding,
however:
30
(a)
Indemnified Amounts to the extent a final judgment of a court of competent
jurisdiction holds that such Indemnified Amounts resulted from gross negligence
or willful misconduct on the part of the Indemnified Party seeking
indemnification;
(b)
Indemnified Amounts to the extent the same includes losses in respect of
Receivables that are uncollectible on account of the insolvency, bankruptcy
or
lack of creditworthiness of the related Obligor; or
(c)
(i)
taxes on or measured by the overall net income of such Indemnified Party
imposed
by the United States, the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Indemnified
Party is incorporated or otherwise organized, in which such Indemnified Party
is
a resident for income tax purposes, or in which such Indemnified Party’s
principal executive office or lending office is located, in each case, including
any political subdivision thereof, (ii) branch profits taxes, franchise taxes,
or similar taxes imposed on the Indemnified Party, and (iii) other taxes
imposed
by any jurisdiction in which such Indemnified Party is subject to taxation
for
reasons other than the execution, delivery, performance, filing, recording,
and
enforcement of, and the other activities contemplated in this Agreement and
the
Indemnified Party’s participation in the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, to the extent that the computation of such taxes is consistent
with
the characterization for income tax purposes of the acquisition by any
Purchaser, of Receivables as a loan or loans by any Purchaser, to Seller
secured
by the Receivables, the Related Security, the Collection Accounts and the
Collections;
provided, however, that nothing contained in this sentence shall limit the liability of Seller or limit the recourse of any Purchaser, to Seller for amounts otherwise specifically provided to be paid by Seller under the terms of this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing indemnification, Seller shall indemnify the Agent and the Purchasers, for Indemnified Amounts (including, without limitation, losses in respect of uncollectible receivables, regardless of whether reimbursement therefor would constitute recourse to Seller) relating to or resulting from:
(a) PLEASE
do
not delete this hidden level
(i) any
representation or warranty made by Seller or (to the extent Seller actually
receives indemnity under a Receivables Sale Agreement) the Originator (or any
officers of any such Person) under or in connection with this Agreement, any
other Transaction Document or any other information or report delivered by
any
such Person pursuant hereto or thereto, which shall have been false or incorrect
when made or deemed made;
(ii) the
failure by Seller or (to the extent Seller actually receives indemnity under
a
Receivables Sale Agreement) the Originator to comply with any applicable law,
rule or regulation with respect to any Receivable or Contract related thereto,
or the nonconformity of any Receivable or Contract included therein with any
such applicable law, rule or regulation or (to the extent Seller actually
receives indemnity under a Receivables Sale Agreement) any failure of the
Originator to keep or perform any of its obligations, express or implied, with
respect to any Contract;
(iii) any
failure of Seller or (to the extent Seller actually receives indemnity under
a
Receivables Sale Agreement) the Originator to perform its duties, covenants
or
other obligations in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or any
other Transaction Document;
31
(iv) any
products liability, personal injury or damage suit, or other similar claim
arising out of or in connection with merchandise, insurance or services that
are
the subject of any Contract or any Receivable;
(v) any
dispute, claim, offset or defense (other than discharge in bankruptcy of
the
Obligor) of the Obligor to the payment of any Receivable (including, without
limitation, a defense based on such Receivable or the related Contract not
being
a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Obligor enforceable against
it in
accordance with its terms), or any other claim resulting from the sale of
the
merchandise or service related to such Receivable or the furnishing or failure
to furnish such merchandise or services;
(vi) the
commingling by Seller or (to the extent Seller actually receives indemnity
under
a Receivables Sale Agreement) by the Originator of Collections of Receivables
at
any time with other funds;
(vii) any
investigation, litigation or proceeding related to or arising from this
Agreement or any other Transaction Document, the transactions contemplated
hereby, the use of the proceeds of any Purchase, the Purchased Assets or any
other investigation, litigation or proceeding relating to Seller or (to the
extent Seller actually receives indemnity under a Receivables Sale Agreement)
the Originator in which any Indemnified Party becomes involved as a result
of
any of the transactions contemplated hereby;
(viii) any
inability to litigate any claim against any Obligor in respect of any Receivable
as a result of such Obligor being immune from civil and commercial law and
suit
on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise from any legal action, suit or
proceeding;
(ix) any
Amortization Event of the type described in Section 9.1(g) with respect to
any
Seller Party;
(x) any
failure of Seller to acquire and maintain legal and equitable title to, and
ownership of any of the Purchased Assets from the Originator, free and clear
of
any Adverse Claim (other than as created hereunder); or any failure of Seller
to
give reasonably equivalent value to the Originator under a Receivables Sale
Agreement in consideration of the transfer by the Originator of any Receivable,
or any attempt by any Person to void such transfer under statutory provisions
or
common law or equitable action;
(xi) any
failure to vest and maintain vested in the Agent for the benefit of the
Purchasers or to transfer to the Agent for the benefit of the Purchasers, a
valid first priority perfected security interest in the Purchased Assets, free
and clear of any Adverse Claim (except as created by the Transaction
Documents);
(xii) the
failure to have filed, or any delay in filing, financing statements or other
similar instruments or documents under the UCC, the PPSA (as applicable) or
any
comparable law of any applicable jurisdiction or other applicable laws with
respect to any Purchased Assets, and the proceeds thereof, whether at the time
of any Purchase or at any subsequent time;
32
(xiii) any
action or omission by Seller which reduces or impairs the rights of the Agent
or
any Purchaser with respect to any Purchased Assets or the value of any Purchased
Assets;
(xiv) any
attempt by any Person to void any Purchase or the Agent’s security interest in
the Purchased Assets under statutory provisions or common law or equitable
action;
(xv) the
failure of any Receivable included in the calculation of the Net Pool Balance
as
an Eligible Receivable to be an Eligible Receivable at the time so
included;
(xvi) any
civil
penalty or fine assessed by OFAC against, and all reasonable costs and expenses
(including counsel fees and disbursements) incurred in connection with defense
thereof by Agent or any Purchaser as a result of the funding of the Commitments
or the acceptance of payments due under the Transaction Documents;
(xvii) any
payment required to be made by the Agent to the Collateral Agent under the
Intercreditor Agreement or by the Collateral Agent under any Collection Account
Agreement; and
(xviii) any
present or future Taxes (as defined in Section 10.1.3) or similar charges or
imposts, together with all interest and penalties thereon or with respect
thereto and all out-of-pocket costs and expenses, including the reasonable
fees
and expenses of counsel in defending against the same, which may arise by reason
of the purchase or ownership of any interest in the Receivables or any Related
Security, the financing of such purchase or ownership by Seller or the servicing
of the Receivables, including without limitation, any withholding taxes that
are
imposed by Canada or any political subdivision thereof on any Indemnified Party
or that are withheld from any Collections or other payments made hereunder,
and
any such Taxes or similar charges or imposts that are imposed on any Indemnified
Party as a result of such Indemnified Party having a permanent establishment
in
Canada or being found to be carrying on business in Canada (unless it acquired
such permanent establishment or commenced to be carrying on business in Canada
otherwise than as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the
other Transaction Documents); provided
that
promptly
following an Authorized Officer of any Indemnified Party becoming aware of
receipt (the “Receipt”)
by such
Indemnified Party of a written claim (the “Claim”)
from
Canadian tax authorities for payment of any Taxes in respect of which this
clause (xviii) would apply, such Indemnified Party shall notify Seller thereof;
and provided,
further,
that
failure or delay in giving any such notice shall not affect the rights of such
Indemnified Party under this clause (xviii) except that, if such notice is
not
given within 30 days after such Authorized Officer becomes aware of such
Receipt, and no employee or advisor of Seller or any Affiliate thereof has,
within such 30-day period, otherwise learned of such Claim (or that Canadian
tax
authorities have made or may make a claim for payment of any Taxes that are
the
subject of such Claim),
Seller
will not
be liable to such Indemnified Party in respect of any interest or penalties
under this clause (xviii) on or with respect to such Taxes to the
extent that such interest or penalty accrues after the end of such 30-day period
and before the date an employee or advisor of Seller or any Affiliate thereof
learns of such Claim (or that Canadian tax authorities have made or may make
a
claim for payment of any Taxes that are the subject of such Claim).
33
10.1.2 Indemnity
by Servicer.
Without
limiting any other rights which any such Person may have hereunder or under
applicable law, Servicer agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Party for any
and
all Indemnified Amounts incurred by any of them arising out of or relating
to:
(i) any breach by Servicer of any of its obligations or duties under the
Transaction Documents, (ii) the inaccuracy of any representation made by
Servicer hereunder or in any certificate or written statement delivered pursuant
hereto or any other Transaction Document, (iii) any commingling of any funds
by
Servicer or any of its Affiliates relating to the Receivables with any of
Servicer’s funds or the funds of any other Person, (iv) except for adjustments
permitted under Section 8.2(d), any action or omission by Servicer which reduces
or impairs the rights of the Agent or the Purchasers with respect to any
Receivable or the value of any such Receivable, (v) any investigation,
litigation or proceeding relating to Servicer in which any Indemnified Party
becomes involved specifically as a result of its servicing activities hereunder,
(vi) any Amortization Event described in Section 9.1(g) with respect to
Servicer, (vii) Servicer’s inclusion of any Receivable in the calculation of the
Net Pool Balance as an Eligible Receivable if Seller or Originator had
previously advised Servicer that such Receivable was not an Eligible Receivable,
(viii) any civil penalty or fine assessed by OFAC against, and all reasonable
costs and expenses (including counsel fees and disbursements) incurred in
connection with defense thereof by Agent or any Purchaser as a result of any
servicing activities hereunder; and (ix) any payment required to be made by
the Agent to the Collateral Agent under the Intercreditor Agreement or by the
Collateral Agent under any Collection Account Agreement. The foregoing indemnity
by Servicer shall exclude Indemnified Amounts of the type described in the
exclusion clause of Section 10.1.1 to the extent applicable.
10.1.3
Payments
Free and Clear of Taxes, Etc.
(a) Any
and
all payments required to be made by any Seller Party hereunder shall be made
free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future taxes,
levies, imposts, deductions, charges or withholdings, and all liabilities with
respect thereto, excluding, in the case of any Indemnified Party, taxes imposed
on its income by the United States (other than withholding taxes on interest),
and franchise taxes and net income taxes (or equivalent taxes computed under
alternative methods, at least one of which is based on net income) imposed
on it
by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Indemnified Party is organized
or by any political subdivision thereof (all such non-excluded taxes, levies,
imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities being hereinafter
referred to as “Taxes”).
If any
Seller Party shall be required by law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect
of
any sum payable hereunder to (or for the benefit of) any Indemnified Party:
(i) the sum payable shall be increased as may be necessary so that after
making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional
sums payable under this Section) such Indemnified Party receives an amount
equal
to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made,
(ii) such Seller Party shall make such deductions and (iii) such
Seller Party shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation
authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law.
34
(b) In
addition, each Seller Party agrees to pay any present or future stamp or other
documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar
levies which arise from any payment made hereunder or from the execution,
delivery or registration of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement,
other
than U.S. federal taxes except for withholding taxes on interest (hereinafter
referred to as “Other
Taxes”).
(c) Each
Seller Party will indemnify each of the Indemnified Parties for the full amount
of Taxes or Other Taxes (including, without limitation, any Taxes or Other
Taxes
imposed by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section) paid by
such
Indemnified Party or deducted from any Collections (including any Taxes or
amounts on account of Taxes deducted by any Obligor) and any liability
(including penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect
thereto, whether or not such Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally
asserted; provided
that that
applicable Seller Party will be entitled to reimbursement of amounts paid
pursuant to this Section 10.1.3 that are ultimately determined not to be
correctly or legally asserted. This indemnification shall be made within 30
days
from the date such Indemnified Party makes written demand therefor. A
certificate as to the amount of such indemnification submitted to the Seller
Parties by any Indemnified Party setting forth, in reasonable detail, the basis
for and the calculation thereof, shall be conclusive and binding for all
purposes absent manifest error.
10.1.4 Currency.
Unless
otherwise expressly stated in this Agreement, to the extent that any Receivables
are denominated in Canadian dollars, references herein to the balance or amount
of such Receivables or Collections thereof, including the Outstanding Balance
thereof, shall be deemed for all purposes to be references to the U.S. Dollar
Equivalent of such balance or amount of such Receivables or Collections thereof
denominated in Canadian dollars. Each of the Seller Parties will each make
all
payments of amounts owing by it hereunder in U.S. dollars (the “Original
Currency”).
If any
Seller Party makes any such payment to any Indemnified Party in a currency
(the
“Other
Currency”)
other
than the Original Currency (whether voluntarily or pursuant to an order or
judgment of a court or tribunal of any jurisdiction), such payment will
constitute a discharge of the liability of such party hereunder in respect
of
such amount owing only to the extent of the amount of the Original Currency
which such Indemnified Party is able to purchase, with the amount it receives
on
the date of receipt. If the amount of the Original Currency which such
Indemnified Party is able to purchase is less than the amount of such currency
originally so due in respect of such amount, such Seller Party will indemnify
and save such Indemnified Party harmless from and against any loss or damage
arising as a result of such deficiency. This indemnity will constitute an
obligation separate and independent from the other obligations contained in
this
Agreement, will give rise to a separate and independent cause of action, will
survive termination hereof, will apply irrespective of any indulgence granted
by
such Indemnified Party and will continue in full force and effect
notwithstanding any judgment or order in respect of any amount due hereunder
or
under any judgment or order.
Section
10.2 Increased
Cost and Reduced Return.
If after
April 28, 2005 (in the case of Wachovia) or April 4, 2006 (in the case of
CIT/BC), any Regulatory Change shall occur: (i) that subjects any Committed
Purchaser to any charge or withholding on or with respect to any Transaction
Document, or on or with respect to the Receivables, or changes the basis of
taxation of payments to any Committed Purchaser of any amounts payable under
any
Transaction Document (except for changes in the rate of tax on the overall
net
income of a Committed Purchaser or taxes excluded by Section 10.1) or (ii)
that
imposes, modifies or deems applicable any reserve, assessment, insurance charge,
special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or
for
the account of a Committed Purchaser, or credit extended by a Committed
Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement or (iii) that imposes any other condition
(other than with respect to taxes) the result of which is to increase the cost
to a Committed Purchaser of performing its obligations under this Agreement,
or
to reduce the rate of return on a Committed Purchaser’s capital as a consequence
of its obligations under this Agreement, or to reduce the amount of any sum
received or receivable by a Committed Purchaser under any Transaction Document
or to require any payment calculated by reference to the amount of interests
or
loans held or interest received by it, then, such Committed Purchaser shall
notify the Agent and the Seller within 120 days after any Regulatory Change
(other than with respect to taxes) giving rise to any such fee, expense,
increased cost or reduced return and, upon written demand by the Agent setting
forth in reasonable detail the basis for and computation of the amount of such
claim, Seller shall pay to the Agent, for the benefit of the relevant Committed
Purchaser, such amounts charged to such Committed Purchaser or such amounts
to
otherwise compensate such Committed Purchaser for such increased cost or such
reduction. Failure of any Committed Purchaser to give notice within the 120-day
period following a Regulatory Change (other than with respect to taxes) shall
limit the applicable Committed Purchaser’s right to reimbursement to any such
fees, expenses, increased costs or reduced returns that accrue or are incurred
from and after the date on which such notice is actually given.
35
Section
10.3 Other
Costs and Expenses.
Seller
shall pay to the Agent and the Purchasers, on demand all reasonable costs and
out-of-pocket expenses in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery
and administration of this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby
and
the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including without limitation,
the
cost of the Agent’s auditors auditing the books, records and procedures of
Seller (subject to the limitations in 7.1(d)), reasonable fees and out-of-pocket
expenses of legal counsel for any Purchaser and the Agent (which such counsel
may be employees of such Purchaser or the Agent) with respect thereto and with
respect to advising such Purchaser or the Agent as to their respective rights
and remedies under this Agreement. Seller shall pay to the Agent, for the
benefit of the Agent and the applicable Purchaser(s), on demand any and all
reasonable costs and expenses of the Agent and the Purchasers, if any, including
reasonable counsel fees and expenses in connection with the enforcement of
this
Agreement and the other documents delivered hereunder and in connection with
any
restructuring or workout of this Agreement or such documents, or the
administration of this Agreement following an Amortization Event.
ARTICLE
XI.
THE
AGENT AND THE CO-AGENT
Section
11.1 Authorization
and Action.
CIT/BC
hereby designates and appoints CIT/BC to act as its co-agent under the
Transaction Documents to which it is a party for the sole purpose of giving
and
receiving certain notices and reports. Each Purchaser hereby designates and
appoints Wachovia to act as its agent under each Transaction Document, and
authorizes the Agent to execute the Intercreditor Agreement and take such
actions as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated
to
the Agent by the terms of the Transaction Documents together with such powers
as
are reasonably incidental thereto. The Agent and the Co-Agent shall not have
any
duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth in the Transaction
Documents, or any fiduciary relationship with any Purchaser, and no implied
covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities
on
the part of the Agent or the Co-Agent shall be read into any Transaction
Document or otherwise exist for the Agent or the Co-Agent. In performing its
functions and duties under the Transaction Documents, the Agent shall act solely
as agent for the Purchasers and does not assume nor shall be deemed to have
assumed any obligation or relationship of trust or agency with or for any Seller
Party or any of such Seller Party’s successors or assigns. The Agent shall not
be required to take any action that exposes the Agent to personal liability
or
that is contrary to any Transaction Document or applicable law. The appointment
and authority of the Agent hereunder shall terminate upon the indefeasible
payment in full of all Aggregate Unpaids.
