EXHIBIT 2.4
EXECUTION COPY
PLEDGE AGREEMENT dated as of September 29, 1998, among PSINET INC., a New
York corporation (the "Borrower"), each subsidiary of the Borrower listed on
Schedule I hereto (the "Subsidiary Pledgors", and together with the Borrower,
the "Pledgors") and THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, a New York banking corporation
("Chase"), as collateral agent (in such capacity, the "Collateral Agent") for
the Secured Parties (as defined in the Credit Agreement referred to below).
Reference is made to (a) the Credit Agreement dated as of September 29,
1998 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the
"Credit Agreement"), among the Borrower, the lenders from time to time party
thereto (the "Lenders"), Chase, as administrative agent for the Lenders, Fleet
National Bank, as Syndication Agent and The Bank of New York, as Documentation
Agent, and (b) the Guarantee Agreement dated as of September 29, 1998 (as
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Guarantee
Agreement") among the Pledgors and the Collateral Agent.
The Lenders have agreed to make Loans to the Borrower and the Issuing Bank
has agreed to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower, pursuant
to, and upon the terms and subject to the conditions specified in, the Credit
Agreement. The Guarantors have agreed to guarantee, among other things, all the
obligations of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement. The obligations of the
Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit are
conditioned upon, among other things, the execution and delivery by the Pledgors
of a Pledge Agreement in the form hereof to secure (a) the due and punctual
payment by the Borrower of (i) the principal of and premium, if any, 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, 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 and
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obligations to provide cash collateral and (iii) all other monetary obligations,
including fees, costs, expenses and indemnities, 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), of
the Loan Parties to the Secured Parties under the Credit Agreement and the other
Loan Documents, (b) the due and punctual performance of all covenants,
agreements, obligations and liabilities of the Loan Parties under or pursuant to
the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (c) unless otherwise agreed
upon in writing by the applicable Lender party thereto, the due and punctual
payment and performance of all obligations of the Borrower, monetary or
otherwise under each Hedging Agreement entered into with a counterparty that was
a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Hedging Agreement was
entered into and (d) each payment required to be made in respect of any non-
dollar denominated letters of credit issued for the account of the Borrower by
Fleet National Bank, when and as due, including payments in respect of
reimbursement of disbursements, interest thereon and obligations to provide cash
collateral (all the monetary and other obligations referred to in the preceding
clauses (a) through (d) being referred to collectively as the "Obligations").
Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have meanings
assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.
Accordingly, the Pledgors and the Collateral Agent, on behalf of
itself and each Secured Party (and each of their respective successors or
assigns), hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Pledge. As security for the payment and performance, as
the case may be, in full of the Obligations, each Pledgor hereby transfers,
grants, bargains, sells, conveys, hypothecates, pledges, sets over and delivers
unto the Collateral Agent, its successors and assigns, and hereby grants to the
Collateral Agent, its successors and assigns, for the ratable benefit of the
Secured Parties, a security interest in all of the Pledgor's right, title and
interest in, to and under (a) all shares of capital stock, membership interests
or other equity interests owned by it, all of which are listed on Schedule II
hereto, and any shares of capital stock, membership interests or other equity
interests obtained in the future by the Pledgor and the certificates
representing all such shares, membership interests or other equity interests
(the "Pledged
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Stock"); provided that the pledged interests shall not include (i) more than 65%
of the issued and outstanding shares of stock of any first-tier Foreign
Subsidiary or (ii) to the extent that applicable law requires that a Subsidiary
of the Pledgor issue directors' qualifying shares, such qualifying shares;
(b)(i) all debt securities owned by it, all of which are listed opposite the
name of the Pledgor on Schedule II hereto, (ii) any debt securities in the
future issued to the Pledgor and (iii) the promissory notes and any other
instruments evidencing such debt securities (the "Pledged Debt Securities"); (c)
all other property that may be delivered to and held by the Collateral Agent
pursuant to the terms hereof; (d) subject to Section 5, 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 the securities referred to in clauses (a)
and (b) above; (e) subject to Section 5, all rights and privileges of the
Pledgor with respect to the securities and other property referred to in clauses
(a), (b), (c) and (d) above; and (f) all proceeds of any of the foregoing (the
items referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above being collectively referred
to as the "Collateral"). Upon delivery to the Collateral Agent, (a) any stock
certificates, notes or other securities now or hereafter included in the
Collateral (the "Pledged Securities") shall be accompanied by stock powers duly
executed in blank or other instruments of transfer satisfactory to the
Collateral Agent and by such other instruments and documents as the Collateral
Agent may reasonably request in order to give effect to the pledge granted
hereby and (b) all other property comprising part of the Collateral shall be
accompanied by proper instruments of assignment duly executed by the applicable
Pledgor and such other instruments or documents as the Collateral Agent may
reasonably request in order to give effect to the pledge granted hereby. Each
delivery of Pledged Securities shall be accompanied by a schedule describing the
securities theretofore and then being pledged hereunder, which schedule shall be
attached hereto as Schedule II and made a part hereof. Each schedule so
delivered shall supersede any prior schedules so delivered. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall the Collateral (as defined in
this Agreement) include, nor shall this Agreement be applicable to, any
"Collateral" as such term is defined in the Interest Escrow Agreement, dated as
of April 13, 1998, between Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent and Trustee
and the Pledgor, as amended
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(except that no amendment shall be made to the definition of "Collateral" as
defined therein on the date hereof).
