GUARANTEEAND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT madeby INTERACTIVEBROKERS GROUP LLC andcertain of its Subsidiaries infavor of JPMORGANCHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent Datedas of May 19, 2006

EX-10.3 6 a2174744zex-10_3.htm EXHIBIT 10.3

Exhibit 10.3

 

 

GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT

 

made by

 

INTERACTIVE BROKERS GROUP LLC

 

and certain of its Subsidiaries

 

in favor of

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as
Administrative Agent

 

Dated as of May 19, 2006

 

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS

 

 

1.1.

 

Definitions

 

1

1.2.

 

Other Definitional Provisions

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2. GUARANTEE

 

 

2.1.

 

Guarantee

 

4

2.2.

 

Right of Contribution

 

5

2.3.

 

No Subrogation

 

5

2.4.

 

Amendments, etc. with respect to the Borrower Obligations

 

5

2.5.

 

Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional

 

6

2.6.

 

Reinstatement

 

6

2.7.

 

Payments

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

 

4.1.

 

Title; No Other Liens

 

8

4.2.

 

Perfected First Priority Liens

 

8

4.3.

 

Jurisdiction of Organization; Chief Executive Office

 

8

4.4.

 

Farm Products

 

8

4.5.

 

Pledged Notes

 

9

4.6.

 

Receivables

 

9

4.7.

 

Intellectual Property

 

9

4.8.

 

Commercial Tort Claims

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5. COVENANTS

 

 

5.1.

 

Delivery of Instruments, Certificated Securities and Chattel Paper

 

10

5.2.

 

Maintenance of Perfected Security Interest; Further Documentation

 

10

5.3.

 

Changes in Name, etc.

 

10

5 4.

 

Notices

 

10

5.5.

 

Pledged Notes

 

10

5.6.

 

Intellectual Property

 

11

5.7.

 

Commercial Tort Claims

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6. REMEDIAL PROVISIONS

 

 

6.1.

 

Certain Matters Relating to Receivables

 

11

6.2.

 

Communications with Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable

 

12

6.3.

 

Pledged Notes

 

12

6.4

 

Proceeds to be Turned Over To Administrative Agent

 

13

6.5.

 

Application of Proceeds

 

13

 

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6.6.

 

Code and Other Remedies

 

14

6.7.

 

Deficiency

 

14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 7. THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

 

7.1.

 

Administrative Agent’s Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact, etc.

 

15

7.2.

 

Duty of Administrative Agent

 

16

7.3.

 

Execution of Financing Statements

 

16

7.4.

 

Authority of Administrative Agent

 

16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 8. MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

8.1.

 

Amendments in Writing

 

17

8.2.

 

Notices

 

17

8.3.

 

No Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies

 

17

8.4.

 

Enforcement Expenses; Indemnification

 

17

8.5.

 

Successors and Assigns

 

18

8.6.

 

Set-Off

 

18

8.7.

 

Counterparts

 

18

8.8.

 

Severability

 

18

8.9.

 

Section Headings

 

18

8.10

 

Integration

 

18

8.11.

 

GOVERNING LAW

 

19

8.12.

 

Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers

 

19

8.13.

 

Acknowledgements

 

19

8.14.

 

Additional Grantors

 

19

8.15.

 

Releases

 

20

8.16.

 

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

 

20

8.17.

 

Grantors

 

20

 

SCHEDULES

 

 

 

Schedule 1

Notice Addresses

Schedule 2

Investment Property

Schedule 3

Perfection Matters

Schedule 4

Jurisdictions of Organization and Chief Executive Offices

Schedule 5

Intellectual Property

 

 

ANNEXES

 

 

 

Annex 1

Form of Acknowledgment and Consent

Annex 2

Form of Assumption Agreement

 

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GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT

 

GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT, dated as of May 19, 2006, made by each of the signatories hereto (together with any other entity that may become a party hereto as provided herein, the “Grantors”), in favor of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”) for the banks and other financial institutions or entities (the “Lenders”) from time to time parties to the Credit Agreement, dated as of May 19, 2006 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Interactive Brokers Group LLC (the “Borrower”), the Lenders, Harris, N.A., as syndication agent (the “Syndication Agent”), Citibank, N.A. and HSBC Bank USA, National Association, as co-syndication agents, and the Administrative Agent.

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Lenders have severally agreed to make extensions of credit to the Borrower upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein;

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower is a member of an affiliated group of companies that includes each other Grantor;

 

WHEREAS, the proceeds of the extensions of credit under the Credit Agreement will be used in part to enable the Borrower to make valuable transfers to one or more of the other Grantors in connection with the operation of their respective businesses;

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower and the other Grantors are engaged in related businesses, and each Grantor will derive substantial direct and indirect benefit from the making of the extensions of credit under the Credit Agreement; and

 

WHEREAS, it is a condition precedent to the obligation of the Lenders to make their respective extensions of credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement that the Grantors shall have executed and delivered this Agreement to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and to induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into the Credit Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make their respective extensions of credit to the Borrower thereunder, each Grantor hereby agrees with the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, as follows:

 

SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS

 

1.1.      Definitions. (a) Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement, and the following terms are used herein as defined in the New York UCC: Accounts, Certificated Security, Chattel Paper, Commercial Tort Claims, Documents, Equipment, Farm Products, Fixtures, General Intangibles, Instruments, Inventory, Letter-of-Credit Rights and Supporting Obligations.

 

(b)       The following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Agreement”: this Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 



 

Borrower Obligations”: the collective reference to the unpaid principal of and interest on the Loans and all other obligations and liabilities of the Borrower (including, without limitation, interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in the Credit Agreement after the maturity of the Loans and interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in the Credit Agreement after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Borrower, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding) to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or, in the case of any Specified Swap Agreement, any Affiliate of any Lender), whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, or now existing or hereafter incurred, which may arise under the Credit Agreement, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, any Specified Swap Agreement or any other document made, delivered or given in connection with any of the foregoing, in each case whether on account of principal, interest, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses or otherwise (including, without limitation, all fees and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent or to the Lenders that are required to be paid by the Borrower pursuant to the terms of any of the foregoing agreements).

 

Capital Stock”: any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation) and any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase any of the foregoing, except for debt securities convertible or exchangeable into such capital stock.

 

Collateral”: as defined in Section 3.

 

Collateral Account”: any collateral account established by the Administrative Agent as provided in Section 6.1 or 6.4.

