UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest
event reported):
July 20, 2012 (July 19, 2012)
DGSE COMPANIES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada | 1-11048 | 88-0097334 | ||
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
11311 Reeder
Rd.
Dallas, Texas 75229
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(972) 484-3662
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Item 1.01 | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement |
On July 19, 2012, DGSE Companies, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Registrant”), entered into that certain Loan Agreement, dated July 19, 2012 (the “Loan Agreement”), by and between the Registrant and NTR Metals, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“NTR”), in form attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1. Pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement, NTR has agreed to provide to Registrant a guidance line of revolving credit in an amount up to US$7,500,000.
The Loan Agreement provides that the Loan Agreement will terminate—and all amounts outstanding thereunder will be due and payable (such amounts, the “Obligations”)—upon the earlier of (i) August 1, 2014, (ii) the date that is twelve months after the Registrant receives notice from NTR demanding the repayment of the Obligations, (iii) the date the Obligations are accelerated in accordance with the terms of the Loan Agreement or (iv) the date on which the commitment terminates under the Loan Agreement. In connection with the Loan Agreement, the Registrant and its subsidiaries entered into that certain Guaranty and Security Agreement, dated July 19, 2012, by and among the Registrant, its subsidiaries and NTR, in form attached hereto as Exhibit 10.2, whereby (i) the Registrant granted a security interest in all of its personal property and (ii) each of the Registrant’s subsidiaries granted a security interest in the respective personal property of each such subsidiary. Also on July 19, 2012, in connection with the Loan Agreement, the Registrant delivered that certain Revolving Credit Note, dated July 19, 2012, in form attached hereto as Exhibit 10.3, evidencing the indebtedness incurred pursuant to the Loan Agreement. The Note carries an interest rate of two percent (2%) per annum for all funds borrowed pursuant to the Loan Agreement. Interest as it accrues on the outstanding principal balance is due and payable on the last business day of each September, December, March and June, beginning September 28, 2012.
Proceeds received by the Registrant pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement are to be used for (i) repayment of outstanding financial obligations incurred in connection with that certain Loan Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2005, between the Registrant and Texas Capital Bank, N.A. (“Texas Capital Bank”), in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 10.4, as amended and incorporated herein by reference (the “TCB Loan Agreement”) and (ii) working capital in the ordinary course of business.
Item 1.02 | Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement |
On July 19, 2012, the Registrant directed repayment of the total outstanding balance related to the TCB Loan Agreement. The repayment of the balance outstanding pursuant to the Loan Agreement constitutes complete satisfaction of the obligations of the Registrant to Texas Capital Bank.
Item 2.03 | Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant |
Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is hereby incorporated by reference.
Item 8.01 | Other Events |
On July 20, 2012, the Registrant issued the press release filed as Exhibit 99.1, which is incorporated by reference.
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits |
(a) | Not applicable. |
(b) | Not applicable. |
(c) | Not applicable. |
(d) | Exhibits. |
Exhibit No. | Description | |
10.1 | Form of Loan Agreement, dated July 19, 2012, by and between the Registrant and NTR | |
10.2 | Form of Guaranty and Security Agreement, dated July 19, 2012, by and between the Registrant, as borrower, DGSE Corporation, U.S. Bullion Exchange, SBT, Inc., Superior Galleries, Inc., Charleston Gold & Diamond Exchange, Inc., DGSE Bullion Express, LLC, as guarantors, and NTR | |
10.3 | Form of Promissory Note, dated July 19, 2012, granted in favor of NTR by the Registrant, as maker | |
10.4 | Loan Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2005, by and between DGSE Companies, Inc. and Texas Capital Bank, N.A. (previously filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K/A, as filed by the Registrant with the Securities Exchange Commission on August 17, 2006) |
EXHIBITS
Exhibit No. | Description | |
10.1 | Form of Loan Agreement, dated July 19, 2012, by and between the Registrant and NTR | |
10.2 | Form of Guaranty and Security Agreement, dated July 19, 2012, by and between the Registrant, as borrower, DGSE Corporation, U.S. Bullion Exchange, SBT, Inc., Superior Galleries, Inc., Charleston Gold & Diamond Exchange, Inc., DGSE Bullion Express, LLC, as guarantors, and NTR | |
