Loan and Security Agreement
by and between
CONGRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION (CENTRAL)
as Lender
and
NAVARRE CORPORATION
as Borrower
Dated: June 12, 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SECTION 1.DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SECTION 2. CREDIT FACILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.1 Revolving Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2 Letter of Credit Accommodations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.3 Availability Reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
SECTION 3. INTEREST AND FEES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.1 Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.2 Closing Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.3 Servicing Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.4 Unused Line Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.5 Changes in Laws and Increased Costs of Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
SECTION 4. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.1 Conditions Precedent to Initial Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations . . . . . . 15
4.2 Conditions Precedent to All Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations . . . . . . . . 16
SECTION 5. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
SECTION 6. COLLECTION AND ADMINISTRATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
6.1 Borrower's Loan Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
6.2 Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
6.3 Collection of Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
6.4 Payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
6.5 Authorization to Make Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
6.6 Use of Proceeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SECTION 7. COLLATERAL REPORTING AND COVENANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
7.1 Collateral Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
7.2 Accounts Covenants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
7.3 Inventory Covenants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
7.4 Equipment Covenants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
7.5 Power of Attorney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
7.6 Right to Cure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
7.7 Access to Premises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
SECTION 8. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
8.1 Corporate Existence, Power and Authority; Subsidiaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
8.2 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
8.3 Chief Executive Office; Collateral Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
8.4 Priority of Liens; Title to Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
8.5 Tax Returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
8.6 Litigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
8.7 Compliance with Other Agreements and Applicable Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
8.8 Bank Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
8.9 Accuracy and Completeness of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
8.10 Survival of Warranties; Cumulative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
SECTION 9. AFFIRMATIVE AND NEGATIVE COVENANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
9.1 Maintenance of Existence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
9.2 New Collateral Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
9.3 Compliance with Laws, Regulations, Etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
9.4 Payment of Taxes and Claims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
9.5 Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
9.6 Financial Statements and Other Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
9.7 Sale of Assets, Consolidation, Merger, Dissolution, Etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
9.8 Encumbrances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
9.9 Indebtedness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
9.10 Loans, Investments, Guarantees, Etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
9.11 Dividends and Redemptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
9.12 Transactions with Affiliates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
9.13 Additional Bank Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
9.14 Adjusted Net Worth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
9.15 Costs and Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
9.16 Further Assurances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
SECTION 10. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
10.1 Events of Default . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
10.2 Remedies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
SECTION 11. JURY TRIAL WAIVER; OTHER WAIVERS
AND CONSENTS; GOVERNING LAW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
11.1 Governing Law; Choice of Forum; Service of Process; Jury Trial Waiver . . . . . . . . 35
11.2 Waiver of Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
11.3 Amendments and Waivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
11.4 Waiver of Counterclaims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
11.5 Indemnification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
SECTION 12. TERM OF AGREEMENT; MISCELLANEOUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
12.1 Term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
12.2 Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
12.3 Partial Invalidity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
12.4 Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
12.5 Entire Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
INDEX TO
EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES
Exhibit A Information Certificate
Schedule 8.4 Existing Liens
Schedule 8.8 Bank Accounts
Schedule 9.9 Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 9.10 Existing Loans, Advances and Guarantees
LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
This Loan and Security Agreement dated June 12, 1997 is entered into by
and between CONGRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION (CENTRAL), an Illinois corporation
("LENDER") and NAVARRE CORPORATION, a Minnesota corporation ("BORROWER").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, Borrower has requested that Lender enter into certain
financing arrangements with Borrower pursuant to which Lender may make loans and
provide other financial accommodations to Borrower; and
WHEREAS, Lender is willing to make such loans and provide such
financial accommodations on the terms and conditions set forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual conditions and
agreements set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto
agree as follows:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS
All terms used herein which are defined in Article 1 or Article 9 of
the Uniform Commercial Code shall have the meanings given therein unless
otherwise defined in this Agreement. All references to the plural herein shall
also mean the singular and to the singular shall also mean the plural unless the
context otherwise requires. All references to Borrower and Lender pursuant to
the definitions set forth in the recitals hereto, or to any other person herein,
shall include their respective successors and assigns. The words "hereof",
"herein", "hereunder", "this Agreement" and words of similar import when used in
this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not any particular
provision of this Agreement and as this Agreement now exists or may hereafter be
amended, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or replaced. The
word "including" when used in this Agreement shall mean "including, without
limitation". An Event of Default shall exist or continue or be continuing until
such Event of Default is waived in accordance with Section 11.3 or is cured in a
manner satisfactory to Lender, if such Event of Default is capable of being
cured as determined by Lender. Any accounting term used herein unless otherwise
defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings customarily given to such term
in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms
shall have the respective meanings given to them below:
1.1 "ACCOUNTS" shall mean all present and future rights of Borrower to
payment for goods sold or leased or for services rendered, which are not
evidenced by instruments or chattel paper, and whether or not earned by
performance.
1.2 "ADJUSTED EURODOLLAR RATE" shall mean, with respect to each
Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum (rounded
upwards, if necessary, to the next one-sixteenth (1/16) of one (1%) percent)
determined by dividing (a) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period
by (b) a percentage equal to: (i) one (1) minus (ii) the Reserve Percentage. For
purposes hereof, "Reserve Percentage" shall mean the reserve percentage,
expressed as a decimal, prescribed by any United States or foreign banking
authority for determining the reserve requirement which is or would be
applicable to deposits of United States dollars in a non-United States or an
international banking office of Reference Bank used to fund a Eurodollar Rate
Loan or any Eurodollar Rate Loan made with the proceeds of such deposit, whether
or not the Reference Bank actually holds or has made any such deposits or loans.
The Adjusted Eurodollar Rate shall be adjusted on and as of the effective day of
any change in the Reserve Percentage.
1.3 "ADJUSTED NET WORTH" shall mean as to any Person, at any time, in
accordance with GAAP (except as otherwise specifically set forth below), on a
consolidated basis for such Person and its subsidiaries (if any), the amount
equal to: (a) the difference between: (i) the aggregate net book value of all
assets of such Person and its subsidiaries, calculating the book value of
inventory for this purpose on a first-in-first-out basis, after deducting from
such book values all appropriate reserves in accordance with GAAP (including all
reserves for doubtful receivables, obsolescence, depreciation and amortization)
and (ii) the aggregate amount of the indebtedness and other liabilities of such
Person and its subsidiaries (including tax and other proper accruals).
1.4 "AVAILABILITY RESERVES" shall mean, as of any date of
determination, such amounts as Lender may from time to time establish and revise
in good faith reducing the amount of Revolving Loans and Letter of Credit
Accommodations which would otherwise be available to Borrower under the lending
formula(s) provided for herein: (a) to reflect events, conditions, contingencies
or risks which, as determined by Lender in good faith, do or may affect either
(i) the Collateral or any other property which is security for the Obligations
or its value, (ii) the assets, business or prospects of Borrower or any Obligor
or (iii) the security interests and other rights of Lender in the Collateral
(including the enforceability, perfection and priority thereof), (b) to reflect
Lender's good faith belief that any collateral report or financial information
furnished by or on behalf of Borrower or any Obligor to Lender is or may have
been incomplete, inaccurate or misleading in any material respect, (c) to
reflect outstanding Letter of Credit Accommodations as provided in Section 2.2
hereof, (d) in respect of any state of facts which Lender determines in good
faith constitutes an Event of Default or may, with notice or passage of time or
both, constitute an Event of Default, or (e) for each week during the calendar
months of October, November and December, respectively, of each year of this
Agreement, an amount equal to four (4%) percent of the gross sales for each such
week (the "Seasonal Reserve"); except that, provided that Lender determines, in
good faith, that the Seasonal Reserve should not otherwise remain as an
Availability Reserve in respect of events, conditions, contingencies or risks as
provided for in Section 1.4(a), (b), (c) or (d) above, and provided further that
no Event of Default exists and is continuing, Lender agrees to release (i) fifty
(50%) percent of the Seasonal Reserve on the last Business Day of January of the
immediately succeeding year, provided that Lender has received from Borrower a
schedule of all credits issued for the month of January and (ii) fifty (50%)
percent of the Seasonal Reserve on the last Business Day of February of the
immediately succeeding year provided that Lender has received from Borrower a
schedule of all credits issued for the month of February.
1.5 "BLOCKED ACCOUNTS" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.3
hereof.
1.6 "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or
other day on which commercial banks are authorized or required to close under
the laws of the State of Illinois or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and a day
on which the Reference Bank and Lender are open for the transaction of business,
except that if a determination of a Business Day shall relate to any Eurodollar
Rate Loans, the term Business Day shall also exclude any day on which banks are
closed for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market or other
applicable Eurodollar Rate market.
1.7 "COLLATERAL" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5 hereof.
1.8 "ELIGIBLE ACCOUNTS" shall mean Accounts created by Borrower which
are and continue to be acceptable to Lender based on the criteria set forth
below. In general, Accounts shall be Eligible Accounts if:
(a) such Accounts arise from the actual and bona fide sale and
delivery of goods by Borrower or rendition of services by Borrower in the
ordinary course of its business which transactions are completed in accordance
with the terms and provisions contained in any documents related thereto;
(b) such Accounts are not unpaid more than sixty (60) days past the
original due date thereof, but less than one hundred twenty (120) days after the
date of the original invoice for them; except that, Eligible Accounts shall
include Accounts which are more than one hundred twenty (120) days from the
original invoice date for those Accounts arising from the sale and shipment of
goods during the calendar months of September and October of each year to those
account debtors designated by Borrower as "MUSIC ACCOUNT DEBTORS" as set forth
in a written schedule submitted to Lender by Borrower from time to time
("SEASONAL MUSIC ACCOUNTS"), provided, however, (i) that the maximum amount of
Seasonal Music Accounts which may be considered Eligible Accounts at any time
shall not exceed $8,000,000, and (ii) all Seasonal Music Accounts which remain
unpaid as of February 15th of the immediately succeeding year shall not be
Eligible Accounts;
(c) such Accounts comply with the terms and conditions contained in
Section 7.2(c) of this Agreement;
(d) such Accounts do not arise from (i) sales on consignment, (ii)
guaranteed sales or (iii) except in the ordinary course of Borrower's business
in accordance with practices and policies previously disclosed in writing to
Lender, sales on any terms under which payment by the account debtor may be
conditional or contingent;
(e) the chief executive office of the account debtor with respect
to such Accounts is located in the United States of America, or, at Lender's
option, if either: (i) the account debtor has delivered to Borrower an
irrevocable letter of credit issued or confirmed by a bank satisfactory to
Lender and payable only in the United States of America or Canada and in U.S.
dollars, sufficient to cover such Account, in form and substance satisfactory to
Lender and, if required by Lender, the original of such letter of credit has
been delivered to Lender or Lender's agent and the issuer thereof notified of
the assignment of the proceeds of such letter of credit to Lender, or (ii) such
Account is subject to credit insurance payable to Lender issued by an insurer
and on terms and in an amount
acceptable to Lender, or (iii) such Account is otherwise acceptable in all
respects to Lender (subject to such lending formula with respect thereto as
Lender may determine);
(f) such Accounts do not consist of progress ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ and
hold invoices or retainage invoices, except as to ▇▇▇▇ and hold invoices, if
Lender shall have received an agreement in writing from the account debtor, in
form and substance satisfactory to Lender, confirming the unconditional
obligation of the account debtor to take the goods related thereto and pay such
invoice;
(g) there are no facts, events or occurrences which would impair
the validity, enforceability or collectability of such Accounts or reduce the
amount payable or delay payment thereunder;
(h) such Accounts are subject to the first priority, valid and
perfected security interest of Lender and any goods giving rise thereto are not,
and were not at the time of the sale thereof, subject to any liens except those
permitted in this Agreement;
(i) neither the account debtor nor any officer or employee of the
account debtor with respect to such Accounts is an officer, employee or agent of
or affiliated with Borrower directly or indirectly by virtue of family
membership, ownership, control, management or otherwise;
(j) the account debtors with respect to such Accounts are not any
foreign government, the United States of America, any State, political
subdivision, department, agency or instrumentality thereof, unless, if the
account debtor is the United States of America, any State, political
subdivision, department, agency or instrumentality thereof, upon Lender's
request, the Federal Assignment of Claims Act of 1940, as amended or any similar
State or local law, if applicable, has been complied with in a manner
satisfactory to Lender;
(k) there are no proceedings or actions which are threatened or
pending against the account debtors with respect to such Accounts which might
result in any material adverse change in any such account debtor's financial
condition;
(l) such Accounts of a single account debtor or its affiliates do
not constitute more than twenty (20%) percent of all otherwise Eligible Accounts
(but the portion of the Accounts not in excess of such percentage may be deemed
Eligible Accounts);
(m) such Accounts are not owed by an account debtor who has
Accounts unpaid more than sixty (60) days past the original due date thereof,
but less than one hundred twenty (120) days after the date of the original
invoice for them and which Accounts constitute more than fifty (50%) percent of
the total Accounts of such account debtor;
(n) such Accounts are owed by account debtors whose total
indebtedness to Borrower does not exceed the credit limit with respect to such
account debtors as determined by Lender from time to time (but the portion of
the Accounts not in excess of such credit limit may be deemed Eligible
Accounts); and
(o) such Accounts are owed by account debtors deemed creditworthy
at all times by Lender, as determined by Lender.
General criteria for Eligible Accounts may be established and revised from time
to time by Lender in good faith. Any Accounts which are not Eligible Accounts
shall nevertheless be part of the Collateral.