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the Collateral, together with all right, title,
interest, powers, privileges and preferences pertaining or incidental thereto,
unto the Collateral Agent, its successors and assigns, for the ratable benefit
of the Secured Parties, forever; subject, however, to the terms, covenants and
conditions hereinafter set forth.
SECTION 2. Delivery of the Collateral. (a) Each Pledgor agrees promptly to
deliver or cause to be delivered to the Collateral Agent any and all Pledged
Securities (other than Permitted Investments held through a Securities
Intermediary (as defined in the Security Agreement attached as Exhibit E to the
Credit Agreement) and other than Pledged Debt Securities existing on the date
hereof), and any and all certificates or other instruments or documents
representing the Collateral.
(b) Each Pledgor will cause any Indebtedness for borrowed money owed to
the Pledgor by any Person (other than Permitted Investments held through a
Securities Intermediary and other than Indebtedness between the Borrower and a
Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries existing on the date hereof) to be evidenced
by a duly executed promissory note, bond, debenture or similar instrument that
is pledged and delivered to the Collateral Agent pursuant to the terms thereof.
SECTION 3. Representations, Warranties and Covenants. Each Pledgor
hereby represents, warrants and covenants, as to itself and the Collateral
pledged by it hereunder, to and with the Collateral Agent that as of the
Effective Date:
(a) the Pledged Stock represents that percentage as set forth on
Schedule II of the issued and outstanding shares of each class of the
capital stock of the issuer with respect thereto;
(b) except for the security interest granted hereunder, the Pledgor
(i) is and will at all times continue to be (until the maturity thereof in
the case of debt securities) the direct owner, beneficially and of record,
of the Pledged Securities indicated on Schedule II (unless (x) such Pledged
Securities are transferred to another Pledgor in a transaction permitted by
Section 6.04
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or 6.06 of the Credit Agreement and pledged by such Pledgor to the
Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to Section
1 of this Pledge Agreement or (y) such Pledged Securities are transferred
to someone other than a Pledgor in a transfer permitted by Section 6.06 of
the Credit Agreement), (ii) holds the same free and clear of all 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
Collateral, other than pursuant hereto and except for assignments and
transfers described in the parenthetical in (i) above, and (iv) subject to
Section 5, will cause any and all Collateral (other than Permitted
Investments held through a Securities Intermediary), whether for value paid
by the Pledgor or otherwise, to be forthwith deposited with the Collateral
Agent and pledged or assigned hereunder;
(c) the Pledgor (i) has the power and authority to pledge the
Collateral in the manner hereby done or contemplated and (ii) will defend
its title or interest thereto or therein against any and all Liens (other
than the Lien created by this Agreement), however arising, of all Persons
whomsoever;
(d) except for such consents and approvals as have been obtained and
are in full force and effect, no consent of any other Person (including
stockholders or creditors of any Pledgor) and no consent or approval of any
Governmental Authority or any securities exchange was or is necessary to
the validity of the pledge effected hereby;
(e) by virtue of the execution and delivery by the Pledgors of this
Agreement, (i) when the Pledged Securities (other than Permitted
Investments made through a Securities Intermediary), certificates or other
documents representing or evidencing the Collateral are delivered to, and
continue to be in the possession of, the Collateral Agent in accordance
with this Agreement, the Collateral Agent will have, a valid and perfected
first lien upon and security interest in such Pledged Securities (other
than Permitted Investments made through a Securities Intermediary) as
security for the payment and performance of the Obligations and (ii) when
any Securities Intermediary through which Permitted Investments are held
enters into an agreement to comply with instructions originated by the
Collateral Agent
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with respect to such Permitted Investments without further consent from the
Borrower or any Subsidiary, the Collateral Agent will have a valid and
perfected first lien upon and security interest in such Permitted
Investments as security for the payment and performance of the Obligations;
(f) the pledge effected hereby is effective to vest in the Collateral
Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, the rights of the Collateral Agent
in the Collateral as set forth herein;
(g) all of the Pledged Stock has been duly authorized and validly