 

Copyrights”: (i) all copyrights arising under the laws of the United States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, whether registered or unregistered and whether published or unpublished (including, without limitation, those listed in Schedule 5), all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith, including, without limitation, all registrations, recordings and applications in the United States Copyright Office, and (ii) the right to obtain all renewals thereof.

 

Copyright Licenses”: any written agreement naming any Grantor as licensor or licensee (including, without limitation, those listed in Schedule 5), granting any right under any Copyright, including, without limitation, the grant of rights to manufacture, distribute, exploit and sell materials derived from any Copyright.

 

Guarantor Obligations”: with respect to any Guarantor, all obligations and liabilities of such Guarantor which may arise under this Agreement (including, without limitation, Section 2) or any other Loan Document to which such Guarantor is a party, in each case whether on account of guarantee obligations, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses or otherwise (including, without limitation, all fees and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent or to the Lenders that are required to be paid by such Guarantor pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document).

 

Guarantors”: the collective reference to each Grantor (other than the Borrower).

 

Intellectual Property”: the collective reference to all rights, priorities and privileges relating to intellectual property, whether arising under United States, multinational or foreign laws or otherwise, including, without limitation, the Copyrights, the Copyright Licenses, the Patents, the Patent Licenses, the Trademarks and the Trademark Licenses, and all rights to sue at law or in equity for any

 

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infringement or other impairment thereof, including the right to receive all proceeds and damages therefrom.

 

Intercompany Note”: any promissory note evidencing loans made by any Grantor to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

Investment Property”: the collective reference to (i) all “investment property” as such term is defined in Section 9-102(a)(49) of the New York UCC (other than any Shared Collateral) and (ii) whether or not constituting “investment property” as so defined, all Pledged Notes.

 

Issuers”: the collective reference to each issuer of any Investment Property that is a Wholly Owned Subsidiary that is a Material Subsidiary.

 

New York UCC”: the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in effect in the State of New York.

 

Obligations”: (i) in the case of the Borrower, the Borrower Obligations, and (ii) in the case of each Guarantor, its Guarantor Obligations.

 

Patents”: (i) all letters patent of the United States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, all reissues and extensions thereof and all goodwill associated therewith, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 5, (ii) all applications for letters patent of the United States or any other country and all divisions, continuations and continuations-in-part thereof, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 5, and (iii) all rights to obtain any reissues or extensions of the foregoing.

 

Patent License”: all agreements, whether written or oral, providing for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to manufacture, use or sell any invention covered in whole or in part by a Patent, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 5.

 

Pledged Notes”: all promissory notes listed on Schedule 2 and all Intercompany Notes at any time issued to any Grantor.

 

Proceeds”: all “proceeds” as such term is defined in Section 9-102(a)(64) of the New York UCC and, in any event, shall include, without limitation, all dividends or other income from the Investment Property, collections thereon or distributions or payments with respect thereto.

 

Receivable”: any right to payment for goods sold or leased or for services rendered, whether or not such right is evidenced by an Instrument or Chattel Paper and whether or not it has been earned by performance (including, without limitation, any Account).

 

Securities Act”: the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Shared Collateral”: the collateral pledged pursuant to the Pledge and Collateral Agency Agreement.

 

Trademarks”: (i) all trademarks, trade names, corporate names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade styles, service marks, logos and other source or business identifiers, and all goodwill associated therewith, now existing or hereafter adopted or acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith, whether in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or in any similar office or agency of the United States, any State

 

3



 

thereof or any other country or any political subdivision thereof, or otherwise, and all common-law rights related thereto, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 5, and (ii) the right to obtain all renewals thereof.

 

Trademark License”: any agreement, whether written or oral, providing for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to use any Trademark, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 5.

 

Vehicles”: all cars, trucks, trailers, construction and earth moving equipment and other vehicles covered by a certificate of title law of any state.

 

1.2.      Other Definitional Provisions. (a) The words “hereof,” “herein”, “hereto” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Section and Schedule references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.

 

(b)       The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms.

 

(c)       Where the context requires, terms relating to the Collateral or any part thereof, when used in relation to a Grantor, shall refer to such Grantor’s Collateral or the relevant part thereof.

 

SECTION 2. GUARANTEE

 

2.1.      Guarantee. (a) Each of the Guarantors hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally and irrevocably, guarantees to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, (and in the case of Specified Swap Agreements, Affiliates of Lenders), and their respective successors, indorsees, transferees and assigns, the prompt and complete payment and performance by the Borrower when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the Borrower Obligations.

 

(b)       Anything herein or in any other Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding, the maximum liability of each Guarantor hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall in no event exceed the amount which can be guaranteed by such Guarantor under applicable federal and state laws relating to the insolvency of debtors (after giving effect to the right of contribution established in Section 2.2).

 

(c)       Each Guarantor agrees that the Borrower Obligations may at any time and from time to time exceed the amount of the liability of such Guarantor hereunder without impairing the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or affecting the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder.

 

(d)       The guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall remain in full force and effect until all the Borrower Obligations and the obligations of each Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall have been satisfied by payment in full and the Revolving Commitments shall be terminated, notwithstanding that from time to time during the term of the Credit Agreement the Borrower may be free from any Borrower Obligations.

 

(e)       No payment made by the Borrower, any of the Guarantors, any other guarantor or any other Person or received or collected by the Administrative Agent or any Lender from the Borrower, any of the Guarantors, any other guarantor or any other Person by virtue of any action or proceeding or any set-off or appropriation or application at any time or from time to time in reduction of or in payment of

 

4



 

the Borrower Obligations shall be deemed to modify, reduce, release or otherwise affect the liability of any Guarantor hereunder which shall, notwithstanding any such payment (other than any payment made by such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower Obligations or any payment received or collected from such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower Obligations), remain liable for the Borrower Obligations up to the maximum liability of such Guarantor hereunder until the Borrower Obligations are paid in full and the Revolving Commitments are terminated.

 

2.2.      Right of Contribution. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that to the extent that a Guarantor shall have paid more than its proportionate share of any payment made hereunder, such Guarantor shall be entitled to seek and receive contribution from and against any other Guarantor hereunder which has not paid its proportionate share of such payment. Each Guarantor right of contribution shall be subject to the terms and conditions of Section 2.3. The provisions of this Section 2.2 shall in no respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Guarantor to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and each Guarantor shall remain liable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders for the full amount guaranteed by such Guarantor hereunder.