1.9 "ELIGIBLE INVENTORY" shall mean Inventory consisting of finished
goods (including Return to Vendor Inventory) held for resale in the ordinary
course of the business of Borrower which are acceptable to Lender based on the
criteria set forth below. In general, Eligible Inventory shall not include (a)
packaging and shipping materials; (b) supplies used or consumed in Borrower's
business; (c) Inventory at premises other than those owned and controlled by
Borrower, except if (i) Lender shall have received an agreement in writing from
the person in possession of such Inventory and/or the owner or operator of such
premises in form and substance satisfactory to Lender acknowledging Lender's
first priority security interest in the Inventory, waiving security interests
and claims by such person against the Inventory and permitting Lender access to,
and the right to remain on, the premises so as to exercise Lender's rights and
remedies and otherwise deal with the Collateral, or (ii) Lender has established
Availability Reserves in such amounts as Lender deems appropriate and necessary,
in its sole discretion, to permit Lender access to the premises so as to
exercise Lender's rights and remedies and otherwise deal with the Collateral;
(d) Inventory subject to a security interest or lien in favor of any person
other than Lender except those permitted in this Agreement; (e) ▇▇▇▇ and hold
goods; (f) Inventory which is not subject to the first priority, valid and
perfected security interest of Lender; (g) damaged and/or defective Inventory;
and (h) Inventory purchased or sold on consignment. General criteria for
Eligible Inventory may be established and revised from time to time by Lender in
good faith. Any Inventory which is not Eligible Inventory shall nevertheless be
part of the Collateral.
1.10 "EQUIPMENT" shall mean all of Borrower's now owned and hereafter
acquired equipment, machinery, computers and computer hardware and software
(whether owned or licensed), vehicles, tools, furniture, fixtures, all
attachments, accessions and property now or hereafter affixed thereto or used in
connection therewith, and substitutions and replacements thereof, wherever
located.
1.11 "EURODOLLAR RATE" shall mean with respect to the Interest Period
for a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the interest rate per annum equal to the arithmetic
average of the rates of interest per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to
the next one-sixteenth (1/16) of one (1%) percent) at which Reference Bank is
offered deposits of United States dollars in the London interbank market (or
other Eurodollar Rate market selected by Borrower and approved by Lender) on or
about 9:00 a.m. (Chicago, Illinois time) two (2) Business Days prior to the
commencement of such Interest Period in amounts substantially equal to the
principal amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loans requested by and available to
Borrower in accordance with this Agreement, with a maturity of comparable
duration to the Interest Period selected by Borrower.
1.12 "EURODOLLAR RATE LOANS" shall mean any Loans or portion thereof on
which interest is payable based on the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate in accordance
with the terms hereof.
1.13 "EVENT OF DEFAULT" shall mean the occurrence or existence of any
event or condition described in Section 10.1 hereof.
1.14 "EXCESS AVAILABILITY" shall mean the amount, as determined by
Lender, calculated at any time from and after the date of this Agreement, equal
to: (a) the lesser of (i) the amount of the Revolving Loans available to
Borrower as of such time based on the applicable lending formulas multiplied by
the Net Amount of Eligible Accounts and the Value of Eligible Inventory, as
determined by Lender, and subject to the sublimits and Availability Reserves
from time to time established by Lender hereunder and (ii) the Maximum Credit,
minus (b) the sum of: (i) the amount of all then outstanding and unpaid
Obligations, plus (ii) the aggregate amount of all trade payables of Borrower
which are more than sixty (60) days past due as of such time, plus (iii) the
amount of checks issued by Borrower to pay trade payables, but not yet sent and
the book overdraft of Borrower.
1.15 "EXCESS CLOSING AVAILABILITY" shall mean the amount, as determined
by Lender, calculated as of the date of this Agreement, equal to: (a) the lesser
of (i) the amount of the Revolving Loans available to Borrower as of such time
based on the applicable lending formulas multiplied by the Net Amount of
Eligible Accounts and the Value of Eligible Inventory, as determined by Lender,
and subject to the sublimits and Availability Reserves from time to time
established by Lender hereunder and (ii) the Maximum Credit, minus (b) the sum
of: (i) the amount of all then outstanding and unpaid Obligations, plus (ii)
$5,000,000.
1.16 "FINANCING AGREEMENTS" shall mean, collectively, this Agreement
and all notes, guarantees, security agreements and other agreements, documents
and instruments now or at any time hereafter executed and/or delivered by
Borrower or any Obligor in connection with this Agreement, as the same now exist
or may hereafter be amended, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, restated
or replaced.
1.17 "GAAP" shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States of America as in effect from time to time as set forth in the
opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the statements and pronouncements
of the Financial Accounting Standards Board which are applicable to the
circumstances as of the date of determination consistently applied, except that,
for purposes of Section 9.14 hereof, GAAP shall be determined on the basis of
such principles in effect on the date hereof and consistent with those used in
the preparation of the audited financial statements delivered to Lender prior to
the date hereof.
1.18 "INFORMATION CERTIFICATE" shall mean the Information Certificate
of Borrower constituting Exhibit A hereto containing material information with
respect to Borrower, its business and assets provided by or on behalf of
Borrower to Lender in connection with the preparation of this Agreement and the
other Financing Agreements and the financing arrangements provided for herein.
1.19 "INTEREST PERIOD" shall mean for any Eurodollar Rate Loan, a
period of approximately one (1), two (2), or three (3) months duration as
Borrower may elect, the exact duration to be determined in accordance with the
customary practice in the applicable Eurodollar Rate market;
provided, that, Borrower may not elect an Interest Period which will end after
the last day of the then-current term of this Agreement.
1.20 "INTEREST RATE" shall mean, as to Prime Rate Loans, a rate of
one-half (1/2%) percent per annum in excess of the Prime Rate and, as to
Eurodollar Rate Loans, a rate of two and three-quarters (2 3/4%) percent per
annum in excess of the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate (based on the Eurodollar Rate
applicable for the Interest Period selected by Borrower as in effect three (3)
Business Days after the date of receipt by Lender of the request of Borrower for
such Eurodollar Rate Loans in accordance with the terms hereof, whether such
rate is higher or lower than any rate previously quoted to Borrower); provided,
that, the Interest Rate shall mean the rate of two and one-half (2 1/2%) percent
per annum in excess of the Prime Rate as to Prime Rate Loans and the rate of
four and three-quarters (4 3/4%) percent per annum in excess of the Adjusted
Eurodollar Rate as to Eurodollar Rate Loans, at Lender's option, without notice,
(a) for the period (i) from and after the date of termination or non-renewal
hereof until Lender has received full and final payment of all obligations
(notwithstanding entry of a judgment against Borrower) and (ii) from and after
the date of the occurrence of an Event of Default for so long as such Event of
Default is continuing as determined by Lender, and (b) on the Revolving Loans at
any time outstanding in excess of the amounts available to Borrower under
Section 2 (whether or not such excess(es), arise or are made with or without
Lender's knowledge or consent and whether made before or after an Event of
Default).
1.21 "INVENTORY" shall mean all of Borrower's now owned and hereafter
existing or acquired raw materials, work in process, finished goods and all
other inventory of whatsoever kind or nature, wherever located.
1.22 "LETTER OF CREDIT ACCOMMODATIONS" shall mean the letters of
credit, merchandise purchase or other guaranties which are from time to time
either (a) issued or opened by Lender for the account of Borrower or any Obligor
or (b) with respect to which Lender has agreed to indemnify the issuer or
guaranteed to the issuer the performance by Borrower of its obligations to such
issuer.
1.23 "LOANS" shall mean the Revolving Loans.
1.24 "MAXIMUM CREDIT" shall mean the amount of $45,000,000.
1.25 "NET AMOUNT OF ELIGIBLE ACCOUNTS" shall mean the gross amount of
Eligible Accounts less (a) sales, excise or similar taxes included in the amount
thereof and (b) returns, discounts, claims, credits, chargebacks and allowances
of any nature at any time issued, owing, granted, outstanding, available or
claimed with respect thereto.
1.26 "NET ORDERLY LIQUIDATION VALUE" shall mean, at any time,
determined in accordance with the most recent Inventory Appraisal received by
Lender in accordance with Section 7.3, the orderly liquidation value of the
Borrower's finished goods, net of all operating and liquidation expenses
necessary to conduct a liquidation of such goods.
1.27 "OBLIGATIONS" shall mean any and all Revolving Loans, Letter of
Credit Accommodations and all other obligations, liabilities and indebtedness of
every kind, nature and
description owing by Borrower to Lender and/or its affiliates, including
principal, interest, charges, fees, costs and expenses, however evidenced,
whether as principal, surety, endorser, guarantor or otherwise, whether arising
under this Agreement or otherwise, whether now existing or hereafter arising,
whether arising before, during or after the initial or any renewal term of this
Agreement or after the commencement of any case with respect to Borrower under
the United States Bankruptcy Code or any similar statute (including the payment
of interest and other amounts which would accrue and become due but for the
commencement of such case, whether or not such amounts are allowed or allowable
in whole or in part in such case), whether direct or indirect, absolute or
contingent, joint or several, due or not due, primary or secondary, liquidated
or unliquidated, secured or unsecured, and however acquired by Lender.
1.28 "OBLIGOR" shall mean any guarantor, endorser, acceptor, surety or
other person liable on or with respect to the Obligations or who is the owner of
any property which is security for the Obligations, other than Borrower.
1.29 "PAYMENT ACCOUNT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.3
hereof.
1.30 "PERSON" or "PERSON" shall mean any individual, sole
proprietorship, partnership, corporation (including any corporation which elects
subchapter S status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended),
limited liability company, limited liability partnership, business trust,
unincorporated association, joint stock corporation, trust, joint venture or
other entity or any government or any agency or instrumentality or political
subdivision thereof.
1.31 "PLEDGED PROPERTY" shall mean all of the Borrower's now owned or
hereafter acquired equity interests in Net Radio Corporation, Digital
Entertainment, Inc. and Velvel, together with any other investments by Borrower
in Net Radio Corporation, Digital Entertainment, Inc. and/or Velvel of whatever
kind or nature.
1.32 "PRIME RATE" shall mean the rate from time to time publicly
announced by CoreStates Bank, N.A., or its successors, at its office in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as its prime rate, whether or not such announced
rate is the best rate available at such bank.
1.33 "PRIME RATE LOANS" shall mean any Loans or portion thereof on
which interest is payable based on the Prime Rate in accordance with the terms
thereof.
1.34 "RECORDS" shall mean all of Borrower's present and future books of
account of every kind or nature, purchase and sale agreements, invoices, ledger
cards, bills of lading and other shipping evidence, statements, correspondence,
memoranda, credit files and other data relating to the Collateral or any account
debtor, together with the tapes, disks, diskettes and other data and software
storage media and devices, file cabinets or containers in or on which the
foregoing are stored (including any rights of Borrower with respect to the
foregoing maintained with or by any other person).
1.35 "REFERENCE BANK" shall mean CoreStates Bank, N.A., or such other
bank as Lender may from time to time designate.
1.36 "RETURN TO VENDOR INVENTORY" shall mean all Inventory consisting
of finished goods purchased in the ordinary course of Borrower's business as
presently conducted on a return basis from vendors and designated on Borrower's
perpetual inventory system as return to vendor inventory.
1.37 "VALUE" shall mean, as determined by Lender in good faith, with
respect to Inventory, the lower of (a) cost computed on a first-in-first-out
basis in accordance with GAAP or (b) market value.
1.38 "VELVEL" shall mean Velvel Records, LLC and its successors.
SECTION 2. CREDIT FACILITIES
2.1 Revolving Loans.
(a) Subject to and upon the terms and conditions contained herein,
Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to Borrower from time to time in amounts
requested by Borrower up to the amount equal to the sum of:
(i) seventy (70%) percent of the Net Amount of Eligible
Accounts, plus
(ii) subject to the provisions of Section 2.1(e) below, the
lesser of: (A) fifty-five (55%) percent of the Value of
Eligible Inventory consisting of finished goods
(including Return to Vendor Inventory), or (B)
eighty-two (82%) of the Net Orderly Liquidation Value
of Borrower's finished goods, less
(iii) any Availability Reserves.
(b) Lender may, in its discretion, from time to time, upon not less
than five (5) days prior notice to Borrower, (i) reduce the lending formula with
respect to Eligible Accounts to the extent that Lender determines in good faith
that: (A) the dilution with respect to the Accounts for any period (based on the
ratio of (1) the aggregate amount of reductions in Accounts other than as a
result of payments in cash to (2) the aggregate amount of total sales) has
increased in any material respect or may be reasonably anticipated to increase
in any material respect above historical levels, or (B) the general
creditworthiness of account debtors has declined or (ii) reduce the lending
formula(s) with respect to Eligible Inventory to the extent that Lender
determines that: (A) the number of days of the turnover of the Inventory for any
period has changed in any material respect or (B) the liquidation value of the
Eligible Inventory, or any category thereof, has decreased, or (C) the nature
and quality of the Inventory has deteriorated. In determining whether to reduce
the lending formula(s), Lender may consider events, conditions, contingencies or
risks which are also considered in determining Eligible Accounts, Eligible
Inventory or in establishing Availability Reserves.
(c) Except in Lender's discretion, the aggregate amount of the
Loans and the Letter of Credit Accommodations outstanding at any time shall not
exceed the Maximum Credit. In
the event that the outstanding amount of any component of the Loans, or the
aggregate amount of the outstanding Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations,
exceed the amounts available under the lending formulas, the sublimits for
Letter of Credit Accommodations set forth in Section 2.2(d) or the Maximum
Credit, as applicable, such event shall not limit, waive or otherwise affect any
rights of Lender in that circumstance or on any future occasions and Borrower
shall, upon demand by Lender, which may be made at any time or from time to
time, immediately repay to Lender the entire amount of any such excess(es) for
which payment is demanded.
(d) For purposes only of applying the sublimit on Revolving Loans
based on Eligible Inventory pursuant to Section 2.1(a)(ii)(B), Lender may treat
the then undrawn amounts of outstanding Letter of Credit Accommodations for the
purpose of purchasing Eligible Inventory as Revolving Loans to the extent Lender
is in effect basing the issuance of the Letter of Credit Accommodations on the
Value of the Eligible Inventory being purchased with such Letter of Credit
Accommodations. In determining the actual amounts of such Letter of Credit
Accommodations to be so treated for purposes of the sublimit, the outstanding
Revolving Loans and Availability Reserves shall be attributed first to any
components of the lending formulas in Section 2.1(a) that are not subject to
such sublimit, before being attributed to the components of the lending formulas
subject to such sublimit.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section
2.1(a)(ii) above, the maximum aggregate amount of Revolving Loans outstanding at
any time (i) made in respect of the Value of Eligible Inventory, including
without limitation, the value of Eligible Inventory consisting of Return to
Vendor Inventory, shall not at any time exceed $15,000,000, and (ii) made in
respect of the Value of Eligible Inventory consisting of Return to Vendor
Inventory shall not exceed (x) for the calendar months of November through and
including February, $6,000,000, and (y) for the calendar months of March through
and including October, $5,000,000.