36
Section
11.2 Delegation
of Duties.
The
Agent may execute any of its duties under the Transaction Documents by or
through agents or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel
concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Agent shall not be
responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys-in-fact
selected by it with reasonable care.
Section
11.3 Exculpatory
Provisions.
Neither
the Agent nor any of its directors, officers, agents or employees shall be
(i)
liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by it or them under
or in connection with any Transaction Document (except for its, their or such
Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct), or (ii) responsible in any
manner to any of the Purchasers for any recitals, statements, representations
or
warranties made by any Seller Party contained in any Transaction Document or
any
certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for
in,
or received under or in connection with, any Transaction Document or for the
value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency
of
any Transaction Document or any other document furnished in connection
therewith, or for any failure of any Seller Party to perform its obligations
thereunder, or for the satisfaction of any condition specified in Article VI,
or
for the perfection, priority, condition, value or sufficiency of any collateral
pledged in connection herewith. The Agent shall not be under any obligation
to
any Purchaser to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance
of
any of the agreements or covenants contained in, or conditions of, this
Agreement or any other Transaction Document, or to inspect the properties,
books
or records of the Seller Parties. The Agent shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any Amortization Event or Unmatured Amortization Event unless
the
Agent has received notice from a Seller Party or a Purchaser.
Section
11.4 Reliance
by Agent.
The
Agent shall in all cases be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected
in
relying, upon any document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and
correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons
and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including, without limitation,
counsel to Seller), independent accountants and other experts selected by the
Agent. The Agent shall in all cases be fully justified in failing or refusing
to
take any action under the any Transaction Document unless it shall first receive
such advice or concurrence of either Committed Purchaser or all of the
Purchasers, as applicable, as it deems appropriate and it shall first be
indemnified to its satisfaction by the Purchasers, provided that unless and
until the Agent shall have received such advice, the Agent may take or refrain
from taking any action, as the Agent shall deem advisable and in the best
interests of the Purchasers. The Agent shall in all cases be fully protected
in
acting, or in refraining from acting, in accordance with a request of Wachovia
or CIT/BC or all of the Purchasers, as applicable, and such request and any
action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the
Purchasers.
37
Section
11.5 Non-Reliance
on Agent and Other Purchasers.
Each
Purchaser expressly acknowledges that neither the Agent, nor any of its
officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates has
made
any representations or warranties to it and that no act by the Agent hereafter
taken, including, without limitation, any review of the affairs of any Seller
Party, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the
Agent. Each Purchaser represents and warrants to the Agent that it has and
will,
independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Purchaser and
based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made
its
own appraisal of and investigation into the business, operations, property,
prospects, financial and other conditions and creditworthiness of Seller and
made its own decision to enter into this Agreement, the other Transaction
Documents and all other documents related hereto or thereto.
Section
11.6 Reimbursement
and Indemnification.
The
Committed Purchasers agree to reimburse and indemnify the Agent and its
officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents ratably according
to
their respective Commitments, to the extent not paid or reimbursed by the Seller
Parties (i) for any amounts for which the Agent, acting in its capacity as
Agent, is entitled to reimbursement by the Seller Parties hereunder and (ii)
for
any other expenses incurred by the Agent, in its capacity as Agent and acting
on
behalf of the Purchasers, in connection with the administration and enforcement
of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.
Section
11.7 Agent
in
its Individual Capacity.
The
Agent and its Affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally
engage in any kind of business with Seller or any Affiliate of Seller as though
the Agent were not the Agent hereunder. With respect to the acquisition of
Receivable Interests pursuant to this Agreement, the Agent shall have the same
rights and powers under this Agreement in its individual capacity as any
Purchaser and may exercise the same as though it were not the Agent, and the
terms “Committed
Purchaser,” “Purchaser,” “Committed
Purchasers,” and
“Purchasers”
shall be
deemed to include the Agent in its individual capacity.
Section
11.8 Successor
Agent.
The
Agent may, upon five days’ notice to Seller and the Purchasers, and the Agent
will, upon the direction of all of the Purchasers (other than the Agent in
its
individual capacity) resign as Agent. If the Agent shall resign, then CIT/BC
shall become the successor agent. After the effectiveness of any retiring
Agent’s resignation hereunder as Agent, the retiring Agent shall be discharged
from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Transaction
Documents and the provisions of this Article XI and Article X shall continue
in
effect for its benefit with respect to any actions taken or omitted to be taken
by it while it was Agent under this Agreement and under the other Transaction
Documents.
38
ARTICLE
XII.
ASSIGNMENTS
AND PARTICIPATIONS
Section
12.1 Prohibition
on Assignments by Seller Parties.
Except
for delegation of servicing duties in accordance with Section 8.1(b), no Seller
Party may assign any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without
the prior written consent of the Agent and the Purchasers (which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld),.
Section
12.2 Assignments
by Purchasers.
(a) [Intentionally
deleted].
(b) With
the
consent of the Agent and, prior to the Amortization, Seller, such consents
not
to be unreasonably withheld, any Committed Purchaser may at any time and from
time to time assign to one or more Persons (“Purchasing
Committed Purchasers”)
all or
any part of its rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to an
assignment agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Agent (an
“Assignment
Agreement”)
executed by such Purchasing Committed Purchaser and such selling Committed
Purchaser. Upon delivery of the executed Assignment Agreement to the Agent,
such
selling Committed Purchaser shall be released from its obligations hereunder
to
the extent of such assignment. Thereafter the Purchasing Committed Purchaser
shall for all purposes be a Committed Purchaser party to this Agreement and
shall have all the rights and obligations of a Committed Purchaser under this
Agreement to the same extent as if it were an original party hereto and no
further consent or action by Seller, any other Purchaser or the Agent shall
be
required; provided, however, that no Purchasing Committed Purchaser shall be
entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 10.1.1 than the selling
Committed Purchaser would have been entitled to receive thereunder.
Section
12.3 Participations.
Any
Purchaser may, in the ordinary course of its business at any time sell to one
or
more Persons (each such Person, a “Participant”)
participating interests in its interests in the Receivable Interests or any
other interest of such Purchaser hereunder. Notwithstanding any such sale by
a
Purchaser of a participating interest to a Participant, such Purchaser’s rights
and obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, such Purchaser
shall remain solely responsible for the performance of its obligations
hereunder, and Seller and the Agent shall continue to deal solely and directly
with such Purchaser, as applicable, in connection with such Purchaser’s rights
and obligations under this Agreement. Each Purchaser agrees that any agreement
between such Purchaser and any such Participant in respect of such participating
interest shall not restrict such Purchaser’s right to agree to any amendment,
supplement, waiver or modification to this Agreement, except for any amendment,
supplement, waiver or modification described in Section 13.1(b)(i). No
Participant shall be entitled to receive any indemnification rights, benefits
or
payments direct from Seller under Section 10.1.1.
39
ARTICLE
XIII.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
13.1 Waivers
and Amendments.
(a) No
failure or delay on the part of the Agent or any Purchaser in exercising any
power, right or remedy under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof,
nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or remedy
preclude any other further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other power,
right or remedy. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative
and
nonexclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law. Any waiver of this
Agreement shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific
purpose for which given.
(b) No
provision of this Agreement may be amended, supplemented, modified or waived
except in writing in accordance with the provisions of this Section 13.1(b).
Seller, the Agent and the Purchasers may enter into written modifications or
waivers of any provisions of this Agreement, provided,
however,
that no
such modification or waiver shall:
(i) without
the consent of each affected Purchaser, (A) extend the Facility Termination
Date
or the date of any payment or deposit of Collections by Seller or the Servicer,
(B) reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of Yield (or any component
of
Yield), (C) reduce any fee payable to the Agent for the benefit of any
Purchaser, (D) change the Invested Amount of any Receivable Interest, (E) amend,
modify or waive any provision of this Section 13.1(b), (F) consent to or permit
the assignment or transfer by Seller of any of its rights and obligations under
this Agreement, (G) change the definition of “Eligible
Receivable,” “Currency
Reserve,” “Deemed Interest Reserve,” “Loss Reserve,” “Dilution
Reserve,” “Purchase
Price,” “Yield Reserve,” “Servicing Reserve,” “Servicing Fee Rate,” “Required
Reserve” or
“Required
Reserve Factor Floor” or
(H)
amend or modify any defined term (or any defined term used directly or
indirectly in such defined term) used in clauses (A) through (G) above in a
manner that would circumvent the intention of the restrictions set forth in
such
clauses; or
(ii) without
the written consent of the then Agent, amend, modify or waive any provision
of
this Agreement if the effect thereof is to affect the rights or duties of such
Agent.
Section
13.2 Notices.
Except
as provided in this Section 13.2, all communications and notices provided for
hereunder shall be in writing (including bank wire, telecopy, e-mail or
electronic facsimile transmission or similar writing) and shall be given to
the
other parties hereto at their respective addresses, e-mail addresses or telecopy
numbers set forth on the signature pages hereof or at such other address or
telecopy number as such Person may hereafter specify for the purpose of notice
to each of the other parties hereto. Each such notice or other communication
shall be effective (i) if given by telecopy, upon the receipt thereof, (ii)
if
given by mail, three (3) Business Days after the time such communication is
deposited in the mail with first class postage prepaid, (iii) if given by
e-mail, upon sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient
of a return e-mail, which may be delivered through a “request a read receipt for
this message” function, as available, or other written acknowledgement, in each
case acknowledging that sender’s e-mail has been read or (iv) if given by any
other means, when received at the address specified in this Section 13.2. Seller
hereby authorizes the Agent and the Co-Agent to effect Purchases and Interest
Period and Yield Rate selections based on telephonic notices made by any Person
whom the Agent or the Co-Agent, as the case may be, in good faith believes
to be
acting on behalf of Seller. Seller agrees to deliver promptly to the Agent
and
the Co-Agent a written confirmation of each telephonic notice signed by an
authorized officer of Seller; provided,
however,
the
absence of such confirmation shall not affect the validity of such notice.
If
the written confirmation differs from the action taken by the Agent or the
Co-Agent, the records of the Agent or the Co-Agent, as the case may be, shall
govern absent manifest error.
40
Section
13.3 Protection
of Agent’s Security Interest.
(a) Seller
agrees that from time to time, at its expense, it will promptly execute and
deliver all instruments and documents, and take all actions, that may be
necessary or desirable, or that the Agent may request, to perfect, protect
or
more fully evidence the Agent’s security interest in the Purchased Assets, or to
enable the Agent or the Purchasers to exercise and enforce their rights and
remedies hereunder. The Agent may, or the Agent may direct Seller or the
Servicer to, notify the Obligors of Receivables, at Seller’s expense, of the
ownership or security interests of the Purchasers under this Agreement and
may
also direct that payments of all amounts due or that become due under any
or all
Receivables be made directly to the Agent or its designee. Seller or the
Servicer (as applicable) shall, at the Agent’s request, withhold the identities
of the Agent and the Purchasers in any such notification.
(b) If
any
Seller Party fails to perform any of its obligations hereunder, the Agent may
(but shall not be required to), after delivery of notice to such Seller Party
(which notice shall not be required after the occurrence of an Amortization
Event), perform, or cause performance of, such obligations, and the Agent’s
costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith shall be payable by Seller
as provided in Section 10.3. Each Seller Party irrevocably authorizes the Agent
at any time and from time to time in the sole discretion of the Agent, and
appoints the Agent as its attorney-in-fact, to act on behalf of such Seller
Party (i) to execute on behalf of Seller as debtor (if required) and to file
financing statements necessary or desirable in the Agent’s sole discretion to
perfect and to maintain the perfection and priority of the interest of the
Purchasers in the Receivables and (ii) to file a carbon, photographic or other
reproduction of this Agreement or any financing statement with respect to the
Receivables as a financing statement in such offices as the Agent in its sole
discretion deems necessary or desirable to perfect and to maintain the
perfection and priority of the Agent’s security interest in the Purchased
Assets, for the benefit of the Secured Parties. This appointment is coupled
with
an interest and is irrevocable. Each of the Seller Parties (A) hereby authorizes
the Agent to file financing statements and other filing or recording documents
with respect to the Receivables and Related Security (including any amendments
thereto, or continuation or termination statements thereof), without the
signature or other authorization of such Seller Party, in such form and in
such
offices as the Agent reasonably determines appropriate to perfect or maintain
the perfection of the security interest of the Agent hereunder, (B) acknowledges
and agrees that it is not authorized to, and will not, file financing statements
or other filing or recording documents with respect to the Receivables or
Related Security (including any amendments thereto, or continuation or
termination statements thereof), without the express prior written approval
by
the Agent, consenting to the form and substance of such filing or recording
document, and (C) approves, authorizes and ratifies any filings or recordings
made by or on behalf of the Agent in connection with the perfection of the
security interests in favor of Seller or the Agent.
41
Section
13.4 Confidentiality.
(a) Each
of
the Seller Parties shall maintain and shall cause each of its directors,
officers and employees to maintain the confidentiality of the Fee Letters and
the other confidential or proprietary information with respect to the Agent
or
any Purchaser and their respective businesses obtained by such Seller Party
in
connection with the structuring, negotiating and execution of the transactions
contemplated herein, except that such Seller Party and its directors, officers
and employees may disclose such information to such Seller Party’s external
accountants, advisors and attorneys and as required by any applicable law or
order of any judicial or administrative proceeding, provided
that
each
such Person is informed of the confidential nature of such information and
either agrees (or is under a professional ethical obligation) to keep such
information confidential.
(b) Anything
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, each Seller Party hereby consents to
the
disclosure of any nonpublic information with respect to it (i) to the Agent
and
each of the Purchasers by each other, (ii) by the Agent or any Purchaser to
any
prospective or actual assignee or participant of any of them, and (iii) by
the
Agent or any Purchaser to any directors, officers, employees, outside
accountants, advisors and attorneys of any of the foregoing, provided
that
each
such Person in this clause (iii) is informed of the confidential nature of
such
information and either agrees (or is under a professional ethical obligation)
to
keep such information confidential. In addition, each of the Purchasers and
the
Agent may disclose any such nonpublic information pursuant to any law, rule,
regulation, direction, request or order of any judicial, administrative or
regulatory authority or proceedings (whether or not having the force or effect
of law).
(c) Notwithstanding
any other express or implied agreement to the contrary, the parties hereto
agree
that each of them and each of their employees, representatives, and other agents
may disclose to any and all Persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax
treatment and tax structure of the transaction and all materials of any kind
(including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to any of them
relating to such tax treatment and tax structure, except where confidentiality
is reasonably necessary to comply with U.S. federal or state securities laws.
For purposes of this paragraph, the terms “tax treatment” and “tax structure”
have the meanings specified in Treasury Regulation section
1.6011-4(c).
Section
13.5 [Intentionally
deleted].
Section
13.6 Limitation
of Recourse and Liability.
(a)
Except with respect to any claim arising out of the willful misconduct or gross
negligence of the Agent or any Purchaser, no claim may be made by any Seller
Party or any other Person against the Agent or any Purchaser or their respective
Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, attorneys or agents for any special,
indirect, consequential or punitive damages in respect of any claim for breach
of contract or any other theory of liability arising out of or related to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or any act, omission or event
occurring in connection therewith; and each Seller Party hereby waives,
releases, and agrees not to xxx upon any claim for any such damages, whether
or
not accrued and whether or not known or suspected to exist in its
favor.
42
(b)
No
recourse under or with respect to any obligation, covenant or agreement
(including, without limitation, the payment of any fees or any other
obligations) of any Purchaser as contained in this Agreement or any other
agreement, instrument or document entered into by it pursuant hereto or in
connection herewith shall be had against any administrator of such Purchaser
or
any incorporator, affiliate, stockholder, officer, employee or director of
such
Purchaser or of any such administrator, as such, by the enforcement of any
assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, by virtue of any statute
or
otherwise; it being expressly agreed and understood that the agreements of
such
Purchaser contained in this Agreement and all of the other agreements,
instruments and documents entered into by it pursuant hereto or in connection
herewith are, in each case, solely the corporate obligations of such Purchaser,
and that no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to or be incurred by
any
administrator of such Purchaser or any incorporator, stockholder, affiliate,
officer, employee or director of such Purchaser or of any such administrator,
as
such, or any other of them, under or by reason of any of the obligations,
covenants or agreements of such Purchaser contained in this Agreement or in
any
other such instruments, documents or agreements, or that are implied therefrom,
and that any and all personal liability of every such administrator of such
Purchaser and each incorporator, stockholder, affiliate, officer, employee
or
director of such Purchaser or of any such administrator, or any of them, for
breaches by such Purchaser of any such obligations, covenants or agreements,
which liability may arise either at common law or at equity, by statute or
constitution, or otherwise, is hereby expressly waived as a condition of and
in
consideration for the execution of this Agreement. The provisions of this
Section 13.6 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
Section
13.7 CHOICE
OF
LAW.
THIS
AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK,
WITHOUT
REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS THEREOF OTHER THAN SECTION 5-1401
OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW (EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF THE OTHER TRANSACTION
DOCUMENTS, TO THE EXTENT OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY STATED THEREIN) AND
EXCEPT
TO THE EXTENT THAT THE PERFECTION OF THE OWNERSHIP INTEREST OF SELLER OR THE
SECURITY INTEREST OF THE AGENT, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SECURED PARTIES, IN
ANY
OF THE COLLATERAL IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF A JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE
STATE
OF NEW YORK.
