GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT Dated and effective as of August 19, 2011, among QUALITY DISTRIBUTION, INC., as Holdings, QUALITY DISTRIBUTION, LLC, as Borrower, each Subsidiary of the Borrower identified herein, and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as...
Exhibit 10.2
COLLATERAL AGREEMENT
Dated and effective as of August 19, 2011,
among
QUALITY DISTRIBUTION, INC.,
as Holdings,
QUALITY DISTRIBUTION, LLC,
as Borrower,
each Subsidiary of the Borrower
identified herein, and
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE I |
DEFINITIONS |
1 | ||||
Section 1.01 |
Credit Agreement |
1 | ||||
Section 1.02 |
Other Defined Terms |
1 | ||||
ARTICLE II |
GUARANTEE |
6 | ||||
Section 2.01 |
Guarantee |
6 | ||||
Section 2.02 |
Guarantee of Payment |
7 | ||||
Section 2.03 |
No Limitations, Etc |
7 | ||||
Section 2.04 |
Reinstatement |
9 | ||||
Section 2.05 |
Agreement To Pay; Contribution; Subrogation |
9 | ||||
Section 2.06 |
Information |
10 | ||||
Section 2.07 |
Maximum Liability |
10 | ||||
Section 2.08 |
Payment Free and Clear of Taxes |
10 | ||||
ARTICLE III |
PLEDGE OF SECURITIES |
11 | ||||
Section 3.01 |
Pledge |
11 | ||||
Section 3.02 |
Delivery of the Pledged Collateral |
11 | ||||
Section 3.03 |
Representations, Warranties and Covenants |
12 | ||||
Section 3.04 |
Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations |
14 | ||||
Section 3.05 |
Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest, Etc |
14 | ||||
Section 3.06 |
Subsequently Acquired Pledged Collateral |
16 | ||||
ARTICLE IV |
SECURITY INTERESTS IN OTHER PERSONAL PROPERTY |
16 | ||||
Section 4.01 |
Security Interest |
16 | ||||
Section 4.02 |
Representations and Warranties |
19 | ||||
Section 4.03 |
Covenants |
22 | ||||
Section 4.04 |
Other Actions |
25 | ||||
Section 4.05 |
Covenants Regarding Patent, Trademark and Copyright Collateral |
26 | ||||
ARTICLE V |
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS WITH RESPECT TO TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT | 28 | ||||
Section 5.01 |
Representations and Warranties |
28 | ||||
Section 5.02 |
Perfection of Security Interests in Transportation Equipment Represented by a Certificate of Title |
28 | ||||
Section 5.03 |
Maintenance of Registration |
29 | ||||
Section 5.04 |
Remedies |
29 | ||||
Section 5.05 |
Further Assurances |
29 | ||||
ARTICLE VI |
REMEDIES |
30 | ||||
Section 6.01 |
Remedies Upon Default |
30 |
-i-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||||||
Section 6.02 |
Application of Proceeds |
31 | ||||
Section 6.03 |
Securities Act, Etc |
32 | ||||
Section 6.04 |
Remedies Cumulative |
32 | ||||
Section 6.05 |
Discontinuance of Proceedings |
33 | ||||
ARTICLE VII |
[RESERVED] |
33 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII |
INDEMNITY, SUBROGATION AND SUBORDINATION |
33 | ||||
Section 8.01 |
Indemnity |
33 | ||||
Section 8.02 |
Contribution and Subrogation |
33 | ||||
Section 8.03 |
Subordination |
34 | ||||
ARTICLE IX |
MISCELLANEOUS |
34 | ||||
Section 9.01 |
Notices |
34 | ||||
Section 9.02 |
Security Interest Absolute |
35 | ||||
Section 9.03 |
Limitation By Law |
35 | ||||
Section 9.04 |
Binding Effect; Several Agreement |
35 | ||||
Section 9.05 |
Successors and Assigns |
35 | ||||
Section 9.06 |
Administrative Agent’s and Collateral Agent’s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification |
36 | ||||
Section 9.07 |
Collateral Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact; Duty of Collateral Agent |
37 | ||||
Section 9.08 |
GOVERNING LAW |
37 | ||||
Section 9.09 |
Waivers; Amendment |
38 | ||||
Section 9.10 |
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL |
38 | ||||
Section 9.11 |
Severability |
38 | ||||
Section 9.12 |
Counterparts |
38 | ||||
Section 9.13 |
Headings |
39 | ||||
Section 9.14 |
Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process |
39 | ||||
Section 9.15 |
Termination or Release |
39 | ||||
Section 9.16 |
Additional Subsidiaries |
40 | ||||
Section 9.17 |
Right of Set-off |
40 |
-ii-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||||||||
SCHEDULES |
||||||||
Schedule I |
– | Subsidiary Parties | ||||||
Schedule II |
– | Pledged Stock; Debt Securities | ||||||
Schedule III |
– | Intellectual Property | ||||||
Schedule IV |
– | Filing Jurisdictions | ||||||
Schedule V |
– | Commercial Tort Claims | ||||||
Schedule VI |
– | Matters Relating to Accounts and Inventory | ||||||
Schedule VII |
– | Titled Transportation Equipment | ||||||
EXHIBITS |
||||||||
Exhibit I |
– | Form of Supplement to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement |
-iii-
GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT dated and effective as of August 19, 2011 (this “Agreement”), among QUALITY DISTRIBUTION, INC., a Florida corporation (“Holdings”), QUALITY DISTRIBUTION, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), each Subsidiary of the Borrower identified on Schedule I or otherwise identified herein as a party (each, a “Subsidiary Party”), and Bank of America, N.A. (“Bank of America”), as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”) and as collateral agent for the Secured Parties (as defined below) (in such capacity, the “Collateral Agent”).
Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of August 19, 2011 (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented, waived or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Holdings, the Borrower, the lenders party thereto from time to time (the “Lenders”), the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as syndication agent, and SunTrust Bank and Regions Business Capital, a division of Regions Bank, each as co-documentation agent.
The Lenders have agreed to extend credit to the Borrower subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Credit Agreement. The obligations of the Lenders to extend such credit are conditioned upon, among other things, the execution and delivery of this Agreement. Holdings and the Subsidiary Parties are affiliates of the Borrower, will derive substantial benefits from the extension of credit to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement and are willing to execute and deliver this Agreement in order to induce the Lenders to extend such credit. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
Section 1.01 Credit Agreement. (a) Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined herein have the respective meanings assigned thereto in the Credit Agreement. All capitalized terms defined in the New York UCC (as defined herein) and not defined in this Agreement have the meanings specified therein. The term “Instrument” shall have the meaning specified in Article 9 of the New York UCC.
(b) The rules of construction specified in Section 1.02 of the Credit Agreement also apply to this Agreement.
Section 1.02 Other Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
“Account” shall mean, with respect to a person, any of such person’s now owned and hereafter acquired or arising accounts, as defined in the UCC, including any rights to payment for the sale or lease of goods or rendition of services, whether or not they have been earned by performance.
“Account Debtor” shall mean any person who is or who may become obligated to any Pledgor under, with respect to, or on account of an Account, Chattel Paper, General Intangibles, Instruments or Investment Property.
“Administrative Agent” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preliminary statement of this Agreement.
“Article 9 Collateral” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01.
“Bank of America” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preliminary statement of this Agreement.
“Cash Management Obligations” shall mean the due and punctual payment and performance of all obligations of Holdings, the Borrower and any of their Subsidiaries in respect of overdrafts and related liabilities and/or arising from cash management services (including treasury, depository, overdraft, credit or debit card, electronic funds transfer, netting, ACH services and other cash management arrangements), in each case owed to a counterparty that is the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent, a Lender or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing on the Closing Date, if such obligations are in effect on the Closing Date, or otherwise at the time the arrangements governing such obligation are entered into.
“Collateral” shall mean all Article 9 Collateral and Pledged Collateral.
“Collateral Agent” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preliminary statement of this Agreement.
“Control Agreement” shall mean a deposit account control agreement, a securities account control agreement or a commodity account control agreement, as applicable, enabling the Collateral Agent to obtain “control” (within the meaning of the New York UCC) of any such accounts, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.
“Copyright License” shall mean any written agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting any right to any Pledgor under any Copyright now or hereafter owned by any third party, and all rights of any Pledgor under any such agreement (including, without limitation, any such rights that such Pledgor has the right to license).
“Copyrights” shall mean all of the following now owned or hereafter acquired by any Pledgor: (a) all copyright rights in any work subject to the copyright laws of the United States or any other country, whether as author, assignee, transferee or otherwise, (b) all registrations and applications for registration of any such Copyright in the United States or any other country, including registrations, supplemental registrations and pending applications for registration in the United States Copyright Office and the right to obtain all renewals thereof, including those listed on Schedule III, (c) all claims for, and rights to xxx for, past or future infringements of any of the foregoing and (d) all income, royalties, damages and payments now or hereafter due and payable with respect to any of the foregoing, including damages and payments for past or future infringement thereof.
“Credit Agreement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preliminary statement of this Agreement.
2
“Federal Securities Laws” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.03.
“General Intangibles” shall mean all “General Intangibles” as defined in the New York UCC, including all choses in action and causes of action and all other intangible personal property of any Pledgor of every kind and nature (other than Accounts) now owned or hereafter acquired by any Pledgor, including corporate or other business records, indemnification claims, contract rights (including rights under leases, whether entered into as lessor or lessee, Swap Agreements and other agreements), Intellectual Property (but excluding “intent-to-use” applications for trademark or service xxxx registrations filed pursuant to Section 1(b) of the Xxxxxx Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051, unless and until an Amendment to Allege Use or a Statement of Use under Sections 1(c) and 1(d) of the Xxxxxx Act has been filed, to the extent that, and solely during the period for which, any assignment of an “intent-to-use” application prior to such filing would violate the Xxxxxx Act), goodwill, registrations, franchises, tax refund claims and any guarantee, claim, security interest or other security held by or granted to any Pledgor to secure payment by an Account Debtor of any of the Accounts.
“Guarantors” shall mean Holdings and the Subsidiary Parties.
“Intellectual Property” shall mean all intellectual property of every kind and nature now owned or hereafter acquired by any Pledgor, including inventions, designs, Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, Patent Licenses, Copyright Licenses, Trademark Licenses, trade secrets, domain names, confidential or proprietary technical and business information, know-how, show-how or other data or information and all related documentation.
“Intellectual Property Collateral” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.02(h).
“Intellectual Property Security Agreement” shall mean a security agreement in the form hereof or a short form hereof, in each case, which form shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
“Inventory” shall mean, with respect to a person, all of such person’s now owned and hereafter acquired inventory, as defined in the UCC, goods, and merchandise, wherever located, in each case to be furnished under any contract of service or held for sale or lease, all returned goods, raw materials, work-in-process, finished goods (including embedded software), other materials, and supplies of any kind, nature, or description which are used or consumed in such person’s business or used in connection with the packing, shipping, advertising, selling, or finishing of such goods, merchandise, and other property, and all documents of title or other documents representing them.
“IP Agreements” shall mean all material Copyright Licenses, Patent Licenses, Trademark Licenses, and all other agreements, permits, consents, orders and franchises relating to the license, development, use or disclosure of any material Intellectual Property to which a Pledgor, now or hereafter, is a party or a beneficiary, including, without limitation, the agreements set forth on Schedule III hereto.
3
“Lenders” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preliminary statement of this Agreement.
“Loan Document Obligations” shall mean (a) the due and punctual payment by the Borrower of (i) the unpaid principal of and interest (including interest accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding) on the Loans made to the Borrower, when and as due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, upon one or more dates set for prepayment or otherwise, (ii) each payment required to be made by the Borrower under the Credit Agreement in respect of any Letter of Credit, when and as due, including payments in respect of reimbursement of disbursements, interest thereon (including interest accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding) and obligations to provide cash collateral, in each case to the extent allocated under the Credit Agreement and (iii) all other monetary obligations of the Borrower to any of the Secured Parties under the Credit Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents, including obligations to pay fees, expense and reimbursement obligations and indemnification obligations, whether primary, secondary, direct, contingent, fixed or otherwise (including monetary obligations incurred during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in such proceeding), (b) the due and punctual performance of all other obligations of the Borrower to the Secured Parties under or pursuant to the Credit Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents and (c) the due and punctual payment and performance of all the obligations of each other Loan Party under or pursuant to this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents.
“New York UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.