2.2 Letter of Credit Accommodations.
(a) Subject to and upon the terms and conditions contained herein,
at the request of Borrower, Lender agrees to provide or arrange for Letter of
Credit Accommodations for the account of Borrower containing terms and
conditions acceptable to Lender and the issuer thereof. Any payments made by
Lender to any issuer thereof and/or related parties in connection with the
Letter of Credit Accommodations shall constitute additional Revolving Loans to
Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.
(b) In addition to any charges, fees or expenses charged by any
bank or issuer in connection with the Letter of Credit Accommodations, Borrower
shall pay to Lender a letter of credit fee at a rate equal to one and one-half
(1 1/2%) percent per annum on the daily outstanding balance of the Letter of
Credit Accommodations for the immediately preceding month (or part thereof),
payable in arrears as of the first day of each succeeding month, except that
Borrower shall pay to Lender such letter of credit fee, at Lender's option,
without notice, at a rate equal to three and one-half (3 1/2%) percent per annum
on such daily outstanding balance for: (i) the period from and after the date of
termination or non-renewal hereof until Lender has received full and final
payment of all Obligations (notwithstanding entry of a judgment against
Borrower) and (ii) the period from and after the date of the occurrence of an
Event of Default for so long as such Event of Default is continuing
as determined by Lender. Such letter of credit fee shall be calculated on the
basis of a three hundred sixty (360) day year and actual days elapsed and the
obligation of Borrower to pay such fee shall survive the termination or
non-renewal of this Agreement.
(c) No Letter of Credit Accommodations shall be available unless on
the date of the proposed issuance of any Letter of Credit Accommodations, the
Revolving Loans available to Borrower (subject to the Maximum Credit and any
Availability Reserves) are equal to or greater than: (i) if the proposed Letter
of Credit Accommodation is for the purpose of purchasing Eligible Inventory, the
sum of (A) the percentage equal to one hundred (100%) percent minus the then
applicable percentage set forth in Section 2.1(a)(ii)(A) above of the Value of
such Eligible Inventory, plus (B) freight, taxes, duty and other amounts which
Lender estimates must be paid in connection with such Inventory upon arrival and
for delivery to one of Borrower's locations for Eligible Inventory within the
United States of America and (ii) if the proposed Letter of Credit Accommodation
is for any other purpose, an amount equal to one hundred (100%) percent of the
face amount thereof and all other commitments and obligations made or incurred
by Lender with respect thereto. Effective on the issuance of each Letter of
Credit Accommodation, an Availability Reserve shall be established in the
applicable amount set forth in Section 2.2(c)(i) or Section 2.2(c)(ii).
(d) Except in Lender's discretion, the amount of all outstanding
Letter of Credit Accommodations and all other commitments and obligations made
or incurred by Lender in connection therewith shall not at any time exceed
$10,000,000. At any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is
continuing, upon Lender's request, Borrower will either furnish cash collateral
to secure the reimbursement obligations to the issuer in connection with any
Letter of Credit Accommodations or furnish cash collateral to Lender for the
Letter of Credit Accommodations, and in either case, the Revolving Loans
otherwise available to Borrower shall not be reduced as provided in Section
2.2(c) to the extent of such cash collateral.
(e) Borrower shall indemnify and hold Lender harmless from and
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses
which Lender may suffer or incur in connection with any Letter of Credit
Accommodations and any documents, drafts or acceptances relating thereto,
including any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses due to
any action taken by any issuer or correspondent with respect to any Letter of
Credit Accommodation. Borrower assumes all risks with respect to the acts or
omissions of the drawer under or beneficiary of any Letter of Credit
Accommodation and for such purposes the drawer or beneficiary shall be deemed
Borrower's agent. Borrower assumes all risks for, and agrees to pay, all
foreign, Federal, State and local taxes, duties and levies relating to any goods
subject to any Letter of Credit Accommodations or any documents, drafts or
acceptances thereunder. Borrower hereby releases and holds Lender harmless from
and against any acts, waivers, errors, delays or omissions, whether caused by
Borrower, by any issuer or correspondent or otherwise with respect to or
relating to any Letter of Credit Accommodation. The provisions of this Section
2.2(e) shall survive the payment of Obligations and the termination or
non-renewal of this Agreement.
(f) Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or construed to grant
Borrower any right or authority to pledge the credit of Lender in any manner.
Lender shall have no liability of any kind with respect to any Letter of Credit
Accommodation provided by an issuer other than Lender unless Lender has duly
executed and delivered to such issuer the application or a guarantee or
indemnification in writing with respect to such Letter of Credit Accommodation.
Borrower shall be bound by any interpretation made in good faith by Lender, or
any other issuer or correspondent under or in connection with any Letter of
Credit Accommodation or any documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder,
notwithstanding that such interpretation may be inconsistent with any
instructions of Borrower. Lender shall have the sole and exclusive right and
authority to, and Borrower shall not: (i) at any time an Event of Default exists
or has occurred and is continuing, (A) approve or resolve any questions of
non-compliance of documents, (B) give any instructions as to acceptance or
rejection of any documents or goods or (C) execute any and all applications for
steamship or airway guaranties, indemnities or delivery orders, and (ii) at all
times, (A) grant any extensions of the maturity of, time of payment for, or time
of presentation of, any drafts, acceptances, or documents, and (B) agree to any
amendments, renewals, extensions, modifications, changes or cancellations of any
of the terms or conditions of any of the applications, Letter of Credit
Accommodations, or documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder or any letters of
credit included in the Collateral. Lender may take such actions either in its
own name or in Borrower's name.
(g) Any rights, remedies, duties or obligations granted or
undertaken by Borrower to any issuer or correspondent in any application for any
Letter of Credit Accommodation, or any other agreement in favor of any issuer or
correspondent relating to any Letter of Credit Accommodation, shall be deemed to
have been granted or undertaken by Borrower to Lender. Any duties or obligations
undertaken by Lender to any issuer or correspondent in any application for any
Letter of Credit Accommodation, or any other agreement by Lender in favor of any
issuer or correspondent relating to any Letter of Credit Accommodation, shall be
deemed to have been undertaken by Borrower to Lender and to apply in all
respects to Borrower.
2.3 Availability Reserves. All Revolving Loans otherwise available to
Borrower pursuant to the lending formulas and subject to the Maximum Credit and
other applicable limits hereunder shall be subject to Lender's continuing right
to establish and revise Availability Reserves.
SECTION 3. INTEREST AND FEES
3.1 Interest.
(a) Borrower shall pay to Lender interest on the outstanding
principal amount of the non-contingent Obligations at the Interest Rate. All
interest accruing hereunder on and after the date of any Event of Default or
termination or non-renewal hereof shall be payable on demand.
(b) Borrower may from time to time request that Prime Rate Loans be
converted to Eurodollar Rate Loans or that any existing Eurodollar Rate Loans
continue for an additional Interest Period. Such request from Borrower shall
specify the amount of the Prime Rate Loans which will constitute Eurodollar Rate
Loans (subject to the limits set forth below) and the Interest Period to be
applicable to such Eurodollar Rate Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions
contained herein, three (3) Business Days after receipt by Lender of such a
request from Borrower, such Prime Rate Loans shall be converted to Eurodollar
Rate Loans or such Eurodollar Rate Loans shall continue, as the case may be,
provided, that, (i) no Event of Default, or event which with notice or passage
of time or both would constitute an Event of Default exists or has occurred and
is continuing, (ii) no party hereto shall have sent any notice of termination or
non-renewal of this Agreement, (iii)
Borrower shall have complied with such customary procedures as are established
by Lender and specified by Lender to Borrower from time to time for requests by
Borrower for Eurodollar Rate Loans, (iv) no more than four (4) Interest Periods
may be in effect at any one time, (v) the aggregate amount of the Eurodollar
Rate Loans must be in an amount not less than $5,000,000 or an integral multiple
of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (vi) the maximum amount of the Eurodollar Rate
Loans at any time requested by Borrower shall not exceed the amount equal to
eighty (80%) percent of the lowest principal amount of the Revolving Loans which
it is anticipated will be outstanding during the applicable Interest Period as
determined by Lender (but with no obligation of Lender to make such Revolving
Loans), and (vii) Lender shall have determined that the Interest Period or
Adjusted Eurodollar Rate is available to Lender through the Reference Bank and
can be readily determined as of the date of the request for such Eurodollar Rate
Loan by Borrower. Any request by Borrower to convert Prime Rate Loans to
Eurodollar Rate Loans or to continue any existing Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be
irrevocable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Lender
and Reference Bank shall not be required to purchase United States Dollar
deposits in the London interbank market or other applicable Eurodollar Rate
market to fund any Eurodollar Rate Loans, but the provisions hereof shall be
deemed to apply as if Lender and Reference Bank had purchased such deposits to
fund the Eurodollar Rate Loans.
(c) Any Eurodollar Rate Loans shall automatically convert to Prime
Rate Loans upon the last day of the applicable Interest Period, unless Lender
has received and approved a request to continue such Eurodollar Rate Loan at
least three (3) Business Days prior to such last day in accordance with the
terms hereof. Any Eurodollar Rate Loans shall, at Lender's option, upon notice
by Lender to Borrower, convert to Prime Rate Loans in the event that (i) an
Event of Default or event which, with the notice or passage of time, or both,
would constitute an Event of Default, shall exist, (ii) this Agreement shall
terminate or not be renewed, or (iii) the aggregate principal amount of the
Prime Rate Loans which have previously been converted to Eurodollar Rate Loans
or existing Eurodollar Rate Loans continued, as the case may be, at the
beginning of an Interest Period shall at any time during such Interest Period
exceed either (A) the aggregate principal amount of the Loans then outstanding,
or (B) the Revolving Loans then available to Borrower under Section 2 hereof.
Borrower shall pay to Lender, upon demand by Lender (or Lender may, at its
option, charge any loan account of Borrower) any amounts required to compensate
Lender, the Reference Bank or any participant with Lender for any loss
(including loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by such
person, as a result of the conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Prime Rate
Loans pursuant to any of the foregoing.
(d) Interest shall be payable by Borrower to Lender monthly in
arrears not later than the first day of each calendar month and shall be
calculated on the basis of a three hundred sixty (360) day year and actual days
elapsed. The interest rate on non-contingent Obligations (other than Eurodollar
Rate Loans) shall increase or decrease by an amount equal to each increase or
decrease in the Prime Rate effective on the first day of the month after any
change in such Prime Rate is announced based on the Prime Rate in effect on the
last day of the month in which any such change occurs. In no event shall charges
constituting interest payable by Borrower to Lender exceed the maximum amount or
the rate permitted under any applicable law or regulation, and if any such part
or provision of this Agreement is in contravention of any such law or
regulation, such part or provision shall be deemed amended to conform thereto.
3.2 Closing Fee. Borrower shall pay to Lender as a closing fee the
amount of $337,500, which shall be fully earned as of and payable on the date
hereof.
3.3 Servicing Fee. Borrower shall pay to Lender monthly a servicing fee
in an amount equal to $2,000 in respect of Lender's services for each month (or
part thereof) while this Agreement remains in effect and for so long thereafter
as any of the Obligations are outstanding, which fee shall be fully earned as of
and payable in advance on the date hereof and on the first day of each month
hereafter.
3.4 Unused Line Fee. Borrower shall pay to Lender monthly an unused
line fee at a rate equal to three-eighths (3/8%) percent per annum calculated
upon the amount by which $35,000,000 exceeds the average daily principal balance
of the outstanding Revolving Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations during
the immediately preceding month (or part thereof) while this Agreement is in
effect and for so long thereafter as any of the Obligations are outstanding,
which fee shall be payable on the first day of each month in arrears.
3.5 Changes in Laws and Increased Costs of Loans.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, all
Eurodollar Rate Loans shall, upon notice by Lender to Borrower, convert to Prime
Rate Loans in the event that (i) any change in applicable law or regulation (or
the interpretation or administration thereof) shall either (A) make it unlawful
for Lender, Reference Bank or any participant to make or maintain Eurodollar
Rate Loans or to comply with the terms hereof in connection with the Eurodollar
Rate Loans, or (B) shall result in the increase in the costs to Lender,
Reference Bank or any participant of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Rate
Loans by an amount deemed by Lender to be material, or (C) reduce the amounts
received or receivable by Lender in respect thereof, by an amount deemed by
Lender to be material or (ii) the cost to Lender, Reference Bank or any
participant of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Rate Loans shall otherwise
increase by an amount deemed by Lender to be material. Borrower shall pay to
Lender, upon demand by Lender (or Lender may, at its option, charge any loan
account of Borrower) any amounts required to compensate Lender, the Reference
Bank or any participant with Lender for any loss (including loss of anticipated
profits), cost or expense incurred by such person as a result of the foregoing,
including, without limitation, any such loss, cost or expense incurred by reason
of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such
person to make or maintain the Eurodollar Rate Loans or any portion thereof. A
certificate of Lender setting forth the basis for the determination of such
amount necessary to compensate Lender as aforesaid shall be delivered to
Borrower and shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(b) If any payments or prepayments in respect of the Eurodollar
Rate Loans are received by Lender other than on the last day of the applicable
Interest Period (whether pursuant to acceleration, upon maturity or otherwise),
including any payments pursuant to the application of collections under Section
6.3 or any other payments made with the proceeds of Collateral, Borrower shall
pay to Lender upon demand by Lender (or Lender may, at its option, charge any
loan account of Borrower) any amounts required to compensate Lender, the
Reference Bank or any participant with Lender for any additional loss (including
loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by such person as a
result of such prepayment or payment, including, without limitation, any loss,
cost or
expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or
other funds acquired by such person to make or maintain such Eurodollar Rate
Loans or any portion thereof.