 

2.3.      No Subrogation. Notwithstanding any payment made by any Guarantor hereunder or any set-off or application of funds of any Guarantor by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, no Guarantor shall be entitled to be subrogated to any of the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against the Borrower or any other Guarantor or any collateral security or guarantee or right of offset held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for the payment of the Borrower Obligations, nor shall any Guarantor seek or be entitled to seek any contribution or reimbursement from the Borrower or any other Guarantor in respect of payments made by such Guarantor hereunder, until all amounts owing to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders by the Borrower on account of the Borrower Obligations are paid in full and the Revolving Commitments are terminated. If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time when all of the Borrower Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be held by such Guarantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such Guarantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Guarantor, be turned over to the Administrative Agent in the exact form received by such Guarantor (duly indorsed by such Guarantor to the Administrative Agent, if required), to be applied against the Borrower Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in such order as the Administrative Agent may determine.

 

2.4.      Amendments, etc. with respect to the Borrower Obligations. Each Guarantor shall remain obligated hereunder notwithstanding that, without any reservation of rights against any Guarantor and without notice to or further assent by any Guarantor, any demand for payment of any of the Borrower Obligations made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be rescinded by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and any of the Borrower Obligations continued, and the Borrower Obligations, or the liability of any other Person upon or for any part thereof, or any collateral security or guarantee therefor or right of offset with respect thereto, may, from time to time, in whole or in part, be renewed, extended, increased, amended, modified, accelerated, compromised, waived, surrendered or released by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, and the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any other documents executed and delivered in connection therewith may be amended, modified, supplemented or terminated, in whole or in part, as the Administrative Agent (or the Required Lenders or all Lenders, as the case may be) may deem reasonably advisable from time to time, and any collateral security, guarantee or right of offset at any time held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for the payment of the Borrower Obligations may be sold, exchanged, waived, surrendered or released. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation to protect, secure, perfect or insure any Lien at any time held by it as security for the Borrower Obligations or for the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or any property subject thereto.

 

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2.5.      Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional. Each Guarantor waives any and all notice of the creation, renewal, extension or accrual of any of the Borrower Obligations and notice of or proof of reliance by the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or acceptance of the guarantee contained in this Section 2; the Borrower Obligations, and any of them, shall conclusively be deemed to have been created, contracted or incurred, or renewed, extended, amended, increased or waived, in reliance upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2; and all dealings between the Borrower and any of the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, on the other hand, likewise shall be conclusively presumed to have been had or consummated in reliance upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2. Each Guarantor waives diligence, presentment, protest, demand for payment and notice of default or nonpayment to or upon the Borrower or any of the Guarantors with respect to the Borrower Obligations. Each Guarantor understands and agrees that the guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall be construed as a continuing, absolute and unconditional guarantee of payment without regard to (a) the validity or enforceability of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, any of the Borrower Obligations or any other collateral security therefor or guarantee or right of offset with respect thereto at any time or from time to time held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (b) any defense, set-off or counterclaim (other than a defense of payment or performance) which may at any time be available to or be asserted by the Borrower or any other Person against the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or (c) any other circumstance whatsoever (with or without notice to or knowledge of the Borrower or such Guarantor) which constitutes, or might be construed to constitute, an equitable or legal discharge of the Borrower for the Borrower Obligations, or of such Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this Section 2, in bankruptcy or in any other instance. When making any demand hereunder or otherwise pursuing its rights and remedies hereunder against any Guarantor, the Administrative Agent or any Lender may, but shall be under no obligation to, make a similar demand on or otherwise pursue such rights and remedies as it may have against the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or against any collateral security or guarantee for the Borrower Obligations or any right of offset with respect thereto, and any failure by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make any such demand, to pursue such other rights or remedies or to collect any payments from the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or to realize upon any such collateral security or guarantee or to exercise any such right of offset, or any release of the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or any such collateral security, guarantee or right of offset, shall not relieve any Guarantor of any obligation or liability hereunder, and shall not impair or affect the rights and remedies, whether express, implied or available as a matter of law, of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against any Guarantor. For the purposes hereof “demand” shall include the commencement and continuance of any legal proceedings.

 

2.6.      Reinstatement. The guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall continue to be effective, or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any of the Borrower Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned by the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the Borrower or any Guarantor, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, the Borrower or any Guarantor or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise, all as though such payments had not been made.

 

2.7.      Payments. Each Guarantor hereby guarantees that payments hereunder will be paid to the Administrative Agent without set-off or counterclaim in Dollars at the Funding Office.

 

SECTION 3. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST

 

Each Grantor hereby assigns and transfers to the Administrative Agent, and hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, (and in the case of Specified Swap Agreements, Affiliates of Lenders), a security interest in, all of the following property now owned or at

 

6



 

any time hereafter acquired by such Grantor or in which such Grantor now has or at any time in the future may acquire any right, title or interest (collectively, the “Collateral”), as collateral security for the prompt and complete payment and performance when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of such Grantor’s Obligations:

 

(a)       all Accounts;

 

(b)       all Chattel Paper;

 

(c)       all Commercial Tort Claims notified in accordance with Section 5.7;

 

(d)       all Documents (other than Title Documents with respect to Vehicles);

 

(e)       all Equipment;

 

(f)        all Fixtures;

 

(g)       all General Intangibles;

 

(h)       all Instruments;

 

(i)        all Intellectual Property;

 

(j)        all Inventory;

 

(k)       all Investment Property;

 

(l)        all Letter-of-Credit Rights;

 

(m)      all Deposit Accounts (other than payroll accounts);

 

(n)       all other property not otherwise described above (except for any property specifically excluded from any clause in this section above, any property specifically excluded from any defined term used in any clause of this section above or any property otherwise specifically excluded pursuant to any other provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents);

 

(o)       all books and records pertaining to the Collateral; and

 

(p)       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;

 

provided, however, that notwithstanding any of the other provisions set forth in this Section 3, this Agreement shall not constitute a grant of a security interest in (i) any property to the extent that such grant of a security interest is prohibited by any Requirements of Law of a Governmental Authority, requires a consent not obtained (after the commercially reasonable efforts of the relevant Grantor) of any Governmental Authority pursuant to such Requirement of Law or is prohibited by, or constitutes a breach or default under or results in the termination of or requires any consent not obtained (after the commercially reasonable efforts of the relevant Grantor) under, any contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document evidencing or giving rise to such property or, in the case of any Investment Property or Pledged Note, any applicable shareholder or similar agreement, except to the extent that such Requirement of Law or the term in such contract, license, agreement, instrument or other document or

 

7



 

shareholder or similar agreement providing for such prohibition, breach, default or termination or requiring such consent is ineffective under applicable law or (ii) Collateral owned by any Grantor on the date hereof or hereafter acquired that is subject to a Lien securing a purchase money obligation or Capital Lease Obligation permitted to be incurred pursuant to the Credit Agreement if the contract or other agreement in which such Lien is granted (or the documentation providing for such purchase money obligation or Capital Lease Obligation) validly prohibits the creation of any other Lien on such Collateral; and provided, further, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall the Collateral include any Shared Collateral.