“Patent License” shall mean any written agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting to any Pledgor any right to make, use or sell any invention covered by a Patent, now or hereafter owned by any third party (including, without limitation, any such rights that such Pledgor has the right to license).
“Patents” shall mean all of the following now owned or hereafter acquired by any Pledgor: (a) all letters patent of the United States or the equivalent thereof in any other country or jurisdiction, including those listed on Schedule III, and all applications for letters patent of the United States or the equivalent thereof in any other country or jurisdiction, including those listed on Schedule III, (b) all provisionals, reissues, extensions, continuations, divisions, continuations-in-part, reexaminations or revisions thereof, and the inventions disclosed or claimed therein, including the right to make, use, import and/or sell the inventions disclosed or claimed therein, (c) all claims for, and rights to xxx for, past or future infringements of any of the foregoing and (d) all income, royalties, damages and payments now or hereafter due and payable with respect to any of the foregoing, including damages and payments for past or future infringement thereof.
“Permitted Liens” shall mean any Lien permitted by Section 6.02 of the Credit Agreement.
4
“Pledged Collateral” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.01.
“Pledged Debt Securities” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.01.
“Pledged Securities” shall mean any promissory notes, stock certificates or other certificated securities now or hereafter included in the Pledged Collateral, including all certificates, instruments or other documents representing or evidencing any Pledged Collateral.
“Pledged Stock” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.01.
“Pledgor” shall mean the Borrower and each Guarantor.
“Secured Obligations” shall mean (a) the Loan Document Obligations, (b) the Cash Management Obligations and (c) the Secured Swap Obligations.
“Secured Parties” shall mean (a) the Lenders, (b) the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and any other Agent, (c) each Issuing Bank, (d) each counterparty to any Swap Agreement entered into with a Loan Party the obligations under which constitute Secured Swap Obligations, (e) each counterparty to any cash management or similar obligation described in the definition of Cash Management Obligations entered into with a Loan Party, (f) the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (g) the successors and permitted assigns of each of the foregoing.
“Secured Swap Obligations” shall mean the due and punctual payment and performance of all obligations of each Loan Party under each Swap Agreement that (i) is in effect on the Closing Date with a counterparty that is the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent, a Lender or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing as of the Closing Date or (ii) is entered into after the Closing Date with any counterparty that is the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent, a Lender or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing at the time such Swap Agreement is entered into and, in case of each of the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), has been disclosed to the Administrative Agent by written notice.
“Security Interest” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01.
“Xxxxxxx Note” means that certain Promissory Note dated as of May 1, 2010 in favor of Quality Carriers, Inc., and issued by F. T. Xxxxxxx, Inc. in the original principal amount of $3.0 million.
“Subsidiary Party” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preliminary statement of this Agreement, and any Subsidiary that becomes a party hereto pursuant to Section 9.16.
“Supporting Obligations” shall mean any “supporting obligation” as such term is defined in the New York UCC, now or hereafter owned by any Pledgor, or in which any Pledgor has any rights, and, in any event, shall include, but shall not be limited to all of such Pledgor’s rights in any Letter-of-Credit Right or secondary obligation that supports the payment or performance of, and all security for, any Account, Chattel Paper, Document, General Intangible, Instrument or Investment Property.
5
“Tractor Trailer” shall mean any truck, tractor, trailer, tank trailer or other trailer or similar vehicle or trailer.
“Trademark License” shall mean any written agreement, now or hereafter in effect, granting to any Pledgor any right to use any Trademark now or hereafter owned by any third party (including, without limitation, any such rights that such Pledgor has the right to license).
“Trademarks” shall mean all of the following now owned or hereafter acquired by any Pledgor: (a) all trademarks, service marks, corporate names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade styles, trade dress, logos, other source or business identifiers, designs and general intangibles of like nature, now existing or hereafter adopted or acquired, all registrations thereof (if any), and all registration and recording applications filed in connection therewith, including registrations and registration applications in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or any similar offices in any State of the United States or any other country or any political subdivision thereof (except for “intent-to-use” applications for trademark or service xxxx registrations filed pursuant to Section 1(b) of the Xxxxxx Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051, unless and until an Amendment to Allege Use or a Statement of Use under Sections 1(c) and 1(d) of the Xxxxxx Act has been filed, to the extent that, and solely during the period for which, any assignment of an “intent-to-use” application prior to such filing would violate the Xxxxxx Act), and all renewals thereof, including those listed on Schedule III, (b) all goodwill associated therewith or symbolized thereby, (c) all claims for, and rights to xxx for, past or future infringements of any of the foregoing and (d) all income, royalties, damages and payments now or hereafter due and payable with respect to any of the foregoing, including damages and payments for past or future infringement thereof.
“Transportation Equipment” means each of the following types of licensed vehicles and Tractor Trailers owned by any Pledgor: (a) vehicles and Tractor Trailers used for the transportation and delivery of goods, and (b) vehicles and Tractor Trailers used for leasing service and (c) vehicles and Tractor Trailers otherwise in connection with a Pledgor’s business, in each case used in the ordinary course of such Pledgor’s business.
ARTICLE II
Guarantee
Section 2.01 Guarantee. Each Guarantor absolutely, irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees, jointly and severally with the other Guarantors, to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety, the due and punctual payment in full in cash and performance of the Secured Obligations. Each Guarantor further agrees that the Secured Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice to or further assent from it, and that it will remain bound upon its guarantee notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Secured Obligation. Each Guarantor waives presentment to, demand of payment from and protest to the Borrower or any other Loan Party of any of the Secured Obligations, and also waives notice of acceptance of its guarantee and notice of protest for nonpayment.
6
Section 2.02 Guarantee of Payment. Each Guarantor further agrees that its guarantee hereunder constitutes a guarantee of payment when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) and not of collection, and waives any right to require that any resort be had by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party to any security held for the payment of the Secured Obligations or to any balance of any Deposit Account or credit on the books of the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party in favor of the Borrower or any other person.
Section 2.03 No Limitations, Etc. (a) Except for termination of a Guarantor’s obligations hereunder as expressly provided for in Section 9.15 and except as provided in Section 2.07, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason, including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not be subject to any defense or setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of the Secured Obligations or otherwise (other than defense of payment or performance).
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by, and each Guarantor hereby waives any defense to the enforcement hereof by reason of:
(i) the failure of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to assert any claim or demand or to exercise or enforce any right or remedy under the provisions of any Loan Document or otherwise;
(ii) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of, or any release from any of the terms or provisions of, any Loan Document or any other agreement, including with respect to any other Guarantor under this Agreement;
(iii) the delay or failure to perfect any security interest in, or the exchange, substitution, release or any impairment of, any security held by the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party for the Secured Obligations;
(iv) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of the Secured Obligations;
(v) any other act or omission that may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of any Guarantor or otherwise operate as a discharge of any Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than the payment in full in cash or immediately available funds of all the Secured Obligations);
(vi) any illegality, lack of validity or unenforceability of any Secured Obligation;
7
(vii) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of the Borrower, or any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting the Borrower or its assets or any resulting release or discharge of any Secured Obligation;
(viii) the existence of any claim, set-off or other rights that the Guarantors may have at any time against the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any other Secured Party or any other person, whether in connection herewith or any unrelated transactions; provided that nothing herein will prevent the assertion of any such claim by separate suit or compulsory counterclaim;
(ix) any action permitted or authorized hereunder; or
(x) any other circumstance (including, without limitation, any statute of limitations) or any existence of or reliance on any representation by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party that might otherwise constitute a defense to, or a legal or equitable discharge of, the Borrower a Guarantor or any other guarantor or surety.
Each Guarantor expressly authorizes the Secured Parties to take and hold security for the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations, to exchange, waive or release any or all such security (with or without consideration), to enforce or apply such security and direct the order and manner of any sale thereof in their sole discretion or to release or substitute any one or more other guarantors or obligors upon or in respect of the Secured Obligations, all without affecting the obligations of any Guarantor hereunder.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of any other Loan Party or the unenforceability of the Secured Obligations or any part thereof from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of any other Loan Party, other than the payment in full in cash or immediately available funds of all the Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnity or expense reimbursement obligations as to which no claim has been made). The Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties may, at their election, foreclose on any security held by one or more of them by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such security in lieu of foreclosure, compromise or adjust any part of the Secured Obligations, make any other accommodation with any other Loan Party or exercise any other right or remedy available to them against any other Loan Party, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of any Guarantor hereunder except to the extent the Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnity or expense reimbursement obligations as to which no claim has been made) have been paid in full in cash or immediately available funds. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor waives any defense arising out of any such election even though such election operates, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or to extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of such Guarantor against any other Loan Party, as the case may be, or any security.
8
(c) Each Guarantor hereby acknowledges and affirms that it understands that to the extent the Secured Obligations are secured by Real Property located in the State of California, such Guarantor shall be liable for the full amount of the liability hereunder notwithstanding foreclosure on such Real Property by trustee sale or any other reason impairing such Guarantor’s or any Secured Party’s right to proceed against the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any other guarantor of the Secured Obligations. In accordance with Section 2856 of the California Code of Civil Procedure, each Guarantor hereby waives until such time as the Secured Obligations have been paid in full in cash:
(i) all rights of subrogation, reimbursement, indemnification, and contribution and any other rights and defenses that are or may become available to such Guarantor by reason of Sections 2787 to 2855, inclusive, 2899 and 3433 of the California Code of Civil Procedure;
(ii) all rights and defenses that such Guarantor may have because the Secured Obligations are secured by Real Property located in California, meaning, among other things, that: (A) the Secured Parties may collect from such Guarantor without first foreclosing on any real or personal property collateral pledged by any Loan Party, and (B) if the Secured Parties foreclose on any Real Property collateral pledged by any Loan Party, (1) the amount of the Secured Obligations may be reduced only by the price for which that collateral is sold at the foreclosure sale, even if the collateral is worth more than the sale price, and (2) the Secured Parties may collect from such Guarantor even if the Secured Parties, by foreclosing on the Real Property collateral, have destroyed any right that such Guarantor may have to collect from any Loan Party, it being understood that this is an unconditional and irrevocable waiver of any rights and defenses such Guarantor may have because the Secured Obligations are secured by Real Property (including, without limitation, any rights or defenses based upon Sections 580a, 580d or 726 of the California Code of Civil Procedure); and
(iii) all rights and defenses arising out of an election of remedies by the Secured Parties, even though that election of remedies, such as a nonjudicial foreclosure with respect to security for the Secured Obligations, has destroyed each such Guarantor’s rights of subrogation and reimbursement against any Loan Party by the operation of Section 580d of the California Code of Civil Procedure or otherwise.
Section 2.04 Reinstatement. Each Guarantor agrees that its guarantee hereunder shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any Secured Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or otherwise.
Section 2.05 Agreement To Pay; Contribution; Subrogation. In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right that the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party has at law or in equity against any Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of a Borrower to pay any Secured Obligation when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, after notice of prepayment or otherwise, each Guarantor hereby promises to and will forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, to the Administrative Agent for distribution to the applicable Secured Parties in cash the amount of such unpaid Secured Obligation. Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agrees that in the event any payment shall be required to be made to any Secured Party under this guarantee or any other guarantee, such Guarantor will contribute, to the maximum extent permitted by law, such amounts to each other Guarantor and each other guarantor so as to maximize the aggregate amount paid to the Secured Parties under or in respect of the Loan Documents. Upon payment by any Guarantor of any sums to the Administrative Agent as provided above, all rights of such Guarantor against the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any other Guarantor arising as a result thereof by way of right of subrogation, contribution, reimbursement, indemnity or otherwise shall in all respects be subject to Article VIII.
9
Section 2.06 Information. Each Guarantor assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the financial condition and assets of the Borrower and each other Loan Party, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Secured Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that such Guarantor assumes and incurs hereunder, and agrees that none of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or the other Secured Parties will have any duty to advise such Guarantor of information known to it or any of them regarding such circumstances or risks.
Section 2.07 Maximum Liability. Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of this guarantee, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and each Lender hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such persons that this guarantee and the Secured Obligations of each Guarantor hereunder not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or any other federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar foreign, federal or state law to the extent applicable to this guarantee and the Secured Obligations of each Guarantor hereunder. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Lenders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the Secured Obligations of Holdings and each Subsidiary Party under this guarantee at any time shall be limited to the maximum amount as will result in the Secured Obligations of such Guarantor under this guarantee not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance.