10.3 | Form of Promissory Note, dated July 19, 2012, granted in favor of NTR by the Registrant, as maker | |
10.4 | Loan Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2005, by and between DGSE Companies, Inc. and Texas Capital Bank, N.A. (previously filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K/A, as filed by the Registrant with the Securities Exchange Commission on August 17, 2006) |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
DGSE COMPANIES, INC. | ||
Date: July 20, 2012 | By: | /s/ William H. Oyster |
William H. Oyster | ||
President and Chief Executive Officer |
EXECUTION VERSION
LOAN AGREEMENT
Dated as of July __, 2012
between
DGSE COMPANIES, INC.,
as Borrower,
and
NTR METALS, LLC,
as Lender
Table of Contents
Page | ||
ARTICLE I | Definitions | 1 |
Section 1.1 | Definitions | 1 |
Section 1.2 | Accounting Matters | 7 |
Section 1.3 | Other Definitional Provisions | 7 |
ARTICLE II | Advances | 7 |
Section 2.1 | Advances | 7 |
Section 2.2 | General Provisions Regarding Interest; Etc | 9 |
Section 2.3 | Use of Proceeds | 9 |
Section 2.4 | Intent to Limit Charges to Maximum Lawful Rate | 9 |
ARTICLE III | Payments | 10 |
Section 3.1 | Method of Payment | 10 |
Section 3.2 | Prepayments | 10 |
ARTICLE IV | Security | 11 |
Section 4.1 | Collateral | 11 |
Section 4.2 | Setoff | 11 |
ARTICLE V | Conditions Precedent | 11 |
Section 5.1 | Initial Extension of Credit | 11 |
Section 5.2 | All Extensions of Credit | 13 |
ARTICLE VI | Representations and Warranties | 13 |
Section 6.1 | Corporate Existence | 13 |
Section 6.2 | Action; No Breach | 13 |
Section 6.3 | Operation of Business | 14 |
Section 6.4 | Litigation and Judgments | 14 |
Section 6.5 | Rights in Properties; Liens | 14 |
Section 6.6 | Enforceability | 14 |
Section 6.7 | Approvals | 14 |
Section 6.8 | Debt | 14 |
Section 6.9 | Taxes | 14 |
Section 6.10 | Use of Proceeds; Margin Securities | 14 |
Section 6.11 | ERISA | 15 |
Section 6.12 | Disclosure | 15 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||
Section 6.13 | Subsidiaries, Ventures, Etc | 15 |
Section 6.14 | Agreements | 15 |
Section 6.15 | Compliance with Laws | 15 |
Section 6.16 | Inventory | 15 |
Section 6.17 | Investment Company Act | 16 |
Section 6.18 | Public Utility Holding Company Act | 16 |
Section 6.19 | Environmental Matters | 16 |
Section 6.20 | Intellectual Property | 17 |
ARTICLE VII | Affirmative Covenants | 17 |
Section 7.1 | Reporting Requirements | 17 |
Section 7.2 | Maintenance of Existence; Conduct of Business | 19 |
Section 7.3 | Maintenance of Properties | 19 |
Section 7.4 | Taxes and Claims | 19 |
Section 7.5 | Insurance | 19 |
Section 7.6 | Inspection Rights | 20 |
Section 7.7 | Keeping Books and Records | 20 |
Section 7.8 | Compliance with Laws | 20 |
Section 7.9 | Compliance with Agreements | 20 |
Section 7.10 | Further Assurances | 20 |
Section 7.11 | ERISA | 20 |
Section 7.12 | Board Observer Rights | 21 |
Section 7.13 | Post-Closing Obligations | 21 |
ARTICLE VIII | Negative Covenants | 21 |
Section 8.1 | Debt | 21 |
Section 8.2 | Limitation on Liens | 22 |
Section 8.3 | Mergers, Etc | 22 |
Section 8.4 | Restricted Payments | 22 |
Section 8.5 | Loans and Investments | 22 |
Section 8.6 | Transactions With Affiliates | 23 |
Section 8.7 | Disposition of Assets | 23 |
Section 8.8 | Sale and Leaseback | 23 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||
Section 8.9 | Prepayment of Debt | 23 |
Section 8.10 | Nature of Business | 23 |
Section 8.11 | Environmental Protection | 23 |
Section 8.12 | Accounting | 24 |
Section 8.13 | No Negative Pledge | 24 |
ARTICLE IX | Default | 24 |
Section 9.1 | Events of Default | 24 |
Section 9.2 | Remedies Upon Default | 26 |
Section 9.3 | Performance by Lender | 26 |
ARTICLE X | Miscellaneous | 26 |
Section 10.1 | Expenses | 26 |
Section 10.2 | INDEMNIFICATION | 27 |
Section 10.3 | Limitation of Liability | 27 |
Section 10.4 | No Duty | 28 |
Section 10.5 | Lender Not Fiduciary | 28 |
Section 10.6 | Equitable Relief | 28 |
Section 10.7 | No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies | 28 |
Section 10.8 | Successors and Assigns | 28 |
Section 10.9 | Survival | 28 |
Section 10.10 | ENTIRE AGREEMENT; AMENDMENT | 28 |
Section 10.11 | Notices | 29 |
Section 10.12 | Governing Law; Venue; Service of Process | 29 |
Section 10.13 | Counterparts | 29 |
Section 10.14 | Severability | 29 |
Section 10.15 | Headings | 30 |
Section 10.16 | Participations; Etc | 30 |
Section 10.17 | Construction | 30 |
Section 10.18 | Independence of Covenants | 30 |
Section 10.19 | WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL | 30 |
-iii- |
LOAN AGREEMENT
THIS LOAN AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of July [__], 2012, is between DGSE COMPANIES, INC., a Nevada corporation (“Borrower”), and NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Lender”).
RECITALS:
Borrower has requested that Lender extend credit to Borrower as described in this Agreement. Lender is willing to make such credit available to Borrower upon and subject to the provisions, terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
Definitions
Section 1.1 Definitions. As used in this Agreement, all exhibits, appendices and schedules hereto and in any note, certificate, report or other Loan Documents made or delivered pursuant to this Agreement, the following terms will have the meanings given such terms in this Section 1 or in the provision, section or recital referred to below:
“Advance” means an advance by Lender to Borrower pursuant to Article II.
“Advance Request Form” means a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, properly completed and signed by Borrower requesting a Revolving Credit Advance.
“Affiliate” means, as to any Person, any other Person (a) that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person; (b) that directly or indirectly beneficially owns or holds five percent (5%) or more of any class of voting stock of such Person; or (c) five percent (5%) or more of the voting stock of which is directly or indirectly beneficially owned or held by the Person in question. The term “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise; provided, however, in no event shall Lender be deemed an Affiliate of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates.
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Introductory Paragraph hereto, as the same may, from time to time, be amended, modified, restated, renewed, waived, supplemented, or otherwise changed, and includes all schedules, exhibits and appendices attached or otherwise identified therewith.
“Borrower” means the Person identified as such in the Introductory Paragraph hereof, and its successors and assigns.
“Business Day” has the meaning assigned to it in the Notes.
“Capital Lease Obligation” shall mean the amount of Debt under a lease of Property by a Person that would be shown as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person prepared for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.
“Collateral” has the meaning for such term set forth in Section 4.1 of this Agreement.
“Commitment” means the “guidance” line of credit established by Lender with respect to Revolving Credit Advances pursuant to Section 2.1 in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding up to but not exceeding Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($7,500,000), subject, however, to termination pursuant to Section 9.2.
“Constituent Documents” means (i) in the case of a corporation, its articles or certificate of incorporation and bylaws; (ii) in the case of a general partnership, its partnership agreement; (iii) in the case of a limited partnership, its certificate of limited partnership and partnership agreement; (iv) in the case of a trust, its trust agreement; (v) in the case of a joint venture, its joint venture agreement; (vi) in the case of a limited liability company, its articles of organization and operating agreement or regulations; and (vii) in the case of any other entity, its organizational and governance documents and agreements.
“Control Agreement” means a control agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to Lender, executed and delivered by Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries, Lender, and the applicable securities intermediary (with respect to a Securities Account) or bank (with respect to a Deposit Account).
“Debt” means as to any Person at any time (without duplication): (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures, or other similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services, except trade accounts payable of such Person arising in the ordinary course of business that are not past due by more than ninety (90) days, (d) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (e) all Debt or other obligations of others guaranteed by such Person, (f) all obligations secured by a Lien existing on property owned by such Person, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed by such Person or are non-recourse to the credit of such Person, (g) any other obligation for borrowed money or other financial accommodations which in accordance with GAAP would be shown as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person, (h) any repurchase obligation or liability of a Person with respect to accounts, chattel paper or notes receivable sold by such Person, (i) any liability under a sale and leaseback transaction that is not a Capital Lease Obligation, (j) any obligation under any so called “synthetic leases”, (k) any obligation arising with respect to any other transaction that is the functional equivalent of borrowing but which does not constitute a liability on the balance sheets of a Person, (l) all reimbursement obligations of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances, surety or other bonds and similar instruments, and (m) all liabilities of such Person in respect of unfunded vested benefits under any Plan.