 

SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

To induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into the Credit Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make their respective extensions of credit to the Borrower thereunder, each Grantor hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and each Lender that:

 

4.1.      Title; No Other Liens. Except for the security interest granted to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, (and in the case of Specified Swap Agreements, Affiliates of Lenders), pursuant to this Agreement and the other Liens permitted to exist on the Collateral by the Credit Agreement, such Grantor owns each item of the Collateral free and clear of any and all Liens or claims of others. No Grantor has filed, consented to or authorized the filing of any financing statement or other public notice with respect to all or any part of the Collateral in any public office, except such as have been filed in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, (and in the case of Specified Swap Agreements, Affiliates of Lenders), pursuant to this Agreement or as are permitted by the Credit Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood and agreed that any Grantor may, as part of its business, grant licenses to third parties to use Intellectual Property owned or developed by a Grantor. For purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, such licensing activity shall not constitute a “Lien” on such Intellectual Property. Each of the Administrative Agent and each Lender understands that any such licenses may be exclusive to the applicable licensees, and such exclusivity provisions may limit the ability of the Administrative Agent to utilize, sell, lease or transfer the related Intellectual Property or otherwise realize value from such Intellectual Property pursuant hereto.

 

4.2.      Perfected First Priority Liens. When financing statements and the other filings specified on Schedule 3 in appropriate form are filed in the offices specified in Schedule 3 and Pledged Notes have been delivered to the Administrative Agent, as required (assuming continued possession by the Administrative Agent of such certificates and that such certificates are located in the United States), this Agreement will be effective to create, in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, (and in the case of Specified Swap Agreements, Affiliates of Lenders), a valid and perfected security interest under the New York UCC in all of the respective right, title and interest of each Grantor in, to and under the Collateral, as collateral security for payment of the Obligations to the extent perfection can be achieved by filing Uniform Commercial Code financing statements and delivering Pledged Notes and such security interest will be prior to all other Liens on the Collateral in existence on the date hereof except for Liens permitted by the Credit Agreement.

 

4.3.      Jurisdiction of Organization; Chief Executive Office. On the date hereof, such Grantor’s jurisdiction of organization, identification number from the jurisdiction of organization (if any), and the location of such Grantor’s chief executive office or sole place of business or principal residence, as the case may be, are specified on Schedule 4. Such Grantor has furnished to the Administrative Agent a certified charter, certificate of incorporation or other organization document and long-form good standing certificate as of a date which is recent to the date hereof.

 

4.4.      Farm Products. None of the Collateral constitutes, or is the Proceeds of, Farm Products.

 

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4.5.      Pledged Notes. (a) Each of the Pledged Notes constitutes (or, in the case of Pledge Notes which are not intercompany notes, to the knowledge of the Grantor constitute) the legal, valid and binding obligation of the obligor with respect thereto, enforceable against such obligor in accordance with its terms, 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 in equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

 

(b)       Such Grantor is the record and beneficial owner of, and has good and marketable title to, the Pledged Notes, free of any and all Liens or options in favor of, or claims of, any other Person, except the security interest created by this Agreement and Liens permitted by the Credit Agreement.

 

4.6.      Receivables. (a) No material amount payable to such Grantor under or in connection with any Receivable is evidenced by any Instrument or Chattel Paper which has not been delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)       The amounts represented by such Grantor to the Lenders from time to time as owing to such Grantor in respect of the Receivables will at such times be accurate in all material respects.

 

4.7.      Intellectual Property. (a) Schedule 5 lists all Intellectual Property owned by such Grantor in its own name on the date hereof.

 

(b)       On the date hereof, all material Intellectual Property owned or used by such Grantor is valid, subsisting, unexpired and enforceable, has not been abandoned and does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any other Person.

 

(c)       Except as set forth in Schedule 5, on the date hereof, none of the Intellectual Property is the subject of any licensing or franchise agreement pursuant to which such Grantor is the licensor or franchisor.

 

(d)       No holding, decision or judgment has been rendered by any Governmental Authority which would limit, cancel or question the validity of, or such Grantor’s rights in, any Intellectual Property in any respect that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)       No action or proceeding is pending, or, to the knowledge of such Grantor, threatened, on the date hereof (i) seeking to limit, cancel or question the validity of any Intellectual Property or such Grantor’s ownership interest therein, and (ii) which, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

4.8.      Commercial Tort Claims

 

(a)       On the date hereof, no Grantor has rights in any Commercial Tort Claim with potential value in excess of $100,000.

 

(b)       Upon the filing of a financing statement covering and specifically describing any Commercial Tort Claim referred to in Section 5.7 hereof against such Grantor in the jurisdiction specified in Schedule 3 hereto, the security interest granted in such Commercial Tort Claim will constitute a valid perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, (and in the case of Specified Swap Agreements, Affiliates of Lenders), as collateral security for such Grantor’s Obligations, enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof against such Grantor, which

 

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security interest shall be prior to all other Liens on such Collateral except for unrecorded liens permitted by the Credit Agreement which have priority over the Liens on such Collateral by operation of law.

 

SECTION 5. COVENANTS

 

Each Grantor covenants and agrees with the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that, from and after the date of this Agreement until the Obligations shall have been paid in full and the Revolving Commitments shall have terminated:

 

5.1.      Delivery of Instruments, Certificated Securities and Chattel Paper. If any amount payable under or in connection with any of the Collateral shall be or become evidenced by any Instrument, Certificated Security or Chattel Paper, such Instrument, Certificated Security or Chattel Paper shall be immediately delivered to the Administrative Agent, duly indorsed in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, to be held as Collateral pursuant to this Agreement.

 

5.2.      Maintenance of Perfected Security Interest; Further Documentation. (a) Such Grantor shall maintain the security interest in the Collateral created by this Agreement as a perfected security interest having at least the priority described in Section 4.2 with respect to the Collateral and shall defend such security interest against the claims and demands of all Persons whomsoever, subject to the rights of such Grantor under the Loan Documents to dispose of the Collateral.