issued and is fully paid and nonassessable;
(h) all information set forth herein relating to the Pledged Stock is
accurate and complete in all material respects as of the date hereof; and
(i) the pledge of the Pledged Stock pursuant to this Agreement does
not violate Regulation U or X of the Federal Reserve Board or any successor
thereto as of the date hereof.
SECTION 4. 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 its own name as pledgee,
the name of its nominee (as pledgee or as sub-agent) or the name of the
Pledgors, endorsed or assigned in blank or in favor of the Collateral Agent.
Each Pledgor will promptly give to the Collateral Agent copies of any material
notices or other communications received by it with respect to Pledged
Securities registered in the name of such Pledgor. The Collateral Agent shall at
all times have the right to exchange the certificates representing Pledged
Securities for certificates of smaller or larger denominations for any purpose
consistent with this Agreement.
SECTION 5. Voting Rights; Dividends and Interest, etc. (a) Unless and
until an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing:
(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
Securities or any part
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thereof for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, the
Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided, however, that such
Pledgor will not be entitled to exercise any such right if the result
thereof could materially and adversely affect the rights inuring to a
holder of the Pledged Securities or the rights and remedies of any of the
Secured Parties under this Agreement or the Credit Agreement or any other
Loan Document or the ability of the Secured Parties to exercise the same.
(ii) The Collateral Agent shall execute and deliver to each Pledgor,
or cause to be executed and delivered to each 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 and to receive the cash dividends it is entitled to
receive pursuant to subparagraph (iii) below.
(iii) Each Pledgor shall be entitled to receive and retain any and all
cash dividends, interest and principal paid on the Pledged Securities to
the extent and only to the extent that such cash dividends, interest and
principal are permitted by, and otherwise paid in accordance with, the
terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents and
applicable laws. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, all noncash dividends, interest and principal, and all
dividends, interest and principal paid or payable in cash or otherwise in
connection with a partial or total liquidation or dissolution, return of
capital, capital surplus or paid-in surplus, and all other distributions
(other than distributions referred to in the preceding sentence) made on or
in respect of the Pledged Securities, whether paid or payable in cash or
otherwise, whether resulting from a subdivision, combination or
reclassification of the outstanding capital stock of the issuer of any
Pledged Securities or received in exchange for Pledged Securities or any
part thereof, or in redemption thereof, or as a result of any merger,
consolidation, acquisition or other exchange of assets to which such issuer
may be a party or otherwise, shall be and become part of the Collateral,
and, if received by any Pledgor, shall not be commingled by such Pledgor
with any of its other funds or property but shall
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be held separate and apart therefrom, shall be held in trust for the
benefit of the Collateral Agent and shall be forthwith delivered to the
Collateral Agent in the same form as so received (with any necessary
endorsement).
(b) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default,
all rights of any Pledgor to dividends, interest or principal that such Pledgor
is authorized to receive pursuant to paragraph (a)(iii) above shall cease, and
all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Collateral Agent, which
shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to receive and retain such
dividends, interest or principal. All dividends, interest or principal received
by the Pledgor contrary to the provisions of this Section 5 shall be held in
trust for the benefit of the Collateral Agent, shall be segregated from other
property or funds of such Pledgor and shall be forthwith delivered to the
Collateral Agent upon demand in the same form as so received (with any necessary
endorsement). 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 7. After all Events of
Default have been cured or waived, the Collateral Agent shall, within five
Business Days after all such Events of Default have been cured or waived, repay
to each Pledgor all cash dividends, interest or principal (without interest),
that such Pledgor would otherwise be permitted to retain pursuant to the terms
of paragraph (a)(iii) above and which remain in such account.