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“Default” means an Event of Default or the occurrence of an event or condition which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default.
“Default Interest Rate” has the meaning assigned to it in the Notes.
“Deposit Account” means any deposit account (as that term is defined in the UCC).
“Dispute” means any action, dispute, claim or controversy of any kind, whether in contract or tort, statutory or common law, legal or equitable, now existing or hereafter arising under or in connection with, or in any way pertaining to, this Agreement and each other document, contract and instrument required hereby or now or hereafter delivered to Lender in connection herewith, or any past, present or future extensions of credit and other activities, transactions or obligations of any kind related directly or indirectly to any of the foregoing documents, including without limitation, any of the foregoing arising in connection with the exercise of any self-help, ancillary or other remedies pursuant to any of the foregoing documents.
“Dollars” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States of America.
“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, and local laws, regulations, judicial decisions, orders, decrees, plans, rules, permits, licenses, and other governmental restrictions and requirements pertaining to health, safety, or the environment, including, without limitation, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C. ss. 9601 et seq., the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C. ss. 6901 et seq., the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. ss. 651 et seq., the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. ss. 7401 et seq., the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. ss. 1251 et seq., and the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. ss. 2601 et seq., as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time.
“Environmental Liabilities” means, as to any Person, all liabilities, obligations, responsibilities, Remedial Actions, losses, damages, punitive damages, consequential damages, treble damages, costs, and expenses, (including, without limitation, all reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel, expert and consulting fees and costs of investigation and feasibility studies), fines, penalties, sanctions, and interest incurred as a result of any claim or demand, by any Person, whether based in contract, tort, implied or express warranty, strict liability, criminal or civil statute, including any Environmental Law, permit, order or agreement with any Governmental Authority or other Person, arising from environmental, health or safety conditions or the Release or threatened Release of a Hazardous Material into the environment, resulting from the past, present, or future operations of such Person or its Affiliates.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any corporation or trade or business which is a member of the same controlled group of corporations (within the meaning of Section 414(b) of the Code) as Borrower or is under common control (within the meaning of Section 414(c) of the Code) with Borrower, provided that Lender shall be deemed not to be an ERISA Affiliate of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
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“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 9.1.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles, applied on a consistent basis, as set forth in Opinions of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and/or in statements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and/or their respective successors and which are applicable in the circumstances as of the date in question. Accounting principles are applied on a “consistent basis” when the accounting principles applied in a current period are comparable in all material respects to those accounting principles applied in a preceding period.
“Governmental Authority” means any nation or government, any state or political subdivision thereof and any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory, or administrative functions of or pertaining to government.
“Guarantor” means (a) each Subsidiary of Borrower and (b) each other Person that becomes a guarantor after the date hereof.
“Hazardous Material” means any substance, product, waste, pollutant, material, chemical, contaminant, constituent, or other material which is or becomes listed, regulated, or addressed under any Environmental Law, including, without limitation, asbestos, petroleum, and polychlorinated biphenyls.
“Liabilities” means, at any particular time, all amounts which, in conformity with GAAP, would be included as liabilities on a balance sheet of a Person.
“Lien” means any lien, mortgage, security interest, tax lien, pledge, charge, hypothecation, assignment, preference, priority, or other encumbrance of any kind or nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, any conditional sale or title retention agreement), whether arising by contract, operation of law, or otherwise.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, the Revolving Credit Note, the Security Documents and all other promissory notes, security agreements, subordination agreements, deeds of trust, assignments, letters of credit, guaranties, and other instruments, documents, and agreements executed and delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement, as such instruments, documents, and agreements may be amended, modified, renewed, restated, extended, supplemented, replaced, consolidated, substituted, or otherwise changed from time to time.
“Loan Party” means Borrower or any Guarantor.