Section 2.08 Payment Free and Clear of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Guarantor hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made in Dollars free and clear of, and without deduction for, any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes on the same terms and to the same extent that payments by the Borrower are required to be made pursuant to the terms of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement. The provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement shall apply to each Guarantor mutatis mutandis.
10
ARTICLE III
Pledge of Securities
Section 3.01 Pledge. As security for the payment in full in cash or performance, as the case may be, in full of its Secured Obligations, each Pledgor hereby assigns and pledges to the Collateral Agent, its successors and permitted assigns, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, and hereby grants to the Collateral Agent, its successors and permitted assigns, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a continuing security interest in all of such Pledgor’s right, title and interest in, to and under (a) the Equity Interests directly owned by it (including those listed on Schedule II) and any other Equity Interests obtained in the future by such Pledgor and any certificates representing all such Equity Interests (the “Pledged Stock”); provided that the Pledged Stock shall not include (i) the issued and outstanding voting Equity Interests of any Foreign Subsidiary directly owned by such Pledgor to the extent the pledge of any such Equity Interests would cause more than 65% of the outstanding voting Equity Interests of such Foreign Subsidiary to be pledged hereunder, (ii) to the extent applicable law requires that a subsidiary of such Pledgor issue directors’ qualifying shares or similar shares, such shares or nominee or other similar shares, (iii) any Equity Interests of a Subsidiary (which Subsidiary is set forth on Schedule 1.01B to the Credit Agreement) to the extent that, as of the Closing Date, and for so long as, such a pledge of such Equity Interests would violate applicable law or an enforceable contractual obligation binding on or relating to such Equity Interests, or (iv) any Equity Interests of a person that is not directly or indirectly a Subsidiary, as to which Article IV shall apply; (b)(i) the debt obligations listed opposite the name of such Pledgor on Schedule II, (ii) any debt securities in the future issued to such Pledgor, and (iii) the certificates, promissory notes and any other instruments, if any, evidencing such debt obligations and debt securities (the “Pledged Debt Securities”); (c) subject to Section 3.05 hereof, all payments of principal or interest, dividends, cash, instruments and other property from time to time received, receivable or otherwise distributed in respect of, in exchange for or upon the conversion of, and all other proceeds received in respect of, the securities referred to in clauses (a) and (b) above; (d) subject to Section 3.05 hereof, all rights and privileges of such Pledgor with respect to the securities and other property referred to in clauses (a), (b) and (c) above; and (e) all proceeds of any of the foregoing (the items referred to in clauses (a) through (d) above being collectively referred to as the “Pledged Collateral”).
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the Pledged Collateral, together with all right, title, interest, powers, privileges and preferences pertaining or incidental thereto, unto the Collateral Agent, its successors and permitted assigns, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, forever; subject, however, to the terms, covenants and conditions hereinafter set forth.
Section 3.02 Delivery of the Pledged Collateral. (a) Each Pledgor agrees promptly to deliver or cause to be delivered to the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, any and all Pledged Securities (except in the case of promissory notes or other instruments evidencing Indebtedness, only to the extent required to be delivered pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 3.02). The limited liability company interests of the Borrower (i) shall at all times constitute securities governed by Article 8 of the New York UCC in accordance with organizational documents of the Borrower and (ii) shall be certificated and shall be subject to the requirements of this Section 3.02(a). The limited liability company interests or partnership interests of any Subsidiary shall provide that they may constitute securities governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in any jurisdiction.
11
(b) Each Pledgor will cause any Indebtedness for borrowed money having an aggregate principal amount in excess of $1.0 million (other than (i) intercompany current liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with the cash management operations of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (ii) to the extent that a pledge of such promissory note or instrument would violate applicable law or (iii) so long as the outstanding principal amount thereof is less than $5.0 million, the Xxxxxxx Note) owed to such Pledgor by any person to be evidenced by a duly executed promissory note that is pledged and delivered to the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, pursuant to the terms hereof. To the extent any such promissory note is a demand note, each Pledgor party thereto agrees, if requested by the Collateral Agent, to immediately demand payment thereunder upon an Event of Default specified under Section 7.01(b), (c), (f), (h), (i) and (l) of the Credit Agreement unless such demand would not be commercially reasonable or would otherwise expose such Pledgor to liability to the maker.
(c) Upon delivery to the Collateral Agent, (i) any Pledged Securities required to be delivered pursuant to the foregoing paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 3.02 shall be accompanied by stock powers or note powers, as applicable, duly executed in blank or other instruments of transfer reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent and by such other instruments and documents as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request and (ii) all other property composing part of the Pledged Collateral delivered pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be accompanied to the extent necessary to perfect the security interest in or allow realization on the Pledged Collateral by proper instruments of assignment duly executed by the applicable Pledgor and such other instruments or documents (including issuer acknowledgments in respect of uncertificated securities) as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request. Each delivery of Pledged Securities shall be accompanied by a schedule describing the securities, which schedule shall be attached hereto as Schedule II (or a supplement to Schedule II, as applicable) and made a part hereof; provided that failure to attach any such schedule hereto shall not affect the validity of such pledge of such Pledged Securities. Each schedule so delivered shall supplement any prior schedules so delivered.
Section 3.03 Representations, Warranties and Covenants. The Pledgors, jointly and severally, represent, warrant and covenant to and with the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, that:
(a) Schedule II correctly sets forth the percentage of the issued and outstanding shares of each class of the Equity Interests of the issuer thereof represented by such Pledged Stock and includes all Equity Interests, debt securities and promissory notes or instruments evidencing Indebtedness required to be (i) pledged in order to satisfy the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, or (ii) delivered pursuant to Section 3.02;
(b) the Pledged Stock and Pledged Debt Securities (solely with respect to Pledged Debt Securities issued by a person that is not a subsidiary of Holdings or an Affiliate of any such subsidiary, to the best of each Pledgor’s knowledge) have been duly and validly authorized and issued by the issuers thereof and (i) in the case of Pledged Stock, are fully paid and nonassessable (other than with respect to Pledged Stock consisting of membership interests of limited liability companies to the extent provided in Sections 18-502 and 18-607 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act) and (ii) in the case of Pledged Debt Securities, (solely with respect to Pledged Debt Securities issued by a person that is not a subsidiary of Holdings or an Affiliate of any such subsidiary, to the best of each Pledgor’s knowledge) are legal, valid and binding obligations of the issuers thereof, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing;
12
(c) except for the security interests granted hereunder, each Pledgor (i) is and, subject to any transfers made in compliance with the Credit Agreement, will continue to be the direct owner, beneficially and of record, of the Pledged Securities indicated on Schedule II as owned by such Pledgor, (ii) holds the same free and clear of all Liens, other than Permitted Liens, (iii) will make no assignment, pledge, hypothecation or transfer of, or create or permit to exist any security interest in or other Lien on, the Pledged Collateral, other than pursuant to a transaction permitted by the Credit Agreement (and other than Permitted Liens) and (iv) subject to the rights of such Pledgor under the Loan Documents to dispose of Pledged Collateral, will use commercially reasonable efforts (or, in the case of Equity Interests in Subsidiaries, best efforts) to defend its title or interest hereto or therein against any and all Liens (other than Permitted Liens arising by operation of law), however arising, of all persons;
(d) other than as set forth in the Credit Agreement or the schedules thereto, and except for restrictions and limitations imposed by the Loan Documents or securities laws generally or otherwise permitted to exist pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, the Pledged Stock (other than partnership interests) is and will continue to be freely transferable and assignable, and none of the Pledged Stock is or will be subject to any option, right of first refusal, shareholders agreement, charter or by-law provisions or contractual restriction of any nature that might prohibit, impair, delay or otherwise affect the pledge of such Pledged Stock hereunder, the sale or disposition thereof pursuant hereto or the exercise by the Collateral Agent of rights and remedies hereunder;
(e) each Pledgor has the power and authority to pledge the Pledged Collateral pledged by it hereunder in the manner hereby done or contemplated;
(f) other than as set forth in the Credit Agreement or the schedules thereto, no consent or approval of any Governmental Authority, any securities exchange or any other person was or is necessary to the validity of the pledge effected hereby (other than such as have been obtained and are in full force and effect);
(g) by virtue of the execution and delivery by the Pledgors of this Agreement and the Foreign Pledge Agreements, when any Pledged Securities (including Pledged Stock of any Domestic Subsidiary, or any foreign stock covered by a Foreign Pledge Agreement) are delivered to the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, in accordance with this Agreement and a financing statement covering such Pledged Securities is filed in the appropriate filing office, the Collateral Agent will obtain, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a legal, valid and perfected lien upon and security interest in such Pledged Securities under the New York UCC as security for the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations (subject only to) Permitted Liens);
(h) each Pledgor that is an issuer of the Pledged Collateral confirms that is has received notice of the security interest granted hereunder;
(i) as of the Closing Date, none of the Equity Interests in limited liability companies or partnerships that is pledged by the Pledgors hereunder constitutes a security under Section 8-103 of the New York UCC or the corresponding code or statute of any other applicable jurisdiction; and
13
(j) the Pledgors shall not amend, or permit to be amended, the limited liability company agreement (or operating agreement or similar agreement) or partnership agreement of any subsidiary of any Loan Party whose Equity Interests are, or are required to be, Collateral in a manner to cause such Equity Interests to constitute a security under Section 8-103 of the New York UCC or the corresponding code or statute of any other applicable jurisdiction unless such Loan Party shall have first delivered 10 days written notice to the Collateral Agent and shall have taken all actions contemplated hereby and as otherwise reasonably required by the Collateral Agent to maintain the security interest of the Collateral Agent therein as a valid, perfected, first priority security interest.
Section 3.04 Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations. The Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, shall have the right (in its sole and absolute discretion) to hold the Pledged Securities in the name of the applicable Pledgor, endorsed or assigned in blank or in favor of the Collateral Agent or, if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, in its own name as pledgee or the name of its nominee (as pledgee or as sub-agent). Each Pledgor will promptly give to the Collateral Agent copies of any notices or other communications received by it with respect to Pledged Securities registered in the name of such Pledgor. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Collateral Agent shall have the right to exchange the certificates representing Pledged Securities for certificates of smaller or larger denominations for any purpose consistent with this Agreement. Each Pledgor shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause any Subsidiary of any Loan Party that is not a party to this Agreement to comply with a request by the Collateral Agent, pursuant to this Section 3.04, to exchange certificates representing Pledged Securities issued by such Subsidiary for certificates of smaller or larger denominations.
Section 3.05 Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest, Etc. (a) Unless and until an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Collateral Agent shall have given notice to the relevant Pledgors of the Collateral Agent’s intention to exercise its rights hereunder:
(i) Each Pledgor shall be entitled to exercise any and all voting and/or other consensual rights and powers inuring to an owner of Pledged Collateral or any part thereof for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided that, except as permitted under the Credit Agreement, such rights and powers shall not be exercised in any manner that could adversely affect the rights inuring to a holder of any Pledged Collateral, the rights and remedies of any of the Collateral Agent or the other Secured Parties under this Agreement, the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or the ability of the Secured Parties to exercise the same.
(ii) The Collateral Agent shall promptly execute and deliver to each Pledgor, or cause to be executed and delivered to such Pledgor, all such proxies, powers of attorney and other instruments as such Pledgor may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling such Pledgor to exercise the voting and/or consensual rights and powers it is entitled to exercise pursuant to subparagraph (i) above; provided that any failure of the Collateral Agent to so deliver any such instrument shall not in any way impair or affect the Collateral Agent’s rights and remedies hereunder.
14
(iii) Each Pledgor shall be entitled to receive and retain any and all dividends, interest, principal and other distributions paid on or distributed in respect of the Pledged Collateral to the extent and only to the extent that such dividends, interest, principal and other distributions are permitted by, and otherwise paid or distributed in accordance with, the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents and applicable laws; provided that (A) any noncash dividends, interest, principal or other distributions, payments or other consideration in respect thereof, including any rights to receive the same to the extent not so distributed or paid, that would constitute Pledged Securities, whether resulting from a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the outstanding Equity Interests of the issuer of any Pledged Securities, received in exchange for Pledged Securities or any part thereof, or in redemption thereof, as a result of any merger, consolidation, acquisition or other exchange of assets to which such issuer may be a party or otherwise and (B) any non-cash dividends and other distributions paid or payable in respect of any Pledged Securities that would constitute Pledged Securities in connection with a partial or total liquidation or dissolution or in connection with a reduction of capital, capital surplus or paid in surplus, shall be and become part of the Pledged Collateral, and, if received by any Pledgor, shall not be commingled by such Pledgor with any of its other funds or property but shall be held separate and apart therefrom, shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, and shall be forthwith delivered to the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, in the same form as so received (endorsed in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent).