(c) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default,
all rights of any Pledgor to exercise the voting and consensual rights and
powers it is entitled to exercise pursuant to paragraph (a)(i) of this Section
5, and the obligations of the Collateral Agent under paragraph (a)(ii) of this
Section 5, shall cease, and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the
Collateral Agent, which shall have the sole and exclusive right and authority to
exercise such voting and consensual rights and powers in a manner not
inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement, 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
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exercise such rights. After all Events of Default have been cured or waived,
such Pledgor will have the right to exercise the voting and consensual rights
and powers that it would otherwise be entitled to exercise pursuant to the terms
of paragraph (a)(i) above.
SECTION 6. Remedies upon Default. Upon the occurrence and during the
continuance of an Event of Default, subject to applicable regulatory and legal
requirements, the Collateral Agent may sell the Collateral, or any part thereof,
at 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 subject to applicable law and standards of commercial
reasonableness. The Collateral Agent shall be authorized at any such sale (if
it deems it advisable to do so) to restrict the prospective bidders or
purchasers to Persons who will represent and agree that they are purchasing the
Collateral for their own account for investment and not with a view to the
distribution or sale thereof, and upon consummation of any such sale 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, to the extent permitted by applicable
law, the Pledgors hereby waive all rights of redemption, stay, valuation and
appraisal any Pledgor now has or may at any time in the future have under any
rule of law or statute now existing or hereafter enacted.
The Collateral Agent shall give a Pledgor 10 days' prior written notice
(which each Pledgor agrees is reasonable notice within the meaning of Section 9-
504(3) of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York or
its equivalent in other jurisdictions) of the Collateral Agent's intention to
make any sale of such Pledgor's 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 of such sale. At any such sale, the Collateral, or portion thereof, to
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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 case any sale of all or any part of the
Collateral is made on credit or for future delivery, the Collateral so sold may
be retained by the Collateral Agent until the sale price is paid in full by the
purchaser or purchasers thereof, but the Collateral Agent shall not incur any
liability in case any such purchaser or purchasers shall fail to take up and pay
for the Collateral so sold and, in case of any such failure, such Collateral may
be sold again upon like notice. For purposes hereof, (a) a written agreement to
purchase the Collateral or any portion thereof shall be treated as a sale
thereof, (b) the Collateral Agent shall be free to carry out such sale pursuant
to such agreement and (c) such Pledgor shall not 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 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
upon the Collateral 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 shall be deemed to conform to the commercially
reasonable standards as provided in Section 9-504(3) of the Uniform Commercial
Code as in effect in the State of New York or its equivalent in other
jurisdictions.
SECTION 7. Application of Proceeds of Sale. The proceeds of any sale of
Collateral pursuant to Section 6, as well as any Collateral consisting of cash,
shall be applied promptly by the Collateral Agent after receipt thereof as
follows:
FIRST, to the payment of all costs and expenses incurred by the
Collateral Agent in connection with such
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sale or otherwise in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan
Document or any of the Obligations, including all court costs and the
reasonable fees and expenses of its agents and legal counsel, the repayment
of all advances made by the Collateral Agent hereunder or under any other
Loan Document on behalf of any Pledgor and any other costs or expenses
incurred in connection with the exercise of any right or remedy hereunder
or under any other Loan Document;
SECOND, to the payment in full of the Obligations (the amounts so
applied to be distributed among the Secured Parties pro rata in accordance
with the amounts of the Obligations owed to them on the date of any such
distribution); and
THIRD, to the Pledgors, their successors or assigns, or as a court of
competent jurisdiction may otherwise direct.
The Collateral Agent shall have absolute discretion as to the time of
application of any such proceeds, moneys or balances in accordance with this
Agreement. Upon any sale of the 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.