Section
13.8 CONSENT
TO JURISDICTION.
EACH
PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE
JURISDICTION OF ANY UNITED STATES FEDERAL OR NEW YORK STATE COURT SITTING IN
NEW
YORK, NEW YORK, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS
AGREEMENT OR ANY DOCUMENT EXECUTED BY SUCH PERSON PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT,
AND EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF
SUCH
ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN ANY SUCH COURT AND
IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE AS TO THE VENUE
OF
ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN SUCH A COURT OR THAT SUCH COURT
IS AN INCONVENIENT FORUM. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL LIMIT THE RIGHT OF THE AGENT
OR
ANY PURCHASER TO BRING PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ANY SELLER PARTY IN THE COURTS OF
ANY
OTHER JURISDICTION. ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING BY ANY SELLER PARTY AGAINST THE
AGENT OR ANY PURCHASER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE AGENT OR ANY PURCHASER INVOLVING,
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ANY MATTER IN ANY WAY ARISING OUT OF, RELATED TO, OR
CONNECTED WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY DOCUMENT EXECUTED BY SUCH SELLER PARTY
PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT ONLY IN A COURT IN NEW YORK, NEW
YORK.
43
Section
13.9 WAIVER
OF
JURY TRIAL.
EACH
PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING INVOLVING,
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ANY MATTER (WHETHER SOUNDING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR
OTHERWISE) IN ANY WAY ARISING OUT OF, RELATED TO, OR CONNECTED WITH THIS
AGREEMENT, ANY DOCUMENT EXECUTED BY ANY SELLER PARTY PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT
OR THE RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER.
Section
13.10 Integration;
Binding Effect; Survival of Terms.
(a) This
Agreement and each other Transaction Document contain the final and complete
integration of all prior expressions by the parties hereto with respect to
the
subject matter hereof and shall constitute the entire agreement among the
parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof superseding all
prior
oral or written understandings.
(b) This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto
and their respective successors and permitted assigns (including any trustee
in
bankruptcy). This Agreement shall create and constitute the continuing
obligations of the parties hereto in accordance with its terms and shall remain
in full force and effect until terminated in accordance with its terms;
provided,
however,
that the
rights and remedies with respect to (i) any breach of any representation and
warranty made by any Seller Party pursuant to Article V, (ii) the
indemnification and payment provisions of Article X, and Sections 13.4 and
13.5
shall be continuing and shall survive any termination of this
Agreement.
Section
13.11 Counterparts;
Severability; Section References.
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties
hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed
to be an original and all of which when taken together shall constitute one
and
the same Agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page
to
this Agreement by telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually
executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement. Any provisions
of
this Agreement which are prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall,
as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or
unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and
any
such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate
or
render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Unless otherwise
expressly indicated, all references herein to “Article,” “Section,” “Schedule”
or
“Exhibit”
shall
mean articles and sections of, and schedules and exhibits to, this
Agreement.
44
Section
13.12 Characterization.
(a) It
is the
intention of the parties hereto that each Purchase hereunder shall constitute
and be treated as an absolute and irrevocable sale, which Purchase shall provide
the Purchasers with the full benefits of ownership of the applicable Receivable
Interest. Except as specifically provided in this Agreement, each sale of a
Receivable Interest hereunder is made without recourse to Seller; provided,
however,
that (i)
Seller shall be liable to the Purchasers and the Agent for all representations,
warranties, covenants and indemnities made by Seller pursuant to the terms
of
this Agreement, and (ii) such sale does not constitute and is not intended
to
result in an assumption by any Purchaser or the Agent or any assignee thereof
of
any obligation of Seller or any Originator or any other person arising in
connection with the Receivables, the Related Security, or the related Contracts,
or any other obligations of Seller or any Originator.
(b) In
addition to any ownership interest which the Agent or the Purchasers may from
time to time acquire pursuant hereto, Seller hereby grants to the Agent for
the
ratable benefit of Secured Parties a valid and perfected security interest
in
all of Seller’s right, title and interest in, to and under all Receivables now
existing or hereafter arising, the Collections, each Lock-Box, each Collection
Account, all Related Security, all other rights and payments relating to such
Receivables, and all proceeds of any of the foregoing prior to all other liens
on and security interests therein to secure the prompt and complete payment
of
the Aggregate Unpaids. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Seller
hereby authorizes the Agent and its counsel to file the UCC or PPSA financing
statements (and any and all amendments thereto and continuations thereof),
which
financing statements may include “all-assets” descriptions of collateral,
necessary or desirable in the opinion of the Agent to perfect or maintain the
perfection of the Agent’s security interest granted herein or any portion
thereof, in each of the foregoing cases, without the signature and without
further authorization of Seller. The Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties,
shall have, in addition to the rights and remedies that it may have under this
Agreement, all other rights and remedies provided to a secured creditor under
the UCC, the PPSA (as applicable) and other applicable law, which rights and
remedies shall be cumulative.
<signature
pages follow>
45
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
the
parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by their
duly authorized officers or attorneys-in-fact as of the date
hereof.
DEJ
98
FINANCE, LLC
By:
Name:
Title:
Address:
DEJ
98
Finance, LLC
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxx
X.
Xxxx, Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: (000)
000-0000
Facsimile:
(000)
000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxx@xxx.xxx
WOLVERINE
FINANCE, LLC
By:
Name:
Title:
Address:
Wolverine
Finance, LLC
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxx
X.
Xxxx, Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: (000)
000-0000
Facsimile:
(000)
000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxx@xxx.xxx
46
WOLVERINE
TUBE, INC.
By:
Name:
Title
Address:
Wolverine
Tube, Inc.
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxx
X.
Xxxx, Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: (000)
000-0000
Facsimile:
(000)
000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxx@xxx.xxx
47
THE
CIT
GROUP/BUSINESS CREDIT, INC.,
individually
and as Co-Agent
By:
__________________________________
Name:
Title:
Address:
CIT
Group
00
Xxxx
00xx
Xx,
Xxxxx 00
Xxx
Xxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Email:
Xxxxxx.Xxxxxx@XXX.xxx
Phone:
000-000-0000
Fax:
000-000-0000
48
WACHOVIA
BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
as a
Committed Purchaser and as Agent
By:
Name:
Title:
Address:
Wachovia
Bank, National Association
000
00xx
Xxxxxx, X.X., 0xx Xxxxx
Xxxx-xxxx
XX0000
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Phone: (000)
000-0000
Fax: (000)
000-0000
E-mail:
xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
49
EXHIBIT
I
DEFINITIONS
As
used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings
(such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms
of
the terms defined):
“ABL
Credit Agreement” has
the
meaning set forth in the definition of the term “Bank Agent”.
“Adjusted
Dilution Ratio”
means,
at any time, the rolling average of the Dilution Ratio for the 12 Calculation
Periods then most recently ended.
“Adverse
Claim”
means a
lien, security interest, charge, hypothec or encumbrance, or other right or
claim in, of or on any Person’s assets or properties in favor of any other
Person.
“Affiliate”
means,
with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling,
controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, such Person
or
any Subsidiary of such Person. A Person shall be deemed to control another
Person if the controlling Person owns 10% or more of any class of voting
securities of the controlled Person or possesses, directly or indirectly, the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of the
controlled Person, whether through ownership of stock, by contract or
otherwise.
“Agent”
has the
meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Agent’s
Account”
means
account #2000002391825 at Wachovia Bank, National Association, ABA #053 000
219.
“Aggregate
Invested Amount”
means,
on any date of determination, the aggregate Invested Amount of all Receivable
Interests outstanding on such date.
“Aggregate
Reduction”
has the
meaning specified in Section 1.3.
“Aggregate
Unpaids”
means,
at any time, an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Aggregate Invested Amount,
plus
(ii) all
Recourse Obligations (whether due or accrued) at such time.
“Agreement”
means
this Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, as it may be amended
or modified and in effect from time to time.
“Alternate
Base Rate”
means
for any day, (i) the rate per
annum
equal to
the higher as of such day of (x) the Prime Rate, or (y) one-half of one percent
(0.50%) above the Federal Funds Rate plus
(ii) the Applicable Base Rate Percentage per
annum
then in
effect. For purposes of determining the Alternate Base Rate for any day, changes
in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Rate shall be effective on the date
of
each such change.
50
“Amortization
Date”
means
the earliest to occur of (i) the Business Day immediately prior to the
occurrence of an Event of Bankruptcy with respect to any Seller Party, (ii)
the
Business Day specified in a written notice from the Agent following the
occurrence of any other Amortization Event, and (iii) the date which is ten
(10)
Business Days after the Agent’s receipt of written notice from Seller that it
wishes to terminate the facility evidenced by this Agreement.
“Amortization
Event”
has the
meaning specified in Article IX.
“Applicable
Base Rate Percentage”
has
the
meaning specified in each Fee Letter.
“Applicable
LIBO Rate Percentage”
has the
meaning specified in each Fee Letter.
“Applicable
Percentage”
has the
meaning specified in each Fee Letter.
“Authorized
Officer”
means,
with respect to any Person, its president, corporate controller, treasurer
or
chief financial officer.
“Bank
Agent” means
Wachovia Bank, National Association, as administrative agent for the financial
institutions party to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated
as of April 28, 2005 (as the same may be amended, restated or otherwise modified
from time to time, the “ABL
Credit Agreement”),
and
its successors and assigns.
“Best
Possible DSO” means,
as
of any date of determination, the product of (i) a fraction, the numerator
of which is the average, during the three most recently ended fiscal months
of
the Originators, of the aggregate Outstanding Balance of Current Receivables
as
of the last day of each such fiscal month, and the denominator of which is
the
average, during such three fiscal month period, of the aggregate sales generated
by the Originators during each such fiscal month, multiplied
by (ii)
30.
“Broken
Funding Costs”
means
for any Receivable Interest which: (i) has its Invested Amount reduced without
compliance by Seller with the notice requirements hereunder or (ii) does not
become subject to an Aggregate Reduction following the delivery of any Reduction
Notice, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the Yield that would
have
accrued during the remainder of the Interest Periods subsequent to the date
of
such reduction, assignment or termination (or in respect of clause (ii) above,
the date such Aggregate Reduction was designated to occur pursuant to the
Reduction Notice) of the Invested Amount of such Receivable Interest if such
reduction, assignment or termination had not occurred or such Reduction Notice
had not been delivered, over (B) the sum of (x) to the extent all or a portion
of such Invested Amount is allocated to another Receivable Interest, the amount
of Yield actually accrued during the remainder of such period on such Invested
Amount for the new Receivable Interest, and (y) to the extent such Invested
Amount is not allocated to another Receivable Interest, the income, if any,
actually received during the remainder of such period by the holder of such
Receivable Interest from investing the portion of such Invested Amount not
so
allocated. All Broken Funding Costs shall be due and payable hereunder upon
demand.
51
“Business
Day” means
any
day on which banks are not authorized or required to close in New York, New
York
or Atlanta, Georgia, and The Depository Trust Company of New York is open for
business, and, if the applicable Business Day relates to any computation or
payment to be made with respect to the LIBO Rate, any day on which dealings
in
United States dollar deposits are carried on in the London interbank
market.
“Calculation
Period” means
each fiscal month of the Performance Guarantor or portion thereof which elapses
during the term of the Agreement. The final Calculation Period shall terminate
on the later “Termination Date” under and as defined in each of the Receivables
Sale Agreements. As used in Section 3.2, Section 3.3, and the definition of
the
term “Servicing Fee” and as used in the Fee Letter, the first Calculation Period
shall commence on the date hereof; otherwise Calculation Period may cover a
period before the date hereof, as the context requires.
“Canadian
Dollar Equivalent”
means,
at the date of determination, the amount of Canadian dollars that the Agent
could purchase, in accordance with its normal practice, with a specified amount
of U.S. dollars based on the Bank of Canada noon spot rate on such
date.
“Canadian
Originator” means
Wolverine Tube (Canada) Inc., an Ontario corporation.
“Canadian
Person” means
(a)
a natural person who resides, carries on business or has assets in
Canada; (b) a corporation or other organization that
carries on business, does business or has assets in Canada, (c) the heirs,
executors, liquidators, successors, administrators or other legal
representatives of such a natural person or corporation or other organization
and (d) the government of Canada or any of its provinces or territories or
any subdivision or agency of the foregoing.
“Canadian
Receivables Sale Agreement”
means
that certain Receivables Sale Agreement dated as of April 4, 2006, between
the
Canadian Originator and Seller, as the same may be amended, restated or
otherwise modified from time to time.
“Capital
Expenditures”
means
any current expenditure by the Consolidated Parties for fixed or capital assets
as reflected on the financial statements of the Consolidated Parties, as
prepared in accordance with GAAP.
“Change
of Control”
means
(a) the acquisition by any Person, or two or more Persons acting in concert,
of
beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) of 20% or more
of
the outstanding shares of voting Equity Interests in Wolverine Finance, or
(b)
the Performance Guarantor ceases to own, directly or indirectly, 49% of
outstanding voting Equity Interests in Seller.
“Co-Agent”
has the
meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Collateral
Agent” means
Wachovia Bank, National Association, acting as collateral agent under the
Collection Account Agreement for the Agent and the Bank Agent.
52
“Collection
Account”
means
each concentration account, depositary account, lock-box account or similar
account in which any Collections are collected or deposited and which is listed
on Exhibit IV.
“Collection
Account Agreement”
means an
agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit VI among an Seller, Wolverine
Finance, the Collateral Agent and a Collection Bank.
“Collection
Bank”
means,
at any time, any of the banks holding one or more Collection
Accounts.
“Collections”
means,
with respect to any Receivable, all cash collections and other cash proceeds
in
respect of such Receivable, including, without limitation, all Finance Charges
(except with respect to any Receivable originated by the Canadian Originator)
or
other related amounts accruing in respect thereof and all cash proceeds of
Related Security with respect to such Receivable (excluding, for the avoidance
of doubt, the obligation to pay any PST or Finance Charges with respect to
any
Receivable originated by the Canadian Originator, but including, for greater
certainty, any GST and QST with respect thereto).
“Commitment”
means,
for each Committed Purchaser, the commitment of such Committed Purchase to
purchase Receivable Interests from Seller in an amount not to exceed (i) in
the
aggregate, the amount set forth opposite such Committed Purchaser’s name on
Schedule A to this Agreement, as such amount may be modified in accordance
with
the terms hereof and (ii) with respect to any individual purchase hereunder,
the
portion of the Purchase Price therefor specified in Section 1.2(c)
hereof.
“Committed
Purchaser”
means
each of CIT/BC and Wachovia.
“Committed
Purchaser Investment”
means
each portion of any Receivable Interest which is funded by CIT/BC or by
Wachovia.
“Contingent
Obligation”
of a
Person means any agreement, undertaking or arrangement by which such Person
assumes, guarantees, endorses, contingently agrees to purchase or provide funds
for the payment of, or otherwise becomes or is contingently liable upon, the
obligation or liability of any other Person, or agrees to maintain the net
worth
or working capital or other financial condition of any other Person, or
otherwise assures any creditor of such other Person against loss, including,
without limitation, any comfort letter, operating agreement, take-or-pay
contract or application for a letter of credit.
“Consolidated
Cash Interest Expense”
means,
for
any
applicable period of computation,
whether
expensed or capitalized, all cash interest expense of the Consolidated Parties
for such period, net of interest income for such period, all as determined
in
accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Cash Taxes”
means,
for any
applicable period of computation, the aggregate of all
taxes
of
the
Consolidated
Parties determined
in accordance with applicable law and GAAP applied on a consistent
basis,
to the
extent the same are paid in cash during such period.
53
“Consolidated
EBITDA”
has
the
meaning specified in the ABL Credit Agreement.
“Consolidated
Fixed Charges”
means,
for any
applicable period of computation, without duplication, the sum of (i) all
Consolidated Cash Interest Expense for the applicable period plus
(ii)
all
Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments for the applicable
period.
“Consolidated
Funded Debt”
means,
as of the date of determination, all Funded Debt of the Performance Guarantor
and its consolidated Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Interest Expense”
means,
for any applicable period of computation, whether expensed or capitalized,
all
interest expense of the Consolidated Parties for such period, net of interest
income for such period, all as determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated
Parties”
means
the Performance Guarantor and all of its consolidated Subsidiaries whether
direct or indirect and whether now owned or hereafter acquired.
“Consolidated
Net Income”
means,
for any applicable
period of computation,
the net
income after taxes of the Consolidated Parties for such period, as adjusted
for
(i) non-cash adjustments to Consolidated Net Income due to the effect of changes
in accounting methods required by GAAP and (ii) the
tax
adjusted net value of (a) the non-cash adjustments to Consolidated Net Income
on
account of gains or losses resulting from changes in the metal variance account
required by the xxxx to market of the Copper Hedge, as determined in accordance
with GAAP and (b) the non-cash adjustments to valuations of inventory that
consists of copper covered by the Copper Hedge resulting from the Performance
Guarantor’s xxxx to market of inventory levels under the Copper Hedge at the
time of testing (the Performance Guarantor shall provide the Agent with copies
of reconciliation of these adjustments when and as provided to the Bank Agent
pursuant to and in accordance with the ABL Credit Agreement).