 

(b)       Such Grantor will furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders from time to time statements and schedules further identifying and describing the assets and property of such Grantor and such other reports in connection therewith as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, all in reasonable detail.

 

(c)       At any time and from time to time, upon the written request of the Administrative Agent, and at the sole expense of such Grantor, such Grantor will promptly and duly execute and deliver, and have recorded, such additional financing or continuation statements (or other filings as reasonably necessary) and deliver any additional Pledged Notes or take such further actions as necessary to enable the Administrative Agent to obtain “control” (within the meaning of the applicable Uniform Commercial Code) with respect to the Pledged Notes, as required, as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request for the purpose of obtaining or preserving the full benefits of this Agreement and of the rights and powers herein granted.

 

5.3.      Changes in Name, etc. Such Grantor will not, except upon 15 days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent and delivery to the Administrative Agent of all additional executed financing statements and other documents reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to maintain the validity, perfection and priority of the security interests provided for herein, (i) change its jurisdiction of organization or the location of its chief executive office or sole place of business or principal residence from that referred to in Section 4.3 or (ii) change its name.

 

5.4.      Notices. Such Grantor will advise the Administrative Agent and the Lenders promptly, in reasonable detail, of the occurrence of any event set forth in Section 5.7(d) of the Credit Agreement.

 

5.5.      Pledged Notes. (a) Subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement, any sums paid upon or in respect of the Pledged Notes upon any liquidation or dissolution which is not permitted under the Credit Agreement of any Issuer shall be paid over to the Administrative Agent to be held by it hereunder as additional collateral security for the Obligations, and in case any distribution of capital which is not permitted under the Credit Agreement shall be made on or in respect of the Pledged Notes, the property so distributed shall, unless otherwise subject to a perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative

 

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Agent, be delivered to the Administrative Agent to be held by it hereunder as additional collateral security for the Obligations. If any sums of money or property so paid or distributed in respect of the Pledged Notes which is required by this Section 5.5 to be paid or delivered over to the Administrative Agent shall be received by such Grantor, such Grantor shall, until such money or property is paid or delivered to the Administrative Agent, hold such money or property in trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such Grantor, as additional collateral security for the Obligations.

 

(b)       In the case of each Grantor which is an Issuer, such Issuer agrees that it will be bound by the terms of this Agreement relating to the Pledged Notes issued by it and will comply with such terms insofar as such terms are applicable to it.

 

5.6.      Intellectual Property. (a) Whenever such Grantor, either by itself or through any agent, employee, licensee or designee, shall file an application for the registration of any Intellectual Property with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or any similar office or agency in any other country or any political subdivision thereof, such Grantor shall report such filing to the Administrative Agent within the later of (i) ten Business Days after such filing or (ii) five Business Days after the last day of the fiscal quarter in which such filing occurs. Upon request of the Administrative Agent, such Grantor shall execute and deliver, and have recorded, any and all agreements, instruments, documents, and papers as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request to evidence the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ security interest in any Copyright, Patent or Trademark and the goodwill and general intangibles of such Grantor relating thereto or represented thereby.

 

(b)       Subject to the Credit Agreement and the reasonable business judgment of such Grantor, such Grantor will take all reasonable and necessary steps, including, without limitation, in any proceeding before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or any similar office or agency in any other country or any political subdivision thereof, to maintain and pursue each application (and to obtain the relevant registration) and to maintain each registration of the material Intellectual Property, including, without limitation, filing of applications for renewal, affidavits of use and affidavits of incontestability.

 

5.7.      Commercial Tort Claims. If such Grantor shall obtain an interest in any Commercial Tort Claim with a potential value in excess of $100,000, such Grantor shall (a) within 30 days of obtaining such interest, provide written notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and (b) promptly thereafter sign and deliver documentation reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent granting a security interest under the terms and provisions of this Agreement in and to such Commercial Tort Claim.

 

SECTION 6. REMEDIAL PROVISIONS

 

6.1.      Certain Matters Relating to Receivables. (a) If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Administrative Agent shall have the right to make test verifications of the Receivables in any manner and through any medium that it reasonably considers advisable, and each Grantor shall furnish all such assistance and information as the Administrative Agent may require in connection with such test verifications. At any time and from time to time, but only if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, upon the Administrative Agent’s request and at the expense of the relevant Grantor, such Grantor shall cause independent public accountants or others satisfactory to the Administrative Agent to furnish to the Administrative Agent reports showing reconciliations, aging and test verifications of, and trial balances for, the Receivables.

 

(b)       The Administrative Agent hereby authorizes each Grantor to collect such Grantor’s Receivables, subject to the Administrative Agent’s direction and control, and the Administrative Agent may curtail or terminate said authority at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an

 

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Event of Default. If required by the Administrative Agent at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, any payments of Receivables, when collected by any Grantor, (i) shall be forthwith (and, in any event, within two Business Days) deposited by such Grantor in the exact form received, duly indorsed by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent if required, in a Collateral Account maintained under the sole dominion and control of the Administrative Agent, subject to withdrawal by the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders only as provided in Section 6.5, and (ii) until so turned over, shall be held by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such Grantor. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each such deposit of Proceeds of Receivables shall be accompanied by a report identifying in reasonable detail the nature and source of the payments included in the deposit.

 

(c)       At the Administrative Agent’s reasonable request, each Grantor shall deliver to the Administrative Agent all original and other documents evidencing, and relating to, the agreements and transactions which gave rise to the Receivables, including, without limitation, all original orders, invoices and shipping receipts.

 

6.2.      Communications with Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable. (a) Upon the request of the Administrative Agent at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Grantor shall notify obligors on the Receivables that the Receivables have been assigned to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, (and in the case of Specified Swap Agreements, Affiliates of Lenders), and that payments in respect thereof shall be made directly to the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)       Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, each Grantor shall remain liable under each of the Receivables to observe and perform all the conditions and obligations to be observed and performed by it thereunder, all in accordance with the terms of any agreement giving rise thereto. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation or liability under any Receivable (or any agreement giving rise thereto) by reason of or arising out of this Agreement or the receipt by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of any payment relating thereto, nor shall the Administrative Agent or any Lender be obligated in any manner to perform any of the obligations of any Grantor under or pursuant to any Receivable (or any agreement giving rise thereto), to make any payment, to make any inquiry as to the nature or the sufficiency of any payment received by it or as to the sufficiency of any performance by any party thereunder, to present or file any claim, to take any action to enforce any performance or to collect the payment of any amounts which may have been assigned to it or to which it may be entitled at any time or times.