“Maximum Lawful Rate” means, at any time, the maximum rate of interest which may be charged, contracted for, taken, received or reserved by Lender in accordance with applicable Texas law (or applicable United States federal law to the extent that such law permits Lender to charge, contract for, receive or reserve a greater amount of interest than under Texas law). The Maximum Lawful Rate shall be calculated in a manner that takes into account any and all fees, payments, and other charges in respect of the Loan Documents that constitute interest under applicable law. Each change in any interest rate provided for herein based upon the Maximum Lawful Rate resulting from a change in the Maximum Lawful Rate shall take effect without notice to Borrower at the time of such change in the Maximum Lawful Rate.
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“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan defined as such in Section 3(37) of ERISA to which contributions have been made by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and which is covered by Title IV of ERISA.
“Notes” means, collectively, all promissory notes (and “Note” means any of such Notes) executed at any time by Borrower and payable to the order of Lender, as amended, renewed, replaced, extended, supplemented, consolidated, restated, modified, otherwise changed and/or increased from time to time.
“Obligations” means all obligations, indebtedness, and liabilities of Borrower and the other Loan Parties to Lender, now existing or hereafter arising, whether direct, indirect, related, unrelated, fixed, contingent, liquidated, unliquidated, joint, several, or joint and several, including, without limitation, the obligations, indebtedness, and liabilities under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, any cash management or treasury services agreements and all interest accruing thereon (whether a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in any insolvency, reorganization or similar proceeding) and all attorneys’ fees and other expenses incurred in the enforcement or collection thereof or otherwise payable by any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Documents.
“Pawn Loans” means all transactions in which a customer of Borrower pledges with Borrower an item of goods as security for a loan of money, including without limitation all collateralized pawn loans made by Borrower in the ordinary course of its business as a pawnbroker, and all purchases by Borrower of goods on the condition that the goods may be redeemed or repurchased by the seller for a fixed price within a fixed period.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any entity succeeding to all or any of its functions under ERISA.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, business trust, association, company, partnership, joint venture, Governmental Authority, or other entity, and shall include such Person’s heirs, administrators, personal representatives, executors, successors and assigns.
“Plan” means any employee benefit or other plan established or maintained by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and which is covered by Title IV of ERISA.
“Principal Office” means the principal office of Lender, presently located at 10720 Composite Drive, Dallas, Texas 75220.
“Prohibited Transaction” means any transaction set forth in Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.
“Property” of a Person means any and all property, whether real, personal, tangible, intangible or mixed, of such Person, or any other assets owned, operated or leased by such Person.
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“Release” means, as to any Person, any release, spill, emission, leaking, pumping, injection, deposit, disposal, disbursement, leaching, or migration of Hazardous Materials into the indoor or outdoor environment or into or out of property owned by such Person, including, without limitation, the movement of Hazardous Materials through or in the air, soil, surface water, ground water, or property.
“Remedial Action” means all actions required to (a) clean up, remove, treat, or otherwise address Hazardous Materials in the indoor or outdoor environment, (b) prevent the Release or threat of Release or minimize the further Release of Hazardous Materials so that they do not migrate or endanger or threaten to endanger public health or welfare or the indoor or outdoor environment, or (c) perform pre-remedial studies and investigations and post-remedial monitoring and care.
“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043 of ERISA.
“Revolving Credit Advance” means any Advance made by Lender to Borrower pursuant to Section 2.1(a) of this Agreement.
“Revolving Credit Note” means the promissory note of Borrower payable to the order of Lender, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto, and all amendments, extensions, renewals, replacements, and modifications thereof.
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any successor thereto.
“Securities Account” means a securities account (as that term is defined in the UCC).
“Security Agreement” means the Guaranty and Security Agreement of the Loan Parties in favor of Lender, dated as of the date hereof, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented, modified, or changed from time to time.
“Security Documents” means each and every Security Agreement, pledge, deposit account control agreement or other collateral security agreement required by or delivered by Borrower or any other Person to Lender from time to time to secure the Obligations or any portion thereof.
“Subordinated Debt” means any Debt of any Loan Party (other than the Obligations) that has been subordinated to the Obligations by written agreement, in form and content satisfactory to Lender.
“Subsidiary” means (a) any corporation of which at least a majority of the outstanding shares of stock having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by Borrower or one or more of its Subsidiaries or by Borrower and one or more of its Subsidiaries; and (b) any other entity (i) of which at least a majority of the ownership, equity or voting interest is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by one or more of Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (ii) which is treated as a subsidiary in accordance with GAAP.