SECTION 4. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
4.1 Conditions Precedent to Initial Loans and Letter of Credit
Accommodations. Each of the following is a condition precedent to Lender making
the initial Loans and providing the initial Letter of Credit Accommodations
hereunder:
(a) Lender shall have received evidence, in form and substance
satisfactory to Lender, that Lender has valid perfected and first priority
security interests in and liens upon the Collateral and any other property which
is intended to be security for the Obligations or the liability of any Obligor
in respect thereof, subject only to the security interests and liens permitted
herein or in the other Financing Agreements;
(b) all requisite corporate action and proceedings in connection
with this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements shall be satisfactory in
form and substance to Lender, and Lender shall have received all information and
copies of all documents, including records of requisite corporate action and
proceedings which Lender may have requested in connection therewith, such
documents where requested by Lender or its counsel to be certified by
appropriate corporate officers or governmental authorities;
(c) no material adverse change shall have occurred in the assets,
business or prospects of Borrower since the date of Lender's latest field
examination and no change or event shall have occurred which would impair the
ability of Borrower or any Obligor to perform its obligations hereunder or under
any of the other Financing Agreements to which it is a party or of Lender to
enforce the Obligations or realize upon the Collateral;
(d) Lender shall have completed a field review of the Records and
such other information with respect to the Collateral as Lender may require to
determine the amount of Revolving Loans available to Borrower, the results of
which shall be satisfactory to Lender, not more than three (3) business days
prior to the date hereof;
(e) Lender shall have received, in form and substance satisfactory
to Lender, all consents, waivers, acknowledgments and other agreements from
third persons which Lender may deem necessary or desirable in order to permit,
protect and perfect its security interests in and liens upon the Collateral or
to effectuate the provisions or purposes of this Agreement and the other
Financing Agreements, including acknowledgements by lessors, mortgagees and
warehousemen of Lender's security interests in the Collateral, waivers by such
persons of any security interests, liens or other claims by such persons to the
Collateral, subordination agreements in form and substance satisfactory to
Lender from all of Borrower's vendors claiming any security interest in or lien
upon any of the Collateral, and agreements permitting Lender access to, and the
right to remain on, the premises to exercise its rights and remedies and
otherwise deal with the Collateral;
(f) Lender shall have received Subordination Agreements in form and
substance acceptable to Lender (each a "SUBORDINATION AGREEMENT") from each
officer, director and/or
shareholder with respect to any indebtedness owing to such officer, director
and/or shareholder as of the date of this Agreement.
(g) Lender shall have received evidence of insurance and loss payee
endorsements required hereunder and under the other Financing Agreements, in
form and substance satisfactory to Lender, and certificates of insurance
policies and/or endorsements naming Lender as loss payee;
(h) Lender shall have received, in form and substance satisfactory
to Lender, such opinion letters of counsel to Borrower with respect to the
Financing Agreements and such other matters as Lender may request;
(i) Lender shall have received, in form and substance satisfactory
to Lender, all releases, terminations and such other documents as Lender may
request to evidence and effectuate the termination by the existing lender or
lenders to Borrower of their respective financing arrangements with Borrower and
the termination and release by it or them, as the case may be, of any interest
in and to any assets and properties of Borrower and each Obligor, duly
authorized, executed and delivered by it or each of them, including, but not
limited to, (i) UCC termination statements for all UCC financing statements
previously filed by it or any of them or their predecessors, as secured party
and Borrower or any Obligor, as debtor and (ii) satisfactions and discharges of
any mortgages, deeds of trust or deeds to secure debt by Borrower or any Obligor
in favor of such existing lender or lenders, in form acceptable for recording in
the appropriate government office;
(j) the Excess Closing Availability as determined by Lender, as of
the date hereof, shall be not less than $5,000,000 after giving effect to the
initial Loans made or to be made and Letter of Credit Accommodations issued or
to be issued in connection with the initial transactions hereunder; and
(k) the other Financing Agreements and all instruments and
documents hereunder and thereunder shall have been duly executed and delivered
to Lender, in form and substance satisfactory to Lender.
4.2 Conditions Precedent to All Loans and Letter of Credit
Accommodations. Each of the following is an additional condition precedent to
Lender making Loans and/or providing Letter of Credit Accommodations to
Borrower, including the initial Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations and
any future Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations:
(a) all representations and warranties contained herein and in the
other Financing Agreements shall be true and correct in all material respects
with the same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made
on and as of the date of the making of each such Loan or providing each such
Letter of Credit Accommodation and after giving effect thereto; and
(b) no Event of Default and no event or condition which, with
notice or passage of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default, shall
exist or have occurred and be continuing on and as of the date of the making of
such Loan or providing each such Letter of Credit Accommodation and after giving
effect thereto.
SECTION 5. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST
To secure payment and performance of all Obligations, Borrower hereby
grants to Lender a continuing security interest in, a lien upon, and a right of
set off against, and hereby assigns to Lender as security, the following
property and interests in property of Borrower, whether now owned or hereafter
acquired or existing, and wherever located (collectively, the "COLLATERAL"):
5.1 Accounts;
5.2 all present and future contract rights, general intangibles
(including tax and duty refunds, registered and unregistered patents,
trademarks, service marks, copyrights, trade names, applications for the
foregoing, trade secrets, goodwill, processes, drawings, blueprints, customer
lists, licenses, whether as licensor or licensee, choses in action and other
claims and existing and future leasehold interests in equipment, real estate and
fixtures), chattel paper, documents, instruments, securities and other
investment property (including, without limitation, the Pledged Property),
letters of credit, bankers' acceptances and guaranties;
5.3 all present and future monies, securities, credit balances,
deposits, deposit accounts and other property of Borrower now or hereafter held
or received by or in transit to Lender or its affiliates or at any other
depository or other institution from or for the account of Borrower, whether for
safekeeping, pledge, custody, transmission, collection or otherwise, and all
present and future liens, security interests, rights, remedies, title and
interest in, to and in respect of Accounts and other Collateral, including (a)
rights and remedies under or relating to guaranties, contracts of suretyship,
letters of credit and credit and other insurance related to the Collateral, (b)
rights of stoppage in transit, replevin, repossession, reclamation and other
rights and remedies of an unpaid vendor, lienor or secured party, (c) goods
described in invoices, documents, contracts or instruments with respect to, or
otherwise representing or evidencing, Accounts or other Collateral, including
returned, repossessed and reclaimed goods, and (d) deposits by and property of
account debtors or other persons securing the obligations of account debtors;
5.4 Inventory;
5.5 Equipment;
5.6 Records; and
5.7 all products and proceeds of the foregoing, in any form, including
insurance proceeds and all claims against third parties for loss or damage to or
destruction of any or all of the foregoing.
SECTION 6. COLLECTION AND ADMINISTRATION
6.1 Borrower's Loan Account. Lender shall maintain one or more loan
account(s) on its books in which shall be recorded (a) all Loans, Letter of
Credit Accommodations and other Obligations and the Collateral, (b) all payments
made by or on behalf of Borrower and (c) all other appropriate debits and
credits as provided in this Agreement, including fees, charges, costs, expenses
and interest. All entries in the loan account(s) shall be made in accordance
with Lender's customary practices as in effect from time to time.
6.2 Statements. Lender shall render to Borrower each month a statement
setting forth the balance in the Borrower's loan account(s) maintained by Lender
for Borrower pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including principal,
interest, fees, costs and expenses. Each such statement shall be subject to
subsequent adjustment by Lender but shall, absent manifest errors or omissions,
be considered correct and deemed accepted by Borrower and conclusively binding
upon Borrower as an account stated except to the extent that Lender receives a
written notice from Borrower of any specific exceptions of Borrower thereto
within thirty (30) days after the date such statement has been mailed by Lender.
Until such time as Lender shall have rendered to Borrower a written statement as
provided above, the balance in Borrower's loan account(s) shall be presumptive
evidence of the amounts due and owing to Lender by Borrower.
6.3 Collection of Accounts.
(a) Borrower shall establish and maintain, at its expense, blocked
accounts or lockboxes and related blocked accounts (in either case, "BLOCKED
ACCOUNTS"), as Lender may specify, with such banks as are acceptable to Lender
into which Borrower shall promptly deposit and direct its account debtors to
directly remit all payments on Accounts and all payments constituting proceeds
of Inventory or other Collateral in the identical form in which such payments
are made, whether by cash, check or other manner. The banks at which the Blocked
Accounts are established shall enter into an agreement, in form and substance
satisfactory to Lender, providing that all items received or deposited in the
Blocked Accounts are the property of Lender, that the depository bank has no
lien upon, or right to setoff against, the Blocked Accounts, the items received
for deposit therein, or the funds from time to time on deposit therein and that
the depository bank will wire, or otherwise transfer, in immediately available
funds, on a daily basis, all funds received or deposited into the Blocked
Accounts to such bank account of Lender as Lender may from time to time
designate for such purpose ("PAYMENT ACCOUNT"). Borrower agrees that all
payments made to such Blocked Accounts or other funds received and collected by
Lender, whether on the Accounts or as proceeds of Inventory or other Collateral
or otherwise shall be the property of Lender.
(b) For purposes of calculating the amount of the Loans available
to Borrower, such payments will be applied (conditional upon final collection)
to the Obligations on the business day of receipt by Lender of immediately
available funds in the Payment Account provided such payments and notice thereof
are received in accordance with Lender's usual and customary practices as in
effect from time to time and within sufficient time to credit Borrower's loan
account on such day, and if not, then on the next business day. For the purposes
of calculating interest on the Obligations, such payments or other funds
received will be applied (conditional upon final collection) to the Obligations
one (1) business day following the date of receipt of immediately available
funds by Lender in the Payment Account provided such payments or other funds and
notice thereof are received in accordance with Lender's usual and customary
practices as in effect from time to time and within sufficient time to credit
Borrower's loan account on such day, and if not, then on the next business day.
(c) Borrower and all of its affiliates, subsidiaries, shareholders,
directors, employees or agents shall, acting as trustee for Lender, receive, as
the property of Lender, any monies, checks, notes, drafts or any other payment
relating to and/or proceeds of Accounts or other Collateral which come into
their possession or under their control and immediately upon receipt thereof,
shall deposit or cause the same to be deposited in the Blocked Accounts, or
remit the same or cause the same to be remitted, in kind, to Lender. In no event
shall the same be commingled with Borrower's own funds. Borrower agrees to
reimburse Lender on demand for any amounts owed or paid to any bank at which a
Blocked Account is established or any other bank or person involved in the
transfer of funds to or from the Blocked Accounts arising out of Lender's
payments to or indemnification of such bank or person. The obligation of
Borrower to reimburse Lender for such amounts pursuant to this Section 6.3 shall
survive the termination or non-renewal of this Agreement.
6.4 Payments. All Obligations shall be payable to the Payment Account
as provided in Section 6.3 or such other place as Lender may designate from time
to time. Lender may apply payments received or collected from Borrower or for
the account of Borrower (including the monetary proceeds of collections or of
realization upon any Collateral) to such of the Obligations, whether or not then
due, in such order and manner as Lender determines. At Lender's option, all
principal, interest, fees, costs, expenses and other charges provided for in
this Agreement or the other Financing Agreements may be charged directly to the
loan account(s) of Borrower. Borrower shall make all payments to Lender on the
Obligations free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for or on
account of, any setoff, counterclaim, defense, duties, taxes, levies, imposts,
fees, deductions, withholding, restrictions or conditions of any kind. If after
receipt of any payment of, or proceeds of Collateral applied to the payment of,
any of the Obligations, Lender is required to surrender or return such payment
or proceeds to any Person for any reason, then the Obligations intended to be
satisfied by such payment or proceeds shall be reinstated and continue and this
Agreement shall continue in full force and effect as if such payment or proceeds
had not been received by Lender. Borrower shall be liable to pay to Lender, and
does hereby indemnify and hold Lender harmless for the amount of any payments or
proceeds surrendered or returned. This Section 6.4 shall remain effective
notwithstanding any contrary action which may be taken by Lender in reliance
upon such payment or proceeds. This Section 6.4 shall survive the payment of the
Obligations and the termination or non-renewal of this Agreement.
6.5 Authorization to Make Loans. Lender is authorized to make the Loans
and provide the Letter of Credit Accommodations based upon telephonic or other
instructions received from anyone purporting to be an officer of Borrower or
other authorized person or, at the discretion of Lender, if such Loans are
necessary to satisfy any Obligations. All requests for Loans or Letter of Credit
Accommodations hereunder shall specify the date on which the requested advance
is to be made or Letter of Credit Accommodations established (which day shall be
a business day) and the amount of the requested Loan. Requests received after
11:00 a.m. Chicago, Illinois time on any day shall be deemed to have been made
as of the opening of business on the immediately following business day. All
Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations under this Agreement shall be
conclusively presumed to have been made to, and at the request of and for the
benefit of, Borrower when deposited to the credit of Borrower or otherwise
disbursed or established in accordance with the instructions of Borrower or in
accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
6.6 Use of Proceeds. Borrower shall use the initial proceeds of the
Loans provided by Lender to Borrower hereunder only for: (a) payments to each of
the persons listed in the disbursement direction letter furnished by Borrower to
Lender on or about the date hereof and (b) costs, expenses and fees in
connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the other Financing Agreements. All other Loans made or Letter of
Credit Accommodations provided by Lender to Borrower pursuant to the provisions
hereof shall be used by Borrower only for general operating, working capital and
other proper corporate purposes of Borrower not otherwise prohibited by the
terms hereof. None of the proceeds will be used, directly or indirectly, for the
purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security or for the purposes of
reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase
or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of
the Loans to be considered a "purpose credit" within the meaning of Regulation G
of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as amended.