“Consolidated
Scheduled Funded Debt Payments”
means,
as of the end of each fiscal quarter (or month, as applicable) of the Company
and its consolidated
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of all scheduled payments of
principal on Consolidated Funded Debt (other than intercompany Indebtedness)
for
the four
(4)
consecutive quarters (or 12 consecutive months, as applicable) beginning
on
such
date (including the principal component of payments due on capital leases or
under any synthetic lease, tax retention operating lease, off-balance sheet
loan
or similar off-balance sheet financing product during the applicable period
beginning on such date).
“Copper
Hedge”
means
the Trading Agreements between PB Financial, Inc. and Wolverine Tube, Inc.,
Wolverine Tube (Canada) Inc. and Wolverine Joining Technologies, LLC related
to
hedging copper and any other copper hedging contract permitted under the ABL
Credit Agreement.
“Contract”
means,
with respect to any Receivable, any and all instruments, agreements, invoices
or
other writings pursuant to which such Receivable arises or which evidences
such
Receivable.
54
“Credit
and Collection Policy”
means
Seller’s credit and collection policies and practices relating to Contracts and
Receivables existing on the date hereof and summarized in Exhibit VII hereto,
as
modified from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.
“Currency
Reserve” means,
for any fiscal week or fiscal month of the Performance Guarantor, the product
of
:
(a)
the
highest MCE Percentage in effect during the 12 months preceding the first day
of
such fiscal period, and
(b) the
U.S.
Dollar Equivalent of the Outstanding Balance of all Canadian dollar denominated
Receivables as of the last day covered by the most recent prior Settlement
Report or Weekly Report, as applicable.
“Current
Receivable” means
a
Receivable that has not aged beyond its originally stated due date.
“Cut-Off
Date”
means
the last day of a Calculation Period.
“Days
Sales Outstanding”
means,
as of any day, an amount equal to the product of (x) 91, multiplied by (y)
the
amount obtained by dividing (i) the aggregate outstanding balance of Receivables
as of the most recent Cut-Off Date, by (ii) the aggregate sales generated by
the
Originators during the three (3) Calculation Periods including and immediately
preceding such Cut-Off Date.
“Deemed
Collections” means
Collections deemed received by Seller under Section 1.4(a).
“Deemed
Interest Reserve” means,
for any Calculation Period, the product of:
(a)
the
Outstanding Balance of all Receivables owing from Obligors which are Canadian
Persons that are payable in U.S. dollars, and
(b)
25%
of the percentage determined pursuant to clause (a) of the definition of
“Currency
Reserve”
for such
Calculation Period.
“Default
Horizon Ratio”
means,
as of any Cut-Off Date, the ratio (expressed as a decimal) computed by dividing
(i) the aggregate sales generated by the Originators during the three
Calculation Periods ending on such Cut-Off Date, by (ii) the Net Pool Balance
as
of such Cut-off Date.
“Default
Rate”
means a
rate per annum equal to the sum of (i) the Alternate Base Rate plus
(ii) the Applicable Base Rate Percentage then in effect plus
(iii)
2.00%, changing when and as the Alternate Base Rate changes.
“Default
Ratio”
means,
as of any Cut-Off Date, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) computed by
dividing (x) the total amount of Receivables which became Defaulted Receivables
during the Calculation Period that includes such Cut-Off Date, by (y) the
aggregate sales generated by the Originators during the Calculation Period
occurring three months prior to the Calculation Period ending on such Cut-Off
Date.
55
“Defaulted
Receivable”
means a
Receivable: (i) as to which the Obligor thereof has suffered an Event of
Bankruptcy; (ii) which, consistent with the Credit and Collection Policy, would
be written off Seller’s books as uncollectible; or (iii) as to which any
payment, or part thereof, remains unpaid for 61 days or more from the original
due date for such payment.
“Delinquency
Ratio”
means,
at any time, a percentage equal to (i) the aggregate Outstanding Balance of
all
Receivables that were Delinquent Receivables at such time divided by (ii) the
aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Receivables at such time.
“Delinquent
Receivable”
means a
Receivable as to which any payment, or part thereof, remains unpaid for
31-60 days
from
the original due date for such payment.
“Designated
Obligor”
means an
Obligor indicated by the Agent to Seller in writing.
“Dilution”
means
the amount of any reduction or cancellation of the Outstanding Balance of a
Receivable as described in Section 1.4(a).
“Dilution
Horizon Ratio”
means,
as of any Cut-off Date, a ratio (expressed as a decimal), computed by dividing
(i) the aggregate sales generated by the Originators during the Calculation
Period (or any other period as established by the Agent by notice to Seller
from
time to time in Agent’s discretion based on Agent’s analysis of results of
Reviews conducted after the date of the Agreement) ending on such Cut-Off Date,
by (ii) the Net Pool Balance as of such Cut-Off Date.
“Dilution
Ratio”
means,
as of any Cut-Off Date, a ratio (expressed as a percentage), computed by
dividing (i) the total amount of decreases in Outstanding Balances due to
Dilutions during the Calculation Period ending on such Cut-Off Date, by (ii)
the
aggregate sales generated by the Originators during the Calculation Period
prior
to the Calculation Period ending on such Cut-Off Date.
“Dilution
Reserve”
means,
for any Calculation Period, the product (expressed as a percentage)
of:
(a)
the
sum of (i) the Stress Factor times the Adjusted Dilution Ratio as of the
immediately preceding Cut-Off Date, plus
(ii) the
Dilution Volatility Component as of the immediately preceding Cut-Off Date,
times
(b)
the
Dilution Horizon Ratio as of the immediately preceding Cut-Off
Date.
“Dilution
Volatility Component”
means
the product (expressed as a percentage) of (i) the difference between (a) the
highest three (3)-month rolling average Dilution Ratio over the past 12
Calculation Periods and (b) the Adjusted Dilution Ratio, and (ii) a fraction,
the numerator of which is equal to the ratio specified in (i)(a) of this
definition and the denominator of which is equal to the ratio specified in
(i)(b) of this definition.
56
“Eligible
Foreign Receivable”
means a
Receivable, the Obligor of which is United Technologies Corporation, American
Standard Inc., Whirlpool Corporation, General Electric Company, York
International Corporation or any wholly-owned subsidiary thereof.
“Eligible
Receivable”
means,
at any time, a Receivable:
(i) the
Obligor of which: (a) is not a natural person; (b) is a corporation or other
business organization organized under the laws of the United States or Canada
or
any political subdivision of either of the foregoing and has its chief executive
office in the United States or Canada, unless such receivable is an Eligible
Foreign Receivable; (c) is not an Affiliate of any of the parties hereto; (d)
is
not a government or a governmental subdivision or agency; and (e) is not a
Designated Obligor,
(ii) which
is
not a Defaulted Receivable,
(iii) which
is
not owing from an Obligor as to which more than 50% of the aggregate Outstanding
Balance of all Receivables owing from such Obligor are Defaulted
Receivables,
(iv) which
by
its terms is due and payable within 120 days of the original billing date
therefor and has not been outstanding for more than 90 days past such original
billing date and has not had its payment terms extended more than once;
provided,
however,
in the
event that the Best Possible DSO exceeds 40 days, the outstanding balance of
Receivables payable within 120 days of the original billing date therefor shall
be deducted from the numerator set forth in clause (i) of the definition of
the
term “Best Possible DSO” in an amount necessary to cause the Best Possible DSO
to be 40 days or less,
(v) which
is
an “account” or a “payment intangible” within the meaning of Article 9 of the
UCC of all applicable jurisdictions or an “account” or “intangible” under the
PPSA of Ontario,
(vi) which
is
denominated and payable only in United States dollars or Canadian dollars in
the
United States or Canada,
(vii) which
arises under a Contract in a form which the Agent has not deemed to be
unacceptable in its reasonable discretion and which, together with such
Receivable, is in full force and effect and constitutes the legal, valid and
binding obligation of the related Obligor enforceable against such Obligor
in
accordance with its terms subject to no offset, counterclaim or other
defense,
(viii) which
arises under a Contract which (A) does not contain an enforceable prohibition
on
pledge or assignment by the applicable Originator or its assigns or require
the
Obligor under such Contract to consent to the transfer, sale, pledge or
assignment of the rights and duties of the applicable Originator or any of
its
assignees under such Contract and (B) does not contain a confidentiality
provision that purports to restrict the ability of any Purchaser to exercise
its
rights under this Agreement, including, without limitation, its right to review
the Contract,
57
(ix) which
arises under a Contract that contains an obligation to pay a specified sum
of
money, contingent only upon the sale of goods or the provision of services
by
the applicable Originator,
(x) which,
together with the Contract related thereto, does not contravene any law, rule
or
regulation applicable thereto (including, without limitation, any law, rule
and
regulation relating to consumer protection, truth in lending or other cost
of
borrowing disclosure, fair credit billing, fair credit reporting, equal credit
opportunity, fair debt collection practices and privacy) and with respect to
which no part of the Contract related thereto is in violation of any such law,
rule or regulation,
(xi) which
satisfies all applicable requirements of the Credit and Collection
Policy,
(xii) which
was
generated in the ordinary course of the applicable Originator’s
business,
(xiii) which
arises solely from the sale of goods or (except with respect to any Receivable
originated by the Canadian Originator) the provision of services to the related
Obligor by the applicable Originator, and not by any other Person (in whole
or
in part),
(xiv) as
to
which the Agent has not notified Seller that the Agent has determined that
such
Receivable or class of Receivables is not acceptable as an Eligible Receivable,
including, without limitation, because such Receivable arises under a Contract
that is not acceptable to the Agent,
(xv) which
is
not subject to any dispute, counterclaim, right of rescission, set-off,
counterclaim or any other defense (including defenses arising out of violations
of usury laws) of the applicable Obligor against the applicable Originator
or
any other Adverse Claim, and the Obligor thereon holds no right as against
such
Originator to cause such Originator to repurchase the goods or merchandise
the
sale of which shall have given rise to such Receivable (except with respect
to
sale discounts effected pursuant to the Contract, or defective goods returned
in
accordance with the terms of the Contract); provided,
however,
that if
such dispute, offset, counterclaim or defense affects only a portion of the
Outstanding Balance of such Receivable, then such Receivable may be deemed
an
Eligible Receivable to the extent of the portion of such Outstanding Balance
which is not so affected, and provided,
further,
that
Receivables of any Obligor which has any accounts payable by the applicable
Originator or by a wholly-owned Subsidiary of such Originator (thus giving
rise
to a potential offset against such Receivables) may be treated as Eligible
Receivables to the extent that the Obligor of such Receivables has agreed
pursuant to a written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent,
that such Receivables shall not be subject to such offset,
(xvi) as
to
which the applicable Originator has satisfied and fully performed all
obligations on its part with respect to such Receivable required to be fulfilled
by it, and no further action is required to be performed by any Person with
respect thereto other than payment thereon by the applicable
Obligor,
58
(xvii) as
to
which each of the representations and warranties contained in Sections 5.1(g),
(i), (j), (r), (s), (t) and (u) is true and correct,
(xviii) all
right, title and interest to and in which has been validly transferred by the
applicable Originator directly to Seller under and in accordance with the
applicable Receivables Sale Agreement, and Seller has good and marketable title
thereto free and clear of any Adverse Claim.
“ERISA”
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to
time, and any rule or regulation issued thereunder.
“ERISA
Affiliate”
means
any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with
the Performance Guarantor within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the
Tax
Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Tax Code for purposes of provisions
relating to Section 412 of the Tax Code).
“Event
of Bankruptcy”
shall be
deemed to have occurred with respect to a Person if (i) in the case of a
Canadian Person, an Insolvency Event shall occur with respect to such Person,
or
(ii) in the case of any other Person, either:
(a)
a
case or other proceeding shall be commenced, without the application or consent
of such Person, in any court, seeking the liquidation, reorganization, debt
arrangement, dissolution, winding up, or composition or readjustment of debts
of
such Person, the appointment of a trustee, receiver, custodian, liquidator,
assignee, sequestrator or the like for such Person or all or substantially
all
of its assets, or any similar action with respect to such Person under any
law
relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, winding up or composition
or
adjustment of debts, and such case or proceeding shall continue undismissed,
or
unstayed and in effect, for a period of 60 consecutive days; or an order for
relief in respect of such Person shall be entered in an involuntary case under
the federal bankruptcy laws or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect;
or
(b)
such
Person shall commence a voluntary case or other proceeding under any applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, debt arrangement, dissolution or other
similar law now or hereafter in effect, or shall consent to the appointment
of
or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee (other than
a
trustee under a deed of trust, indenture or similar instrument), custodian,
sequestrator (or other similar official) for, such Person or for any substantial
part of its property, or shall make any general assignment for the benefit
of
creditors, or shall be adjudicated insolvent, or admit in writing its inability
to pay its debts generally as they become due, or, if a corporation or similar
entity, its board of directors shall vote to implement any of the
foregoing.
“Existing
Agreement” has
the
meaning specified in the Preliminary Statements of this Agreement.
“Facility
Account”
means
Seller’s account no. 005-3313 at Mellon Bank, N.A.
59
“Facility
Termination Date”
means
the earlier of (i) February 19, 2009 and (ii) the Amortization
Date.
“Federal
Funds Effective Rate”
means,
for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per
annum
for each
day during such period equal to (i) the weighted average of the rates on
overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System
arranged by federal funds brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day
is
not a Business Day, for the preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve
Bank
of New York in the Composite Closing Quotations for U.S. Government Securities;
or (ii) if such rate is not so published for any day which is a Business Day,
the average of the quotations at approximately 11:30 a.m. (New York time) for
such day on such transactions received by the Agent from three federal funds
brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
“Fee
Letter”
means
(a) that certain amended and restated letter agreement dated as of February
21,
2008 among Seller, the Agent and Parent, as it may be amended, restated or
otherwise modified and in effect from time to time, and (b) that certain amended
and restated letter agreement dated as of February 21, 2008 among Seller, Parent
and CIT/BC, as it may be amended, restated or otherwise modified and in effect
from time to time.
“Final
Payout Date”
means
the date on which all Aggregate Unpaids have been paid in full and the Purchase
Limit has been reduced to zero.
“Finance
Charges”
means,
with respect to a Contract, any finance, interest, late payment charges or
similar charges owing by an Obligor pursuant to such Contract.
“Foreign
Receivable”
means
a
Receivable the Obligor of which (a) if a natural person, is a resident of a
country other than the United States or Canada, or (b) if a corporation or
other business organization, is organized under the laws of a country other
than
the United States or Canada, and has its chief executive office in a country
other than the United States or Canada.
“Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio”
means,
for any applicable period of computation, the ratio of (i) Consolidated EBITDA
less
Unfinanced Capital Expenditures less
all
Consolidated Cash Taxes paid during the applicable period less cash
dividends paid by the Performance Guarantor for the applicable
period
to (ii)
total Consolidated Fixed Charges. The applicable period of computation shall
be
(a) for the purpose of determining the Applicable Percentage, the four (4)
consecutive quarters ending as of the date of determination, except with respect
to the Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments component of Consolidated
Fixed Charges, which shall be for the four (4) consecutive quarters beginning
as
of the date of determination and (b) for the purpose of determining compliance
with Section 9.1(s) of the Agreement, the 12 consecutive month period ending
as
of the date of determination, except with respect to the Consolidated Scheduled
Funded Debt Payments component of Consolidated Fixed Charges, which shall be
for
the 12 consecutive month period beginning as of the date of
determination.
“Funded
Debt”
means,
without duplication, the sum of (a) all Indebtedness (as such term is defined
in
the ABL Credit Agreement) of the Consolidated Parties for borrowed money, (b)
the principal portion of all obligations of the Consolidated Parties under
capital leases (including capital leases incurred in accordance with the terms
of Section 9.1 of the ABL Credit Agreement), (c) all commercial letters of
credit and the maximum or face amount of all performance and standby letters
of
credit issued for the account of a member of the Consolidated Parties,
including, without duplication, all unreimbursed draws thereunder, (d) all
Guaranty Obligations (as such term is defined in the ABL Credit Agreement)
of
the Consolidated Parties with respect to Funded Debt of another Person, (e)
all
Funded Debt of another entity secured by a lien on any property of the
Consolidated Parties, to the extent of the book value of the property secured
thereby, whether or not such Funded Debt has been assumed by a member of the
Consolidated Parties, (f) all Funded Debt of any partnership or unincorporated
joint venture to the extent a member of the Consolidated Parties is legally
obligated or has a reasonable expectation of being liable with respect thereto,
net of any assets of such partnership or joint venture and (g) the principal
balance outstanding under any synthetic lease, tax retention operating lease,
off-balance sheet loan or similar off-balance sheet financing product of a
member of the Consolidated Parties where such transaction is considered borrowed
money indebtedness for tax purposes but is classified as an operating lease
in
accordance with GAAP.
60
“Funding
Percentage”
means,
as to each Committed Purchaser, the ratio of its Commitment to the aggregate
of
all Commitments.
“GAAP”
means,
(i) with respect to all Persons other than the Canadian Originator, generally
accepted accounting principles in effect in the United States of America as
of
the date of the Existing Agreement, and (ii) solely with respect to the Canadian
Originator, generally accepted accounting principles in effect in Canada as
of
the date of this Agreement.
“Incremental
Purchase”
means a
purchase of one or more Receivable Interests which increases the total
outstanding Aggregate Invested Amount hereunder.