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“Termination Date” means 11:00 a.m., Dallas, Texas time on the earlier of: (a) August 1, 2014, (b) the date that is twelve (12) months after Lender gives Borrower written notice demanding that all Obligations be paid in full, (c) the date the Obligations are accelerated in accordance with this Agreement or (d) the date on which the Commitment terminates as provided in this Agreement.
“UCC” means the Chapters 1 through 11 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, as amended from time to time.
Section 1.2 Accounting Matters. Any accounting term used in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents shall have, unless otherwise specifically provided therein, the meaning customarily given such term in accordance with GAAP, and all financial computations thereunder shall be computed, unless otherwise specifically provided therein, in accordance with GAAP consistently applied; provided, that all financial covenants and calculations in the Loan Documents shall be made in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the date of this Agreement unless Borrower and Lender shall otherwise specifically agree in writing. That certain items or computations are explicitly modified by the phrase “in accordance with GAAP” shall in no way be construed to limit the foregoing.
Section 1.3 Other Definitional Provisions. All definitions contained in this Agreement are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. The words “hereof”, “herein”, and “hereunder” and words of similar import referring to this Agreement refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. Unless otherwise specified, all Article and Section references pertain to this Agreement. Terms used herein that are defined in the UCC, unless otherwise defined herein, shall have the meanings specified in the UCC.
ARTICLE
II
Advances
Section 2.1 Advances.
(a) Revolving Credit Advances. This credit facility shall be a “guidance” line of credit, and any and all Revolving Credit Advances and other Advances from Lender to Borrower from time to time from the date hereof to and including the Termination Date in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding up to (but not exceeding) the amount of the Commitment shall be made at the sole discretion of Lender (and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document, Lender shall at no time have any obligation (whether pursuant to the Loan Documents, at law, in equity or otherwise) to make any Advances or other extensions of credit to Borrower pursuant to any Loan Documents regardless of any past course of performance or course of dealing of the Loan Parties and Lender that may exist at the relevant date of determination), provided that the aggregate amount of all Revolving Credit Advances at any time outstanding shall not exceed the amount of the Commitment. Subject to the foregoing limitations, and the other terms and provisions of this Agreement, Borrower may borrow, repay, and reborrow hereunder.
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1. The Revolving Credit Note. The obligation of Borrower to repay the Revolving Credit Advances and interest thereon shall be evidenced by the Revolving Credit Note executed by Borrower, payable to the order of Lender, in the principal amount of the Commitment as originally in effect, and dated the date hereof.
2. Repayment of Revolving Credit Advances, Etc. Borrower shall repay the unpaid principal amount of all Advances and all other Obligations (and the Commitment shall be reduced to zero and automatically terminate) on the Termination Date.
3. Interest. The unpaid principal amount of the Revolving Credit Note shall, subject to the following sentence, bear interest as provided in the Revolving Credit Note. Accrued and unpaid interest on the Revolving Credit Advances shall be payable as provided in the Revolving Credit Note and on the Termination Date.
4. Borrowing Procedure. Borrower shall give Lender notice of each Revolving Credit Advance by means of an Advance Request Form containing the information required therein and delivered (by hand or by mechanically confirmed facsimile) to Lender no later than Noon (Texas time) on the Business Day on which the Revolving Credit Advance is desired to be funded. Advances will only be made on a Business Day. Lender at its option may accept telephonic requests for such advances, provided that such acceptance shall not constitute a waiver of Lender’s right to require delivery of an Advance Request Form in connection with subsequent Advances. Any telephonic request for a Revolving Credit Advance by Borrower shall be promptly confirmed by submission of a properly completed Advance Request Form to Lender, but failure to deliver an Advance Request Form shall not be a defense to payment of the Advance. Lender shall have no liability to Borrower for any loss or damage suffered by Borrower as a result of Lender’s honoring of any requests, execution of any instructions, authorizations or agreements or reliance on any reports communicated to it telephonically, by facsimile or electronically and purporting to have been sent to Lender by Borrower and Lender shall have no duty to verify the origin of any such communication or the identity or authority of the Person sending it. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each Revolving Credit Advance shall be made available to Borrower by depositing the same, in immediately available funds, in a Controlled Account (as defined in the Security Agreement) of Borrower designated by Borrower.
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Section 2.2 General Provisions Regarding Interest; Etc.