(b) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default and after notice by the Collateral Agent to the Borrower of the Collateral Agent’s intention to exercise its rights hereunder, all rights of any Pledgor to dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that such Pledgor is authorized to receive pursuant to paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 3.05 shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, in the Collateral Agent which shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to receive and retain such dividends, interest, principal or other distributions; provided, however, that even after the occurrence of an Event of Default (other than an event of default under Sections 7.01(h) or (i) of the Credit Agreement), any Pledgor may continue to exercise dividend and distribution rights solely to the extent permitted under subclause (i), subclause (iii), subclause (v) and, solely in order to permit Holdings to make customary salary and other benefit payments (but excluding the payment of any bonuses) to, and provide customary indemnities on behalf of, officers and employees of Holdings, subclause (vi) of Section 6.06(b) of the Credit Agreement. All dividends, interest, principal or other distributions received by any Pledgor contrary to the provisions of this Section 3.05 shall not be commingled by such Pledgor with any of its other funds or property but shall be held separate and apart therefrom, shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, and shall be forthwith delivered to the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, in the same form as so received (endorsed in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent). Any and all money and other property paid over to or received by the Collateral Agent pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph (b) shall be retained by the Collateral Agent in an account to be established by the Collateral Agent upon receipt of such money or other property and shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.02 hereof. After all Events of Default have been cured or waived and the Borrower has delivered to the Collateral Agent a certificate to that effect, the Collateral Agent shall promptly repay to each Pledgor (without interest) all dividends, interest, principal or other distributions that such Pledgor would otherwise be permitted to retain pursuant to the terms of paragraph (a)(iii) of this Section 3.05 and that remain in such account.
15
(c) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default and after notice by the Collateral Agent to the Borrower of the Collateral Agent’s intention to exercise its rights hereunder, all rights of any Pledgor to exercise the voting and/or consensual rights and powers it is entitled to exercise pursuant to paragraph (a)(i) of this Section 3.05, and the obligations of the Collateral Agent under paragraph (a)(ii) of this Section 3.05, shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, which shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to exercise such voting and consensual rights and powers; provided that, unless otherwise directed by the Required Lenders, the Collateral Agent shall have the right from time to time following and during the continuance of an Event of Default to permit the Pledgors to exercise such rights. After all Events of Default have been cured or waived and the Borrower has delivered to the Collateral Agent a certificate to that effect, each Pledgor shall have the right to exercise the voting and/or consensual rights and powers that such Pledgor would otherwise be entitled to exercise pursuant to the terms of paragraph (a)(i) above.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 3.05, if an Event of Default of the type referred to in Sections 7.01(h) or (i) of the Credit Agreement shall have occurred and be continuing, the Collateral Agent shall not be required to give any notice referred to in this Section 3.05 in order to exercise any of its rights described in said Sections, and the suspension of the rights of each of the Pledgors under said Sections shall be automatic upon the occurrence of such Event of Default.
Section 3.06 Subsequently Acquired Pledged Collateral. If any Pledgor shall acquire (by purchase, stock dividend, distribution or otherwise) any additional Pledged Collateral at any time or from time to time after the date hereof, (i) such Pledged Collateral shall automatically (and without any further action being required to be taken) be subject to the pledge and security interests created pursuant to Section 3.01 (and subject to the terms thereof) and (ii) such Pledgor will thereafter promptly and, in any event, within 10 Business Days after it obtains such Pledged Collateral, deliver to the Collateral Agent such supplements to Schedule II hereto as may be necessary to cause such Schedule to be complete and accurate at such time.
ARTICLE IV
Security Interests in Other Personal Property
Section 4.01 Security Interest. (a) As security for the payment in cash or performance when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), as the case may be, in full of the Secured Obligations, each Pledgor hereby assigns and pledges to the Collateral Agent, its successors and permitted assigns, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, and hereby grants to the Collateral Agent, its successors and permitted assigns, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a continuing security interest (the “Security Interest”) in all right, title and interest in or to any and all of the following assets and properties now owned or at any time hereafter acquired by such Pledgor or in which such Pledgor now has or at any time in the future may acquire any right, title or interest (collectively, the “Article 9 Collateral”):
(i) all Accounts;
16
(ii) all Chattel Paper (including, without limitation, all Tangible Chattel Paper and all Electronic Chattel Paper);
(iii) all cash and Deposit Accounts;
(iv) all computer programs of such Pledgor and all intellectual property rights therein and all other proprietary information of such Pledgor, including but not limited to Domain Names and trade secret rights;
(v) all Intellectual Property;
(vi) all Documents;
(vii) all Equipment;
(viii) all General Intangibles;
(ix) all Goods;
(x) all Instruments;
(xi) all Inventory;
(xii) all Investment Property;
(xiii) all Letter-of-Credit Rights (whether or not the respective letter of credit is evidenced by a writing);
(xiv) all Commercial Tort Claims;
(xv) (1) Securities Accounts, (2) Financial Assets credited to Securities Accounts or Deposit Accounts from time to time, and all Security Entitlements in respect thereof, (3) all cash held in any Securities Account or Deposit Account and (4) all other Money in the possession of the Collateral Agent;
(xvi) all Commodity Accounts;
(xvii) all other personal property not otherwise described above (except for property specifically excluded from any defined term used in any of the foregoing clauses);
(xviii) all books and Records pertaining to the Article 9 Collateral;
17
(xix) all Software and all Software licensing rights, all writings, plans, specifications and schematics, all engineering drawings, customer lists, goodwill and licenses, and all recorded data of any kind or nature, regardless of the medium of recording;
(xx) all Transportation Equipment; and
(xxi) to the extent not otherwise included, all proceeds, Supporting Obligations and products of any and all of the foregoing and all collateral security and guarantees given by any person with respect to any of the foregoing.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, this Agreement shall not constitute a grant of a security interest in (a) any assets (including Equity Interests), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, with respect to which the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement or the other paragraphs of Section 5.10 of the Credit Agreement would not be required to be satisfied by reason of Section 5.10(g) of the Credit Agreement if hereafter acquired (it being understood, however, that cash, Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts shall not be excluded from the grant of the Security Interest pursuant to this Section 4.01 by virtue of clause (iii) of Section 5.10(g) of the Credit Agreement), (b) any property excluded from the definition of Pledged Collateral by virtue of the proviso to Section 3.01(a) hereof (other than Section 3.01(a)(iv)), (c) any Letter-of-Credit Rights to the extent any Pledgor is required by applicable law to apply the proceeds of a drawing of such Letter of Credit for a specified purpose or (d) any Pledgor’s right, title or interest in any license, contract or agreement to which such Pledgor is a party or any of its right, title or interest thereunder to the extent, but only to the extent, that such a grant would, under the terms of such license, contract or agreement, result in a breach of the terms of, or constitute a default under, or result in the abandonment, invalidation or unenforceability of, any license, contract or agreement to which such Pledgor is a party (other than to the extent that any such term would be rendered ineffective pursuant to Section 9-406, 9-407, 9-408 or 9-409 of the New York UCC or any other applicable law (including, without limitation, Title 11 of the United States Code) or principles of equity); provided that (x) immediately upon the ineffectiveness, lapse or termination of any such provision, the Collateral shall include, and such Pledgor shall be deemed to have granted a security interest in, all such rights and interests without any further action on the part of such Pledgor or any Secured Party as if such provision had never been in effect and (y) the right to receive payments of money or other consideration in respect of such license, contract or agreement shall not be excluded from the security interest created hereunder.
(b) Each Pledgor hereby irrevocably authorizes the Collateral Agent at any time and from time to time to file in any relevant jurisdiction any financing statements (including fixture filings) with respect to the Article 9 Collateral or any part thereof and amendments thereto that contain the information required by Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code of each applicable jurisdiction for the filing of any financing statement or amendment, including (i) whether such Pledgor is an organization, the type of organization and any organizational identification number issued to such Pledgor, (ii) in the case of a financing statement filed as a fixture filing, a sufficient description of the real property to which such Article 9 Collateral relates and (iii) a description of collateral that describes such property in any other manner as the Collateral Agent may reasonably determine is necessary or advisable to ensure the perfection of the security interest in the Article 9 Collateral granted under this Agreement, including describing such property as “all assets” or “all property”. Each Pledgor agrees to provide such information to the Collateral Agent promptly upon request.
18
The Collateral Agent is further authorized to file with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or United States Copyright Office (or any successor office) such documents as may be reasonably necessary or advisable for the purpose of perfecting, confirming, continuing, enforcing or protecting the Security Interest granted by each Pledgor, without the signature of any Pledgor, and naming any Pledgor or the Pledgors as debtors and the Collateral Agent as secured party. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Pledgor shall be required to take any action under the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United States (or any political subdivision thereof) and its territories and possessions for the purpose of perfecting the Security Interest in any Article 9 Collateral of such Pledgor constituting Patents, Trademarks or Copyrights.
(c) The Security Interest is granted as security only and shall not subject the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to, or in any way alter or modify, any obligation or liability of any Pledgor with respect to or arising out of the Article 9 Collateral.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or the Credit Agreement, none of the Pledgors shall be required to enter into any Control Agreement with respect to any cash or Deposit Account (except as provided in Section 5.11 of the Credit Agreement) or any Securities Account or Commodities Account (except as otherwise provided in Section 4.04(b)).
Section 4.02 Representations and Warranties. The Pledgors jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties that:
(a) Schedule I hereto sets forth the following information with respect to each Pledgor: (i) its true and correct legal name, (ii) its jurisdiction of formation, (iii) the location of its chief executive office, (iv) the type of entity of such Pledgor, (v) whether it is a registered organization, (vi) its organizational identification number, if any, and (vii) its Federal Taxpayer Identification Number.
(b) Each Pledgor has good and valid rights in and title to the Article 9 Collateral with respect to which it has purported to grant a Security Interest hereunder and has full power and authority to grant to the Collateral Agent the Security Interest in such Article 9 Collateral pursuant hereto and to execute, deliver and perform its obligations in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, without the consent or approval of any other person other than any consent or approval that has been obtained and is in full force and effect or has otherwise been disclosed herein or in the Credit Agreement.
19
(c) The information set forth in any schedule, annex or other document attached hereto is correct and complete, in all material respects, as of the Closing Date. The Uniform Commercial Code financing statements (including fixture filings, as applicable) or other appropriate filings, recordings or registrations containing a description of the Article 9 Collateral that have been prepared by the Collateral Agent for filing in each governmental, municipal or other office specified in Schedule IV (or specified by notice from the Borrower to the Collateral Agent after the Closing Date in the case of filings, recordings or registrations required by Section 5.10 of the Credit Agreement) constitute all the filings, recordings and registrations (except to the extent that filings are required to be made in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office, or any similar office in any other jurisdiction, in order to perfect the Security Interest in Article 9 Collateral consisting of United States Patents, United States registered Trademarks and United States registered Copyrights) that are necessary to publish notice of and protect the validity of and to establish a legal, valid and perfected security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent (for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties) in respect of all Article 9 Collateral in which the Security Interest may be perfected by filing, recording or registration in the United States (or any political subdivision or state thereof) and its territories and possessions, and no further or subsequent filing, refiling, recording, rerecording, registration or reregistration is necessary in any such jurisdiction, except as provided under applicable law with respect to the filing of continuation statements or amendments. Each Pledgor represents and warrants that a fully executed Intellectual Property Security Agreement containing a description of all Article 9 Collateral consisting of Intellectual Property with respect to United States Patents (and Patents for which United States applications are pending), United States registered Trademarks (and Trademarks for which United States registration applications are pending) and United States registered Copyrights (and Copyrights for which United States registration applications are pending) has been delivered to the Collateral Agent for recording with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 261, 15 U.S.C. § 1060 or 17 U.S.C. § 205 and the regulations thereunder, as applicable, and reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent, to protect the validity of and to establish a legal, valid and perfected security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, in respect of all Article 9 Collateral consisting of such Intellectual Property in which a security interest may be perfected by recording with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office, and no further or subsequent filing, refiling, recording, rerecording, registration or reregistration is necessary (other than the Uniform Commercial Code financings statements referred to above, and other than such actions as are necessary to perfect the Security Interest with respect to any Article 0 Xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights (or registration or application for registration thereof) acquired or developed after the date hereof).