SECTION 7. COLLATERAL REPORTING AND COVENANTS
7.1 Collateral Reporting. Borrower shall provide Lender with the
following documents in a form satisfactory to Lender: (a) on a daily basis as
required by Lender, a schedule of Accounts, sales made, credits issued and cash
received; (b) on a weekly basis, perpetual inventory reports and inventory
reports by category, including, without limitation, Return to Vendor Inventory;
(c) on a monthly basis or more frequently as Lender may request, agings of
accounts payable, (d) upon Lender's request, (i) copies of customer statements
and credit memos, remittance advices and reports, and copies of deposit slips
and bank statements, (ii) copies of shipping and delivery documents, and (iii)
copies of purchase orders, invoices and delivery documents for Inventory and
Equipment acquired by Borrower; (e) on a weekly basis or more frequently as
Lender may request, agings of accounts receivable, together with a detailed
schedule of all returns, discounts, claims, credits, chargebacks and allowances
of any nature issued, owing, granted, outstanding, available or claimed with
respect to such accounts receivable; (f) on a quarterly basis or more frequently
as Lender may request, an Inventory Appraisal (as defined in Section 7.3) and
(g) such other reports as to the Collateral as Lender shall request from time to
time. If any of Borrower's records or reports of the Collateral are prepared or
maintained by an accounting service, contractor, shipper or other agent,
Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes such service, contractor, shipper or
agent to deliver such records, reports, and related documents to Lender and to
follow Lender's instructions with respect to further services at any time that
an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing.
7.2 Accounts Covenants.
(a) Borrower shall notify Lender promptly of: (i) any material
delay in Borrower's performance of any of its obligations to any account debtor
or the assertion of any claims, offsets, defenses or counterclaims by any
account debtor, or any disputes with account debtors, or any settlement,
adjustment or compromise thereof which is not in the ordinary course of
Borrower's business in accordance with practices and policies previously
disclosed in writing to Lender; (ii) all material adverse information relating
to the financial condition of any account debtor; and (iii) any event or
circumstance which, to Borrower's knowledge would cause Lender to consider any
then existing Accounts as no longer constituting Eligible Accounts. No credit,
discount, allowance or extension or agreement for any of the foregoing shall be
granted to any account debtor without
Lender's consent, except in the ordinary course of Borrower's business in
accordance with practices and policies previously disclosed in writing to
Lender. So long as no Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing,
Borrower shall settle, adjust or compromise any claim, offset, counterclaim or
dispute with any account debtor. At any time that an Event of Default exists or
has occurred and is continuing, Lender shall, at its option, have the exclusive
right to settle, adjust or compromise any claim, offset, counterclaim or dispute
with account debtors or grant any credits, discounts or allowances.
(b) At any time that Inventory is returned, reclaimed or
repossessed, the Account (or portion thereof) which arose from the sale of such
returned, reclaimed or repossessed Inventory shall not be deemed an Eligible
Account. In the event any account debtor returns Inventory when an Event of
Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Borrower shall, upon Lender's
request, (i) hold the returned Inventory in trust for Lender, (ii) segregate all
returned Inventory from all of its other property, (iii) dispose of the returned
Inventory solely according to Lender's instructions, and (iv) not issue any
credits, discounts or allowances with respect thereto without Lender's prior
written consent.
(c) With respect to each Account: (i) the amounts shown on any
invoice delivered to Lender or schedule thereof delivered to Lender shall be
true and complete, (ii) no payments shall be made thereon except payments
immediately delivered to Lender pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iii)
no credit, discount, allowance or extension or agreement for any of the
foregoing shall be granted to any account debtor except as reported to Lender in
accordance with this Agreement and except for credits, discounts, allowances or
extensions made or given in the ordinary course of Borrower's business in
accordance with practices and policies previously disclosed to Lender, (iv)
there shall be no setoffs, deductions, contras, defenses, counterclaims or
disputes existing or asserted with respect thereto except as reported to Lender
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, (v) none of the transactions
giving rise thereto will violate any applicable State or Federal laws or
regulations, all documentation relating thereto will be legally sufficient under
such laws and regulations and all such documentation will be legally enforceable
in accordance with its terms, including, without limitation, all recording,
filing and other requirements of giving public notice under any applicable law
have been satisfied with respect to Accounts, including, without limitation, the
filing of any report in the states of New Jersey, Minnesota and Indiana with the
New Jersey Division of Taxation, the Minnesota Department of Revenue and the
Indiana Department of Revenue, respectively.
(d) Lender shall have the right at any time or times, in Lender's
name or in the name of a nominee of Lender, to verify the validity, amount or
any other matter relating to any Account or other Collateral, by mail,
telephone, facsimile transmission or otherwise.
(e) Borrower shall deliver or cause to be delivered to Lender, with
appropriate endorsement and assignment, with full recourse to Borrower, all
chattel paper and instruments which Borrower now owns or may at any time acquire
immediately upon Borrower's receipt thereof, except as Lender may otherwise
agree.
(f) Lender may, at any time or times that an Event of Default
exists or has occurred and is continuing, (i) notify any or all account debtors
that the Accounts have been assigned
to Lender and that Lender has a security interest therein and Lender may direct
any or all accounts debtors to make payment of Accounts directly to Lender, (ii)
extend the time of payment of, compromise, settle or adjust for cash, credit,
return of merchandise or otherwise, and upon any terms or conditions, any and
all Accounts or other obligations included in the Collateral and thereby
discharge or release the account debtor or any other party or parties in any way
liable for payment thereof without affecting any of the Obligations, (iii)
demand, collect or enforce payment of any Accounts or such other obligations,
but without any duty to do so, and Lender shall not be liable for its failure to
collect or enforce the payment thereof nor for the negligence of its agents or
attorneys with respect thereto and (iv) take whatever other action Lender may
deem necessary or desirable for the protection of its interests. At any time
that an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, at Lender's
request, all invoices and statements sent to any account debtor shall state that
the Accounts and such other obligations have been assigned to Lender and are
payable directly and only to Lender and Borrower shall deliver to Lender such
originals of documents evidencing the sale and delivery of goods or the
performance of services giving rise to any Accounts as Lender may require.
7.3 Inventory Covenants. With respect to the Inventory: (a) Borrower
shall at all times maintain inventory records reasonably satisfactory to Lender,
keeping correct and accurate records itemizing and describing the kind, type,
quality and quantity of Inventory, Borrower's cost therefor and daily
withdrawals therefrom and additions thereto; (b) Borrower shall conduct a
physical count of the Inventory at least once each year, but at any time or
times as Lender may request on or after an Event of Default, and promptly
following such physical inventory shall supply Lender with a report in the form
and with such specificity as may be reasonably satisfactory to Lender concerning
such physical count; (c) Borrower shall not remove any Inventory from the
locations set forth or permitted herein, without the prior written consent of
Lender, except for sales of Inventory in the ordinary course of Borrower's
business and except to move Inventory directly from one location set forth or
permitted herein to another such location; (d) Borrower shall, at its expense,
on a quarterly basis or more frequently as Lender may request, deliver or cause
to be delivered to Lender written reports or appraisals as to the Inventory in
form, scope and methodology acceptable to Lender and by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ &
Associates, Inc. or another appraiser acceptable to Lender, addressed to Lender
or upon which Lender is expressly permitted to rely (the "Inventory Appraisal");
(e) Borrower shall produce, use, store and maintain the Inventory with all
reasonable care and caution and in accordance with applicable standards of any
insurance and in conformity with applicable laws (including the requirements of
the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended and all rules,
regulations and orders related thereto); (f) Borrower assumes all responsibility
and liability arising from or relating to the production, use, sale or other
disposition of the Inventory; (g) except in the ordinary course of Borrower's
business in accordance with practices and policies previously disclosed in
writing to Lender, Borrower shall not sell Inventory to any customer on
approval, or any other basis which may obligate Borrower to repurchase such
Inventory; (h) Borrower shall keep the Inventory in good and marketable
condition; (i) Borrower shall not, without prior notice to Lender, acquire or
accept any Inventory on consignment or approval; and (j) Borrower shall not
return Inventory to any vendor in the ordinary course of Borrower's business or
otherwise if an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing or if
the Borrower has Excess Availability of less than $1,000,000.
7.4 Equipment Covenants. With respect to the Equipment: (a) upon
Lender's request, Borrower shall, at its expense, at any time or times as Lender
may request on or after an Event of Default, deliver or cause to be delivered to
Lender written reports or appraisals as to the Equipment in form, scope and
methodology acceptable to Lender and by an appraiser acceptable to Lender; (b)
Borrower shall keep the Equipment in good order, repair, running and marketable
condition (ordinary wear and tear excepted); (c) Borrower shall use the
Equipment with all reasonable care and caution and in accordance with applicable
standards of any insurance and in conformity with all applicable laws; (d) the
Equipment is and shall be used in Borrower's business and not for personal,
family, household or farming use; (e) Borrower shall not remove any Equipment
from the locations set forth or permitted herein, except to the extent necessary
to have any Equipment repaired or maintained in the ordinary course of the
business of Borrower or to move Equipment directly from one location set forth
or permitted herein to another such location and except for the movement of
motor vehicles used by or for the benefit of Borrower in the ordinary course of
business; (f) the Equipment is now and shall remain personal property and
Borrower shall not permit any of the Equipment to be or become a part of or
affixed to real property; and (g) Borrower assumes all responsibility and
liability arising from the use of the Equipment.
7.5 Power of Attorney. Borrower hereby irrevocably designates and
appoints Lender (and all persons designated by Lender) as Borrower's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact, and authorizes Lender, in Borrower's or Lender's name,
to: (a) at any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing
(i) demand payment on Accounts or other proceeds of Inventory or other
Collateral, (ii) enforce payment of Accounts by legal proceedings or otherwise,
(iii) exercise all of Borrower's rights and remedies to collect any Account or
other Collateral, (iv) sell or assign any Account upon such terms, for such
amount and at such time or times as the Lender deems advisable, (v) settle,
adjust, compromise, extend or renew an Account, (vi) discharge and release any
Account, (vii) prepare, file and sign Borrower's name on any proof of claim in
bankruptcy or other similar document against an account debtor, (viii) notify
the post office authorities to change the address for delivery of Borrower's
mail to an address designated by Lender, and open and dispose of all mail
addressed to Borrower, and (ix) do all acts and things which are necessary, in
Lender's determination, to fulfill Borrower's obligations under this Agreement
and the other Financing Agreements and (b) at any time to (i) take control in
any manner of any item of payment or proceeds thereof, (ii) have access to any
lockbox or postal box into which Borrower's mail is deposited, (iii) endorse
Borrower's name upon any items of payment or proceeds thereof and deposit the
same in the Lender's account for application to the Obligations, (iv) endorse
Borrower's name upon any chattel paper, document, instrument, invoice, or
similar document or agreement relating to any Account or any goods pertaining
thereto or any other Collateral, (v) sign Borrower's name on any verification of
Accounts and notices thereof to account debtors and (vi) execute in Borrower's
name and file any UCC financing statements or amendments thereto. Borrower
hereby releases Lender and its officers, employees and designees from any
liabilities arising from any act or acts under this power of attorney and in
furtherance thereof, whether of omission or commission, except as a result of
Lender's own gross negligence or wilful misconduct as determined pursuant to a
final non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
7.6 Right to Cure. Lender may, at its option, (a) cure any default by
Borrower under any agreement with a third party or pay or bond on appeal any
judgment entered against Borrower, (b) discharge taxes, liens, security
interests or other encumbrances at any time levied on or existing with
respect to the Collateral and (c) pay any amount, incur any expense or perform
any act which, in Lender's judgment, is necessary or appropriate to preserve,
protect, insure or maintain the Collateral and the rights of Lender with respect
thereto. Lender may add any amounts so expended to the Obligations and charge
Borrower's account therefor, such amounts to be repayable by Borrower on demand.
Lender shall be under no obligation to effect such cure, payment or bonding and
shall not, by doing so, be deemed to have assumed any obligation or liability of
Borrower. Any payment made or other action taken by Lender under this Section
shall be without prejudice to any right to assert an Event of Default hereunder
and to proceed accordingly.
7.7 Access to Premises. From time to time as requested by Lender, at
the cost and expense of Borrower, (a) Lender or its designee shall have complete
access to all of Borrower's premises during normal business hours and after
notice to Borrower, or at any time and without notice to Borrower if an Event of
Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, for the purposes of
inspecting, verifying and auditing the Collateral and all of Borrower's books
and records, including the Records, and (b) Borrower shall promptly furnish to
Lender such copies of such books and records or extracts therefrom as Lender may
request, and (c) use during normal business hours such of Borrower's personnel,
equipment, supplies and premises as may be reasonably necessary for the
foregoing and if an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing
for the collection of Accounts and realization of other Collateral.
SECTION 8. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Borrower hereby represents and warrants to Lender the following (which
shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement), the truth and
accuracy of which are a continuing condition of the making of Loans and
providing Letter of Credit Accommodations by Lender to Borrower:
8.1 Corporate Existence, Power and Authority; Subsidiaries. Borrower is
a corporation duly organized and in good standing under the laws of its state of
incorporation and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and in good
standing in all states or other jurisdictions where the nature and extent of the
business transacted by it or the ownership of assets makes such qualification
necessary, except for those jurisdictions in which the failure to so qualify
would not have a material adverse effect on Borrower's financial condition,
results of operation or business or the rights of Lender in or to any of the
Collateral. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the other
Financing Agreements and the transactions contemplated hereunder and thereunder
are all within Borrower's corporate powers, have been duly authorized and are
not in contravention of law or the terms of Borrower's certificate of
incorporation, by-laws, or other organizational documentation, or any indenture,
agreement or undertaking to which Borrower is a party or by which Borrower or
its property are bound. This Agreement and the other Financing Agreements
constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of Borrower enforceable in
accordance with their respective terms. Borrower does not have any subsidiaries
except as set forth on the Information Certificate.