(a) Default Interest Rate. Any outstanding principal of any Advance and (to the fullest extent permitted by law) any other amount payable by any Loan Party under this Agreement or any other Loan Document that is not paid in full when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration, or otherwise) shall bear interest at the Default Interest Rate for the period from and including the due date thereof to but excluding the date the same is paid in full. Additionally, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default (and from the date of such occurrence) all outstanding and unpaid principal amounts of all of the Obligations shall, to the extent permitted by law, bear interest at the Default Interest Rate until such time as Lender shall waive in writing the application of the Default Interest Rate to such Event of Default situation. Interest payable at the Default Interest Rate shall be payable from time to time ON DEMAND.
(b) Computation of Interest. Interest on the Advances and all other amounts payable by any Loan Party hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day) unless such calculation would result in a usurious rate, in which case interest shall be calculated on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be.
Section 2.3 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Revolving Credit Advances shall be used by Borrower for working capital in the ordinary course of business in accordance with the Loan Documents and for repayment of existing Debt of Borrower owing to Texas Capital Bank, N.A.
Section 2.4 Intent to Limit Charges to Maximum Lawful Rate. (a) It is the intent of Lender and the Loan Parties to conform to and contract in strict compliance with all applicable usury laws from time to time in effect. All agreements (including the Loan Documents) between Lender and any Loan Party are hereby limited by the provisions of this Section 2.4, which shall override and control all such agreements, whether now existing or hereafter arising and whether written or oral. In no way, nor in any event or contingency (including, but not limited to, prepayment, default, demand for payment, or acceleration of the maturity of any obligation), shall the interest taken, reserved, contracted for, charged, or received under this Agreement, any other Loan Document or otherwise exceed the maximum nonusurious amount permissible under applicable law. If, from any possible construction of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other document, interest would otherwise be taken, reserved, contracted for, charged, or payable in excess of the maximum nonusurious amount, any such construction shall be subject to the provisions of this Section and this Agreement, such other Loan Document, and such other document shall be automatically reformed and the interest taken, reserved, contracted for, charged, or payable shall be automatically reduced to the maximum nonusurious amount permitted under applicable law, without the necessity of execution of any amendment or new document. If Lender shall ever receive anything of value which is interest or characterized as interest under applicable law and which would apart from this provision be in excess of the maximum lawful nonusurious amount, an amount equal to the amount which would have been excessive interest shall, without penalty, be applied to the reduction of the Obligations (other than accrued interest) and not to the payment of interest, or refunded to the applicable Loan Party if and to the extent such amount which would have been excessive exceeds such unpaid principal. The right to accelerate maturity of the Obligations does not include the right to accelerate any interest which has not otherwise accrued on the date of such acceleration, and Lender does not intend to charge or receive any unearned interest in the event of acceleration. All interest paid or agreed to be paid to Lender shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be amortized, prorated, allocated and spread throughout the full stated term (including any renewal or extension) of the Obligations so that the amount of interest on account of the Obligations does not exceed the maximum nonusurious amount permitted by applicable law. As used in this Section, the term “applicable law” shall mean such laws as they now exist or may be changed or amended or come into effect in the future. As used in this Section, the term “interest” includes all amounts that constitute, are deemed, or are characterized as interest under applicable law.
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(b) The Loan Parties and Lender hereby agree and stipulate that the only charges imposed upon the Loan Parties for the use, forbearance, or detention of money in connection with this Agreement are the interest specified as such in the Loan Documents. The Loan Parties and Lender further agree and stipulate that all default charges, late charges, attorneys’ fees, and reimbursements for costs and expenses paid or incurred by Lender to third parties or for loss or damage incurred by Lender shall not under any circumstance be deemed or constitute interest under applicable law.
(c) Borrower and each other Loan Party agree that Chapter 346 of the Texas Finance Code (which regulates certain revolving credit accounts), as amended, shall not govern or in any manner apply to this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents (including the Commitment).
(d) For purposes of Chapter 303 of the Texas Finance Code, as amended, to the extent applicable, each Loan Party agrees that the maximum nonusurious amount permitted by applicable law with respect to Lender shall be the “indicated (weekly) rate ceiling” as defined in such Chapter; provided, that, Lender may also rely, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on alternative maximum rates of interest under other laws applicable to Lender, if greater.