(d) The Security Interest constitutes (i) a legal and valid security interest in all the Article 9 Collateral securing the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations, (ii) subject to the filings described in Section 4.02(c), a perfected security interest in all Article 9 Collateral in which a security interest may be perfected by filing, recording or registering a financing statement or analogous document in the United States (or any political subdivision thereof) and its territories and possessions pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law in such jurisdictions and (iii) a security interest that shall be perfected in all Article 9 Collateral in which a security interest may be perfected upon the receipt and recording of the Intellectual Property Security Agreement with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office, as applicable. The Security Interest is and shall be prior to any other Lien on any of the Article 9 Collateral other than Permitted Liens.
20
(e) The Article 9 Collateral is owned by the Pledgors free and clear of any Lien, other than Permitted Liens. None of the Pledgors has filed or consented to the filing of (i) any financing statement or analogous document under the Uniform Commercial Code or any other applicable laws covering any Article 9 Collateral, (ii) any assignment in which any Pledgor assigns any Article 9 Collateral or any security agreement or similar instrument covering any Article 9 Collateral with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office or (iii) any assignment in which any Pledgor assigns any Article 9 Collateral or any security agreement or similar instrument covering any Article 9 Collateral with any foreign governmental, municipal or other office, which financing statement or analogous document, assignment, security agreement or similar instrument is still in effect, except, in each case, for Permitted Liens.
(f) None of the Pledgors holds any Commercial Tort Claim individually in excess of $1.0 million as of the Closing Date except as indicated on Schedule V.
(g) Except as set forth in Schedule VI, as of the Closing Date, all Accounts have been originated by the Pledgors and all Inventory has been produced or acquired by the Pledgors in the ordinary course of business.
(h) As to itself and its Article 9 Collateral consisting of Intellectual Property (the “Intellectual Property Collateral”), to the best of each Pledgor’s knowledge:
(i) The Intellectual Property Collateral set forth on Schedule III includes all of the material Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and IP Agreements owned by such Pledgor as of the date hereof.
(ii) The Intellectual Property Collateral is subsisting and has not been adjudged invalid or unenforceable in whole or part (except for office actions issued in the ordinary course by the United States Patent and Trademark Office or any similar office in any foreign jurisdiction), and to the best of such Pledgor’s knowledge, is valid and enforceable, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Such Pledgor is not aware of any uses of any item of Intellectual Property Collateral that would be expected to lead to such item becoming invalid or unenforceable, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(iii) Such Pledgor has made or performed all commercially reasonable acts, including without limitation filings, recordings and payment of all required fees and taxes, required to maintain and protect its interest in each and every item of Intellectual Property Collateral in full force and effect in the United States and such Pledgor has used proper statutory notice in connection with its use of each Patent, Trademark and Copyright in the Intellectual Property Collateral, in each case, except to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(iv) With respect to each IP Agreement, the absence, termination or violation of which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (A) such Pledgor has not received any notice of termination or cancellation under such IP Agreement; (B) such Pledgor has not received any notice of a breach or default under such IP Agreement, which breach or default has not been cured or waived; and (C) neither such Pledgor nor any other party to such IP Agreement is in breach or default thereof in any material respect, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a breach or default or permit termination, modification or acceleration under such IP Agreement.
21
(v) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no Pledgor or Intellectual Property Collateral is subject to any outstanding consent, settlement, decree, order, injunction, judgment or ruling restricting the use of any Intellectual Property Collateral or that would impair the validity or enforceability of such Intellectual Property Collateral.
Section 4.03 Covenants. (a) Each Pledgor agrees to provide at least 10 days’ prior written notice to the Collateral Agent of any change (i) in its corporate or organization name, (ii) in its identity or type of organization or corporate structure, (iii) in its Federal Taxpayer Identification Number or organizational identification number or (iv) in its “location” (determined as provided in UCC Section 9-307). Each Pledgor agrees promptly to provide the Collateral Agent with certified organizational documents reflecting any of the changes described in the immediately preceding sentence. Each Pledgor agrees not to effect or permit any change referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph (a) unless all filings have been made, or will have been made within any applicable statutory period, under the Uniform Commercial Code or otherwise that are required in order for the Collateral Agent to continue at all times prior to and following such change to have a valid, legal and perfected first priority security interest in all the Article 9 Collateral, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties. Each Pledgor agrees promptly to notify the Collateral Agent if any material portion of the Article 9 Collateral owned or held by such Pledgor is damaged or destroyed.
(b) Subject to the rights of such Pledgor under the Loan Documents to dispose of Collateral, each Pledgor shall, at its own expense, use commercially reasonable efforts to defend title to the Article 9 Collateral against all persons and to defend the Security Interest of the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, in the Article 9 Collateral and the priority thereof against any Lien that is not a Permitted Lien.
(c) Each Pledgor agrees, at its own expense, to execute, acknowledge, deliver and cause to be duly filed all such further instruments and documents and take all such actions as the Collateral Agent may from time to time reasonably request to better assure, preserve, protect and perfect the Security Interest and the rights and remedies created hereby, including the payment of any fees and taxes required in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the granting of the Security Interest and the filing of any financing statements (including fixture filings) or other documents in connection herewith or therewith. If any amount payable under or in connection with any of the Article 9 Collateral that is in excess of $1.0 million shall be or become evidenced by any promissory note or other instrument, such note or instrument shall be promptly pledged and delivered to the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, duly endorsed in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.
22
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Pledgor hereby agrees that, should it obtain an ownership or other interest in any Intellectual Property after the Closing Date (i) the provisions of this Agreement shall automatically apply thereto, and (ii) any such Intellectual Property shall automatically become part of the Collateral subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. At the time of any required delivery of information pursuant to Section 5.04(a) of the Credit Agreement, each Pledgor shall (i) deliver to the Collateral Agent such supplements to Schedule III hereto as may be necessary to cause such Schedule to be complete and accurate at such time, (ii) sign and deliver to the Collateral Agent an appropriate Intellectual Property Security Agreement with respect to all applicable Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed by it as of the last day of the applicable fiscal year, to the extent that such Intellectual Property is not covered by any previous Intellectual Property Security Agreement so signed and delivered by it and (iii) take such other action as shall be necessary in order that all representations and warranties hereunder shall be true and correct with respect to such Collateral, in each case within 30 days after the date of delivery of the delivery of the relevant information required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.04(a) of the Credit Agreement (or such later date as the Collateral Agent may determine in its sole and absolute discretion).
(d) After the occurrence of an Event of Default and during the continuance thereof, the Collateral Agent shall have the right to verify under reasonable procedures the validity, amount, quality, quantity, value, condition and status of, or any other matter relating to, the Article 9 Collateral, including, in the case of Accounts or Article 9 Collateral in the possession of any third person, by contacting Account Debtors or the third person possessing such Article 9 Collateral for the purpose of making such a verification. The Collateral Agent shall have the right to share any information it gains from such inspection or verification with any Secured Party.
(e) At its option, the Collateral Agent may discharge past due taxes, assessments, charges, fees, Liens, security interests or other encumbrances at any time levied or placed on the Article 9 Collateral and not a Permitted Lien, and may pay for the maintenance and preservation of the Article 9 Collateral to the extent any Pledgor fails to do so as required by the Credit Agreement or this Agreement, and each Pledgor jointly and severally agrees to reimburse the Collateral Agent on demand for any reasonable payment made or any reasonable expense incurred by the Collateral Agent pursuant to the foregoing authorization; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 4.03(e) shall be interpreted as excusing any Pledgor from the performance of, or imposing any obligation on the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party to cure or perform, any covenants or other promises of any Pledgor with respect to taxes, assessments, charges, fees, Liens, security interests or other encumbrances and maintenance as set forth herein or in the other Loan Documents.
(f) Each Pledgor (rather than the Collateral Agent or any Secured Party) shall remain liable for the observance and performance of all the conditions and obligations to be observed and performed by it under each contract, agreement or instrument relating to the Article 9 Collateral and each Pledgor jointly and severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties from and against any and all liability for such performance.
23
(g) None of the Pledgors shall make or permit to be made an assignment, pledge or hypothecation of the Article 9 Collateral or shall grant any other Lien in respect of the Article 9 Collateral, except as permitted by the Credit Agreement and the other provisions hereof. None of the Pledgors shall make or permit to be made any transfer of the Article 9 Collateral and each Pledgor shall remain at all times in possession of the Article 9 Collateral owned by it, except as permitted by the Credit Agreement and the other provisions hereof.
(h) None of the Pledgors will, without the Collateral Agent’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), grant any extension of the time of payment of any Accounts included in the Article 9 Collateral, compromise, compound or settle the same for less than the full amount thereof, release, wholly or partly, any person liable for the payment thereof or allow any credit or discount whatsoever thereon, other than extensions, credits, discounts, compromises or settlements granted or made in the ordinary course of business and consistent with prudent business practices or as otherwise permitted under the Credit Agreement.
(i) None of the Pledgors shall re-date any invoice or sale or make sales on extended dating or extend or modify any Account outside the ordinary course of business.
(j) Each Pledgor shall take commercially reasonable steps to settle, contest, or adjust any dispute or claim in excess of $1.0 million at no expense to the Secured Parties. No discount, credit, or allowance shall be granted to any Account Debtor without the Collateral Agent’s prior written consent, except for discounts, credits, and allowances made or given in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower (unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Collateral Agent has notified the Borrower that such exception is withdrawn).
(k) If an Account Debtor returns any Inventory to any Pledgor then, unless an Event of Default exists and the Collateral Agent has given notice to such Pledgor not to do so, such Pledgor shall promptly determine the reason for such return and if such return has a valid reason shall issue a credit memorandum to the Account Debtor in the appropriate amount. All returned Inventory of a Borrower or its Subsidiaries shall be subject to the Collateral Agent’s Liens thereon.
(l) Each Pledgor shall keep its Inventory (other than returned or obsolete Inventory) in good and marketable condition, except for damaged or defective Goods arising in the ordinary course of its business. Each Pledgor will not, without the prior written consent of the Collateral Agent, acquire or maintain any Inventory in excess of $1.0 million at any time on consignment or approval unless such Inventory is disclosed to the Collateral Agent and the Borrower takes appropriate steps to insure that all of such Inventory meets the criteria of Eligible Inventory, including delivery of appropriate subordination agreements, if necessary. The Pledgors will conduct a physical count of their Inventory at least once per each of their respective fiscal years, and during the existence of an Event of Default, at such other times as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request. Without the Collateral Agent’s written consent, the Pledgors will not sell, through a single transaction or a series of related transactions, Inventory on a xxxx and hold, guaranteed sale, sale and return, sale on approval, consignment, or other repurchase or return basis in excess of $1.0 million.
24
(m) In connection with all Inventory financed by letters of credit, the Pledgors will, when an Event of Default is continuing, at the Collateral Agent’s request, instruct all suppliers, carriers, forwarders, customs brokers, warehouses or other persons receiving or holding cash, checks, inventory, documents or instruments in which the Collateral Agent holds a security interest to deliver them to the Collateral Agent and/or subject to the Collateral Agent’s order, and if they shall come into the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ possession, to deliver them, upon request, to the Collateral Agent in their original form. The Pledgors shall also, when an Event of Default is continuing, at the Collateral Agent’s request, designate the Collateral Agent as the consignee on all bills of lading and other negotiable and non-negotiable documents.
(n) Each Pledgor irrevocably makes, constitutes and appoints the Collateral Agent (and all officers, employees or agents designated by the Collateral Agent) as such Pledgor’s true and lawful agent (and attorney-in-fact) for the purpose, during the continuance of an Event of Default, of making, settling and adjusting claims in respect of Article 9 Collateral under policies of insurance, endorsing the name of such Pledgor on any check, draft, instrument or other item of payment for the proceeds of such policies of insurance and for making all determinations and decisions with respect thereto. In the event that any Pledgor at any time or times shall fail to obtain or maintain any of the policies of insurance required hereby or under the Credit Agreement or to pay any premium in whole or part relating thereto, the Collateral Agent may, without waiving or releasing any obligation or liability of the Pledgors hereunder or any Event of Default, in its sole and absolute discretion, obtain and maintain such policies of insurance and pay such premium and take any other actions with respect thereto as the Collateral Agent reasonably deems advisable. All sums disbursed by the Collateral Agent in connection with this Section 4.03(n), including reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, expenses and other charges relating thereto, shall be payable, upon demand, by the Pledgors to the Collateral Agent and shall be additional Secured Obligations secured hereby.