8.2 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change. All financial
statements relating to Borrower which have been or may hereafter be delivered by
Borrower to Lender have been prepared in accordance with GAAP and fairly present
the financial condition and the results of operation of Borrower as at the dates
and for the periods set forth therein. Except as disclosed in any interim
financial statements furnished by Borrower to Lender prior to the date of this
Agreement,
there has been no material adverse change in the assets, liabilities, properties
and condition, financial or otherwise, of Borrower, since the date of the most
recent audited financial statements furnished by Borrower to Lender prior to the
date of this Agreement.
8.3 Chief Executive Office; Collateral Locations. The chief executive
office of Borrower and Borrower's Records concerning Accounts are located only
at the address set forth below and its only other places of business and the
only other locations of Collateral, if any, are the addresses set forth in the
Information Certificate, subject to the right of Borrower to establish new
locations in accordance with Section 9.2 below. The Information Certificate
correctly identifies any of such locations which are not owned by Borrower and
sets forth the owners and/or operators thereof and to the best of Borrower's
knowledge, the holders of any mortgages on such locations.
8.4 Priority of Liens; Title to Properties. The security interests and
liens granted to Lender under this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements
constitute valid and perfected first priority liens and security interests in
and upon the Collateral subject only to the liens indicated on Schedule 8.4
hereto and the other liens permitted under Section 9.8 hereof. Borrower has good
and marketable title to all of its properties and assets subject to no liens,
mortgages, pledges, security interests, encumbrances or charges of any kind,
except those granted to Lender and such others as are specifically listed on
Schedule 8.4 hereto or permitted under Section 9.8 hereof.
8.5 Tax Returns. Borrower has filed, or caused to be filed, in a timely
manner all tax returns, reports and declarations which are required to be filed
by it (without requests for extension except as previously disclosed in writing
to Lender). All information in such tax returns, reports and declarations is
complete and accurate in all material respects. Borrower has paid or caused to
be paid all taxes due and payable or claimed due and payable in any assessment
received by it, except taxes the validity of which are being contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued and available to Borrower
and with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside on its books.
Adequate provision has been made for the payment of all accrued and unpaid
Federal, State, county, local, foreign and other taxes whether or not yet due
and payable and whether or not disputed.
8.6 Litigation. Except as set forth on the Information Certificate,
there is no present investigation by any governmental agency pending, or to the
best of Borrower's knowledge threatened, against or affecting Borrower, its
assets or business and there is no action, suit, proceeding or claim by any
Person pending, or to the best of Borrower's knowledge threatened, against
Borrower or its assets or goodwill, or against or affecting any transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, which if adversely determined against Borrower
would result in any material adverse change in the assets, business or prospects
of Borrower or would impair the ability of Borrower to perform its obligations
hereunder or under any of the other Financing Agreements to which it is a party
or of Lender to enforce any Obligations or realize upon any Collateral.
8.7 Compliance with Other Agreements and Applicable Laws. Borrower is
not in default in any material respect under, or in violation in any material
respect of any of the terms of, any agreement, contract, instrument, lease or
other commitment to which it is a party or by which it or any of its assets are
bound and Borrower is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable
provisions of laws, rules, regulations, licenses, permits, approvals and orders
of any foreign, Federal, State or local governmental authority.
8.8 Bank Accounts. All of the deposit accounts, investment accounts or
other accounts in the name of or used by Borrower maintained at any bank or
other financial institution are set forth on Schedule 8.8 hereto, subject to the
right of Borrower to establish new accounts in accordance with Section 9.13
below.
8.9 Accuracy and Completeness of Information. All information furnished
by or on behalf of Borrower in writing to Lender in connection with this
Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements or any transaction
contemplated hereby or thereby, including all information on the Information
Certificate is true and correct in all material respects on the date as of which
such information is dated or certified and does not omit any material fact
necessary in order to make such information not misleading. No event or
circumstance has occurred which has had or could reasonably be expected to have
a material adverse affect on the business, assets or prospects of Borrower,
which has not been fully and accurately disclosed to Lender in writing.
8.10 Survival of Warranties; Cumulative. All representations and
warranties contained in this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements
shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and shall be deemed
to have been made again to Lender on the date of each additional borrowing or
other credit accommodation hereunder and shall be conclusively presumed to have
been relied on by Lender regardless of any investigation made or information
possessed by Lender. The representations and warranties set forth herein shall
be cumulative and in addition to any other representations or warranties which
Borrower shall now or hereafter give, or cause to be given, to Lender.
SECTION 9. AFFIRMATIVE AND NEGATIVE COVENANTS
9.1 Maintenance of Existence. Borrower shall at all times preserve,
renew and keep in full, force and effect its corporate existence and rights and
franchises with respect thereto and maintain in full force and effect all
permits, licenses, trademarks, tradenames, approvals, authorizations, leases and
contracts necessary to carry on the business as presently or proposed to be
conducted. Borrower shall give Lender thirty (30) days prior written notice of
any proposed change in its corporate name, which notice shall set forth the new
name and Borrower shall deliver to Lender a copy of the amendment to the
Certificate of Incorporation of Borrower providing for the name change certified
by the Secretary of State of the jurisdiction of incorporation of Borrower as
soon as it is available.
9.2 New Collateral Locations. Borrower may open any new location within
the continental United States provided Borrower (a) gives Lender thirty (30)
days prior written notice of the intended opening of any such new location and
(b) executes and delivers, or causes to be executed and delivered, to Lender
such agreements, documents, and instruments as Lender may deem reasonably
necessary or desirable to protect its interests in the Collateral at such
location, including UCC financing statements.
9.3 Compliance with Laws, Regulations, Etc. Borrower shall, at all
times, comply in all material respects with all laws, rules, regulations,
licenses, permits, approvals and orders of any Federal, State or local
governmental authority applicable to it.
9.4 Payment of Taxes and Claims. Borrower shall duly pay and discharge
all taxes, assessments, contributions and governmental charges upon or against
it or its properties or assets, except for taxes the validity of which are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued and
available to Borrower and with respect to which adequate reserves have been set
aside on its books. Borrower shall be liable for any tax or penalties imposed on
Lender as a result of the financing arrangements provided for herein and
Borrower agrees to indemnify and hold Lender harmless with respect to the
foregoing, and to repay to Lender on demand the amount thereof, and until paid
by Borrower such amount shall be added and deemed part of the Loans, provided,
that, nothing contained herein shall be construed to require Borrower to pay any
income or franchise taxes attributable to the income of Lender from any amounts
charged or paid hereunder to Lender. The foregoing indemnity shall survive the
payment of the Obligations and the termination or non-renewal of this Agreement.
9.5 Insurance. Borrower shall, at all times, maintain with financially
sound and reputable insurers insurance with respect to the Collateral against
loss or damage and all other insurance of the kinds and in the amounts
customarily insured against or carried by corporations of established reputation
engaged in the same or similar businesses and similarly situated. Said policies
of insurance shall be satisfactory to Lender as to form, amount and insurer.
Borrower shall furnish certificates, policies or endorsements to Lender as
Lender shall require as proof of such insurance, and, if Borrower fails to do
so, Lender is authorized, but not required, to obtain such insurance at the
expense of Borrower. All policies shall provide for at least thirty (30) days
prior written notice to Lender of any cancellation or reduction of coverage and
that Lender may act as attorney for Borrower in obtaining, and at any time an
Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, adjusting, settling,
amending and canceling such insurance. Borrower shall cause Lender to be named
as a loss payee and an additional insured (but without any liability for any
premiums) under such insurance policies and Borrower shall obtain
non-contributory lender's loss payable endorsements to all insurance policies in
form and substance satisfactory to Lender. Such lender's loss payable
endorsements shall specify that the proceeds of such insurance shall be payable
to Lender as its interests may appear and further specify that Lender shall be
paid regardless of any act or omission by Borrower or any of its affiliates. At
its option, Lender may apply any insurance proceeds received by Lender at any
time to the cost of repairs or replacement of Collateral and/or to payment of
the Obligations, whether or not then due, in any order and in such manner as
Lender may determine or hold such proceeds as cash collateral for the
Obligations.
9.6 Financial Statements and Other Information.
(a) Borrower shall keep proper books and records in which true and
complete entries shall be made of all dealings or transactions of or in relation
to the Collateral and the business of Borrower and its subsidiaries (if any) in
accordance with GAAP and Borrower shall furnish or cause to be furnished to
Lender: (i) within fifteen (15) business days after the end of each fiscal
month, monthly unaudited consolidated financial statements, and, if Borrower has
any subsidiaries, unaudited consolidating financial statements (including in
each case balance sheets, statements of income and loss, statements of cash
flow, and statements of shareholders' equity), all in reasonable detail, fairly
presenting the financial position and the results of the operations of Borrower
and its subsidiaries as of the end of and through such fiscal month and (ii)
within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year, audited consolidated
financial statements and, if Borrower has any
subsidiaries, audited consolidating financial statements of Borrower and its
subsidiaries (including in each case balance sheets, statements of income and
loss, statements of cash flow and statements of shareholders' equity), and the
accompanying notes thereto, all in reasonable detail, fairly presenting the
financial position and the results of the operations of Borrower and its
subsidiaries as of the end of and for such fiscal year, together with the
unqualified opinion of independent certified public accountants, which
accountants shall be an independent accounting firm selected by Borrower and
reasonably acceptable to Lender, that such financial statements have been
prepared in accordance with GAAP, and present fairly the results of operations
and financial condition of Borrower and its subsidiaries as of the end of and
for the fiscal year then ended.
(b) Borrower shall promptly notify Lender in writing of the details
of (i) any loss, damage, investigation, action, suit, proceeding or claim
relating to the Collateral or any other property which is security for the
Obligations or which would result in any material adverse change in Borrower's
business, properties, assets, goodwill or condition, financial or otherwise and
(ii) the occurrence of any Event of Default or event which, with the passage of
time or giving of notice or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
(c) Borrower shall promptly after the sending or filing thereof
furnish or cause to be furnished to Lender copies of all reports which Borrower
sends to its stockholders generally and copies of all reports and registration
statements which Borrower files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, any
national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc.
(d) Borrower shall furnish or cause to be furnished to Lender such
budgets, forecasts, projections and other information respecting the Collateral
and the business of Borrower, as Lender may, from time to time, reasonably
request. Lender is hereby authorized to deliver a copy of any financial
statement or any other information relating to the business of Borrower to any
court or other government agency or to any participant or assignee or
prospective participant or assignee. Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes and
directs all accountants or auditors to deliver to Lender, at Borrower's expense,
copies of the financial statements of Borrower and any reports or management
letters prepared by such accountants or auditors on behalf of Borrower and to
disclose to Lender such information as they may have regarding the business of
Borrower. Any documents, schedules, invoices or other papers delivered to Lender
may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of by Lender one (1) year after the same
are delivered to Lender, except as otherwise designated by Borrower to Lender in
writing.
9.7 Sale of Assets, Consolidation, Merger, Dissolution, Etc. Borrower
shall not, directly or indirectly, (a) merge into or with or consolidate with
any other Person or permit any other Person to merge into or with or consolidate
with it, or (b) sell, assign, lease, transfer, abandon or otherwise dispose of
any stock or indebtedness to any other Person or any of its assets to any other
Person (except for (i) sales of Inventory in the ordinary course of business and
(ii) the disposition of worn- out or obsolete Equipment or Equipment no longer
used in the business of Borrower so long as (A) if an Event of Default exists or
has occurred and is continuing, any proceeds are paid to Lender and (B) such
sales do not involve Equipment having an aggregate fair market value in excess
of $50,000 for all such Equipment disposed of in any fiscal year of Borrower),
or (c) form or acquire any subsidiaries, or (d) wind up, liquidate or dissolve
or (e) agree to do any of the foregoing.
9.8 Encumbrances. Borrower shall not create, incur, assume or suffer to
exist any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, charge or other encumbrance
of any nature whatsoever on any of its assets or properties, including the
Collateral, except: (a) liens and security interests of Lender; (b) liens
securing the payment of taxes, either not yet overdue or the validity of which
are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued
and available to Borrower and with respect to which adequate reserves have been
set aside on its books; (c) non-consensual statutory liens (other than liens
securing the payment of taxes) arising in the ordinary course of Borrower's
business to the extent: (i) such liens secure indebtedness which is not overdue
or (ii) such liens secure indebtedness relating to claims or liabilities which
are fully insured and being defended at the sole cost and expense and at the
sole risk of the insurer or being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings diligently pursued and available to Borrower, in each case prior to
the commencement of foreclosure or other similar proceedings and with respect to
which adequate reserves have been set aside on its books; (d) zoning
restrictions, easements, licenses, covenants and other restrictions affecting
the use of real property which do not interfere in any material respect with the
use of such real property or ordinary conduct of the business of Borrower as
presently conducted thereon or materially impair the value of the real property
which may be subject thereto; (e) purchase money security interests in Equipment
(including capital leases) and purchase money mortgages on real estate not to
exceed $50,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding so long as such security
interests and mortgages do not apply to any property of Borrower other than the
Equipment or real estate so acquired, and the indebtedness secured thereby does
not exceed the cost of the Equipment or real estate so acquired, as the case may
be; and (f) the security interests and liens set forth on Schedule 8.4 hereto.
9.9 Indebtedness. Borrower shall not incur, create, assume, become or
be liable in any manner with respect to, or permit to exist, any obligations or
indebtedness, except: (a) the Obligations; (b) trade obligations and normal
accruals in the ordinary course of business not yet due and payable, or with
respect to which the Borrower is contesting in good faith the amount or validity
thereof by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued and available to Borrower,
and with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside on its books;
(c) purchase money indebtedness (including capital leases) to the extent not
incurred or secured by liens (including capital leases) in violation of any
other provision of this Agreement; and (d) the indebtedness set forth on
Schedule 9.9 hereto; provided, that, (i) Borrower may only make regularly
scheduled payments of principal and interest in respect of such indebtedness in
accordance with the terms of the agreement or instrument evidencing or giving
rise to such indebtedness as in effect on the date hereof so long as no Event of
Default exists and is continuing; except that, with respect to such indebtedness
owing by Borrower to Velvel, Borrower shall only be permitted to repay such
indebtedness in accordance with, and subject to, the terms and provisions of
Section 9.10(b) below; (ii) Borrower shall not, directly or indirectly, (A)
amend, modify, alter or change the terms of such indebtedness or any agreement,
document or instrument related thereto as in effect on the date hereof, or (B)
redeem, retire, defease, purchase or otherwise acquire such indebtedness, or set
aside or otherwise deposit or invest any sums for such purpose, and (iii)
Borrower shall furnish to Lender all notices or demands in connection with such
indebtedness either received by Borrower or on its behalf, promptly after the
receipt thereof, or sent by Borrower or on its behalf, concurrently with the
sending thereof, as the case may be.