“Indebtedness”
of a
Person means such Person’s (i) obligations for borrowed money, (ii) obligations
representing the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than
accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of such Person’s business
payable on terms customary in the trade), (iii) obligations, whether or not
assumed, secured by liens or payable out of the proceeds or production from
property now or hereafter owned or acquired by such Person, (iv) obligations
which are evidenced by notes, acceptances, or other instruments, (v) capitalized
lease obligations, (vi) net liabilities under interest rate swap, exchange
or
cap agreements, (vii) Contingent Obligations and (viii) liabilities in respect
of unfunded vested benefits under plans covered by Title IV of
ERISA.
“Indemnified
Amounts” has
the
meaning specified in Section 10.1.
“Indemnified
Party” has
the
meaning specified in Section 10.1.
“Independent
Manager”
shall
mean a member of the board of managers of Seller who is not at such time, and
has not been at any time during the preceding five (5) years: (A) a director,
officer, employee or affiliate of any Originator or any of their respective
Subsidiaries or Affiliates (other than Seller), or (B) the beneficial owner
(at
the time of such individual’s appointment as an Independent Manager or at any
time thereafter while serving as an Independent Manager) of any of the
outstanding common shares of Seller, any Originator, or any of their respective
Subsidiaries or Affiliates, having general voting rights.
61
“Insolvency
Event”
means,
with respect to any Person, that such Person (i) shall generally not pay
its debts as such debts become due; (ii) shall admit in writing its
inability to pay its debts generally, (iii) shall make an assignment for
the benefit of its creditors or file a notice of intention to make a proposal
to
some or all of its creditors, (iv) shall petition or apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a receiver, receiver manager,
administrator, inspector, liquidator, agent, trustee or other similar official
(a “Receiver”)
for it
or for any substantial part of its property, (v) is adjudged or declared
bankrupt or insolvent and such judgment or declaration is not dismissed,
rescinded, withdrawn or stayed within 60 days (provided that upon any such
stay
ceasing to be in full force and effect, an Insolvency Event shall thereupon
be
deemed to occur unless the related judgment or declaration has theretofore
been
dismissed, rescinded or withdrawn) or if such Person acknowledges its bankruptcy
or insolvency, (vi) is dissolved, liquidated or wound-up,
(vii) commences or files notice of any proceedings relating to it or any
substantial part of its property under any law, whether now or hereafter in
effect, of any jurisdiction relating to dissolution, liquidation, winding-up,
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization of insolvent debtors, arrangement
(including the Companies’
Creditors Arrangement Act)
or
readjustment or moratorium of debts (including passing any effective resolution
authorizing any such proceeding), (viii) by any act or omission to act
indicates its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding
for it or for any substantial part of its property commenced by any other Person
or if there is no such consent, approval or acquiescence, either any such
proceeding commenced by any other Person is not dismissed within 60 days, or
any
of the remedies or actions sought in any such proceeding shall be granted
(including the appointment of a Receiver or an order for relief against all
or a
substantial part of its property), (ix) shall suffer the private
appointment of any Receiver, and any such appointment is not set aside or stayed
within 60 days after the date that such appointment was suffered, provided
that
such 60-day period shall only apply if such appointment was not applied for,
consented to, approved by or acquiesced in, and is being actively and diligently
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; or (x) shall have all
or any substantial part of its assets or property seized or repossessed by
any
encumbrance or other Person.
“Intercreditor
Agreement”
means
that certain Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of April
4,
2006, by and among the Bank Agent, the Agent, Wolverine Finance, Seller and
the
Originators, as the same may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from
time to time.
“Interest
Period”
means,
with respect to any Receivable Interest:
(a) if
Yield
for such Receivable Interest is calculated on the basis of the LIBO Rate, a
period of one month, or such other period as may be mutually agreeable to the
applicable Committed Purchaser and Seller, commencing on a Business Day selected
by Seller pursuant to this Agreement and ending on a Settlement Date;
or
(b) if
Yield
for such Receivable Interest is calculated on the basis of the Alternate Base
Rate, a period commencing on a Business Day selected by Seller and ending on
the
earlier to occur of the next Settlement Date or the first day of an Interest
Period described in clause (a) above.
62
In
the
case of any Interest Period which commences before the Facility Termination
Date
and would otherwise end on a date occurring after the Facility Termination
Date,
such Interest Period shall end on the Facility Termination Date. The duration
of
each Interest Period which commences after the Facility Termination Date shall
be of such duration (not to exceed one month) as selected by the
Agent.
“Invested
Amount”
of any
Receivable Interest means, at any time, (A) the Purchase Price of such
Receivable Interest, minus (B) the sum of the aggregate amount of Collections
and other payments received by the Agent which in each case are applied to
reduce such Invested Amount in accordance with the terms and conditions of
this
Agreement; provided
that
such
Invested Amount shall be restored (in accordance with Section 2.4) in the amount
of any Collections or other payments so received and applied if at any time
the
distribution of such Collections or payments are rescinded, returned or refunded
for any reason.
“LIBO
Rate”
means,
for any Interest Period, (i) the rate per annum determined on the basis of
the offered rate for deposits in United States dollars of amounts equal or
comparable to the Invested Amount offered for a term comparable to such Interest
Period, which rates appear on a Bloomberg L.P. terminal, displayed under the
address “US0001M
<Index> Q <Go>” (or,
for
Interest Periods of longer than one month, the comparable address for the
applicable number of months) effective as of 11:00 A.M., London time, two
Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period, provided
that if
no such offered rates appear on such page, the LIBO Rate for such Interest
Period will be the arithmetic average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the
next higher 1/100th of 1%) of rates quoted by not less than two major banks
in
New York, New York, selected by the Agent, at approximately 10:00 a.m.(New
York
time), two Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period, for
deposits in United States dollars offered by leading European banks for a period
comparable to such Interest Period in an amount comparable to the Invested
Amount, divided by (b) one minus the maximum aggregate reserve requirement
(including all basic, supplemental, marginal or other reserves) which is imposed
against the Agent in respect of Eurocurrency liabilities, as defined in
Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as in
effect from time to time (expressed as a decimal), applicable to such Interest
Period plus
(ii) the Applicable LIBO Rate Percentage per
annum
then in
effect. The LIBO Rate shall be rounded, if necessary, to the next higher 1/16
of
1%.
“Lock-Box”
means
each locked postal box with respect to which a bank who has executed a
Collection Account Agreement has been granted exclusive access for the purpose
of retrieving and processing payments made on the Receivables and which is
listed on Exhibit IV.
“Loss
Reserve”
means,
for any Calculation Period, the product (expressed as a percentage) of (a)
the
Stress Factor, times (b) the highest average of Default Ratios for any
consecutive three-month period occurring during the 12 Calculation Periods
ending on the immediately preceding Cut-Off Date, times (c) the Default Horizon
Ratio as of the immediately preceding Cut-Off Date.
63
“Material
Adverse Effect”
means a
material adverse effect on (i) the financial condition or operations of
Performance Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) the ability
of any Seller Party to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the
Performance Guarantor to perform its obligations under the Performance
Undertaking, (iii) the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement
or
any other Transaction Document, (iv) the Agent’s security interest, for the
benefit of the Secured Parties, in the Receivables generally or in any
significant portion of the Receivables, the Related Security or the Collections
with respect thereto, or (v) the collectibility of the Receivables generally
or
of any material portion of the Receivables.
“MCE
Percentage”
means a
percentage established, and periodically updated, by the Corporate &
Investment Banking division of Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC pursuant to its
credit policy requirements as a measure of risk associated with changes in
the
value of the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar that may occur during
a
period of four months. The MCE Percentage in effect on the date of this
Agreement is 7.5%. The highest MCE Percentage during the twelve months
immediately preceding the date of this Agreement is 8.5%. The Agent will notify
the Servicer of changes to the MCE Percentage as they occur from time to
time.
“Monthly
Reporting Date” means
the
20th day of each month after the date of this Agreement (or if any such day
is
not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day thereafter) or such other
days of any month as Agent may request in connection with Section 8.5
hereof.
“Moody’s”
means
Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc.
“Net
Pool Balance”
means,
at any time, the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables
at
such time reduced by the sum of (a) the aggregate amount by which the
Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables of each Obligor and its
Affiliates exceeds the Obligor Concentration Limit for such Obligor, (b) the
amount by which the aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Foreign
Receivables exceeds the product of (X) the Eligible Foreign Receivables Limit
(as such term is defined in the Fee Letter) multiplied
by (Y)
the
aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Eligible Receivables and (c) the
amount deducted from the numerator set forth in clause (i) of the definition
of
the term “Best Possible DSO” pursuant to the proviso of clause (iv) of the
definition of the term “Eligible Receivable”.
“Obligor”
means a
Person obligated to make payments pursuant to a Contract.
“Obligor
Concentration Limit” means,
at
any time, in relation to the aggregate Outstanding Balance of Receivables owed
by any single Obligor and its Affiliates (if any), the applicable concentration
limit shall be determined as follows for Obligors who have short term unsecured
debt ratings currently assigned to them by S&P and Moody’s (or in the
absence thereof, the equivalent long term unsecured senior debt ratings), the
applicable concentration limit shall be determined according to the following
table:
64
S&P
Rating
|
Xxxxx’x
Rating
|
Allowable
% of Eligible Receivables
|
A-1+
|
P-1
|
10.0%
|
A-1
|
P-1
|
9.5%
|
A-2
|
P-2
|
9.0%
|
A-3
|
P-3
|
6.5%
|
Below
A-3 or Not Rated by either S&P or Moody’s
|
Below
P-3 or Not Rated by either S&P or Moody’s
|
4.0%
|
;
provided,
however, that
(a)
if any Obligor has a split rating, the applicable rating will be the lower
of
the two, (b) if any Obligor is not rated by either S&P or Moody’s, the
applicable Obligor Concentration Limit shall be the one set forth in the last
line of the table above, and (c) subject to a possible increase in the
percentage set forth in clause (a)(i) of the definition of “Required
Reserve,”
upon
Seller’s request from time to time, the Agent may agree to a higher percentage
of Eligible Receivables for a particular Obligor and its Affiliates (each such
higher percentage, a “Special
Concentration Limit”),
it
being understood that any Special Concentration Limit may be cancelled by the
Agent upon not less than five (5) Business Days’ written notice to the Seller
Parties.
“OFAC”
means
the
U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
“Originator”
means
each of the U.S. Originators and the Canadian Originator.
“Outstanding
Balance”
of any
Receivable at any time means the then outstanding principal balance thereof
plus, in the case of any Receivable originated by the Canadian Originator,
any
GST payable in connection therewith; provided,
however,
that to
the extent that any Receivable is denominated in Canadian dollars, references
herein to the Outstanding Balance thereof shall be deemed for all purposes
to be
references to the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of such balance.
“Participant”
has the
meaning set forth in Section 12.3.
“PBGC”
means
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or any successor thereto.
“Pension
Plan”
means a
pension plan (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA
which Performance Guarantor sponsors or maintains, or to which it makes, is
making, or is obligated to make contributions, or in the case of a multiple
employer plan (as described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA) has made contributions
at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.
65
“Performance
Guarantor”
means
Wolverine Tube, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Performance
Undertaking”
means
that certain Amended and Restated Performance Undertaking, dated as of April
4,
2006 by Performance Guarantor in favor of Seller, substantially in the form
of
Exhibit IX, as the same may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from
time
to time.
“Person”
means an
individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust), limited
liability company, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association,
joint
venture or other entity, or a government or any political subdivision or agency
thereof.
“Plan”
means an
employee benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) which Performance
Guarantor or any of its ERISA Affiliates sponsors or maintains or to which
Performance Guarantor or any of its ERISA Affiliates makes, is making, or is
obligated to make contributions and includes any Pension Plan, other than a
Plan
maintained outside the United States primarily for the benefit of Persons who
are not U.S. residents.
“Prime
Rate”
means a
rate per
annum
equal to
the prime rate of interest announced from time to time by Wachovia (which is
not
necessarily the lowest rate charged to any customer), changing when and as
said
prime rate changes.
“Production
Month”
shall
have the meaning specified in the ABL Credit Agreement.
“Proposed
Reduction Date”
has the
meaning set forth in Section 1.3.
“Purchase”
means
an
Incremental Purchase or a Reinvestment.
“Purchase
Date” means
each Business Day on which a Purchase is made hereunder.
“Purchase
Limit” means
US$75,000,000.
“Purchase
Notice”
has the
meaning set forth in Section 1.2.
“Purchase
Price”
means,
with respect to any Incremental Purchase of a Receivable Interest, the amount
paid to Seller by the Purchasers for such Receivable Interest which shall not
exceed the least of (i) the amount requested by Seller in the applicable
Purchase Notice, (ii) the unused portion of the Purchase Limit on the applicable
purchase date, (iii) the excess, if any, of the Net Pool Balance (less the
Required Reserve) on the applicable purchase date over the aggregate outstanding
amount of Aggregate Invested Amount determined as of the date of the most recent
Settlement Report, taking into account such proposed Incremental Purchase and
(iv) the excess, if any, of the product of 85% times the aggregate Outstanding
Balance of Eligible Receivables on the applicable purchase date over the
aggregate outstanding amount of Aggregate Invested Amount determined as of
the
date of the most recent Settlement Report, taking into account such proposed
Incremental Purchase.
66
“Purchased
Assets” means
all
of Seller’s right, title and interest, whether now owned and existing or
hereafter arising in and to all of the Receivables, the Related Security, the
Collections and all proceeds of the foregoing.
“Purchaser”
means
any
Committed Purchaser.
“Quebec
Assets”
is
defined in Section 1.1(a)(i).
“Quebec
Receivable”
means
any Receivable in respect of which either the Obligor is a resident of (or
has
its mailing address in) the Province of Quebec, or the related Contract provides
that payment of such Receivable shall be made to a location in the Province
of
Quebec.
“Receivable”
means
each “Receivable” under and as defined in a Receivables Sale Agreement in which
Seller acquires any interest.
“Receivable
Interest”
means,
at any time, an undivided percentage ownership interest (computed as set forth
below) associated with a designated amount of Invested Amount, selected pursuant
to the terms and conditions hereof in (i) each Receivable arising prior to
the
time of the most recent computation or recomputation of such undivided interest,
(ii) all Related Security with respect to each such Receivable, and (iii) all
Collections with respect to, and other proceeds of, each such Receivable. Each
such undivided percentage interest shall equal:
IA
+ RR
|
NPB
|
where:
IA
|
=
the Invested Amount of such Receivable
Interest.
|
NPB
|
=
the Net Pool Balance.
|
RR
|
=
the Required Reserve.
|
Such
undivided percentage ownership interest shall be initially computed on its
date
of purchase. Thereafter, until the Facility Termination Date, each Receivable
Interest shall be automatically recomputed (or deemed to be recomputed) on
each
day prior to the Facility Termination Date. The variable percentage represented
by any Receivable Interest as computed (or deemed recomputed) as of the close
of
the Business Day immediately preceding the Facility Termination Date shall
remain constant at all times thereafter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Receivable Interest shall at all times include 100% of the Quebec
Assets.
“Receivables
Sale Agreement”
means
each of the U.S. Receivables Sale Agreement and the Canadian Receivables Sale
Agreement.
67
“Records”
means,
with respect to any Receivable, all Contracts and other documents, books,
records and other information (including, without limitation, computer programs,
tapes, disks, punch cards, data processing software and related property and
rights) relating to such Receivable, any Related Security therefor and the
related Obligor.
“Recourse
Obligations”
has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
“Reduction
Notice”
has the
meaning set forth in Section 1.3.
“Regulatory
Change”
means
any change after the date of this Agreement in United States (federal, state
or
municipal) or foreign laws, regulations (including Regulation D) or accounting
principles or the adoption or making after such date of any interpretations,
directives or requests applying to a class of financial institutions (including
any Committed Purchaser) of or under any United States (federal, state or
municipal) or foreign laws, regulations (whether or not having the force of
law)
or accounting principles by any court, governmental or monetary authority,
or
accounting board or authority (whether or not part of government) charged with
the establishment, interpretation or administration thereof. For the avoidance
of doubt, any interpretation of Accounting Research Bulletin No. 51 by the
Financial Accounting Standards Board shall constitute a Regulatory
Change..
“Reinvestment”
has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
“Related
Security”
means,
with respect to any Receivable:
(i) all
of
Seller’s interest in the inventory and goods (including returned or repossessed
inventory or goods), if any, the sale, financing or lease of which by an
Originator gave rise to such Receivable, and all insurance contracts with
respect thereto,
(ii) all
other
security interests, liens or other Adverse Claims and property subject thereto
from time to time, if any, purporting to secure payment of such Receivable,
whether pursuant to the Contract related to such Receivable or otherwise,
together with all financing statements and security agreements describing any
collateral securing such Receivable,
(iii) all
guaranties, letters of credit, insurance and other agreements or arrangements
of
whatever character from time to time supporting or securing payment of such
Receivable whether pursuant to the Contract related to such Receivable or
otherwise,
(iv) all
service contracts and other contracts and agreements associated with such
Receivable,
(v) all
Records related to such Receivable,
(vi) all
of
Seller’s right, title and interest in, to and under the applicable Receivables
Sale Agreement in respect of such Receivable and all of Seller’s right, title
and interest in, to and under the Performance Undertaking, and
68
(vii) all
proceeds of any of the foregoing.
“Required
Notice Period”
means
[two (2)] Business Days.
“Required
Reserve” means,
on
any day during a Calculation Period, the sum of:
(a)
the
product of (i) the greater of (A) the Required Reserve Factor Floor
and (B)
the
sum of the Loss Reserve, the Yield Reserve, the Dilution Reserve and the
Servicing Reserve, times
(ii) the
Net Pool Balance as of the Cut-Off Date immediately preceding such Calculation
Period, plus
(b)
the
sum of (i) the Currency Reserve and (ii) the Deemed Interest
Reserve.