Section 4.04 Other Actions. In order to further ensure the attachment, perfection and priority of, and the ability of the Collateral Agent to enforce, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, the Collateral Agent’s security interest in the Article 9 Collateral, each Pledgor agrees, in each case at such Pledgor’s own expense, to take the following actions with respect to the following Article 9 Collateral:
(a) Instruments and Tangible Chattel Paper. If any Pledgor shall at any time hold or acquire any Instruments (other than checks received and processed in the ordinary course of business) or Tangible Chattel Paper evidencing an amount in excess of $1.0 million, such Pledgor shall forthwith endorse, assign and deliver the same to the Collateral Agent, accompanied by instruments of transfer or assignment duly executed in blank.
25
(b) Investment Property. Except to the extent otherwise provided in Article III, if any Pledgor shall at any time hold or acquire any Certificated Security, such Pledgor shall forthwith endorse, assign and deliver the same to the Collateral Agent, accompanied by instruments of transfer or assignment duly executed in blank. If any security of a domestic issuer now owned or hereafter acquired by any Pledgor is uncertificated and is issued to such Pledgor or its nominee directly by the issuer thereof, such Pledgor shall promptly notify the Collateral Agent in writing of such uncertificated securities and (i) upon the Administrative Agent’s reasonable request or (ii) upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, such Pledgor shall, pursuant to an agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, either (x) cause the issuer to agree to comply with instructions from the Collateral Agent as to such security, without further consent of any Pledgor or such nominee, or (y) cause the issuer to register the Collateral Agent as the registered owner of such security. If any security or other Investment Property, whether certificated or uncertificated, representing an Equity Interest in a third party and having a fair market value in excess of $1.0 million now or hereafter acquired by any Pledgor is held by such Pledgor or its nominee through a securities intermediary or commodity intermediary, such Pledgor shall promptly notify the Collateral Agent thereof and, at the Collateral Agent’s request and option, pursuant to a Control Agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, either (A) cause such securities intermediary or commodity intermediary, as applicable, to agree, in the case of a securities intermediary, to comply with entitlement orders or other instructions from the Collateral Agent to such securities intermediary as to such securities or other Investment Property or, in the case of a commodity intermediary, to apply any value distributed on account of any commodity contract as directed by the Collateral Agent to such commodity intermediary, in each case without further consent of any Pledgor or such nominee, or (B) in the case of financial assets or other Investment Property held through a securities intermediary, arrange for the Collateral Agent to become the entitlement holder with respect to such Investment Property, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, with such Pledgor being permitted, only with the consent of the Collateral Agent, to exercise rights to withdraw or otherwise deal with such Investment Property. The Collateral Agent agrees with each of the Guarantors that the Collateral Agent shall not give any such entitlement orders or instructions or directions to any such issuer, securities intermediary or commodity intermediary, and shall not withhold its consent to the exercise of any withdrawal or dealing rights by any Pledgor, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or, after giving effect to any such withdrawal or dealing rights, would occur. The provisions of this paragraph (b) shall not apply to any financial assets credited to a Securities Account for which the Collateral Agent is the securities intermediary.
(c) Commercial Tort Claims. If any Pledgor shall at any time hold or acquire a Commercial Tort Claim in an amount reasonably estimated to exceed $1.0 million, such Pledgor shall promptly notify the Collateral Agent thereof in a writing signed by such Pledgor, including a summary description of such claim, and grant to the Collateral Agent in writing a security interest therein and in the proceeds thereof, all under the terms and provisions of this Agreement, with such writing to be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.
Section 4.05 Covenants Regarding Patent, Trademark and Copyright Collateral. Except as permitted by the Credit Agreement: (a) Each Pledgor agrees that it will not knowingly do any act or omit to do any act (and will exercise commercially reasonable efforts to prevent its licensees from doing any act or omitting to do any act) whereby any Patent that is material to the normal conduct of such Pledgor’s business may become prematurely invalidated, abandoned, lapsed or dedicated to the public, and agrees that it shall take commercially reasonable steps with respect to any material products covered by any such Patent as necessary and sufficient to establish and preserve its rights under applicable patent laws.
26
(b) Each Pledgor will, and will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its licensees or its sublicensees to, for each material Trademark necessary to the normal conduct of such Pledgor’s business, (i) maintain such Trademark in full force free from any adjudication of abandonment or invalidity for non-use, (ii) maintain the quality of products and services offered under such Trademark, (iii) display such Trademark with notice of federal or foreign registration or claim of trademark or service xxxx as required under applicable law and (iv) not knowingly use or knowingly permit its licensees’ use of such Trademark in violation of any third-party rights.
(c) Each Pledgor will, and will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its licensees and its sublicensees to, for each work covered by a material Copyright necessary to the normal conduct of such Pledgor’s business that it publishes, displays and distributes, use a copyright notice as necessary and sufficient to establish and preserve its rights under applicable copyright laws.
(d) Each Pledgor shall notify the Collateral Agent promptly if it knows that any Patent, Trademark or Copyright material to the normal conduct of such Pledgor’s business may imminently become abandoned, lapsed or dedicated to the public, or of any materially adverse determination or development, (excluding office actions and similar determinations or developments) in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, United States Copyright Office, any court or any similar office of any country, regarding such Pledgor’s ownership of any such material Patent, Trademark or Copyright or its right to register or to maintain the same.
(e) Each Pledgor, either itself or through any agent, employee, licensee or designee, shall (i) inform the Collateral Agent on an annual basis of each application by itself, or through any agent, employee, licensee or designee, for any Patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and each registration of any Trademark or Copyright with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or any comparable office or agency in any other country filed during the preceding twelve-month period, and (ii) upon the reasonable request of the Collateral Agent, execute and deliver any and all agreements, instruments, documents and papers as the Collateral Agent may reasonably request to evidence the Collateral Agent’s security interest in such Patent, Trademark or Copyright.
(f) Each Pledgor shall exercise its reasonable business judgment consistent with the practice in any proceeding before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or any comparable office or agency in any other country with respect to maintaining and pursuing each application relating to any Patent, Trademark and/or Copyright (and obtaining the relevant grant or registration) material to the normal conduct of such Pledgor’s business and to maintain (i) each issued Patent and (ii) the registrations of each Trademark and each Copyright that is material to the normal conduct of such Pledgor’s business, including, when applicable and necessary in such Pledgor’s reasonable business judgment, timely filings of applications for renewal, affidavits of use, affidavits of incontestability and payment of maintenance fees, and, if any Pledgor believes necessary in its reasonable business judgment, to initiate opposition, interference and cancellation proceedings against third parties.
(g) In the event that any Pledgor knows or has reason to know that any Article 9 Collateral consisting of a Patent, Trademark or Copyright material to the normal conduct of its business has been or is about to be materially infringed, misappropriated or diluted by a third party, such Pledgor shall promptly notify the Collateral Agent and shall, if such Pledgor deems it necessary in its reasonable business judgment, promptly xxx and recover any and all damages, and take such other actions as are reasonably appropriate under the circumstances.
27
ARTICLE V
Representations, Warranties and Covenants with respect to Transportation Equipment
The Pledgors jointly and severally represent, warrant and covenant to the Collateral Agent and the Secured Parties as follows:
Section 5.01 Representations and Warranties. Each Pledgor is the true, lawful, sole and exclusive owner of or otherwise has the right to use the Transportation Equipment of such Pledgor. All Transportation Equipment represented by a certificate of title that such Pledgor presently owns or uses in connection with its business is set forth on Schedule VII hereto (including the vehicle identification numbers, state or province of registration and (in the case of any such Transportation Equipment acquired after the Closing Date) the date of acquisition thereof). Upon (i) completion of the actions contemplated by Sections 5.02 below (which actions have been taken, if this representation and warranty is being made after the date by which such actions are required to have been taken pursuant to Section 5.02) and (ii) if required for perfection under the law of the relevant jurisdiction, receipt by the Collateral Agent of official notification from the applicable Governmental Authority of the perfection of the Security Interest in Transportation Equipment contemplated hereby, all filings, registrations, recordings and other actions shall have been taken such that Transportation Equipment constituting Collateral of the Pledgors shall be subject to the duly perfected Security Interest of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties. Such Security Interest shall be prior to any other Lien other than Permitted Liens.
Section 5.02 Perfection of Security Interests in Transportation Equipment Represented by a Certificate of Title. (a) With respect to Transportation Equipment constituting Collateral and owned by the Pledgors on the Closing Date, the Pledgors shall comply with Section 5.10(h) of the Credit Agreement. With respect to all Transportation Equipment constituting Collateral from time to time after the Closing Date acquired by any Pledgor and represented by a certificate of title, within 90 days (or such longer period as the Collateral Agent shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion) of the date of acquisition of such Transportation Equipment, each Pledgor shall (i) cause to be delivered to the applicable Governmental Authority a duly completed application, pay any applicable fees and take any other actions within its control necessary in order to cause the certificate of title for such Transportation Equipment at all times to be registered with the applicable Governmental Authority showing “Bank of America, N.A., as Collateral Agent” as first lienholder thereon in the manner prescribed in the applicable jurisdiction (and Bank of America in such capacity shall be the only first lienholder so registered), (ii) if necessary to perfect in any jurisdiction, cause the Lien of the Collateral Agent to be identified on a notice of lien or other filing made in the appropriate filing office in the applicable jurisdiction and pay all applicable fees in connection therewith, (iii) provide the Collateral Agent evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the taking of the actions referred to in preceding clauses (i) and (ii), and (iv) deliver the certificates of title for such Transportation Equipment to the Collateral Agent (or its sub-agent). Promptly following the receipt by any Pledgor of any document evidencing official notification from the applicable Governmental Authority of the perfection of the Security Interest in any Transportation equipment (and in any event within five Business Days thereof), such Pledgor shall deliver such notification to the Collateral Agent (or its sub-agent).
28
(b) Each Pledgor agrees to execute all documentation reasonably required to cause the registrations and filings with the applicable Governmental Authority referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section 5.02 to be accomplished within the periods specified therein. Each Pledgor hereby grants to the Collateral Agent an absolute power of attorney to sign, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, any document or instrument, and to make such filings, recordings and registrations, as may be required by the relevant Governmental Authority in order to effect an absolute assignment of all right, title and interest in any Transportation Equipment. Promptly following the acquisition by any Pledgor of any Transportation Equipment (and in any event within ten Business Days of such acquisition), such Pledgor shall deliver to the Collateral Agent such supplements to Schedule VII hereto as may be necessary to cause such Schedule to be complete and accurate at such time.
Section 5.03 Maintenance of Registration. Each Pledgor shall, at its own expense and in accordance with reasonable business practices, process all documents required by the relevant Governmental Authority to maintain vehicle registrations for all of its owned Transportation Equipment in all material respects.
Section 5.04 Remedies. If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the Collateral Agent may, by written notice to the relevant Pledgor, take any or all of the following actions: (i) declare the entire right, title and interest of such Pledgor in and to any Transportation Equipment constituting Collateral, vested in the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, in which event such rights, title and interest shall immediately vest, in the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and the Collateral Agent shall be entitled to exercise the power of attorney referred to in Section 5.02(b) to execute, cause to be acknowledged and notarized and to record said absolute assignment with the applicable Governmental Authority and (ii) subject to Section 6 hereof, take and use or sell the Transportation Equipment.
Section 5.05 Further Assurances. Each Pledgor will, at its own expense, make, execute, endorse, acknowledge, file and/or deliver to the Collateral Agent from time to time such lists, descriptions and designations of its owned Transportation Equipment, documents of title, schedules, confirmatory assignments, conveyances, financing statements, transfer endorsements, powers of attorney, certificates, reports and other assurances or instruments, and take such further steps relating to such Transportation Equipment constituting Collateral and other property or rights covered by the security interest hereby granted, which the Collateral Agent deems reasonably appropriate or advisable to perfect, preserve or protect its security interest in such Transportation Equipment.