9.10 Loans, Investments, Guarantees, Etc. (a) Borrower shall not,
directly or indirectly, make any loans or advance money or property to any
person, or invest in (by capital contribution,
dividend or otherwise) or purchase or repurchase the stock or indebtedness or
all or a substantial part of the assets or property of any person, or guarantee,
assume, endorse, or otherwise become responsible for (directly or indirectly)
the indebtedness, performance, obligations or dividends of any Person or agree
to do any of the foregoing, except: (i) the endorsement of instruments for
collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business; and (ii) the loans,
advances and guarantees set forth on Schedule 9.10 hereto; provided, that, as to
such loans, advances and guarantees, (A) Borrower shall not, directly or
indirectly, (1) amend, modify, alter or change the terms of such loans, advances
or guarantees or any agreement, document or instrument related thereto, or (2)
as to such guarantees, redeem, retire, defease, purchase or otherwise acquire
the obligations arising pursuant to such guarantees, or set aside or otherwise
deposit or invest any sums for such purpose; and (B) Borrower shall furnish to
Lender all notices or demands in connection with such loans, advances or
guarantees or other indebtedness subject to such guarantees either received by
Borrower or on its behalf, promptly after the receipt thereof, or sent by
Borrower or on its behalf, concurrently with the sending thereof, as the case
may be.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section
9.9 or this Section 9.10, provided no Event of Default exists and is continuing:
(i) in addition to the investments in Velvel which exist as of the date hereof
as more particularly described in Schedule 9.10 hereto ("Existing Velvel
Investments"), Borrower shall be permitted to make additional payments to Velvel
to repay any existing indebtedness owing by Borrower to Velvel permitted by
Section 9.9 hereof with respect to the existing Velvel Investments (the
"Additional Velvel Payments"), provided that, (A) Borrower provides Lender with
five (5) Business Days prior written notice of each contemplated Additional
Velvel Payment setting forth the nature and amount thereof and such investment
is pledged and/or assigned by Borrower to Lender; (B) after giving effect to the
proposed Additional Velvel Payment, Borrower has Excess Availability of not less
than $5,000,000 for each of the immediately preceding thirty (30) Business Days
prior to, and on the date of, such payment; and (C) at no time shall the
Additional Velvel Payments exceed the aggregate amount of $5,000,000; and (ii)
Borrower shall be permitted to make, in the ordinary course of Borrower's
business in accordance with practices and policies previously disclosed in
writing to Lender, loans and advances to any person who supplies goods to
Borrower (individually, a "Vendor"; and collectively, "Vendors"), provided that,
(A) Borrower provides Lender with five (5) Business Days prior written notice of
each contemplated loan or advance to a Vendor setting forth the amount thereof;
(B) none of the indebtedness arising pursuant to such loans shall be evidenced
by a promissory note or other instrument, unless the original of such note or
other instrument is promptly delivered to Lender upon the issuance thereof, duly
indorsed and assigned by Borrower to Lender; (C) after giving effect to the
proposed loan or advance, Borrower has Excess Availability of not less than
$5,000,000 for each of the immediately preceding thirty (30) Business Days prior
to, and on the date of, such loan or advance; and (D) the maximum aggregate
amount of all loans and advances to any Vendor shall not exceed the aggregate
amount of $250,000 outstanding at any time and the maximum aggregate amount of
all loans and advances to all Vendors shall not exceed the aggregate amount of
$1,500,000 outstanding at any time.
9.11 Dividends and Redemptions. Borrower shall not, directly or
indirectly, declare or pay any dividends on account of any shares of class of
capital stock of Borrower now or hereafter outstanding, or set aside or
otherwise deposit or invest any sums for such purpose, or redeem, retire,
defease, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of any class of capital stock
(or set aside or otherwise deposit or invest any sums for such purpose) for any
consideration other than common
stock or apply or set apart any sum, or make any other distribution (by
reduction of capital or otherwise) in respect of any such shares or agree to do
any of the foregoing.
9.12 Transactions with Affiliates. Borrower shall not, directly or
indirectly, (a) purchase, acquire or lease any property from, or sell, transfer
or lease any property to, any officer, director, agent or other person
affiliated with Borrower, except in the ordinary course of and pursuant to the
reasonable requirements of Borrower's business and upon fair and reasonable
terms no less favorable to the Borrower than Borrower would obtain in a
comparable arm's length transaction with an unaffiliated person, or (b) make any
payments of management, consulting or other fees for management or similar
services, or of any indebtedness owing to any officer, employee, shareholder,
director or other person affiliated with Borrower except reasonable compensation
to officers, employees and directors for services rendered to Borrower in the
ordinary course of business, or (c) the investments by Borrower in Velvel
permitted in Section 9.10 hereof.
9.13 Additional Bank Accounts. Borrower shall not, directly or
indirectly, open, establish or maintain any deposit account, investment account
or any other account with any bank or other financial institution, other than
the Blocked Accounts and the accounts set forth in Schedule 8.8 hereto, except:
(a) as to any new or additional Blocked Accounts and other such new or
additional accounts which contain any Collateral or proceeds thereof, with the
prior written consent of Lender and subject to such conditions thereto as Lender
may establish and (b) as to any accounts used by Borrower to make payments of
payroll, taxes or other obligations to third parties, after prior written notice
to Lender.
9.14 Adjusted Net Worth. Borrower shall, at all times, maintain
Adjusted Net Worth of not less than $4,000,000.
9.15 Costs and Expenses. Borrower shall pay to Lender on demand all
costs, expenses, filing fees and taxes paid or payable in connection with the
preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery, recording, administration,
collection, liquidation, enforcement and defense of the Obligations, Lender's
rights in the Collateral, this Agreement, the other Financing Agreements and all
other documents related hereto or thereto, including any amendments, supplements
or consents which may hereafter be contemplated (whether or not executed) or
entered into in respect hereof and thereof, including: (a) all costs and
expenses of filing or recording (including Uniform Commercial Code financing
statement filing taxes and fees, documentary taxes, intangibles taxes and
mortgage recording taxes and fees, if applicable); (b) all insurance premiums,
appraisal fees and search fees; (c) costs and expenses of remitting loan
proceeds, collecting checks and other items of payment, and establishing and
maintaining the Blocked Accounts, together with Lender's customary charges and
fees with respect thereto; (d) charges, fees or expenses charged by any bank or
issuer in connection with the Letter of Credit Accommodations; (e) costs and
expenses of preserving and protecting the Collateral; (f) costs and expenses
paid or incurred in connection with obtaining payment of the Obligations,
enforcing the security interests and liens of Lender, selling or otherwise
realizing upon the Collateral, and otherwise enforcing the provisions of this
Agreement and the other Financing Agreements or defending any claims made or
threatened against Lender arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby
and thereby (including preparations for and consultations concerning any such
matters); (g) all out-of-pocket expenses and costs heretofore and from time to
time hereafter incurred by Lender during the course of periodic field
examinations of the Collateral and Borrower's operations, plus a
per diem charge at the rate of $600 per person per day for Lender's examiners in
the field and office; and (h) the fees and disbursements of counsel (including
legal assistants) to Lender in connection with any of the foregoing.
9.16 Further Assurances. At the request of Lender at any time and from
time to time, Borrower shall, at its expense, duly execute and deliver, or cause
to be duly executed and delivered, such further agreements, documents and
instruments, and do or cause to be done such further acts as may be necessary or
proper to evidence, perfect, maintain and enforce the security interests and the
priority thereof in the Collateral and to otherwise effectuate the provisions or
purposes of this Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements. Lender may
at any time and from time to time request a certificate from an officer of
Borrower representing that all conditions precedent to the making of Loans and
providing Letter of Credit Accommodations contained herein are satisfied. In the
event of such request by Lender, Lender may, at its option, cease to make any
further Loans or provide any further Letter of Credit Accommodations until
Lender has received such certificate and, in addition, Lender has determined
that such conditions are satisfied. Where permitted by law, Borrower hereby
authorizes Lender to execute and file one or more UCC financing statements
signed only by Lender in order for Lender to evidence, maintain, enforce and
perfect the security interest in the Collateral and the priority thereof.
SECTION 10. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
10.1 Events of Default. The occurrence or existence of any one or more
of the following events are referred to herein individually as an "Event of
Default", and collectively as "Events of Default":
(a) (i) Borrower fails to pay when due any of the Obligations or
(ii) Borrower or any Obligor fails to perform any of the covenants contained in
Sections 9.3, 9.4(a), and 9.6(a)(i) to the extent such failure consists solely
of a failure to deliver timely the financial statements required therein of this
Agreement and such failure shall continue for ten (10) days; provided, that,
such ten (10) day period shall not apply in the case of: (A) any failure to
observe any such covenant which is not capable of being cured at all or within
such ten (10) day period or which has been the subject of a prior failure within
a six (6) month period or (B) an intentional breach of Borrower or any Obligor
of any such covenant or (iii) Borrower fails to perform any of the terms,
covenants, conditions or provisions contained in this Agreement or any of the
other Financing Agreements other than those described in Sections 10.1(a)(i) and
10.1(a)(ii) above;
(b) any representation, warranty or statement of fact made by
Borrower to Lender in this Agreement, the other Financing Agreements or any
other agreement, schedule, confirmatory assignment or otherwise shall when made
or deemed made be false or misleading in any material respect;
(c) any Obligor revokes, terminates or fails to perform any of the
terms, covenants, conditions or provisions of any guarantee, endorsement or
other agreement of such party in favor of Lender;
(d) any judgment for the payment of money is rendered against
Borrower or any Obligor in excess of $50,000 in any one case or in excess of
$100,000 in the aggregate and shall remain undischarged or unvacated for a
period in excess of thirty (30) days or execution shall at any time not be
effectively stayed, or any judgment other than for the payment of money, or
injunction, attachment, garnishment or execution is rendered against Borrower or
any Obligor or any of their assets;
(e) any Obligor (being a natural person or a general partner of an
Obligor which is a partnership) dies or Borrower or any Obligor, which is a
partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or a
corporation, dissolves or suspends or discontinues doing business;
(f) Borrower or any Obligor becomes insolvent (however defined or
evidenced), makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, makes or sends
notice of a bulk transfer or calls a meeting of its creditors or principal
creditors;
(g) a case or proceeding under the bankruptcy laws of the United
States of America now or hereafter in effect or under any insolvency,
reorganization, receivership, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation
law or statute of any jurisdiction now or hereafter in effect (whether at law or
in equity) is filed against Borrower or any Obligor or all or any part of its
properties and such petition or application is not dismissed within thirty (30)
days after the date of its filing or Borrower or any Obligor shall file any
answer admitting or not contesting such petition or application or indicates its
consent to, acquiescence in or approval of, any such action or proceeding or the
relief requested is granted sooner;
(h) a case or proceeding under the bankruptcy laws of the United
States of America now or hereafter in effect or under any insolvency,
reorganization, receivership, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation
law or statute of any jurisdiction now or hereafter in effect (whether at a law
or equity) is filed by Borrower or any Obligor or for all or any part of its
property; or
(i) any default by Borrower or any Obligor under any agreement,
document or instrument relating to any indebtedness for borrowed money owing to
any person other than Lender, or any capitalized lease obligations, contingent
indebtedness in connection with any guarantee, letter of credit, indemnity or
similar type of instrument in favor of any person other than Lender, in any case
in an amount in excess of $25,000, which default continues for more than the
applicable cure period, if any, with respect thereto, or any default by Borrower
or any Obligor under any material contract, lease, license or other obligation
to any person other than Lender, which default continues for more than the
applicable cure period, if any, with respect thereto;
(j) any change in the chief executive officer, chief financial
officer and/or controlling ownership of Borrower;
(k) the indictment or threatened indictment of Borrower or any
Obligor under any criminal statute, or commencement or threatened commencement
of criminal or civil proceedings against Borrower or any Obligor, pursuant to
which statute or proceedings the penalties or remedies sought or available
include forfeiture of any of the property of Borrower or such Obligor;
(l) there shall be a material adverse change in the business,
assets or prospects of Borrower or any Obligor after the date hereof; or
(m) there shall be an event of default under any of the other
Financing Agreements.
10.2 Remedies.
(a) At any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is
continuing, Lender shall have all rights and remedies provided in this
Agreement, the other Financing Agreements, the Uniform Commercial Code and other
applicable law, all of which rights and remedies may be exercised without notice
to or consent by Borrower or any Obligor, except as such notice or consent is
expressly provided for hereunder or required by applicable law. All rights,
remedies and powers granted to Lender hereunder, under any of the other
Financing Agreements, the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law, are
cumulative, not exclusive and enforceable, in Lender's discretion,
alternatively, successively, or concurrently on any one or more occasions, and
shall include, without limitation, the right to apply to a court of equity for
an injunction to restrain a breach or threatened breach by Borrower of this
Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements. Lender may, at any time or
times, proceed directly against Borrower or any Obligor to collect the
Obligations without prior recourse to the Collateral.