 

6.3.      Pledged Notes. (a) Unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the Administrative Agent shall have given notice to the relevant Grantor of the Administrative Agent’s intent to exercise its corresponding rights pursuant to Section 6.3(b), each Grantor shall be permitted to receive all payments made in respect of the Pledged Notes paid in the normal course of business of the relevant Issuer and consistent with past practice, to the extent permitted in the Credit Agreement.

 

(b)       If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and the Administrative Agent shall have given three Business Days notice of its intent to exercise such rights to the relevant Grantor or Grantors, (i) the Administrative Agent shall have the right to receive any and all payments or other Proceeds paid in respect of the Pledged Notes and make application thereof to the Obligations in such order as the Administrative Agent may determine, and (ii) any or all of the Pledged Notes shall be registered in the name of the Administrative Agent or its nominee, and the Administrative Agent or its nominee may thereafter exercise any and all rights of conversion, exchange and subscription and any other rights, privileges or options pertaining to such Pledged Notes as if it were the absolute owner

 

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thereof (including, without limitation, the right to exchange at its discretion any and all of the Pledged Notes upon the merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or other fundamental change in the corporate or other organizational structure of any Issuer, or upon the exercise by any Grantor or the Administrative Agent of any right, privilege or option pertaining to such Pledged Notes, and in connection therewith, the right to deposit and deliver any and all of the Pledged Notes with any committee, depositary, transfer agent, registrar or other designated agency upon such terms and conditions as the Administrative Agent may determine), all without liability except to account for property actually received by it, but the Administrative Agent shall have no duty to any Grantor to exercise any such right, privilege or option and shall not be responsible for any failure to do so or delay in so doing.

 

(c)       Each Grantor hereby authorizes and instructs each Issuer of any Investment Property pledged by such Grantor hereunder to (i) comply with any instruction received by it from the Administrative Agent in writing that (x) states that an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (y) is otherwise in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, without any other or further instructions from such Grantor, and each Grantor agrees that each Issuer shall be fully protected in so complying, and (ii) unless otherwise expressly permitted hereby, pay any dividends or other payments with respect to the Pledged Notes directly to the Administrative Agent. The provisions of this paragraph (c) shall not apply in respect of any Issuer that is a Regulated Entity unless the Borrower, in its reasonable judgment, determines that such provisions would not have an adverse regulatory, financial or accounting effect on such Issuer, and the Borrower agrees to use its best efforts to make a determination as to whether such provisions would have such an effect reasonably promptly following the Closing Date or the date on which the Pledged Note of such Issuer is pledged hereunder, as the case may be. The Borrower shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of any such determination and if such determination is that such provisions would not have such an effect cause such Issuer to execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Acknowledgment and Consent in the form of Annex 1 attached hereto.

 

6.4.      Proceeds to be Turned Over To Administrative Agent. In addition to the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders specified in Section 6.1 with respect to payments of Receivables, if an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, all Proceeds received by any Grantor consisting of cash, checks and other near-cash items shall be held by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such Grantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Grantor, be turned over to the Administrative Agent in the exact form received by such Grantor (duly indorsed by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent, if required). All Proceeds received by the Administrative Agent hereunder shall be held by the Administrative Agent in a Collateral Account maintained under its sole dominion and control. All Proceeds while held by the Administrative Agent in a Collateral Account (or by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) shall continue to be held as collateral security for all the Obligations and shall not constitute payment thereof until applied as provided in Section 6.5.

 

6.5.      Application of Proceeds. At such intervals as may be agreed upon by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, or, if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, at any time at the Administrative Agent’s election, the Administrative Agent may apply all or any part of Proceeds constituting Collateral, whether or not held in any Collateral Account, and any proceeds of the guarantee set forth in Section 2, in payment of the Obligations in the following order:

 

First, to pay incurred and unpaid fees and expenses of the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents;

 

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Second, to the Administrative Agent, for application by it towards payment of amounts then due and owing and remaining unpaid in respect of the Obligations, pro rata among the Lenders according to the amounts of the Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to the Lenders;

 

Third, to the Administrative Agent, for application by it towards prepayment of the Obligations, pro rata among the Lenders according to the amounts of the Obligations then held by the Lenders; and

 

Fourth, any balance remaining after the Obligations shall have been paid in full and the Revolving Commitments shall have terminated shall be paid over to the Borrower or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same.

 

6.6.      Code and Other Remedies. If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, may exercise, in addition to all other rights and remedies granted to them in this Agreement and in any other instrument or agreement securing, evidencing or relating to the Obligations, all rights and remedies of a secured party under the New York UCC or any other applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent, without demand of performance or other demand, presentment, protest, advertisement or notice of any kind (except any notice required by law referred to below) to or upon any Grantor or any other Person (all and each of which demands, defenses, advertisements and notices are hereby waived), may in such circumstances forthwith collect, receive, appropriate and realize upon the Collateral, or any part thereof, and/or may forthwith sell, lease, assign, give option or options to purchase, or otherwise dispose of and deliver the Collateral or any part thereof (or contract to do any of the foregoing), in one or more parcels at public or private sale or sales, at any exchange, broker’s board or office of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or elsewhere upon such terms and conditions as it may deem advisable and at such prices as it may deem best, for cash or on credit or for future delivery without assumption of any credit risk. The Administrative Agent or any Lender shall have the right upon any such public sale or sales, and, to the extent permitted by law, upon any such private sale or sales, to purchase the whole or any part of the Collateral so sold, free of any right or equity of redemption in any Grantor, which right or equity is hereby waived and released. Each Grantor further agrees, at the Administrative Agent’s request, to assemble the Collateral and make it available to the Administrative Agent at places which the Administrative Agent shall reasonably select, whether at such Grantor’s premises or elsewhere. The Administrative Agent shall apply the net proceeds of any action taken by it pursuant to this Section 6.6, after deducting all reasonable costs and expenses of every kind incurred in connection therewith or incidental to the care or safekeeping of any of the Collateral or in any way relating to the Collateral or the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements, to the payment in whole or in part of the Obligations, in such order as the Administrative Agent may elect, and only after such application and after the payment by the Administrative Agent of any other amount required by any provision of law, including, without limitation, Section 9-615(a)(3) of the New York UCC, need the Administrative Agent account for the surplus, if any, to any Grantor. To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Grantor waives all claims, damages and demands it may acquire against the Administrative Agent or any Lender arising out of the exercise by them of any rights hereunder. If any notice of a proposed sale or other disposition of Collateral shall be required by law, such notice shall be deemed reasonable and proper if given at least 10 days before such sale or other disposition.