29
ARTICLE VI
Remedies
Section 6.01 Remedies Upon Default. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Pledgor agrees to deliver each item of Collateral to the Collateral Agent on demand, and it is agreed that the Collateral Agent, in addition to any rights now or hereafter existing under applicable law and under the other provisions of this Agreement, shall have all rights as a secured creditor under the Uniform Commercial Code, and such other rights and remedies to which a secured creditor is entitled under the laws in effect in all relevant jurisdictions, and shall have the right to take any of or all the following actions at the same or different times: (a) with respect to any Article 9 Collateral consisting of Intellectual Property, on demand, to cause the Security Interest to become an assignment, transfer and conveyance of any of or all such Article 9 Collateral by the applicable Pledgors to the Collateral Agent or to license or sublicense, whether general, special or otherwise, and whether on an exclusive or a nonexclusive basis, any such Article 9 Collateral throughout the world on such terms and conditions and in such manner as the Collateral Agent shall determine (other than in violation of any then-existing licensing arrangements to the extent that waivers thereunder cannot be obtained with the use of commercially reasonable efforts, which each Pledgor hereby agrees to use), (b) with or without legal process (personally, or by agents or attorneys) and with or without prior notice or demand for performance, to take possession of the Article 9 Collateral and without liability for trespass to the applicable Pledgor, to enter any premises where the Article 9 Collateral may be located for the purpose of taking possession of or removing the Article 9 Collateral and, generally, to exercise any and all rights afforded to a secured party under the applicable Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Pledgor agrees that the Collateral Agent shall have the right, subject to the mandatory requirements of applicable law, to sell or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Collateral at a public or private sale or at any broker’s board or on any securities exchange, for cash, upon credit or for future delivery as the Collateral Agent shall deem appropriate. The Collateral Agent shall be authorized in connection with any sale of a security (if it deems it advisable to do so) pursuant to the foregoing to restrict the prospective bidders or purchasers to persons who represent and agree that they are purchasing such security for their own account, for investment, and not with a view to the distribution or sale thereof. Upon consummation of any such sale of Collateral pursuant to this Section 6.01, the Collateral Agent shall have the right to assign, transfer and deliver to the purchaser or purchasers thereof the Collateral so sold. Each such purchaser at any such sale shall hold the property sold absolutely, free from any claim or right on the part of any Pledgor, and each Pledgor hereby waives and releases (to the extent permitted by law) all rights of redemption, stay, valuation and appraisal that such Pledgor now has or may at any time in the future have under any rule of law or statute now existing or hereafter enacted.
30
The Collateral Agent shall, except in the case of Collateral that is perishable or threatens to decline speedily in value or is of a type customarily sold on a recognized market, give the applicable Pledgors 10 Business Days’ written notice (which each Pledgor agrees is reasonable notice within the meaning of Section 9-611 of the New York UCC or its equivalent in other jurisdictions) of the Collateral Agent’s intention to make any sale of Collateral. Such notice, in the case of a public sale, shall state the time and place for such sale and, in the case of a sale at a broker’s board or on a securities exchange, shall state the board or exchange at which such sale is to be made and the day on which the Collateral, or portion thereof, will first be offered for sale at such board or exchange. Any such public sale shall be held at such time or times within ordinary business hours and at such place or places as the Collateral Agent may fix and state in the notice (if any) of such sale. At any such sale, the Collateral, or the portion thereof, to be sold may be sold in one lot as an entirety or in separate parcels, as the Collateral Agent may in its sole and absolute discretion determine. The Collateral Agent shall not be obligated to make any sale of any Collateral if it shall determine not to do so, regardless of the fact that notice of sale of such Collateral shall have been given. The Collateral Agent may, without notice or publication, adjourn any public or private sale or cause the same to be adjourned from time to time by announcement at the time and place fixed for sale, and such sale may, without further notice, be made at the time and place to which the same was so adjourned. In the case of any sale of all or any part of the Collateral made on credit or for future delivery, the Collateral so sold may be retained by the Collateral Agent until the sale price is paid by the purchaser or purchasers thereof, but the Collateral Agent shall not incur any liability in the event that any such purchaser or purchasers shall fail to take up and pay for the Collateral so sold and, in the case of any such failure, such Collateral may be sold again upon notice given in accordance with provisions above. At any public (or, to the extent permitted by law, private) sale made pursuant to this Section 6.01, any Secured Party may bid for or purchase, free (to the extent permitted by law) from any right of redemption, stay, valuation or appraisal on the part of any Pledgor (all such rights being also hereby waived and released to the extent permitted by law), the Collateral or any part thereof offered for sale and may make payment on account thereof by using any claim then due and payable to such Secured Party from any Pledgor as a credit against the purchase price, and such Secured Party may, upon compliance with the terms of sale, hold, retain and dispose of such property in accordance with Section 6.02 hereof without further accountability to any Pledgor therefor. For purposes hereof, a written agreement to purchase the Collateral or any portion thereof shall be treated as a sale thereof; the Collateral Agent shall be free to carry out such sale pursuant to such agreement and no Pledgor shall be entitled to the return of the Collateral or any portion thereof subject thereto, notwithstanding the fact that after the Collateral Agent shall have entered into such an agreement all Events of Default shall have been remedied and the Secured Obligations paid in full. As an alternative to exercising the power of sale herein conferred upon it, the Collateral Agent may proceed by a suit or suits at law or in equity to foreclose this Agreement and to sell the Collateral or any portion thereof pursuant to a judgment or decree of a court or courts having competent jurisdiction or pursuant to a proceeding by a court-appointed receiver. Any sale pursuant to the provisions of this Section 6.01 shall be deemed to conform to the commercially reasonable standards as provided in Section 9-610(b) of the New York UCC or its equivalent in other jurisdictions.
Section 6.02 Application of Proceeds. The Collateral Agent shall promptly apply the proceeds, moneys or balances of any collection or sale of Collateral, as well as any Collateral consisting of cash, in the manner specified in the Credit Agreement.
The Collateral Agent shall have sole and absolute discretion as to the time of application of any such proceeds, moneys or balances in accordance with this Agreement. Upon any sale of Collateral by the Collateral Agent (including pursuant to a power of sale granted by statute or under a judicial proceeding), the receipt of the purchase money by the Collateral Agent or of the officer making the sale shall be a sufficient discharge to the purchaser or purchasers of the Collateral so sold and such purchaser or purchasers shall not be obligated to see to the application of any part of the purchase money paid over to the Collateral Agent or such officer or be answerable in any way for the misapplication thereof.
31
Section 6.03 Securities Act, Etc. In view of the position of the Pledgors in relation to the Pledged Collateral, or because of other current or future circumstances, a question may arise under the Securities Act of 1933, as now or hereafter in effect, or any similar federal statute hereafter enacted analogous in purpose or effect (such Act and any such similar statute as from time to time in effect being called the “Federal Securities Laws”) with respect to any disposition of the Pledged Collateral permitted hereunder. Each Pledgor understands that compliance with the Federal Securities Laws might very strictly limit the course of conduct of the Collateral Agent if the Collateral Agent were to attempt to dispose of all or any part of the Pledged Collateral, and might also limit the extent to which or the manner in which any subsequent transferee of any Pledged Collateral could dispose of the same. Similarly, there may be other legal restrictions or limitations affecting the Collateral Agent in any attempt to dispose of all or part of the Pledged Collateral under applicable Blue Sky or other state securities laws or similar laws analogous in purpose or effect. Each Pledgor acknowledges and agrees that in light of such restrictions and limitations, the Collateral Agent, in its sole and absolute discretion, (a) may proceed to make such a sale whether or not a registration statement for the purpose of registering such Pledged Collateral or part thereof shall have been filed under the Federal Securities Laws or, to the extent applicable, Blue Sky or other state securities laws and (b) may approach and negotiate with a single potential purchaser to effect such sale. Each Pledgor acknowledges and agrees that any such sale might result in prices and other terms less favorable to the seller than if such sale were a public sale without such restrictions. In the event of any such sale, the Collateral Agent shall incur no responsibility or liability for selling all or any part of the Pledged Collateral at a price that the Collateral Agent, in its sole and absolute discretion, may in good xxxxx xxxx reasonable under the circumstances, notwithstanding the possibility that a substantially higher price might have been realized if the sale were deferred until after registration as aforesaid or if more than a single purchaser were approached. The provisions of this Section 6.03 will apply notwithstanding the existence of a public or private market upon which the quotations or sales prices may exceed substantially the price at which the Collateral Agent sells.
Section 6.04 Remedies Cumulative. Each and every right, power and remedy hereby specifically given to the Collateral Agent shall be in addition to every other right, power and remedy specifically given to the Collateral Agent under this Agreement, the other Security Documents or now or hereafter existing at law, in equity or by statute and each and every right, power and remedy whether specifically herein given or otherwise existing may be exercised from time to time or simultaneously and as often and in such order as may be deemed expedient by the Collateral Agent. All such rights, powers and remedies shall be cumulative and the exercise or the beginning of the exercise of one shall not be deemed a waiver of the right to exercise any other or others. No delay or omission of the Collateral Agent in the exercise of any such right, power or remedy and no renewal or extension of any of the Secured Obligations shall impair any such right, power or remedy or shall be construed to be a waiver of any Default or Event of Default or an acquiescence thereof. No notice to or demand on any Pledgor in any case shall entitle it to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances or constitute a waiver of any of the rights of the Collateral Agent to any other or further action in any circumstances without notice or demand. In the event that the Collateral Agent shall bring any suit to enforce any of its rights hereunder and shall be entitled to judgment, then in such suit the Collateral Agent may recover reasonable expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, and the amounts thereof shall be included in such judgment.
32
Section 6.05 Discontinuance of Proceedings. In case the Collateral Agent shall have instituted any proceeding to enforce any right, power or remedy under this Agreement by foreclosure, sale, entry or otherwise, and such proceeding shall have been discontinued or abandoned for any reason or shall have been determined adversely to the Collateral Agent, then and in every such case the relevant Pledgor, the Collateral Agent and each holder of any of the Secured Obligations shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder with respect to the Collateral subject to the security interest created under this Agreement, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Collateral Agent shall continue as if no such proceeding had been instituted.
ARTICLE VII
[Reserved]
ARTICLE VIII
Indemnity, Subrogation and Subordination
Section 8.01 Indemnity. In addition to all such rights of indemnity and subrogation as the Guarantors may have under applicable law (but subject to Section 9.03 hereof), the Borrower agrees that (a) in the event a payment shall be made by any Guarantor under this Agreement in respect of any Secured Obligation of the Borrower, the Borrower shall indemnify such Guarantor for the full amount of such payment and such Guarantor shall be subrogated to the rights of the person to whom such payment shall have been made to the extent of such payment and (b) in the event any assets of any Guarantor shall be sold pursuant to this Agreement or any other Security Document to satisfy in whole or in part an Secured Obligation of the Borrower, the Borrower shall indemnify such Guarantor in an amount equal to the greater of the book value or the fair market value of the assets so sold. Any amounts paid by any Indemnitee as to which such Indemnitee has the right to reimbursement shall constitute Secured Obligations secured by the Collateral. The indemnity obligations of each Pledgor contained in this Article VIII shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding the full payment of all the Notes issued under the Credit Agreement, the termination of all Swap Agreements giving rise to Secured Swap Obligations and all Letters of Credit, and the payment of all other Secured Obligations and notwithstanding the discharge thereof.
Section 8.02 Contribution and Subrogation. Each Guarantor (other than Holdings) (a “Contributing Guarantor”) agrees (subject to Section 9.03 hereof) that, in the event a payment shall be made by any other Guarantor (other than Holdings) hereunder in respect of any Secured Obligation or assets of any other Guarantor (other than Holdings and the Borrower) shall be sold pursuant to any Security Document to satisfy any Secured Obligation owed to any Secured Party and such other Guarantor (the “Claiming Guarantor”) shall not have been fully indemnified by the Borrower as provided in Section 9.01 hereof, the Contributing Guarantor shall indemnify the Claiming Guarantor in an amount equal to the amount of such payment or the greater of the book value or the fair market value of such assets, as applicable, in each case multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the net worth of such Contributing Guarantor on the date hereof and the denominator shall be the aggregate net worth of all the Guarantors on the date hereof (or, in the case of any Guarantor becoming a party hereto pursuant to Section 9.16 hereof, the date of the supplement hereto executed and delivered by such Guarantor). Any Contributing Guarantor making any payment to a Claiming Guarantor pursuant to this Section 8.02 shall be subrogated to the rights of such Claiming Guarantor under Section 8.01 hereof to the extent of such payment.