SECTION 8. Reimbursement of Collateral Agent. (a) Each Pledgor agrees to
pay upon demand to the Collateral Agent the amount of any and all reasonable
expenses, including the reasonable fees, other charges and disbursements of its
counsel and of any experts or agents, that the Collateral Agent may incur in
connection with (i) the administration of this Agreement, (ii) the custody or
preservation of, or the sale of, collection from, or other realization upon, any
of the Collateral, (iii) the exercise or enforcement of any of the rights of the
Collateral Agent hereunder or (iv) the failure by such Pledgor to perform or
observe any of the provisions hereof.
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(b) Without limitation of its indemnification obligations under the
other Loan Documents, each Pledgor agrees to indemnify the Collateral Agent and
the Indemnitees (as defined in Section 9.03(b) 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, other
charges and disbursements, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee
arising out of, in any way connected with, or as a result of (i) the execution
or delivery of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any agreement or
instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto
of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the
Transactions and the other transactions contemplated thereby or (ii) any claim,
litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing,
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 a final judgment which has not been overturned or
vacated on appeal to have resulted from the gross negligence or wilful
misconduct of such Indemnitee.
(c) Any amounts payable as provided hereunder shall be additional
Obligations secured hereby and by the other Security Documents. The provisions
of this Section 8 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless
of the termination of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, the repayment of any of the 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 Collateral Agent or
any other Secured Party. All amounts due under this Section 8 shall be payable
on written demand therefor and, if not paid within five Business Days after
written demand for payment is received by Pledgor from the Collateral Agent,
shall bear interest at the rate specified in Section 2.11(c) of the Credit
Agreement.
SECTION 9. Collateral Agent Appointed Attorney-in-Fact. Each Pledgor
hereby appoints the Collateral Agent, effective during the continuance of any
Event of Default, 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
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advisable to accomplish the purposes hereof, which appointment is irrevocable
and coupled with an interest. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
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, 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, to endorse checks, drafts,
orders and other instruments for the payment of money payable to the Pledgor
representing any interest or dividend or other distribution payable in respect
of the Collateral or any part thereof or on account thereof and to give full
discharge for the same, to settle, compromise, prosecute or defend any action,
claim or proceeding with respect thereto, and to sell, assign, endorse, pledge,
transfer and to make any agreement respecting, or otherwise deal with, the same,
in each case in a manner not inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement;
provided, however, 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. The Collateral Agent and the other
Secured Parties shall be accountable only for amounts actually received as a
result of the exercise of the powers granted to them herein, and neither they
nor their officers, directors, employees or agents shall be responsible to any
Pledgor for any act or failure to act hereunder, except for their own gross
negligence or wilful misconduct.
SECTION 10. Waivers; Amendment. (a) No failure or delay of the
Collateral Agent in exercising any power or right hereunder shall operate as a
waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or
power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or
power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any
other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent hereunder
and of the other Secured Parties under the other Loan Documents are cumulative
and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have.
No waiver of any provisions of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any
Pledgor therefrom shall in
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any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b)
below, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific
instance and for the purpose for which given. No notice or demand on any Pledgor
in any case shall entitle such Pledgor 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 a written agreement entered into between
the Collateral Agent and the Pledgor or Pledgors with respect to which such
waiver, amendment or modification is to apply, subject to any consent required
in accordance with Section 9.02 of the Credit Agreement.