(b) Without limiting the foregoing, at any time an Event of Default
exists or has occurred and is continuing, Lender may, in its discretion and
without limitation, (i) accelerate the payment of all Obligations and demand
immediate payment thereof to Lender (provided, that, upon the occurrence of any
Event of Default described in Sections 10.1(g) and 10.1(h), all Obligations
shall automatically become immediately due and payable), (ii) with or without
judicial process or the aid or assistance of others, enter upon any premises on
or in which any of the Collateral may be located and take possession of the
Collateral or complete processing, manufacturing and repair of all or any
portion of the Collateral, (iii) require Borrower, at Borrower's expense, to
assemble and make available to Lender any part or all of the Collateral at any
place and time designated by Lender, (iv) collect, foreclose, receive,
appropriate, setoff and realize upon any and all Collateral, (v) remove any or
all of the Collateral from any premises on or in which the same may be located
for the purpose of effecting the sale, foreclosure or other disposition thereof
or for any other purpose, (vi) sell, lease, transfer, assign, deliver or
otherwise dispose of any and all Collateral (including entering into contracts
with respect thereto, public or private sales at any exchange, broker's board,
at any office of Lender or elsewhere) at such prices or terms as Lender may deem
reasonable, for cash, upon credit or for future delivery, with the Lender having
the right to purchase the whole or any part of the Collateral at any such public
sale, all of the foregoing being free from any right or equity of redemption of
Borrower, which right or equity of redemption is hereby expressly waived and
released by Borrower and/or (vii) terminate this Agreement. If any of the
Collateral is sold or leased by Lender upon credit terms or for future delivery,
the Obligations shall not be reduced as a result thereof until payment therefor
is finally collected by Lender. If notice of disposition of Collateral is
required by law, ten (10) days prior notice by Lender to Borrower designating
the time and place of any public sale or the time after which any private sale
or other intended disposition of Collateral is to be made, shall be deemed to be
reasonable notice thereof and Borrower waives any other notice. In the event
Lender institutes an action to recover any Collateral or seeks recovery of any
Collateral
by way of prejudgment remedy, Borrower waives the posting of any bond which
might otherwise be required.
(c) Lender may apply the cash proceeds of Collateral actually
received by Lender from any sale, lease, foreclosure or other disposition of the
Collateral to payment of the Obligations, in whole or in part and in such order
as Lender may elect, whether or not then due. Borrower shall remain liable to
Lender for the payment of any deficiency with interest at the highest rate
provided for herein and all costs and expenses of collection or enforcement,
including attorneys' fees and legal expenses.
(d) Without limiting the foregoing, upon the occurrence of an Event
of Default or an event which with notice or passage of time or both would
constitute an Event of Default, Lender may, at its option, without notice, (i)
cease making Loans or arranging for Letter of Credit Accommodations or reduce
the lending formulas or amounts of Revolving Loans and Letter of Credit
Accommodations available to Borrower and/or (ii) terminate any provision of this
Agreement providing for any future Loans or Letter of Credit Accommodations to
be made by Lender to Borrower.
SECTION 11. JURY TRIAL WAIVER; OTHER WAIVERS
AND CONSENTS; GOVERNING LAW
11.1 Governing Law; Choice of Forum; Service of Process; Jury Trial
Waiver.
(a) The validity, interpretation and enforcement of this Agreement
and the other Financing Agreements and any dispute arising out of the
relationship between the parties hereto, whether in contract, tort, equity or
otherwise, shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of Illinois
(without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law).
(b) Borrower and Lender irrevocably consent and submit to the
non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Circuit Court, ▇▇▇▇ County, Illinois and the
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and waive any
objection based on venue or forum non conveniens with respect to any action
instituted therein arising under this Agreement or any of the other Financing
Agreements or in any way connected with or related or incidental to the dealings
of the parties hereto in respect of this Agreement or any of the other Financing
Agreements or the transactions related hereto or thereto, in each case whether
now existing or hereafter arising, and whether in contract, tort, equity or
otherwise, and agree that any dispute with respect to any such matters shall be
heard only in the courts described above (except that Lender shall have the
right to bring any action or proceeding against Borrower or its property in the
courts of any other jurisdiction which Lender deems necessary or appropriate in
order to realize on the Collateral or to otherwise enforce its rights against
Borrower or its property).
(c) Borrower hereby waives personal service of any and all process
upon it and consents that all such service of process may be made by certified
mail (return receipt requested) directed to its address set forth on the
signature pages hereof and service so made shall be deemed to be completed five
(5) days after the same shall have been so deposited in the U.S. mails, or, at
Lender's option, by service upon Borrower in any other manner provided under the
rules of any such
courts. Within thirty (30) days after such service, Borrower shall appear in
answer to such process, failing which Borrower shall be deemed in default and
judgment may be entered by Lender against Borrower for the amount of the claim
and other relief requested.
(d) BORROWER AND LENDER EACH HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY
JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION (i) ARISING UNDER THIS
AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE OTHER FINANCING AGREEMENTS OR (ii) IN ANY WAY CONNECTED
WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT
OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE OTHER FINANCING AGREEMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS
RELATED HERETO OR THERETO IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER
ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY OR OTHERWISE. BORROWER AND LENDER
EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF
ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT BORROWER OR
LENDER MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH ANY
COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF
THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.
(e) Lender shall not have any liability to Borrower (whether in
tort, contract, equity or otherwise) for losses suffered by Borrower in
connection with, arising out of, or in any way related to the transactions or
relationships contemplated by this Agreement, or any act, omission or event
occurring in connection herewith, unless it is determined by a final and
non-appealable judgment or court order binding on Lender, that the losses were
the result of acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or willful
misconduct. In any such litigation, Lender shall be entitled to the benefit of
the rebuttable presumption that it acted in good faith and with the exercise of
ordinary care in the performance by it of the terms of this Agreement.
11.2 Waiver of Notices. Borrower hereby expressly waives demand,
presentment, protest and notice of protest and notice of dishonor with respect
to any and all instruments and commercial paper, included in or evidencing any
of the Obligations or the Collateral, and any and all other demands and notices
of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the Obligations, the Collateral
and this Agreement, except such as are expressly provided for herein. No notice
to or demand on Borrower which Lender may elect to give shall entitle Borrower
to any other or further notice or demand in the same, similar or other
circumstances.
11.3 Amendments and Waivers. Neither this Agreement nor any provision
hereof shall be amended, modified, waived or discharged orally or by course of
conduct, but only by a written agreement signed by an authorized officer of
Lender, and as to amendments, as also signed by an authorized officer of
Borrower. Lender shall not, by any act, delay, omission or otherwise be deemed
to have expressly or impliedly waived any of its rights, powers and/or remedies
unless such waiver shall be in writing and signed by an authorized officer of
Lender. Any such waiver shall be enforceable only to the extent specifically set
forth therein. A waiver by Lender of any right, power and/or remedy on any one
occasion shall not be construed as a bar to or waiver of any such right, power
and/or remedy which Lender would otherwise have on any future occasion, whether
similar in kind or otherwise.
11.4 Waiver of Counterclaims. Borrower waives all rights to interpose
any claims, deductions, setoffs or counterclaims of any nature (other then
compulsory counterclaims) in any action or proceeding with respect to this
Agreement, the Obligations, the Collateral or any matter arising therefrom or
relating hereto or thereto.
11.5 Indemnification. Borrower shall indemnify and hold Lender, and its
directors, agents, employees and counsel, harmless from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs or expenses imposed on, incurred by
or asserted against any of them in connection with any litigation,
investigation, claim or proceeding commenced or threatened related to the
negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery, enforcement, performance or
administration of this Agreement, any other Financing Agreements, or any
undertaking or proceeding related to any of the transactions contemplated hereby
or any act, omission, event or transaction related or attendant thereto,
including amounts paid in settlement, court costs, and the fees and expenses of
counsel, except as to any act, omission or event resulting from Lender's own
gross negligence or wilful misconduct as determined pursuant to a final
non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction. To the extent that
the undertaking to indemnify, pay and hold harmless set forth in this Section
may be unenforceable because it violates any law or public policy, Borrower
shall pay the maximum portion which it is permitted to pay under applicable law
to Lender in satisfaction of indemnified matters under this Section. The
foregoing indemnity shall survive the payment of the Obligations and the
termination or non-renewal of this Agreement.
SECTION 12. TERM OF AGREEMENT; MISCELLANEOUS
12.1 Term.
(a) This Agreement and the other Financing Agreements shall become
effective as of the date set forth on the first page hereof and shall continue
in full force and effect for a term ending on the date three (3) years from the
date hereof (the "Renewal Date"), and from year to year thereafter, unless
sooner terminated pursuant to the terms hereof. Lender or Borrower (subject to
Lender's right to extend the Renewal Date as provided above) may terminate this
Agreement and the other Financing Agreements effective on the Renewal Date or on
the anniversary of the Renewal Date in any year by giving to the other party at
least sixty (60) days prior written notice; provided, that, this Agreement and
all other Financing Agreements must be terminated simultaneously. Upon the
effective date of termination or non-renewal of the Financing Agreements,
Borrower shall pay to Lender, in full, all outstanding and unpaid Obligations
and shall furnish cash collateral to Lender in such amounts as Lender determines
are reasonably necessary to secure Lender from loss, cost, damage or expense,
including attorneys' fees and legal expenses, in connection with any contingent
Obligations, including issued and outstanding Letter of Credit Accommodations
and checks or other payments provisionally credited to the Obligations and/or as
to which Lender has not yet received final and indefeasible payment. Such
payments in respect of the Obligations and cash collateral shall be remitted by
wire transfer in Federal funds to such bank account of Lender, as Lender may, in
its discretion, designate in writing to Borrower for such purpose. Interest
shall be due until and including the next business day, if the amounts so paid
by Borrower to the bank account designated by Lender are received in such bank
account later than 12:00 noon, Chicago, Illinois time.
(b) No termination of this Agreement or the other Financing
Agreements shall relieve or discharge Borrower of its respective duties,
obligations and covenants under this Agreement or the other Financing Agreements
until all Obligations have been fully and finally discharged and paid, and
Lender's continuing security interest in the Collateral and the rights and
remedies of Lender hereunder, under the other Financing Agreements and
applicable law, shall remain in effect until all such Obligations have been
fully and finally discharged and paid.
(c) (i) If for any reason this Agreement is terminated prior to the
end of the then current term or renewal term of this Agreement, in view of the
impracticality and extreme difficulty of ascertaining actual damages and by
mutual agreement of the parties as to a reasonable calculation of Lender's lost
profits as a result thereof, Borrower agrees to pay to Lender, upon the
effective date of such termination, an early termination fee in the amount set
forth below if such termination is effective in the period indicated:
Amount Period
------ ------
(A) 3% of Maximum Credit From the date hereof to and
including June 12, 1998
(B) 2% of Maximum Credit From June 12, 1998 to and
including June 12, 1999
(C) 1/2% of Maximum Credit From June 12, 1999 to and
including June 12, 2000.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained above,
if Lender exercises its right to terminate this Agreement upon the occurrence of
any Event of Default (other than an Event of Default as set forth in Section
10.1(g) and 10.1(h) hereof), then the early termination fee shall be $100,000.
Borrower expressly acknowledges, confirms and agrees that if Lender exercises
its right to terminate this Agreement upon the occurrence of any Event of
Default described in Section 10.1(g) and 10.1(h) hereof, Borrower shall pay
Lender the applicable early termination fee as set forth in Section
12.1(c)(i)(A), (B) or (C), as the case may be.
(iii) The early termination fee provided for in this Section
12.1 shall be presumed to be the amount of damages sustained by Lender as a
result of such early termination and Borrower agrees that it is reasonable under
the circumstances currently existing. In addition, Lender shall be entitled to
such early termination fee upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described
in Sections 10.1(g) and 10.1(h) hereof, even if Lender does not exercise its
right to terminate this Agreement, but elects, at its option, to provide
financing to Borrower or permit the use of cash collateral under the United
States Bankruptcy Code. The early termination fee provided for in this Section
12.1 shall be deemed included in the Obligations.
12.2 Notices. All notices, requests and demands hereunder shall be in
writing and (a) made to Lender at its address set forth below and to Borrower at
its chief executive office set forth below, or to such other address as either
party may designate by written notice to the other in accordance with this
provision, and (b) deemed to have been given or made: if delivered in person,
immediately
upon delivery; if by telex, telegram or facsimile transmission, immediately upon
sending and upon confirmation of receipt; if by nationally recognized overnight
courier service with instructions to deliver the next business day, one (1)
business day after sending; and if by certified mail, return receipt requested,
five (5) days after mailing.
12.3 Partial Invalidity. If any provision of this Agreement is held to
be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not
invalidate this Agreement as a whole, but this Agreement shall be construed as
though it did not contain the particular provision held to be invalid or
unenforceable and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed
and enforced only to such extent as shall be permitted by applicable law.
12.4 Successors. This Agreement, the other Financing Agreements and any
other document referred to herein or therein shall be binding upon and inure to
the benefit of and be enforceable by Lender, Borrower and their respective
successors and assigns, except that Borrower may not assign its rights under
this Agreement, the other Financing Agreements and any other document referred
to herein or therein without the prior written consent of Lender. Lender may,
after notice to Borrower, assign its rights and delegate its obligations under
this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements and further may assign, or
sell participations in, all or any part of the Loans, the Letter of Credit
Accommodations or any other interest herein to another financial institution or
other person, in which event, the assignee or participant shall have, to the
extent of such assignment or participation, the same rights and benefits as it
would have if it were the Lender hereunder, except as otherwise provided by the
terms of such assignment or participation.
12.5 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, the other Financing Agreements,
any supplements hereto or thereto, and any instruments or documents delivered or
to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith represents the entire
agreement and understanding concerning the subject matter hereof and thereof
between the parties hereto, and supersede all other prior agreements,
understandings, negotiations and discussions, representations, warranties,
commitments, proposals, offers and contracts concerning the subject matter
hereof, whether oral or written. In the event of any inconsistency between the
terms of this Agreement and any schedule or exhibit hereto, the terms of this
Agreement shall govern.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Lender and Borrower have caused these presents to
be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
LENDER BORROWER
CONGRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION NAVARRE CORPORATION
(CENTRAL)
By: /s/ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------------------- ------------------------------
Title: Senior Vice President Title Executive Vice President
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Address: Chief Executive Office:
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