“Required
Reserve Factor Floor” means,
for any Calculation Period, the greater of (a) the sum (expressed as a
percentage) of (i) 12.25% plus
(ii) the
product of the Adjusted Dilution Ratio and the Dilution Horizon Ratio, in each
case, as of the immediately preceding Cut-Off Date, and (b) 15.0%.
“Restricted
Junior Payment”
means
(i) any dividend or other distribution, direct or indirect, on account of any
class of Equity Interests in Seller now or hereafter outstanding, except a
dividend payable solely in Equity Interests of that class or in any junior
class
of Equity Interests in Seller, (ii) any redemption, retirement, sinking fund
or
similar payment, purchase or other acquisition for value, direct or indirect,
of
any class of Equity Interests in Seller now or hereafter outstanding, (iii)
any
payment or prepayment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest, fees or
other charges on or with respect to, and any redemption, purchase, retirement,
defeasance, sinking fund or similar payment and any claim for rescission with
respect to the Subordinated Loans (as defined in the U.S. Receivables Sale
Agreement), (iv) any payment made to redeem, purchase, repurchase or retire,
or
to obtain the surrender of, any outstanding warrants, options or other rights
to
acquire any class of Equity Interests in Seller now or hereafter outstanding,
and (v) any payment of management fees by Seller (except for reasonable
management fees to any Originator or its Affiliates in reimbursement of actual
management services performed).
“Sanctioned
Country”
means a
country subject to a sanctions program identified on the list maintained by
OFAC
and available at xxxx://xxx.xxxxx.xxx/xxxxxxx/xxxxxx/xxxx/
sanctions/index.html,
or as
otherwise published from time to time.
“Sanctioned
Person”
means
(a) a person named on the list of Specially Designated Nationals or Blocked
Persons maintained by OFAC available at xxxx://xxx.xxxxx.xxx/xxxxxxx/
eotffc/ofac/sdn/index.html,
or as
otherwise published from time to time, or (b) (i) an agency of the
government of a Sanctioned Country, (ii) an organization controlled by a
Sanctioned Country, or (iii) a person resident in a Sanctioned Country, to
the extent subject to a sanctions program administered by OFAC.
“S&P”
means
Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw Hill Companies,
Inc.
“Secured
Parties”
means
the Indemnified Parties.
69
“Seller”
has the
meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Seller
Parties”
means,
collectively, (a) Seller, (b) at any time while it is acting as Servicer,
Wolverine Finance, and (c) at any time while it is acting as Performance
Guarantor, Wolverine Tube, Inc.
“Servicer”
means at
any time the Person (which may be the Agent) then authorized pursuant to Article
VIII to service, administer and collect Receivables.
“Servicing
Fee”
means,
for each day in a Calculation Period:
(a)
an
amount equal to (i) the Servicing Fee Rate (or, at any time while Wolverine
Finance or one of its Affiliates is the Servicer, such lesser percentage as
may
be agreed between Seller and the Servicer on an arms’ length basis based on then
prevailing market terms for similar services), times
(ii) the
aggregate Outstanding Balance of all Receivables at the close of business on
the
Cut-Off Date immediately preceding such Calculation Period, times
(iii)
1/360; or
(b)
on
and after the Servicer’s reasonable request made at any time when Wolverine
Finance or one of its Affiliates is no longer acting as Servicer hereunder,
an
alternative amount specified by the successor Servicer not exceeding (i) 110%
of
such Servicer’s reasonable costs and expenses of performing its obligations
under this Agreement during the preceding Calculation Period, divided
by
(ii) the
number of days in the current Calculation Period.
“Servicing
Fee Rate”
means
1.0% per
annum.
“Servicing
Reserve”
means,
for any Calculation Period, the product (expressed as a percentage) of (a)
the
Servicing Fee Rate, times
(b) a
fraction, the numerator of which is the highest Days Sales Outstanding for
the
most recent 12 Calculation Periods and the denominator of which is
360.
“Settlement
Date”
means
(i) the 2nd
Business
Day after each Monthly Reporting Date and (ii) the Facility Termination
Date.
“Settlement
Period”
means
the Calculation Period immediately preceding each Settlement Date.
“Settlement
Report”
means a
report, in substantially the form of Exhibit VIII hereto (appropriately
completed), furnished by the Servicer to the Agent and the Co-Agent pursuant
to
Section 8.5.
“Stress
Factor”
means,
for any Calculation Period, a number greater than or equal to 1.5 and less
than
or equal to 2.5 selected by the Agent from time to time in its sole discretion
and notified to the Seller Parties upon not less than 2 Business Days’ written
notice.
“Subsidiary”
of a
Person means (i) any corporation more than 50% of the outstanding securities
having ordinary voting power of which shall at the time be owned or controlled,
directly or indirectly, by such Person or by one or more of its Subsidiaries
or
by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries, or (ii) any partnership,
association, limited liability company, joint venture or similar business
organization more than 50% of the ownership interests having ordinary voting
power of which shall at the time be so owned or controlled; it being understood
that the Seller is not a Subsidiary of the Performance Guarantor.
70
“Tax
Code” means
the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as the same may be amended from time to
time.
“Terminating
Tranche”
has the
meaning set forth in Section 4.3(b).
“Transaction
Documents”
means,
collectively, this Agreement, each Purchase Notice, the Receivables Sale
Agreements, each Collection Account Agreement, the Performance Undertaking,
the
Fee Letters, each Subordinated Note (as defined in the U.S. Receivables Sale
Agreement) and all other instruments, documents and agreements executed and
delivered in connection herewith.
“2009
Senior Note Indenture”
shall
have the meaning specified in the ABL Credit Agreement.
“UCC”
means
the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the specified
jurisdiction.
“Unfinanced
Capital Expenditures”
means,
for any period, all Capital Expenditures not financed from proceeds of
Consolidated Funded Debt (other than Loans made under and as defined in the
ABL
Credit Agreement
or from
proceeds of the
Sale
Price under and as defined in each of the Receivables Sale Agreements received
by any Originator).
“Unmatured
Amortization Event”
means an
event which, with the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would
constitute an Amortization Event.
“U.S.
Dollar Equivalent”
means,
at the date of determination, the amount of U.S. dollars that the Agent could
purchase, in accordance with its normal practice, with a specified amount of
Canadian dollars based on the Bank of Canada noon spot rate on such
date.
“U.S.
Originator”
means
each of Wolverine Tube, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Tube Forming, LP, a
Delaware limited partnership, Wolverine Joining Technologies, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company and, prior to February 29, 2008, Small Tube
Manufacturing LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, each in its capacity
as
a seller under the U.S. Receivables Sale Agreement.
“U.S.
Receivables Sale Agreement”
means
that certain Receivables Sale Agreement, dated as of April 28, 2005, among
the
US Originators and Seller, as the same may be amended, restated or otherwise
modified from time to time.
“Wachovia”
has the
meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
71
“Weekly
Adjustment Date”
means
the Business Day after each Weekly Reporting Date.
“Weekly
Report”
means a
report in the form of Exhibit X hereto (appropriately completed), furnished
by
the Servicer to the Agent and the Co-Agent pursuant to Section 8.5, as such
form
may be updated from time to time by the Agent.
“Weekly
Reporting Date”
means
Wednesday of each week (or if any Wednesday is not a Business Day, the next
succeeding Business Day).
“Yield”
means
for each Interest Period relating to a Committed Purchaser Investment, an amount
equal to the product of the applicable Yield Rate for such Committed Purchaser
Investment multiplied by the Invested Amount thereof for each day elapsed during
such Interest Period, annualized on a 360 day basis.
“Yield
Rate”
means,
with respect to each Committed Purchaser Investment, the LIBO Rate, the
Alternate Base Rate or the Default Rate, as applicable.
“Yield
Reserve”
means,
for any Calculation Period, the product (expressed as a percentage) of (i)
1.5
times
(ii) the
Alternate Base Rate as of the immediately preceding Cut-Off Date times
(iii) a
fraction the numerator of which is the highest Days Sales Outstanding for the
most recent 12 Calculation Periods and the denominator of which is
360.
All
accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall be construed in
accordance with GAAP. All terms used in Article 9 of the UCC in the State of
New
York, and not specifically defined herein, are used herein as defined in such
Article 9. Except as otherwise expressly stated, all references to dollar
amounts are to such amounts in United States dollars.
72
EXHIBIT
II
FORM
OF PURCHASE NOTICE
---
DEJ
98 FINANCE, LLC
PURCHASE
NOTICE
dated
______________, 20__
for
Purchase on ________________, 20__
Wachovia
Bank, National Association, as Agent
000
00xx
Xxxxxx, X.X., 0xx Xxxxx
Xxxx-xxxx
XX0000
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Fax: (000)
000-0000
CIT
Business Capital
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Portfolio Manager
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Reference
is made to the Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement dated
as of February 21, 2008 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from
time to time, the “Receivables
Purchase Agreement”)
among
DEJ 98 Finance, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Seller”),
Wolverine Finance, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company, as initial
Servicer, Wolverine Tube, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as Performance
Guarantor, The CIT Group/Business Credit, Inc., individually and as Co-Agent,
and Wachovia Bank, National Association, individually and as Agent. Capitalized
terms defined in the Receivables Purchase Agreement are used herein with the
same meanings.
1.
The
Servicer, on behalf of the Seller hereby certifies, represents and warrants
to
the Agent and the Purchasers that on and as of the Purchase Date (as hereinafter
defined):
(a)
all
applicable conditions precedent set forth in Article VI of the Receivables
Purchase Agreement have been satisfied;
(b)
each
of its representations and warranties contained in Section 5.1 of the
Receivables Purchase Agreement will be true and correct, in all material
respects, as if made on and as of the Purchase Date;
73
(c)
no
event will have occurred and is continuing, or would result from the requested
Purchase, that constitutes an Amortization Event or Unmatured Amortization
Event;
(d)
the
Facility Termination Date has not occurred; and
(e)
after
giving effect to the Purchase requested below, the Aggregate Invested Amount
will not exceed the Purchase Limit and the aggregate Receivable Interests will
not exceed 100%.
2.
The
Servicer, on behalf of the Seller hereby requests that the Purchasers make
a
Purchase on ___________, 20__ (the “Purchase
Date”)
as
follows:
(a)
Purchase Price: US$_____________
(b)
Servicer on behalf of the Seller requests that the Invested Amount (which will
initially accrue Yield at the Alternate Base Rate) begin to accrued Yield at
a
LIBO Rate for a Interest Period of _____ months on the third Business Day after
the Purchase Date).
3.
Please
disburse the proceeds of the Purchase as follows:
[Apply
US$________ to payment of Aggregate Unpaids due on the Purchase Date].
[Wire
transfer US$________ to account no. ________ at ___________ Bank, in
[city,
state],
ABA No.
__________, Reference: ________].
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the
Servicer, on behalf of the Seller has caused this Purchase Request to be
executed and delivered as of this ____ day of ___________, _____.
[_______________________,
as Servicer, on behalf of:]
____________., as Seller
|
||
By:
|
_________________________________
|
|
Name:
|
||
Title:
|
74
EXHIBIT
III
PLACES
OF BUSINESS OF THE SELLER; LOCATIONS OF RECORDS;
FEDERAL
EMPLOYER AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS
75
EXHIBIT
IV
NAMES
OF COLLECTION BANKS; LOCK-BOXES & COLLECTION ACCOUNTS
US
Based Bank Accounts
|
||||||||
Account
#
|
Bank
|
Currency
|
Entity
|
Address
|
||||
032-3230
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Tube
Forming Salary Payroll
|
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xx., Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
|
||||
016-4507
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Tube
Forming Hourly Payroll
|
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xx., Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
|
||||
035
- 3236
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Wolverine
China Investments Account
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
093
- 5279
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
STP
Salary Payroll Account
|
XX
XXX 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
093
- 5244
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
STP
Hourly Payroll Account
|
XX
XXX 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
004
- 4521
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Wachovia
Bank as collateral agent for
Wolverine
Finance, LLC
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
371148
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Tube
Forming Lockbox
|
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xx., Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
|
||||
360877
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
STP
Pittsburgh Lockbox
|
XX
XXX 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
360265
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Wolverine
Finance Pittsburgh Lockbox
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
360750
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Wolverine
Joining Technologies, Inc. -
Lockbox
|
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
000
- 0000
|
Xxxxxx
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Wolverine
Tube, Inc. Operating Account
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
108
- 9300
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Wolverine
Tube, Inc. Salary Payroll
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
108
- 9115
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Decatur
Hourly Payroll
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
108
- 8500
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Shawnee
Hourly Payroll
|
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xx., Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
093
- 5287
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Booneville
Hourly Payroll
|
0
Xxxxxxxxx Xx., Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
076-9063
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Wolverine
Joining Technologies, Inc.
-
Operating
|
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
076-9071
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Wolverine
Joining Technologies, Inc.
-
Payroll
|
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
|
||||
103-0869
|
Mellon
Bank
|
USD
$
|
Wolverine
Tube, Inc. - ACH Pre-
funding
account
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX
00000-0000
|
76
005-3313
|
Mellon
|
USD
$
|
DEJ
98 Finance, LLC
|
XX
Xxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
|
||||
00000-00000-00
|
Scotia
Bank
|
CAD
$
|
DEJ
98 Finance, LLC Wachovia Bank as
Collateral
Agent
|
XX
Xxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
|
||||
00000-00000-00
|
Scotia
Bank
|
CAD
$
|
DEJ
98 Finance, LLC
|
XX
Xxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
|
||||
00000-00000-00
|
Scotia
Bank
|
USD
$
|
DEJ
98 Finance, LLC Wachovia Bank as
Collateral
Agent
|
XX
Xxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
|
||||
00000-00000-00
|
Scotia
Bank
|
USD
$
|
DEJ
98 Finance, LLC
|
XX
Xxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
|
Canadian Based Bank Accounts | |||||
Account
|
Bank
|
Currency
|
Entity
|
Address
|
|
00000
00000 16
|
Scotiabank
|
CAD
$
|
Wolverine
Tube (Canada) Inc. General
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx X.X. Xxx 0000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0
|
|
00000
00000 10
|
Scotiabank
|
USD
$
|
Wolverine
Tube (Canada) Inc. General
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx X.X. Xxx 0000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0
|
|
00000
00000 17
|
Scotiabank
|
CAD
$
|
Wolverine
Tube Canada Limited Partnership
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx X.X. Xxx 0000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0
|
|
00000
00000 14
|
Scotiabank
|
CAD
$
|
Nova
Scotia Company 0000000
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx X.X. Xxx 0000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0
|
|
00000
00000 16
|
Scotiabank
|
CAD
$
|
Nova
Scotia Company 0000000
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx X.X. Xxx 0000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X 0X0
|
|
00000
00000 13
|
Scotiabank
|
CAD
$
|
Nova
Scotia Company 0000000
|
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx X.X. Xxx 0000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X0X
0X0
|
77
EXHIBIT
V
FORM
OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
To: |
Wachovia
Bank, National Association, as
Agent
|
The
CIT
Group/Business Credit, Inc.
This
Compliance Certificate is furnished pursuant to that certain Second Amended
and
Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement dated as of February 21, 2008 among
DEJ
98 Finance, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Seller”),
Wolverine Finance, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company, (the “Servicer”),
Wolverine Tube, Inc., a Delaware corporation, “Performance
Guarantor”),
The
CIT Group/Business Credit, Inc., individually and as Co-Agent, and Wachovia
Bank, National Association, individually and as Agent (the “Agreement”).
THE
UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT:
1. I
am the
duly elected _________________ of [Seller/Servicer/Performance
Guarantor].
2. I
have
reviewed the terms of the Agreement and I have made, or have caused to be made
under my supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and conditions
of
Seller and its Subsidiaries during the accounting period covered by the attached
financial statements.
3. The
examinations described in paragraph 2 did not disclose, and I have no knowledge
of, the existence of any condition or event which constitutes an Amortization
Event or Unmatured Amortization Event, as each such term is defined under the
Agreement, during or at the end of the accounting period covered by the attached
financial statements or as of the date of this Certificate[,
except
as set forth in paragraph 5 below].
4. Schedule
I attached hereto sets forth financial data and computations evidencing the
compliance with certain covenants of the Agreement, all of which data and
computations are true, complete and correct.
[5. Described
below are the exceptions, if any, to paragraph 3 by listing, in detail, the
nature of the condition or event, the period during which it has existed and
the
action which Seller has taken, is taking, or proposes to take with respect
to
each such condition or event: ____________________]
78
The
foregoing certifications, together with the computations set forth in Schedule
I
hereto and the financial statements delivered with this Certificate in support
hereof, are made and delivered as of ______________, 20__.
By:___________________________
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
79
SCHEDULE
I TO COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
A. Schedule
of Compliance as of __________, ____ with Section ___ of the Agreement. Unless
otherwise defined herein, the terms used in this Compliance Certificate have
the
meanings ascribed thereto in the Agreement.