SECTION 11. Securities Act, etc. In view of the position of the
Pledgors in relation to the Pledged Securities, 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 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 Securities 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 Securities, and might
also limit the extent to which or the manner in which any subsequent transferee
of any Pledged Securities 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 Securities under applicable
Blue Sky or other state securities laws or similar laws analogous in purpose or
effect. Each Pledgor recognizes that in light of such restrictions and
limitations the Collateral Agent may, with respect to any sale of the Pledged
Securities, limit the purchasers to those who will agree, among other things, to
acquire such Pledged Securities for their own account, for investment, and not
with a view to the distribution or resale thereof. 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 Securities or part thereof shall have been filed under the Federal
Securities Laws and (b) may approach and negotiate
15
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
Securities 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
11 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 12. Registration, etc. Each Pledgor agrees that, upon the
occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default hereunder, if for
any reason the Collateral Agent desires to sell any of the Pledged Securities of
the Borrower at a public sale, it will, at any time and from time to time, upon
the written request of the Collateral Agent, use its best efforts to take or to
cause the issuer of such Pledged Securities to take such action and prepare,
distribute and/or file such documents, as are required or advisable in the
reasonable opinion of counsel for the Collateral Agent to permit the public sale
of such Pledged Securities. Each Pledgor further agrees to indemnify, defend
and hold harmless the Collateral Agent, each other Secured Party, any
underwriter and their respective officers, directors, affiliates and controlling
Persons from and against all loss, liability, expenses, costs of counsel
(including, without limitation, reasonable fees and expenses to the Collateral
Agent of legal counsel), and claims (including the costs of investigation) that
they may incur insofar as such loss, liability, expense or claim arises out of
or is based upon any alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
any prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in any notification
or offering circular, or arises out of or is based upon any alleged omission to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements in any thereof not misleading, except insofar as the same may have
been caused by any untrue statement or omission based upon information furnished
in writing to such Pledgor or the issuer of such Pledged Securities by the
Collateral Agent or
16
any other Secured Party expressly for use therein. Each Pledgor further agrees,
upon such written request referred to above, to use its best efforts to qualify,
file or register, or cause the issuer of such Pledged Securities to qualify,
file or register, any of the Pledged Securities under the Blue Sky or other
securities laws of such states as may be requested by the Collateral Agent and
keep effective, or cause to be kept effective, all such qualifications, filings
or registrations. Each Pledgor will bear all costs and expenses of carrying out
its obligations under this Section 12. Each Pledgor acknowledges that there is
no adequate remedy at law for failure by it to comply with the provisions of
this Section 12 and that such failure would not be adequately compensable in
damages, and therefore agrees that its agreements contained in this Section 12
may be specifically enforced.
SECTION 13. Security Interest Absolute. All rights of the Collateral
Agent hereunder, the grant of a security interest in the 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
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 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 relating to any of the foregoing,
(c) any exchange, release or nonperfection of any other collateral, or any
release or amendment or waiver of or consent to or departure from any guaranty,
for all or any of the Obligations or (d) any other circumstance that might
otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Pledgor in
respect of the Obligations or in respect of this Agreement (other than the
indefeasible payment in full of all the Obligations).
SECTION 14. Termination or Release. (a) This Agreement and the
security interests granted hereby shall terminate when all the Obligations have
been indefeasibly paid in full and the Lenders have no further commitment to
lend under the Credit Agreement, the LC Exposure has been reduced to zero and
the Issuing Bank has no further obligation to issue Letters of Credit under the
Credit Agreement.
17
(b) 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 9.02(b)
of the Credit Agreement, the security interest in such Collateral shall be
automatically released.
(c) In connection with any termination or release pursuant to
paragraph (a) or (b), 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. Any execution and
delivery of documents pursuant to this Section 14 shall be without recourse to
or warranty by the Collateral Agent (except to the extent that any 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 wilful misconduct of the Collateral Agent).
SECTION 15. Notices. All communications and notices hereunder shall
be in writing and given as provided in Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement.
All communications and notices hereunder to any Subsidiary Pledgor shall be
given to it in care of the Borrower at the address set forth in the Credit
Agreement.
SECTION 16. Further Assurances. Each Pledgor agrees to do such
further acts and things, and to execute and deliver such additional conveyances,
assignments, agreements and instruments, as the Collateral Agent may at any time
reasonably request in connection with the administration and enforcement of this
Agreement or with respect to the Collateral or any part thereof or in order
better to assure and confirm unto the Collateral Agent its rights and remedies
hereunder.