 

6.7.      Deficiency. Each Grantor shall remain liable for any deficiency if the proceeds of any sale or other disposition of the Collateral are insufficient to pay its Obligations and the fees and disbursements of any attorneys employed by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to collect such deficiency.

 

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SECTION 7. THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

7.1.      Administrative Agent’s Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact, etc. (a) Each Grantor hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Administrative Agent and any officer or agent thereof, with full power of substitution, as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in the place and stead of such Grantor and in the name of such Grantor or in its own name, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of this Agreement, to take any and all appropriate action and to execute any and all documents and instruments which may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of this Agreement, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Grantor hereby gives the Administrative Agent the power and right, on behalf of such Grantor, without notice to or assent by such Grantor, to do any or all of the following:

 

(i)        in the name of such Grantor or its own name, or otherwise, take possession of and indorse and collect any checks, drafts, notes, acceptances or other instruments for the payment of moneys due under any Receivable or with respect to any other Collateral and file any claim or take any other action or proceeding in any court of law or equity or otherwise deemed appropriate by the Administrative Agent for the purpose of collecting any and all such moneys due under any Receivable or with respect to any other Collateral whenever payable;

 

(ii)       in the case of any Intellectual Property, execute and deliver, and have recorded, any and all agreements, instruments, documents and papers as the Administrative Agent may request to evidence the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ security interest in such Intellectual Property and the goodwill and general intangibles of such Grantor relating thereto or represented thereby;

 

(iii)      pay or discharge taxes and Liens levied or placed on or threatened against the Collateral, effect any repairs or any insurance called for by the terms of this Agreement and pay all or any part of the premiums therefor and the costs thereof;

 

(iv) execute, in connection with any sale provided for in Section 6.6, any indorsements, assignments or other instruments of conveyance or transfer with respect to the Collateral; and

 

(v)       (1) direct any party liable for any payment under any of the Collateral to make payment of any and all moneys due or to become due thereunder directly to the Administrative Agent or as the Administrative Agent shall direct; (2) ask or demand for, collect, and receive payment of and receipt for, any and all moneys, claims and other amounts due or to become due at any time in respect of or arising out of any Collateral; (3) sign and indorse any invoices, freight or express bills, bills of lading, storage or warehouse receipts, drafts against debtors, assignments, verifications, notices and other documents in connection with any of the Collateral; (4) commence and prosecute any suits, actions or proceedings at law or in equity in any court of competent jurisdiction to collect the Collateral or any portion thereof and to enforce any other right in respect of any Collateral; (5) defend any suit, action or proceeding brought against such Grantor with respect to any Collateral; (6) settle, compromise or adjust any such suit, action or proceeding and, in connection therewith, give such discharges or releases as the Administrative Agent may deem appropriate; (7) assign any Copyright, Patent or Trademark (along with the goodwill of the business to which any such Copyright, Patent or Trademark pertains), throughout the world for such term or terms, on such conditions, and in such manner, as the Administrative Agent shall in its sole discretion determine; and (8) generally, sell, transfer, pledge and make any agreement with respect to or otherwise deal with any of the Collateral as fully and completely as though the Administrative Agent were the absolute owner thereof for all purposes, and do, at the

 

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Administrative Agent’s option and such Grantor’s expense, at any time, or from time to time, all acts and things which the Administrative Agent deems necessary to protect, preserve or realize upon the Collateral and the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ security interests therein and to effect the intent of this Agreement, all as fully and effectively as such Grantor might do.

 

Anything in this Section 7.1(a) to the contrary notwithstanding, the Administrative Agent agrees that it will not exercise any rights under the power of attorney provided for in this Section 7.1(a) unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

(b)       If any Grantor fails to perform or comply with any of its agreements contained herein, the Administrative Agent, at its option, but without any obligation so to do, may perform or comply, or otherwise cause performance or compliance, with such agreement.

 

(c)       The expenses of the Administrative Agent incurred in connection with actions undertaken as provided in this Section 7.1, together with interest thereon at a rate per annum equal to the highest rate per annum at which interest would then be payable on any category of past due ABR Loans under the Credit Agreement, from the date of payment by the Administrative Agent to the date reimbursed by the relevant Grantor, shall be payable by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent on demand.

 

(d)       Each Grantor hereby ratifies all that said attorneys shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. All powers, authorizations and agencies contained in this Agreement are coupled with an interest and are irrevocable until this Agreement is terminated and the security interests created hereby are released.

 

7.2.      Duty of Administrative Agent. The Administrative 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 Administrative Agent deals with similar property for its own account. Neither the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Affiliate of any Lender nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents 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 Grantor 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 Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder are solely to protect the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ interests in the Collateral and shall not impose any duty upon the Administrative Agent or any Lender to exercise any such powers. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders 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, employees or agents shall be responsible to any Grantor for any act or failure to act hereunder, except for their own gross negligence or willful misconduct.

 

7.3.      Execution of Financing Statements. Pursuant to any applicable law, each Grantor authorizes the Administrative Agent to file or record financing statements and other filing or recording documents or instruments with respect to the Collateral without the signature of such Grantor in such form and in such offices as the Administrative Agent determines appropriate to perfect the security interests of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement. Each Grantor authorizes the Administrative Agent to use the collateral description “all personal property” in any such financing statements. Each Grantor hereby ratifies and authorizes the filing by the Administrative Agent of any financing statement with respect to the Collateral made prior to the date hereof.

 

7.4.      Authority of Administrative Agent. Each Grantor acknowledges that the rights and responsibilities of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement with respect to any action taken by the

 

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Administrative Agent or the exercise or non-exercise by the Administrative Agent of any option, voting right, request, judgment or other right or remedy provided for herein or resulting or arising out of this Agreement shall, as between the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, be governed by the Credit Agreement and by such other agreements with respect thereto as may exist from time to time among them, but, as between the Administrative Agent and the Grantors, the Administrative Agent shall be conclusively presumed to be acting as agent for the Lenders with full and valid authority so to act or refrain from acting, and no Grantor shall be under any obligation, or entitlement, to make any inquiry respecting such authority.

 

SECTION 8. MISCELLANEOUS

 

8.1.      Amendments in Writing. None of the terms or provisions of this Agreement may be waived, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified except in accordance with Section 9.1 of the Credit Agreement.