This
schedule relates to the month ended: _______________
80
EXHIBIT
VI
FORM
OF COLLECTION ACCOUNT AGREEMENT
[copy
of existing agreements to be attached by L&W]
81
EXHIBIT
VII
CREDIT
AND COLLECTION POLICY
[copy
of existing policies to be attached by L&W]
82
EXHIBIT
VIII
FORM
OF SETTLEMENT REPORT
DEJ
98 Finance Monthly Servicer Report
|
||||||||
For
the Month Ended: [Date]
|
||||||||
($000's)
|
||||||||
Calculated
Funding Availability
|
||||||||
A/R
ROLLFORWARD
|
||||||||
Beginning
Balance
|
||||||||
Add:
New Xxxxxxxx
|
||||||||
Add:
Debits
|
||||||||
Less:
Net Cash
|
||||||||
Less:
Dilution
|
||||||||
Less:
Gross Write-Offs
|
||||||||
EOM
AR Balance
|
||||||||
AGING
SCHEDULE
|
%
of Total Aging
|
|||||||
Current
|
Current
Month
|
1
Month Prior
|
2
Months Prior
|
|||||
Current
|
||||||||
1-30
DPD
|
||||||||
31-60
DPD
|
||||||||
61-90
DPD
|
||||||||
91+
DPD
|
||||||||
Total
Credits in Agings
|
||||||||
Total
Aging
|
$____
|
100.00%
|
100.00%
|
100.00%
|
||||
A/R
RECONCILIATIONS
|
||||||||
Calculated
Ending A/R
|
||||||||
Reported
Ending A/R
|
||||||||
Difference
|
|
|||||||
Calculated
Ending A/R
|
||||||||
Total
Aging
|
||||||||
Difference
|
Check
|
|||||||
INELIGIBLES
|
||||||||
Defaulted
Receivables (Gross)
|
||||||||
Contra
Accounts
|
||||||||
Cross-Aged
50%
|
||||||||
Volume
Rebate Accrual
|
||||||||
Chargebacks
|
||||||||
Bankrupt
A/R
|
83
Other
Foreign
|
||||||||
Ineligible
Payment Terms
|
||||||||
Canadian
Currency Reserve
|
Not
Ineligible (used for Required Reserves)
|
|||||||
Difference
between Canada Aging and Canada GL
|
||||||||
U.S.
Dollar Equivalent of non-assignable Receivables
|
||||||||
Total
Ineligibles
|
||||||||
Eligible
Receivables
|
||||||||
Current
Month
|
One
Month Prior
|
Two
Months Prior
|
EXCESS
CARVEOUTS
|
|||||||||
Over-concentrations
(From Obligor Concentrations)
|
|||||||||
Excess
Foreign
|
|||||||||
Deduction
for Best Possible DSO
|
|||||||||
FUNDING
AVAILABILITY CALCULATION
|
|||||||||
Total
A/R
|
|||||||||
Less:
Total Ineligibles
|
|
||||||||
Eligible
Receivables
|
|||||||||
Less:
Total Excess Carveouts
|
|||||||||
NET
POOL BALANCE
|
|
||||||||
RESERVES
|
|||||||||
Loss
Reserve
|
|||||||||
Dilution
Reserve
|
|||||||||
Yield
Reserve
|
|||||||||
Servicing
Reserve
|
|||||||||
Total
Dynamic Reserve
|
|||||||||
Reserve
Floor
|
|||||||||
Required
Reserve %
|
|||||||||
Required
Reserve $ (RR)
|
|||||||||
84
FUNDING
AVAILABILITY
|
|||||||||
Net
Pool Balance (NPB)
|
|||||||||
Less:
Required Reserve
|
|||||||||
CALCULATED
FUNDING AVAILABILITY
|
|||||||||
Maximum
Funding Available
|
|||||||||
Purchase
Availability (or Required Paydown)
|
|||||||||
Purchase
(or Paydown) at Settlement
|
|||||||||
TRIGGER
COMPLIANCE
|
|||||||||
Compliance
Test
|
Compliance
Level
|
||||||||
Asset
Interest
|
(AIA+RR)
/ NPB < 100%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|||||
3M
Delinquency Trigger
|
Less
than 2.75%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|||||
3M
Default Ratio
|
Less
than 2.5%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|||||
3M
Dilution Ratio
|
Less
than 5%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|||||
Best
Possible DSO
|
<=
40
|
||||||||
Purchase
Limit
|
<=
$75,000,000
|
||||||||
[Financial
Covenant 1]
|
|||||||||
85
[Financial
Covenant 2]
|
|||||||||
[Financial
Covenant 3]
|
|||||||||
EXCESS
CONCENTRATIONS
|
|||||||||
Obligor
Name
|
Short
Term Debt Rating
|
Allowable
%
|
Total
Receivables
|
%
of Total
|
Excess
Receivables
|
1.
|
NR/NR
|
4.00%
|
|||||||
2.
|
[Special
Obligor]
|
4.25%
|
|||||||
3.
|
A3/P3
|
9.50%
|
|||||||
4.
|
A1/P1
|
8.00%
|
|||||||
5.
|
A2/P2
|
9.00%
|
|||||||
6.
|
A1+/P-1
|
10.00%
|
|||||||
Total
|
$
|
The
undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the foregoing is
a true
and accurate accounting with respect to outstanding receivables as
of
[Date] in accordance with the Second Amended and Restated Receivables
Purchase Agreement dated as of February 21, 2008 and that all
representations and warranties related to such Agreement are restated
and
reaffirmed.
|
|||||||||
Signed:
|
Date:
|
||||||||
Title:
|
86
EXHIBIT
IX
FORM
OF PERFORMANCE UNDERTAKING
-
- -
SECOND
AMENDED AND RESTATED PERFORMANCE UNDERTAKING
THIS
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED PERFORMANCE UNDERTAKING
(this
“Undertaking”),
dated
as of February 21, 2008, is executed by Wolverine Tube, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (“WTI”
or the
“Performance
Guarantor”)
in
favor of DEJ 98 Finance, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (together
with its successors and assigns, “Recipient”).
RECITALS
1. Tube
Forming, LP, a Delaware limited partnership and, prior to February 29, 2008,
Small Tube Manufacturing LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (all of
the
foregoing, collectively, the “U.S.
Subsidiary Originators”),
WTI,
and Recipient entered into a Receivables Sale Agreement, dated as of
April 28, 2005 (as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time
to time, the “U.S.
Sale Agreement”),
pursuant to which WTI and the U.S. Subsidiary Originators, subject to the terms
and conditions contained therein, are selling (and, in the case of WTI,
contributing) their respective right, title and interest in their accounts
receivable to Recipient.
2. As
an
inducement for Recipient to acquire U.S. Subsidiary Originators’ accounts
receivable pursuant to the U.S. Sale Agreement, Performance Guarantor entered
into a Performance Undertaking dated as of April 28, 2005 with
Recipient (the “Original
Performance Undertaking”)
whereby
Performance Guarantor agreed to guaranty (a) the due and punctual
performance by the U.S. Subsidiary Originators of their respective obligations
under the U.S. Sale Agreement, as well as (b) the Servicing Related
Obligations (as hereinafter defined) of Wolverine Finance, LLC, a Tennessee
limited liability company (“Wolverine
Finance”).
3. Wolverine
Tube (Canada) Inc., an Ontario Corporation (the “Canadian
Subsidiary Originator”;
together with the U.S. Subsidiary Originators, the “Subsidiary
Originators”)
has
entered into a Canadian Receivables Sale Agreement dated as of April 4, 2006
(as
amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Canadian
Sale Agreement”;
together with the U.S. Sale Agreement, the “Sale
Agreements”),
pursuant to which the Canadian Subsidiary Originator, subject to the terms
and
conditions contained therein, is selling its right, title and interest in its
accounts receivable to Recipient.
4. In
connection with the execution of the Canadian Sale Agreement, the parties to
the
Receivables Purchase Agreement (as defined in the Original Performance
Undertaking), Performance Guarantor executed an Amended and Restated Performance
Undertaking dated as of April 4, 2006 in favor of Recipient (the “Existing
Performance Undertaking”).
87
5. On
the
date hereof, Recipient is entering into the Receivables Purchase Agreement
(hereinafter defined). It is a condition precedent to effectiveness of the
Receivables Purchase Agreement that Performance Guarantor reaffirm its guarantee
of the obligations of the Canadian Subsidiary Originator to Recipient under
or
in respect of the Canadian Sale Agreement and its guarantee of the obligations
of the U.S. Subsidiary Originators to Recipient under or in respect of the
U.S.
Sale Agreement and of Wolverine Finance’s Servicing Related Obligations on the
terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
6. Performance
Guarantor owns, directly or indirectly, 100% of the Equity Interests of each
of
the Subsidiary Originators and 100% of the non-voting Equity Interests and
49%
of the voting Equity Interests in Recipient, and accordingly, Performance
Guarantor, receives and is expected to receive substantial direct and indirect
benefits from their sale of receivables to Recipient pursuant to the Sale
Agreements (which benefits are hereby acknowledged).
7. To
reflect the foregoing, the parties hereto have agreed to certain amendments
to
the Existing Performance Undertaking and for convenience, have agreed to amend
and restate the Existing Performance Undertaking in its entirety, on the terms
and conditions set forth herein.
AGREEMENT
NOW,
THEREFORE,
Performance Guarantor hereby agrees as follows:
Section
1. Definitions.
Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the respective
meanings assigned thereto in the Sale Agreements or the Receivables Purchase
Agreement (as hereinafter defined). In addition:
“Agreements”
means,
collectively, the Sale Agreements and the Receivables Purchase
Agreement.
“Equity
Interests”
means,
with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or
other equivalents, including membership interests (however designated, whether
voting or non-voting), of capital of such Person, including, if such Person
is a
partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited) and any other
interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share
of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, such partnership,
whether outstanding on the date hereof or issued after the date of this
Agreement.
“Guaranteed
Obligations”
means,
collectively, (a) all covenants, agreements, terms, conditions and
indemnities to be performed and observed by any Subsidiary Originator under
and
pursuant to the Sale Agreements or either of them and each other document
executed and delivered by any Subsidiary Originator pursuant to the Sale
Agreements or either of them, including, without limitation, the due and
punctual payment of all sums which are or may become due and owing by any
Subsidiary Originator under either Sale Agreement, whether for fees, expenses
(including counsel fees), indemnified amounts or otherwise, whether upon any
termination or for any other reason and (b) all Servicing Related
Obligations, in each case, whether now existing or hereafter
arising.
88
“Receivable
Purchase Agreement” means
the
Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of the
date
hereof by and among Recipient, as Seller, Wolverine Finance, as Servicer, the
Performance Guarantor, The CIT Group/Business Credit, Inc., individually and
as
Co-Agent, and Wachovia Bank, National Association, individually and as
Agent.
“Servicing
Related Obligations”
means
all obligations of Wolverine Finance (a) as Servicer under the Receivables
Purchase Agreement or (b) which arise pursuant to Sections 8.2 or 13.3
of the Receivables Purchase Agreement as a result of its termination as
Servicer.
Section
2. Guaranty
of Performance of Guaranteed Obligations.
Performance Guarantor hereby guarantees to Recipient, the full and punctual
payment and performance by each Subsidiary Originator and Wolverine Finance
of
its respective Guaranteed Obligations. This Undertaking is an absolute,
unconditional and continuing guaranty of the full and punctual performance
of
all Guaranteed Obligations and is in no way conditioned upon any requirement
that Recipient first attempt to collect any amounts owing by any Subsidiary
Originator or Wolverine Finance, as applicable, to Recipient, the Agent,
Wachovia or any other Purchaser from any other Person or resort to any
collateral security, any balance of any deposit account or credit on the books
of Recipient, the Agent, Wachovia or any other Purchaser in favor of any
Subsidiary Originator, Wolverine Finance or any other Person or other means
of
obtaining payment. Should any Subsidiary Originator or Wolverine Finance default
in the payment or performance of any of its Guaranteed Obligations, Recipient
(or its assigns) may cause the immediate performance by Performance Guarantor
of
such Guaranteed Obligations and cause any payment Guaranteed Obligations to
become forthwith due and payable to Recipient (or its assigns), without demand
or notice of any nature (other than as expressly provided herein), all of which
are hereby expressly waived by Performance Guarantor. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, this Undertaking is not a guarantee of the collection of any of
the
Receivables and Performance Guarantor shall not be responsible for any
Guaranteed Obligations to the extent the failure to perform such Guaranteed
Obligations by any Subsidiary Originator or Wolverine Finance results from
Receivables being uncollectible on account of the insolvency, bankruptcy or
lack
of creditworthiness of the related Obligor; provided
that
nothing
herein shall relieve any Subsidiary Originator or Wolverine Finance from
performing in full its Guaranteed Obligations under the Agreements or
Performance Guarantor of its undertaking hereunder with respect to the full
performance of such duties.
Section
3. Performance
Guarantor’s Further Agreements to Pay.
Performance Guarantor further agrees, as the principal obligor and not as a
guarantor only, to pay to Recipient (and its assigns), forthwith upon demand
in
funds immediately available to Recipient, all reasonable costs and expenses
(including court costs and reasonable legal expenses) incurred or expended
by
Recipient in connection with the Guaranteed Obligations, this Undertaking and
the enforcement thereof, together with interest on amounts recoverable under
this Undertaking from the time when such amounts become due until payment,
at a
rate of interest (computed for the actual number of days elapsed based on a
360
day year) equal to the Alternate Base Rate plus
the
Applicable Base Rate Percentage then in effect plus
2%
per
annum,
such
rate of interest changing when and as the Prime Rate changes.
89
Section
4. Waivers
by Performance Guarantor.
Performance Guarantor waives notice of acceptance of this Undertaking, notice
of
any action taken or omitted by Recipient (or its assigns) in reliance on this
Undertaking, and any requirement that Recipient (or its assigns) be diligent
or
prompt in making demands under this Undertaking, giving notice of any
Termination Event, Amortization Event, other default or omission by any
Subsidiary Originator or Wolverine Finance or asserting any other rights of
Recipient under this Undertaking. Performance Guarantor warrants that it has
adequate means to obtain from each Subsidiary Originator and Wolverine Finance,
on a continuing basis, information concerning the financial condition of such
Subsidiary Originator and Wolverine Finance, and that it is not relying on
Recipient to provide such information, now or in the future. Performance
Guarantor also irrevocably waives all defenses (i) that at any time may be
available in respect of the Guaranteed Obligations by virtue of any statute
of
limitations, valuation, stay, moratorium law or other similar law now or
hereafter in effect or (ii) that arise under the law of suretyship, including
impairment of collateral. Recipient (and its assigns) shall be at liberty,
without giving notice to or obtaining the assent of Performance Guarantor and
without relieving Performance Guarantor of any liability under this Undertaking,
to deal with each Subsidiary Originator, Wolverine Finance and each other party
who now is or after the date hereof becomes liable in any manner for any of
the
Guaranteed Obligations, in such manner as Recipient in its sole discretion
deems
fit, and to this end Performance Guarantor agrees that the validity and
enforceability of this Undertaking, including without limitation, the provisions
of Section 7 hereof, shall not be impaired or affected by any of the following:
(a) any extension, modification or renewal of, or indulgence with respect to,
or
substitutions for, the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof or any
agreement relating thereto at any time; (b) any failure or omission to enforce
any right, power or remedy with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations or any
part thereof or any agreement relating thereto, or any collateral securing
the
Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof; (c) any waiver of any right, power
or remedy or of any Termination Event, Amortization Event, or default with
respect to the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof or any agreement
relating thereto; (d) any release, surrender, compromise, settlement, waiver,
subordination or modification, with or without consideration, of any other
obligation of any person or entity with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations
or
any part thereof; (e) the enforceability or validity of the Guaranteed
Obligations or any part thereof or the genuineness, enforceability or validity
of any agreement relating thereto or with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations
or any part thereof; (f) the application of payments received from any source
to
the payment of any payment obligations of any Subsidiary Originator or Wolverine
Finance or any part thereof or amounts which are not covered by this Undertaking
even though Recipient (or its assigns) might lawfully have elected to apply
such
payments to any part or all of the payment obligations of such Subsidiary
Originator or to amounts which are not covered by this Undertaking; (g) the
existence of any claim, setoff or other rights which Performance Guarantor
may
have at any time against any Subsidiary Originator in connection herewith or
any
unrelated transaction; (h) any assignment or transfer of the Guaranteed
Obligations or any part thereof; or (i) any failure on the part of any
Subsidiary Originator to perform or comply with any term of the Agreements
or
any other document executed in connection therewith or delivered thereunder,
all
whether or not Performance Guarantor shall have had notice or knowledge of
any
act or omission referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) through (i) of this
Section 4.
90
Section
5. Unenforceability
of Guaranteed Obligations Against Subsidiary Originators or Wolverine
Finance.
Notwithstanding (a) any change of ownership of any Subsidiary Originator or
the
insolvency, bankruptcy or any other change in the legal status of any Subsidiary
Originator; (b) the change in or the imposition of any law, decree, regulation
or other governmental act which does or might impair, delay or in any way affect
the validity, enforceability or the payment when due of the Guaranteed
Obligations; (c) the failure of any Subsidiary Originator or Performance
Guarantor to maintain in full force, validity or effect or to obtain or renew
when required all governmental and other approvals, licenses or consents
required in connection with the Guaranteed Obligations or this Undertaking,
or
to take any other action required in connection with the performance of all
obligations pursuant to the Guaranteed Obligations or this Undertaking; or
(d)
if any of the moneys included in the Guaranteed Obligations have become
irrecoverable from any Subsidiary Originator for any other reason other than
final payment in full of the payment obligations in accordance with their terms,
this Undertaking shall nevertheless be binding on Performance Guarantor. This
Undertaking shall be in addition to any other guaranty or other security for
the
Guaranteed Obligations, and it shall not be rendered unenforceable by the
invalidity of any such other guaranty or security. In the event that
acceleration of the time for payment of any of the Guaranteed Obligations is
stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Subsidiary
Originator or for any other reason with respect to any Subsidiary Originator,
all such amounts then due and owing with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations
under the terms of the Agreements, or any other agreement evidencing, securing
or otherwise executed in connection with the Guaranteed Obligations, shall
be
immediately due and payable by Performance Guarantor.