33
Section 8.03 Subordination. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, all rights of the Guarantors under Sections 8.01 and 8.02 hereof and all other rights of indemnity, contribution or subrogation of the Guarantors under applicable law or otherwise shall be fully subordinated to the payment in full in cash or immediately available funds of the Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnity or expense reimbursement obligations in respect of which no claim has been made). No failure on the part of the Borrower or any Guarantor to make the payments required by Sections 8.01 and 8.02 hereof (or any other payments required under applicable law or otherwise) shall in any respect limit the obligations and liabilities of the Borrower with respect to the Secured Obligations or any Guarantor with respect to its obligations hereunder, and the Borrower shall remain liable for the full amount of the Secured Obligations and each Guarantor shall remain liable for the full amount of its obligations hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Guarantor hereby agrees with the Secured Parties that it will not exercise any right of subrogation which it may at any time otherwise have as a result of this Agreement (whether contractual, under Section 509 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or otherwise) until all Secured Obligations have been irrevocably paid in full in cash; provided, that if any amount shall be paid to such Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time prior to the irrevocable payment in full in cash of all the Secured Obligations, such amount shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Secured Parties and shall forthwith be paid to the Secured Parties to be credited and applied upon the Secured Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents or, if the Loan Documents do not provide for the application of such amount, to be held by the Secured Parties as collateral security for any Secured Obligations thereafter existing
(b) The Borrower and each Guarantor hereby agree that all Indebtedness and other monetary obligations owed by it to the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any Subsidiary shall be fully subordinated to the payment in full in cash or immediately available funds of the Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnity or expense reimbursement obligations in respect of which no claim has been made).
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
Section 9.01 Notices. All communications and notices hereunder shall (except as otherwise permitted herein) be in writing and given as provided in Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement. All communications and notices hereunder to any Subsidiary Party shall be given to it in care of the Borrower, with such notice to be given as provided in Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement.
34
Section 9.02 Security Interest Absolute. All rights of the Collateral Agent hereunder, the Security Interest in the Article 9 Collateral, the security interest in the Pledged Collateral and all obligations of each Pledgor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of (a) any lack of validity or enforceability of the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document, any agreement with respect to any of the Secured Obligations or any other agreement or instrument relating to any of the foregoing, (b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Secured Obligations, or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to any departure from the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement or instrument, (c) any exchange, release or non-perfection of any Lien on other collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent under or departure from any guarantee, securing or guaranteeing all or any of the Secured Obligations or (d) any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Pledgor in respect of the Secured Obligations or this Agreement (other than a defense of payment or performance).
Section 9.03 Limitation By Law. All rights, remedies and powers provided in this Agreement may be exercised only to the extent that the exercise thereof does not violate any applicable provision of law, and all the provisions of this Agreement are intended to be subject to all applicable mandatory provisions of law that may be controlling and to be limited to the extent necessary so that they shall not render this Agreement invalid, unenforceable, in whole or in part, or not entitled to be recorded, registered or filed under the provisions of any applicable law.
Section 9.04 Binding Effect; Several Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as to any party to this Agreement when a counterpart hereof executed on behalf of such party shall have been delivered to the Administrative Agent and a counterpart hereof shall have been executed on behalf of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, and thereafter shall be binding upon such party, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of such party, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns, except that no party shall have the right to assign or transfer its rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein or in the Collateral (and any such assignment or transfer shall be void) except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or the Credit Agreement. This Agreement shall be construed as a separate agreement with respect to each party and may be amended, modified, supplemented, waived or released with respect to any party without the approval of any other party and without affecting the obligations of any other party hereunder.
Section 9.05 Successors and Assigns. Whenever in this Agreement any of the parties hereto is referred to, such reference shall be deemed to include the permitted successors and assigns of such party; and all covenants, promises and agreements by or on behalf of any Pledgor, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent that are contained in this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective permitted successors and assigns; provided that no Pledgor may assign, transfer or delegate any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent. The Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, hereunder shall at all times be the same person that is the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, under the Credit Agreement. Written notice of resignation by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, pursuant to the Credit Agreement shall also constitute notice of resignation as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, under this Agreement. Upon the acceptance of any appointment as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as the case may be, under the Credit Agreement by a successor Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, that successor Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, shall thereupon succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as the case may be, pursuant hereto.
35
Section 9.06 Administrative Agent’s and Collateral Agent’s Fees and Expenses; Indemnification. (a) The parties hereto agree that the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall be entitled to reimbursement of its expenses incurred hereunder as provided in Section 9.05 of the Credit Agreement.
(b) Without limitation of its indemnification obligations under the other Loan Documents, each Pledgor jointly and severally agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the other Indemnitees (as defined in Section 9.05 of the Credit Agreement) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including reasonable counsel fees, charges and disbursements, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, (i) the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto and thereto of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions and other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) the use of proceeds of the Loans or the use of any Letter of Credit or (iii) any claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, or to the Collateral, whether or not any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.
(c) Any such amounts payable as provided hereunder shall be additional Secured Obligations secured hereby and by the other Security Documents. The provisions of this Section 9.06 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of any of the Secured Obligations, the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party. All amounts due under this Section 9.06 shall be payable on written demand therefor.
36
Section 9.07 Collateral Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact; Duty of Collateral Agent. (a) Each Pledgor hereby appoints the Collateral Agent the attorney-in-fact of such Pledgor for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Agreement and taking any action and executing any instrument that the Collateral Agent may deem necessary or advisable to accomplish the purposes hereof, which appointment is irrevocable and coupled with an interest. The Collateral Agent shall have the right, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, with full power of substitution either in the Collateral Agent’s name or in the name of such Pledgor, (a) to receive, endorse, assign or deliver any and all notes, acceptances, checks, drafts, money orders or other evidences of payment relating to the Collateral or any part thereof, (b) to demand, collect, receive payment of, give receipt for and give discharges and releases of all or any of the Collateral, (c) to ask for, demand, xxx for, collect, receive and give acquittance for any and all moneys due or to become due under and by virtue of any Collateral, (d) to sign the name of any Pledgor on any invoice or xxxx of lading relating to any of the Collateral, (e) to send verifications of Accounts to any Account Debtor, (f) to commence and prosecute any and all suits, actions or proceedings at law or in equity in any court of competent jurisdiction to collect or otherwise realize on all or any of the Collateral or to enforce any rights in respect of any Collateral, (g) to settle, compromise, compound, adjust or defend any actions, suits or proceedings relating to all or any of the Collateral, (h) to notify, or to require any Pledgor to notify, Account Debtors to make payment directly to the Collateral Agent, and (i) to use, sell, assign, transfer, pledge, make any agreement with respect to or otherwise deal with all or any of the Collateral, and to do all other acts and things necessary to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, as fully and completely as though the Collateral Agent were the absolute owner of the Collateral for all purposes; provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed as requiring or obligating the Collateral Agent to make any commitment or to make any inquiry as to the nature or sufficiency of any payment received by the Collateral Agent, or to present or file any claim or notice, or to take any action with respect to the Collateral or any part thereof or the moneys due or to become due in respect thereof or any property covered thereby.
(b) The Collateral Agent’s sole duty with respect to the custody, safekeeping and physical preservation of the Collateral in its possession, under Section 9-207 of the New York UCC or otherwise, shall be to deal with it in the same manner as the Collateral Agent deals with similar property for its own account. Neither the Collateral Agent, nor any other Secured Party nor any of their respective officers, directors, partners, employees, agents, attorneys and other advisors, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates shall be liable for failure to demand, collect or realize upon any of the Collateral or for any delay in doing so or shall be under any obligation to sell or otherwise dispose of any Collateral upon the request of any Pledgor or any other person or to take any other action whatsoever with regard to the Collateral or any part thereof. The powers conferred on the Secured Parties hereunder are solely to protect the Secured Parties’ interests in the Collateral and shall not impose any duty upon any Secured Party to exercise any such powers. The Secured Parties shall be accountable only for amounts that they actually receive as a result of the exercise of such powers, and neither they nor any of their officers, directors, partners, employees, agents, attorneys and other advisors, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates shall be responsible to any Pledgor for any act or failure to act hereunder, except to the extent that any such act or failure to act is found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted primarily from their own gross negligence or willful misconduct in breach of a duty owed to such Pledgor.
Section 9.08 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
37
Section 9.09 Waivers; Amendment. (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent any Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right, power or remedy hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or remedy, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right, power or remedy, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy. The rights, powers and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights, powers or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section 9.09, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or the issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default or Event of Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default or Event of Default at the time. No notice or demand on any Loan Party in any case shall entitle any Loan Party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties with respect to which such waiver, amendment or modification is to apply, subject to any consent required in accordance with Section 9.08 of the Credit Agreement.
Section 9.10 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS. EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 9.10.
Section 9.11 Severability. In the event any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and therein shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. The parties shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.
Section 9.12 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original but all of which when taken together shall constitute but one contract, and shall become effective as provided in Section 9.04 hereof. Delivery of an executed counterpart to this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed original.
38
Section 9.13 Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and are not to affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
Section 9.14 Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. (a) Each party to this Agreement hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court or federal court of the United States of America sitting in New York City, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent any Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any Pledgor, or its properties, in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(b) Each party to this Agreement hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any New York State or federal court. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
Section 9.15 Termination or Release. (a) This Agreement, the guarantees made herein, the pledges made herein, the Security Interest and all other security interests granted hereby shall terminate when (i) all the Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnity or expense reimbursement obligations in respect of which no claim has been made) have been paid in full in cash or immediately available funds, (ii) the Lenders have no further commitment to lend under the Credit Agreement, (iii) the L/C Exposure has been reduced to zero and each Issuing Bank has no further obligations to issue Letters of Credit under the Credit Agreement and (iv) all Swap Agreements relating to Secured Swap Obligations have been terminated.
(b) A Subsidiary Party shall automatically be released from its obligations hereunder and the security interests in the Collateral of such Subsidiary Party shall be automatically released upon the consummation of any transaction permitted by the Credit Agreement as a result of which such Subsidiary Party ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Borrower or otherwise ceases to be a Guarantor; provided that such portion of the Lenders as shall be required by the terms of the Credit Agreement to have consented to such transaction (to the extent such consent is required by the Credit Agreement) shall have consented thereto and the terms of such consent did not provide otherwise.
(c) Upon any sale or other transfer by any Pledgor of any Collateral that is permitted under the Credit Agreement to any person that is not a Pledgor, or upon the effectiveness of any written consent to the release of the security interest granted hereby in any Collateral pursuant to Section 9.08 of the Credit Agreement, the security interest in such Collateral shall be automatically released.
39
(d) In connection with any termination or release pursuant to paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 9.15, the Collateral Agent shall execute and deliver to any Pledgor, at such Pledgor’s expense, all documents that such Pledgor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release (including, without limitation, UCC termination statements) and will duly assign and transfer to such Pledgor such of the Pledged Collateral that may be in the possession of the Collateral Agent and has not theretofore been sold or otherwise applied or released pursuant to this Agreement; provided that the Collateral Agent shall not be required to take any action under this Section 9.15(d) unless such Pledgor shall have delivered to the Collateral Agent together with such request, which may be incorporated into such request, (i) a reasonably detailed description of the Collateral, which in any event shall be sufficient to effect the appropriate termination or release without affecting any other Collateral, and (ii) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower or such Pledgor certifying that the transaction giving rise to such termination or release is permitted by the Credit Agreement and was consummated in compliance with the Loan Documents. Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this Section 9.15 shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Collateral Agent.
Section 9.16 Additional Subsidiaries. Upon execution and delivery by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and any Subsidiary that is required to become a party hereto by Section 5.10 of the Credit Agreement of an instrument in the form of Exhibit I hereto, such Subsidiary shall become a Subsidiary Party hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Subsidiary Party herein. The execution and delivery of any such instrument shall not require the consent of any other party to this Agreement. The rights and obligations of each party to this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new party to this Agreement.
Section 9.17 Right of Set-off. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Secured Party is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set-off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time owing by such Secured Party to or for the credit or the account of any party to this Agreement against any of and all the obligations of such party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement owed to such Secured Party, irrespective of whether or not Secured Party shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Secured Party under this Section 9.17 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of set-off) that such Secured Party may have.
[Signature Page Follows]
40
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
QUALITY DISTRIBUTION, INC. QUALITY DISTRIBUTION, LLC AMERICAN TRANSINSURANCE GROUP, INC. BOASSO AMERICA CORPORATION CHEMICAL XXXXXX CORPORATION MEXICO INVESTMENTS, INC. POWER PURCHASING, INC. QC DRY BULK, LLC QC ENERGY RESOURCES, INC. QC ENERGY RESOURCES, LLC QD CAPITAL CORPORATION QD RISK SERVICES, INC. QUALA SYSTEMS, INC. QUALITY CARRIERS, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxx | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
S-1
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx DiCicro | |
Name: | Xxxxxxx DiCicro | |
Title: | Vice President |
S-2