SECTION 17. Binding Effect; Several Agreement; Assignments. Whenever
in this Agreement any of the parties hereto is referred to, such reference shall
be deemed to include the successors and assigns of such party; and all
covenants, promises and agreements by or on behalf of any Pledgor that are
contained in this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of its
successors and assigns. This Agreement shall become effective as to any Pledgor
when a counterpart hereof executed on behalf of such Pledgor shall have been
delivered to the
18
Collateral Agent and a counterpart hereof shall have been executed on behalf of
the Collateral Agent, and thereafter shall be binding upon such Pledgor and the
Collateral Agent and their respective successors and assigns, and shall inure to
the benefit of such Pledgor, the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties,
and their respective successors and assigns, except that no Pledgor shall have
the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein or in the
Collateral (and any such attempted assignment shall be void), except as
expressly contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. If all of
the capital stock of a Pledgor is sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of to
a Person that is not a Subsidiary Loan Party pursuant to a transaction permitted
by Section 6.06 of the Credit Agreement, such Pledgor shall be released from its
obligations under this Agreement without further action. This Agreement shall be
construed as a separate agreement with respect to each Pledgor and may be
amended, modified, supplemented, waived or released with respect to any Pledgor
without the approval of any other Pledgor and without affecting the obligations
of any other Pledgor hereunder.
SECTION 18. Survival of Agreement; Severability. (a) All covenants,
agreements, representations and warranties made by each Pledgor herein and in
the certificates or other instruments prepared or delivered in connection with
or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to
have been relied upon by the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties and
shall survive the making by the Lenders of the Loans and the issuance of the
Letters of Credit by the Issuing Bank, regardless of any investigation made by
the Secured Parties or on their behalf, and shall continue in full force and
effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any
other fee or amount payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document is
outstanding and unpaid or the LC Exposure does not equal zero and as long as the
Commitments and the LC Commitment have not been terminated.
(b) In the event any one or more of the provisions contained in this
Agreement should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the
validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained
herein shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby (it being understood
that the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall
not in and of itself affect the validity of such provision in any other
jurisdiction). The
19
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 19. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
SECTION 20. 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 a single contract, and shall become
effective as provided in Section 17. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a
signature page to this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be as effective
as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION 21. Rules of Interpretation. The rules of interpretation
specified in Section 1.03 of the Credit Agreement shall be applicable to this
Agreement. Section headings 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 22. Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. (a) Each
Pledgor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its
property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of
New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of
the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in
any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any Loan Document, 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 or any other
Loan Document shall affect any right that the Collateral Agent or any other
Secured Party may otherwise have to bring any action or
20
proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any
Pledgor or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(b) Each Pledgor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to
the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that 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 the other Loan
Documents 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.
(c) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of
process in the manner provided for notices in Section 15. Nothing in this
Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process
in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION 23. 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. 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.
SECTION 24. Additional Pledgors. Pursuant to Section 5.13 of the
Credit Agreement, each Subsidiary Loan Party of the Borrower that was not in
existence or not a Subsidiary Loan Party on the date of the Credit Agreement is
required to enter in this Agreement as a Subsidiary Pledgor upon becoming a
Subsidiary Loan Party if such Subsidiary owns or possesses property of a type
that would be considered Collateral hereunder. Upon execution and delivery by
the Collateral Agent and a Subsidiary Loan Party of an instrument in the form of
Annex 1, such Subsidiary Loan Party shall become a Subsidiary Pledgor hereunder
with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Subsidiary Pledgor
herein. The execution and delivery of such instrument shall not require the
consent of
21
any Pledgor hereunder. The rights and obligations of each Pledgor hereunder
shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new
Subsidiary Pledgor as a party to this Agreement. This Agreement may be waived,
amended or modified with respect to any one or more Pledgors and any one or more
Pledgors may be released from its obligations hereunder without the consent or
agreement of any other Pledgor.
SECTION 25. Execution of Financing Statements. Pursuant to Section
9-402 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York, each
Pledgor authorizes the Collateral Agent to file financing statements with
respect to the Collateral owned by it without the signature of such Pledgor in
such form and in such filing offices as the Collateral Agent reasonably
determines appropriate to perfect the security interests of the Collateral Agent
under this Agreement. A carbon, photographic or other reproduction of this
Agreement shall be sufficient as a financing statement for filing in any
jurisdiction.
22
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this
Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
PSINET INC.,
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
--------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Chairman
PSIWEB INC.,
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Chairman
PSINET SECURITY SERVICES INC.,
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Chairman
PSINET NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.,
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: President
IONET, INC.,
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Chairman
23
PSINETWORKS COMPANY,
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Chairman
TELECOM LICENSING INC.,
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: President
PSINET ASIA HOLDINGS INC.,
By /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Chairman
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, as Collateral Agent,
By /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