Section
6. Representations
and Warranties.
Performance Guarantor hereby represents and warrants to Recipient
that:
(a) Authorization,
Execution and Delivery; Binding Effect.
The
execution and delivery by Performance Guarantor of this Undertaking, and the
performance of its obligations hereunder, are within its corporate powers and
authority and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on
its
part. This Undertaking has been duly executed and delivered by Performance
Guarantor. This Undertaking constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation
of Performance Guarantor enforceable against Performance Guarantor in accordance
with their respective terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws relating
to or limiting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at
law).
(b) No
Conflict; Government Consent.
The
execution and delivery by Performance Guarantor of this Undertaking, and the
performance of its obligations hereunder do not contravene or violate (i) its
certificate or articles of incorporation or by-laws, (ii) any law, rule or
regulation applicable to it, (iii) any restrictions under any agreement,
contract or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its
property is bound, or (iv) any order, writ, judgment, award, injunction or
decree binding on or affecting it or its property, and do not result in the
creation or imposition of any Adverse Claim on assets of Performance Guarantor
or its Subsidiaries (except as created hereunder) except, in any case, where
such contravention or violation could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
91
Section
7. Subrogation;
Subordination.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, until the Guaranteed
Obligations are paid in full Performance Guarantor: (a) will not enforce or
otherwise exercise any right of subrogation to any of the rights of Recipient,
the Agent or any other Purchaser against any Subsidiary Originator,
(b) hereby waives all rights of subrogation (whether contractual, under
Section 509 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, at law or in equity or
otherwise) to the claims of Recipient and the Agent against any Subsidiary
Originator and all contractual, statutory or legal or equitable rights of
contribution, reimbursement, indemnification and similar rights and “claims” (as
that term is defined in the United States Bankruptcy Code) which Performance
Guarantor might now have or hereafter acquire against any Subsidiary Originator
that arise from the existence or performance of Performance Guarantor’s
obligations hereunder, (c) will not claim any setoff, recoupment or
counterclaim against any Subsidiary Originator in respect of any liability
of
Performance Guarantor to such Subsidiary Originator and (d) waives any
benefit of and any right to participate in any collateral security which may
be
held by Secured Parties or the Agent. The payment of any amounts due with
respect to any indebtedness of any Subsidiary Originator now or hereafter owed
to Performance Guarantor is hereby subordinated to the prior payment in full
of
all of the Guaranteed Obligations. Performance Guarantor agrees that, after
the
occurrence of any default in the payment or performance of any of the Guaranteed
Obligations, Performance Guarantor will not demand, xxx for or otherwise attempt
to collect any such indebtedness of any Subsidiary Originator to Performance
Guarantor until all of the Guaranteed Obligations shall have been paid and
performed in full. If, notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, Performance
Guarantor shall collect, enforce or receive any amounts in respect of such
indebtedness while any obligations are still unperformed or outstanding, such
amounts shall be collected, enforced and received by Performance Guarantor
as
trustee for Recipient (and its assigns) and be paid over to Recipient (or its
assigns) on account of the Guaranteed Obligations without affecting in any
manner the liability of Performance Guarantor under the other provisions of
this
Undertaking. The provisions of this Section 7 shall be supplemental to and
not in derogation of any rights and remedies of Recipient under any separate
subordination agreement which Recipient may at any time and from time to time
enter into with Performance Guarantor.
Section
8. Termination
of Performance Undertaking.
Performance Guarantor’s obligations hereunder shall continue in full force and
effect until all Aggregate Unpaids are finally paid and satisfied in full and
the Receivables Purchase Agreement is terminated, provided
that
this
Undertaking shall continue to be effective or shall be reinstated, as the case
may be, if at any time payment or other satisfaction of any of the Guaranteed
Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned upon the
bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization of any Subsidiary Originator or
otherwise, as though such payment had not been made or other satisfaction
occurred, whether or not Recipient (or its assigns) is in possession of this
Undertaking. No invalidity, irregularity or unenforceability by reason of the
federal bankruptcy code or any insolvency or other similar law, or any law
or
order of any government or agency thereof purporting to reduce, amend or
otherwise affect the Guaranteed Obligations shall impair, affect, be a defense
to or claim against the obligations of Performance Guarantor under this
Undertaking.
92
Section
9. Effect
of Bankruptcy.
This
Performance Undertaking shall survive the insolvency of any Subsidiary
Originator and the commencement of any case or proceeding by or against any
Subsidiary Originator under the federal bankruptcy code or other federal, state
or other applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization statutes. No
automatic stay under the federal bankruptcy code with respect to any Subsidiary
Originator or other federal, state or other applicable bankruptcy, insolvency
or
reorganization statutes to which any Subsidiary Originator is subject shall
postpone the obligations of Performance Guarantor under this
Undertaking.
Section
10. Setoff.
Regardless of the other means of obtaining payment of any of the Guaranteed
Obligations, Recipient (and its assigns) is hereby authorized at any time and
from time to time, without notice to Performance Guarantor (any such notice
being expressly waived by Performance Guarantor) and to the fullest extent
permitted by law, to set off and apply any deposits and other sums against
the
obligations of Performance Guarantor under this Undertaking, whether or not
Recipient (or any such assign) shall have made any demand under this Undertaking
and although such obligations may be contingent or unmatured.
Section
11. Taxes.
All
payments to be made by Performance Guarantor hereunder shall be made free and
clear of any deduction or withholding. If Performance Guarantor is required
by
law to make any deduction or withholding on account of tax or otherwise from
any
such payment, the sum due from it in respect of such payment shall be increased
to the extent necessary to ensure that, after the making of such deduction
or
withholding, Recipient receive a net sum equal to the sum which they would
have
received had no deduction or withholding been made.
Section
12. Further
Assurances.
Performance Guarantor agrees that it will from time to time, at the request
of
Recipient (or its assigns), provide information relating to the business and
affairs of Performance Guarantor as Recipient may reasonably request.
Performance Guarantor also agrees to do all such things and execute all such
documents as Recipient (or its assigns) may reasonably consider necessary or
desirable to give full effect to this Undertaking and to perfect and preserve
the rights and powers of Recipient hereunder.
Section
13. Successors
and Assigns.
This
Performance Undertaking shall be binding upon Performance Guarantor, its
successors and permitted assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of and be
enforceable by Recipient and its successors and assigns. Performance Guarantor
may not assign or transfer any of its obligations hereunder without the prior
written consent of each of Recipient and the Agent. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing sentence, Recipient may assign or otherwise transfer
the Agreements, any other documents executed in connection therewith or
delivered thereunder or any other agreement or note held by them evidencing,
securing or otherwise executed in connection with the Guaranteed Obligations,
or
sell participations in any interest therein, to any other entity or other
person, and such other entity or other person shall thereupon become vested,
to
the extent set forth in the agreement evidencing such assignment, transfer
or
participation, with all the rights in respect thereof granted to the Secured
Parties herein.
Section
14. Amendments
and Waivers.
No
amendment or waiver of any provision of this Undertaking nor consent to any
departure by Performance Guarantor therefrom shall be effective unless the
same
shall be in writing and signed by Recipient, the Agent and Performance
Guarantor. No failure on the part of Recipient to exercise, and no delay in
exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall
any
single or partial exercise of any right hereunder preclude any other or further
exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right.
93
Section
15. Notices.
All
notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be made in writing
and shall be addressed as follows: if to Performance Guarantor, at the address
set forth beneath its signature hereto, and if to Recipient, at the addresses
set forth beneath its signature hereto, or at such other addresses as each
of
Performance Guarantor or any Recipient may designate in writing to the other.
Each such notice or other communication shall be effective (1) if given by
telecopy, upon the receipt thereof, (2) if given by mail, three (3)
Business Days after the time such communication is deposited in the mail with
first class postage prepaid or (3) if given by any other means, when
received at the address specified in this Section 15.
Section
16. GOVERNING
LAW.
THIS
UNDERTAKING SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW
OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK (WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO THE CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES
THEREOF OTHER THAN SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL
OBLIGATIONS LAW WHICH SHALL APPLY HERETO).
Section
17. CONSENT
TO JURISDICTION.
EACH OF
PERFORMANCE GUARANTOR AND RECIPIENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE
NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF ANY UNITED STATES FEDERAL OR NEW YORK STATE COURT
SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT
OF
OR RELATING TO THIS UNDERTAKING, THE AGREEMENTS OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT EXECUTED
IN CONNECTION THEREWITH OR DELIVERED THEREUNDER AND EACH OF THE PERFORMANCE
GUARANTOR AND RECIPIENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT
OF
SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN ANY SUCH COURT AND
IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE AS TO THE VENUE
OF
ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN SUCH A COURT OR THAT SUCH COURT
IS AN INCONVENIENT FORUM.
Section
18. [Intentionally deleted].
Section
19. Miscellaneous.
This
Undertaking constitutes the entire agreement of Performance Guarantor with
respect to the matters set forth herein. The rights and remedies herein provided
are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law or any other
agreement, and this Undertaking shall be in addition to any other guaranty
of or
collateral security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations. The provisions of
this Undertaking are severable, and in any action or proceeding involving any
state corporate law, or any state or federal bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or other law affecting the rights of creditors generally, if
the
obligations of Performance Guarantor hereunder would otherwise be held or
determined to be avoidable, invalid or unenforceable on account of the amount
of
Performance Guarantor’s liability under this Undertaking, then, notwithstanding
any other provision of this Undertaking to the contrary, the amount of such
liability shall, without any further action by Performance Guarantor or
Recipient, be automatically limited and reduced to the highest amount that
is
valid and enforceable as determined in such action or proceeding. Any provisions
of this Undertaking which are prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction
shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition
or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and
any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not
invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
Unless otherwise specified, references herein to “Section”
shall
mean a reference to sections of this Undertaking.
94
Section
20. Amendment
and Restatement.
This
Undertaking amends, restates and supersedes in its entirety the Existing
Performance Undertaking. All references to the Existing Performance Undertaking
in any Transaction Document that is or shall have been executed by any party
hereto and that becomes or remains effective on or after the date hereof shall
hereafter be a reference to this Undertaking, except to the extent otherwise
expressly provided herein or in such other document.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
Performance Guarantor has caused this Undertaking to be executed and delivered
as of the date first above written.
WOLVERINE
TUBE, INC.
|
||
By:
|
|
|
Name:
|
|
|
Title:
|
|
|
Address:
|
||
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
|
||
Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
|
||
Attention:
|
Xxxxx
X. Xxxx, Chief Financial Officer
|
|
Telephone:
|
(000)
000-0000
|
|
Facsimile:
|
(000)
000-0000
|
|
E-mail:
|
xxxxx@xxx.xxx
|
95
EXHIBIT
X
INITIAL
FORM OF WEEKLY REPORT
[Attached]
96
Weekly
Calculated Funding Availability - Asset Securitization
Facility
|
|||||||||||||||||
Enter
data as of week ending date in yellow-shaded cells.
|
|||||||||||||||||
Enter
data as of most recent month end date in blue-shaded
cells.
|
|||||||||||||||||
Cells
that are not shaded contain formulas.
|
|||||||||||||||||
Week
Ending
|
3/26/06
|
||||||||||||||||
$US
Equivalent
|
|||||||||||||||||
AGING
SCHEDULE
|
Domestic
|
Canada
|
Combined
|
||||||||||||||
Current
|
|||||||||||||||||
1-30
DPD
|
|||||||||||||||||
31-60
DPD
|
|||||||||||||||||
61-90
DPD
|
|||||||||||||||||
91+
DPD
|
|||||||||||||||||
Total
|
|||||||||||||||||
U.S.
Dollar Equivalent of Canadian Dollar denominated
|
|||||||||||||||||
U.S.
Dollar denominated only Receivables
|
|||||||||||||||||
INELIGIBLES
|
|||||||||||||||||
Credit
balance items > 60 DPD
|
Enter
as a positive number.
|
||||||||||||||||
Defaulted
Receivables (Gross)
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Contra
Accounts
|
-
|
Use
most recent month-end balance
|
|||||||||||||||
Cross-Aged
50%
|
-
|
Use
most recent month-end balance
|
|||||||||||||||
Volume
Rebate Accrual
|
Use
most recent month-end balance
|
||||||||||||||||
Chargebacks
|
Use
most recent month-end balance
|
||||||||||||||||
Bankrupt
A/R
|
Use
most recent month-end balance
|
||||||||||||||||
Other
Foreign
|
-
|
Use
most recent month-end balance
|
|||||||||||||||
Canadian
A/R subject to anti-assignment
|
|||||||||||||||||
Ineligible
Payment Terms
|
-
|
Use
most recent month-end balance
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
Ineligibles
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Eligible
Receivables
|
Calculated
|
Allowable
Percentage
|
Credit
Rating
|
Rating
Code
|
|||||||||||||||
OBLIGOR
CONCENTRATIONS (Top 5 under 60 DPD)
|
4.00%
|
NR/NR
|
1
|
Obligor
Limit %
|
Obligor
Limit $
|
Excess
Obligor Balance
|
Excess
Foreign Adjustment
|
||||||||||
1
|
[Name]
|
1
|
6.50%
|
A3/P3
|
2
|
-
|
|||||||||||
2
|
[Special
Obligor]
|
6
|
9.00%
|
A2/P2
|
3
|
-
|
|||||||||||
3
|
[Name]
|
2
|
9.5
0%
|
A1/P1
|
4
|
||||||||||||
4
|
[Name]
|
4
|
10.00%
|
A1+/P1
|
5
|
-
|
|||||||||||
5
|
[Name]
|
3
|
4.25%
|
Xxxxxxx
|
6
|
-
|
|||||||||||
*
Exclude amounts with respect to each Obligor that are included in
row 22
above.
|
|||||||||||||||||
EXCESS
CARVEOUTS
|
|||||||||||||||||
Over-concentrations
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Eligible
Foreign ([Names Above]
|
|||||||||||||||||
Excess
Foreign
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Deduction
for Best Possible DSO
|
Use
most recent month-end balance
|
||||||||||||||||
Total
Excess Carveouts
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
97
FUNDING
AVAILABILITY CALCULATION
|
|||||||||||||||||
Total
A/R
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Less:
Total Ineligibles
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Eligible
Receivables
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Less:
Total Excess Carveouts
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
NET
POOL BALANCE
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
RESERVES
|
|||||||||||||||||
Loss
Reserve
|
Use
most recent month-end percentage
|
||||||||||||||||
Dilution
Reserve
|
Use
most recent month-end percentage
|
||||||||||||||||
Yield
Reserve
|
Use
most recent month-end percentage
|
||||||||||||||||
Servicing
Reserve
|
Use
most recent month-end percentage
|
||||||||||||||||
Total
Dynamic Reserve
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Reserve
Floor
|
Use
most recent month-end percentage
|
||||||||||||||||
Required
Reserve %
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Applicable
MCE Percentage
|
Use
most recent month-end percentage
|
||||||||||||||||
Currency
Reserve
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Deemed
Interest Reserve
|
Not
applicable unless notified by Agent
|
||||||||||||||||
Required
Reserve $ (RR)
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
FUNDING
AVAILABILITY
|
|||||||||||||||||
Net
Pool Balance (NPB)
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
Less:
Required Reserve
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
CALCULATED
FUNDING AVAILABILITY
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
AVAILABILITY
CAP
|
__,000
|
Fixed
|
|||||||||||||||
Purchase
Availability (or Required Paydown)
|
Calculated
|
||||||||||||||||
98
SCHEDULE
A
COMMITMENTS
OF THE COMMITTED PURCHASERS
Committed
Purchaser
|
Commitment
|
The
CIT Group/Business Credit, Inc.
|
US$37,500,000.00
|
Wachovia
Bank, National Association
|
US$37,500,000.00
|
99
SCHEDULE
B
DOCUMENTS
TO BE DELIVERED TO THE AGENT
ON
OR PRIOR TO EFFECTIVENESS
1.
|
Amendment
No. 4 to Existing Agreement and Amendment No. 1 to Wachovia Fee Letter
(removing VFCC as parties thereto).
|
2.
|
Second
Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, duly executed
by each
of the parties hereto, together with all exhibits
thereto.
|
3.
|
Amended
and Restated Fee and Rate Letter for CIT/BC, duly executed by each
of the
parties thereto.
|
4.
|
Third
Amended and Restated Fee Letter for Wachovia, duly executed by each
of the
parties thereto.
|
5.
|
Second
Amended and Restated Performance Undertaking, duly executed by the
Performance Guarantor.
|
6.
|
Good
standing certificates with respect to Seller, Servicer and Performance
Guarantor from their states of
organization.
|
7.
|
Weekly
Report as of February 17, 2008
|
8.
|
UCC-3
Amendment to existing UCC-1 filing against the Seller in
Delaware
|
9.
|
New
UCC-1 filing against the Seller in Delaware [precautionary, just
in case
this amendment and restatement is viewed as material/a
novation]
|
10.
|
Post-filing
UCC search in Delaware [to be ordered by L&W
post-filing]
|
11.
|
Amendment
to Amendment and Restatement of ABL Credit
Agreement.
|
100