 

8.2.      Notices. All notices, requests and demands to or upon the Administrative Agent or any Grantor hereunder shall be effected in the manner provided for in Section 9.2 of the Credit Agreement; provided that any such notice, request or demand to or upon any Guarantor shall be addressed to such Guarantor at its notice address set forth on Schedule 1.

 

8.3.      No Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall by any act (except by a written instrument pursuant to Section 8.1), delay, indulgence, omission or otherwise be deemed to have waived any right or remedy hereunder or to have acquiesced in any Default or Event of Default. No failure to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. No single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. A waiver by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of any right or remedy hereunder on any one occasion shall not be construed as a bar to any right or remedy which the Administrative Agent or such Lender would otherwise have on any future occasion. The rights and remedies herein provided are cumulative, may be exercised singly or concurrently and are not exclusive of any other rights or remedies provided by law.

 

8.4.      Enforcement Expenses; Indemnification. (a) Each Guarantor agrees to pay or reimburse each Lender and the Administrative Agent for all its reasonable costs and expenses incurred in collecting against such Guarantor under the guarantee contained in Section 2 or otherwise enforcing or preserving any rights under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Guarantor is a party, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to each Lender and of counsel to the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)       Each Guarantor agrees to pay, and to save the Administrative Agent and the Lenders harmless from, any and all liabilities with respect to, or resulting from any delay in paying, any and all stamp, excise, sales or other taxes which may be payable or determined to be payable with respect to any of the Collateral or in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(c)       Each Guarantor agrees to pay, and to save the Administrative Agent and the Lenders harmless from, any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance and administration of this Agreement to the extent the Borrower would be required to do so pursuant to Section 9.5 of the Credit Agreement.

 

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(d)       The agreements in this Section 8.4 shall survive repayment of the Obligations and all other amounts payable under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

8.5.      Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of each Grantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and their successors and assigns; provided that no Grantor may assign, transfer or delegate any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent.

 

8.6.      Set-Off. Each Grantor hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent and each Lender at any time and from time to time while an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, without notice to such Grantor or any other Grantor, any such notice being expressly waived by each Grantor, to set-off and appropriate and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final), in any currency, and any other credits, indebtedness or claims, in any currency, in each case whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or owing by the Administrative Agent or such Lender (or any branch or agency thereof) to or for the credit or the account of such Grantor, or any part thereof in such amounts as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may elect, against and on account of the obligations and liabilities of such Grantor to the Administrative Agent or such Lender hereunder and claims of every nature and description of the Administrative Agent or such Lender against such Grantor, in any currency, whether arising hereunder, under the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document or otherwise, as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may elect, whether or not the Administrative Agent or any Lender has made any demand for payment and although such obligations, liabilities and claims may be contingent or unmatured. The Administrative Agent and each Lender shall notify such Grantor promptly of any such set-off and the application made by the Administrative Agent or such Lender of the proceeds thereof, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application. The rights of the Administrative Agent and each Lender under this Section 8.6 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including, without limitation, other rights of set-off) which the Administrative Agent or such Lender may have.

 

8.7.      Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts (including by telecopy), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

 

8.8.      Severability. Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

8.9.      Section Headings. The Section headings used in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not to affect the construction hereof or be taken into consideration in the interpretation hereof.

 

8.10.    Integration. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents represent the agreement of the Grantors, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Administrative Agent or any Lender relative to subject matter hereof and thereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Loan Documents.

 

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8.11.   GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

8.12.    Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each party to this Agreement hereby irrevocably and unconditionally:

 

(a)       submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the non-exclusive general jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York, the courts of the United States of America for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;

 

(b)       consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same;

 

(c)       agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such Grantor at its address referred to in Section 8.2 or at such other address of which the Administrative Agent shall have been notified pursuant thereto;

 

(d)       agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right to sue in any other jurisdiction; and

 

(e)       waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

 

8.13.    Acknowledgements. Each Grantor hereby acknowledges that:

 

(a)       it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party;

 

(b)       neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any fiduciary relationship with or duty to any Grantor arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship between the Grantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and Lenders, on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor; and

 

(c)       no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Lenders or among the Grantors and the Lenders.

 

8.14.    Additional Grantors. Each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is required to become a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 5.8 of the Credit Agreement shall become a Grantor for all purposes of this Agreement upon execution and delivery by such Subsidiary of an Assumption Agreement in the form of Annex 2 hereto.

 

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8.15.    Releases. (a) At such time as the Loans and the other Obligations (other than Obligations in respect of Specified Swap Agreements) shall have been paid in full and the Revolving Commitments have been terminated, the Collateral shall be released from the Liens created hereby, and this Agreement and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to survive such termination) of the Administrative Agent and each Grantor hereunder shall terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by any party, and all rights to the Collateral shall revert to the Grantors. Following any such termination, each Grantor is hereby authorized to file UCC termination statements without the signature of the Administrative Agent or any Lender. At the request and sole expense of any Grantor following any such termination, the Administrative Agent shall deliver to such Grantor any Collateral held by the Administrative Agent hereunder, and execute and deliver to such Grantor such documents as such Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination.

 

(b)       If any of the Collateral shall be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by any Grantor in a transaction permitted by the Credit Agreement, then the Administrative Agent, at the request and sole expense of such Grantor, shall execute and deliver to such Grantor all releases or other documents reasonably necessary or desirable for the release of the Liens created hereby on such Collateral. At the request and sole expense of the Borrower, a Guarantor shall be released from its obligations hereunder in the event that all the Capital Stock of such Guarantor shall be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of in a transaction permitted by the Credit Agreement; provided that the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent, at least ten days prior to the date of the proposed release, a written request for release identifying the relevant Guarantor and the terms of the sale or other disposition in reasonable detail, including the price thereof and any expenses in connection therewith, together with a certification by the Borrower stating that such transaction is in compliance with the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

8.16.   WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH GRANTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

 

8.17.    Grantors. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no Foreign Subsidiary or Excluded Regulated Subsidiary shall be deemed to be a Grantor hereunder.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Guarantee and Collateral Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

 

 

 

 

INTERACTIVE BROKERS GROUP LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Paul J. Brody

 

 

 

 

Name: Paul J. Brody
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT

 



 

 

 

[NAME OF SUBSIDIARY]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT

 



 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert Anastasio

 

 

 

 

Name: Robert Anastasio

 

 

 

Title:   Vice President

 

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT