JOINDER TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Credit Agreements
EX-4.1 2 a5898609_ex41.htm EXHIBIT 4.1

Exhibit 4.1


JOINDER TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

This Joinder to Credit Agreement (this “Joinder”) is made as of this 12th day of February, 2009 by and among ZALE CANADA CO. (the “New Borrower”), the other Borrowers party hereto (individually, an “Existing Borrower”, and collectively, the “Existing Borrowers”, and together with the New Borrower, individually, a “Borrower” and collectively, the “Borrowers”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent (in such capacity, the “Agent”) for the Lenders party to the Credit Agreement (as defined below), in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and benefits to be derived herefrom.

W I T N E S S E T H :

         A.        WHEREAS, the Existing Borrowers have entered into that certain Credit Agreement dated as of July 23, 2003 by, among others, (i) the Borrowers, (ii) the Lenders party thereto from time to time, and (iii) Bank of America, N.A., as Agent for the Lenders (as amended and in effect, the “Credit Agreement”); and

         B.        WHEREAS, the New Borrower is currently an Excluded Subsidiary under the Credit Agreement; and

         C.        WHEREAS, the Existing Borrowers have notified the Agent that they wish to join the New Borrower to the Credit Agreement as a Borrower as permitted by Section 2.1(c) of the Credit Agreement.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.  Definitions: All capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the same meaning herein as in the Credit Agreement.

2.  Joinder and Assumption of Obligations.  Effective as of the date of this Joinder, the New Borrower hereby acknowledges that it has received and reviewed a copy of the Credit Agreement, and acknowledges and agrees to:

   (a)  join in the execution of, and become a party to, the Credit Agreement as a Borrower thereunder, as indicated by its signature below;

   (b)  be bound by all representations, warranties, covenants, agreements, liabilities and acknowledgments of the Borrowers in the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, in each case, with the same force and effect as if the New Borrower was an original signatory to the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and was expressly named as a Borrower therein (except to the extent that such representations, warranties, covenants, agreements, liabilities and acknowledgments relate expressly to an earlier date or to a Plan, a Multiemployer Plan, a Guaranteed Pension Plan or any other matters relating to ERISA); and


   (c)  perform all duties and Obligations jointly and severally with the Existing Borrowers under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

3.  Borrowing Restricted.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2 hereof or anything else herein or in the Credit Agreement to the contrary, the New Borrower shall not be permitted to borrow Revolving Loans from the Lenders under the Credit Agreement or to obtain Letters of Credit for the account of the New Borrower from the Issuing Bank under the Credit Agreement, and the Lenders shall have no Commitments to, nor any obligation to make Revolving Loans to the New Borrower under the Credit Agreement and the Issuing Bank shall have no obligation to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the New Borrower under the Credit Agreement, in each case until such time as the Administrative Agent is satisfied, in its sole discretion, that any Revolving Loans made or Letters of Credit issued to or for the account of the New Borrower shall be in compliance with the provisions of the Bank Act (Canada) or other applicable law, or any statutes, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, policies and procedures of or applicable to the Agent and each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank.  Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing and under strict reserve thereof, the New Borrower hereby affirms the provisions of Section 9.15 of the Credit Agreement and Section 2(c) above.

4.  Representations and Warranties.  The New Borrower hereby makes all representations, warranties, and covenants set forth in the Credit Agreement as of the date hereof (except to the extent that such representations, warranties or covenants relate expressly to an earlier date or to a Plan, a Multiemployer Plan, a Guaranteed Pension Plan or any other matters relating to ERISA); provided, however, that such representations and warranties shall be subject to the matters set forth on the Schedules delivered pursuant to Section 6(d) hereto.  

5.  Ratification of Loan Documents.  Except as specifically amended by this Joinder and the other documents executed and delivered in connection herewith, all of the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement and of the other Loan Documents shall remain in full force and effect.  Each of the Borrowers (including the New Borrower) hereby acknowledges and affirms that all Obligations of the Borrowers (including the New Borrower) under the Loan Documents are secured by the Collateral pursuant to, inter alia, the Security Agreement entered into by the Existing Borrowers and the Agent in connection with the Credit Agreement and joined into by the New Borrower pursuant to the Joinder to Security Agreement entered into by the New Borrower and the Agent in connection herewith.

6.  Other Actions to be Undertaken.  This Joinder shall not be effective until each of the following actions has been completed by the New Borrower to the reasonable satisfaction of the Agent:

   (a)  This Joinder shall have been duly executed and delivered by the respective parties hereto, and shall be in full force and effect and shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

   (b)  All action on the part of the New Borrower necessary for the valid execution, delivery and performance by the New Borrower of this Joinder and all other documentation, instruments, and agreements to be executed in connection herewith shall have been duly and effectively taken and evidence thereof reasonably satisfactory to the Agent shall have been provided to the Agent.


   (c)  The New Borrower shall have delivered the following to the Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent:

       (i)  A Certificate of Legal Existence issued by the Province of Nova Scotia and a Certificate of Good Standing issued by each province and jurisdiction in which the New Borrower conducts business or maintains any Collateral.

      (ii)  A Certificate of an authorized officer attesting to the due adoption, continued effectiveness, and setting forth the text, of each corporate resolution adopted in connection with the assumption of obligations under the Credit Agreement, and attesting to the true signatures of each Person authorized as a signatory to any of the Loan Documents, together with true and accurate copies of all organizational documents.

     (iii)  The following Loan Documents:

(1)  Joinder to Security Agreement;

(2)  Security Agreement (Canada);

(3)  Perfection Certificate;

(4)  Landlord’s Waiver with respect to the New Borrower’s distribution center located in Markham, Ontario; and

(5)  Such other documents and agreements as the Agent may reasonably require.

   (d)  The New Borrower shall have delivered the following to the Agent, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent:

       (i)  Supplemental schedules to the Credit Agreement to include any information pertaining to the New Borrower that may be required to be listed on such schedules.

      (ii)  Favorable written legal opinions of the Borrowers’ counsel addressed to the Agent and the Lenders, covering such matters relating to the New Borrower as the Agent shall reasonably request.

   (e)  The Agent shall have received all documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing statements and PPSA financing statements and estoppel letters, required by law or reasonably requested by the Agent to create, perfect or evidence the first priority Liens intended to be created under the Loan Documents and all such documents and instruments shall have been so filed, registered or recorded to the satisfaction of the Agent.


7.  Post-Closing Obligations.  The New Borrower covenants and agrees to deliver to the Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and within thirty (30) days following the date hereof, a duly executed Blocked Account Agreement among the Agent, the New Borrower and Royal Bank of Canada; provided, however, that the Agent may (but has no obligation to), in its sole and exclusive discretion, either extend the time period noted above for the delivery of the document described in this Section 7 or waive in its entirety the obligation that such document be delivered.

8.  Miscellaneous.

   (a)  This Joinder may be executed in several counterparts and by each party on a separate counterpart, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original, and all of which together shall constitute one instrument.

   (b)  This Joinder expresses the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby.  No prior negotiations or discussions shall limit, modify, or otherwise affect the provisions hereof.

   (c)  This Joinder shall constitute a Loan Document for all purposes.

   (d)  Any determination that any provision of this Joinder or any application hereof is invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect and in any instance shall not effect the validity, legality, or enforceability of such provision in any other instance, or the validity, legality or enforceability of any other provisions of this Joinder.

   (e)  The Borrowers shall pay all costs and expenses of the Agent, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees in connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution and delivery of this Joinder.

   (f)  The Borrowers warrant and represent that the Borrowers have consulted with independent legal counsel of their selection in connection with this Joinder and are not relying on any representations or warranties of the Agent or the Lenders or their counsel in entering into this Joinder.

   (g)  THIS JOINDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Joinder to be duly executed and delivered by its proper and duly authorized officer as of the date set forth above.


 

BORROWERS:

 

ZALE DELAWARE, INC., as Borrower

 
 
By:

/s/ David Sternblitz

Name:

David Sternblitz

Title:

Vice President & Treasurer

 
 

ZALE CORPORATION, as a Borrower

 
 
By:

/s/ David Sternblitz

Name:

David Sternblitz

Title:

Vice President & Treasurer

 
 

ZGCO, LLC, as a Borrower

 
 
By:

/s/ David Sternblitz

Name:

David Sternblitz

Title:

Vice President & Treasurer

 
 

TXDC, L.P., as a Borrower

 
 
By:

/s/ David Sternblitz

Name:

David Sternblitz

Title:

Vice President & Treasurer

 
 

ZALE CANADA CO., as a Borrower

 
 
By:

/s/ David Sternblitz

Name:

David Sternblitz

Title:

Vice President & Treasurer


 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Agent

 
 
By:

/s/ Andrew Cerussi

Name:

Andrew Cerussi

Title:

SVP