ARTICLE
III
Payments
Section 3.1 Method of Payment. All payments of principal, interest, and other amounts to be made by any Loan Party under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be made to a Deposit Account of Lender from time to time designated by Lender to Borrower, in Dollars and immediately available funds, without setoff, deduction, or counterclaim, and free and clear of all taxes at the time and in the manner provided in the Notes.
Section 3.2 Prepayments.
(a) Voluntary Prepayments. Borrower may prepay all or any portion of the Notes to the extent and in the manner provided for therein. Prepayments shall be in a minimum of $10,000.
(b) Mandatory Prepayment. Borrower must pay ON DEMAND the amount by which at any time the Obligations exceed the amount of the Commitment.
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ARTICLE
IV
Security
Section 4.1 Collateral. To secure full and complete payment and performance of the Obligations, Borrower shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered on its behalf and by each of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, all of the Security Documents required by Lender covering the Property of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, whether now existing or formed or acquired after the date hereof, and all other collateral described in such Security Documents (which, together with any other Property and collateral described in the Security Documents, and any other property which may now or hereafter secure the Obligations or any part thereof, is sometimes herein called the “Collateral”). Borrower shall execute and deliver, and cause to be executed and delivered on its behalf and by each of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, such further documents and instruments, including without limitation, Uniform Commercial Code financing statements, as Lender, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or desirable to create, evidence, preserve, and perfect its liens and security interests in the Collateral.
Section 4.2 Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, Lender shall have the right to set off and apply against the Obligations in such manner as Lender may determine, at any time and without notice to any Loan Party, any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) or other sums at any time credited by or owing from Lender to any Loan Party whether or not the Obligations are then due. As further security for the Obligations, Borrower hereby grants to Lender a security interest in all money, instruments, and other property of Borrower now or hereafter held by Lender, including, without limitation, property held in safekeeping. In addition to Lender’s right of setoff and as further security for the Obligations, each Loan Party hereby grants to Lender a security interest in all sums at any time credited by or owing from Lender to Borrower. The rights and remedies of Lender hereunder are in addition to other rights and remedies (including, without limitation, other rights of setoff) which Lender may have.
ARTICLE
V
Conditions Precedent
Section 5.1 Initial Extension of Credit. If and when Lender elects to make Borrower the initial Advance, Lender shall have received on or before the day of such Advance all of the following, each dated (unless otherwise indicated) the date hereof, in form and substance satisfactory to Lender, as a condition precedent to Borrower’s right to request, and receive the proceeds of, such Advance:
(a) Resolutions. Resolutions of the Board of Directors (or other governing body) of Borrower and each Guarantor certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary (or other custodian of records) of Borrower or such Guarantor, as applicable, which authorize the execution, delivery, and performance by Borrower or such Guarantor, as applicable, of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which Borrower or such Guarantor, as applicable, is or is to be a party;
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(b) Incumbency Certificate. A certificate of incumbency certified by an authorized officer or representative of the applicable Loan Party certifying the names of the individuals or other Persons authorized to sign this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents to which Borrower and each Guarantor is or is to be a party (including the certificates contemplated herein) on behalf of Borrower and such Guarantor, as applicable, together with specimen signatures of such Persons;
(c) Constituent Documents. The Constituent Documents for Borrower and each other Loan Party as of a date acceptable to Lender;
(d) Governmental Certificates. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.1(d), Certificates of the appropriate government officials of the state of incorporation or organization of Borrower and each Guarantor as to the existence and good standing of Borrower and each Guarantor, each dated within ten (10) days prior to the date of the initial Advance;
(e) Note. The Revolving Credit Note executed by Borrower;
(f) Security Documents. The Security Documents executed by Borrower and the other Loan Parties, as applicable, which shall include the Security Agreement duly executed by all of the Loan Parties;
(g) Financing Statements. Uniform Commercial Code financing statements naming Borrower and each Guarantor, as debtor, and covering such Collateral as Lender may request;
(h) Insurance Matters. Copies of insurance certificates describing all insurance policies required by Section 7.5, together with additional insured, loss payable and lender endorsements in favor of Lender with respect to all insurance policies covering Collateral and liability insurance of the Loan Parties;
(i) Lien Searches. The results of Uniform Commercial Code, tax lien and judgment searches showing all financing statements and other documents or instruments on file against each Loan Party in the office of the Secretary of State of each Loan Party’s jurisdiction of organization and each county where any Loan Party has any owned or leased real property, such searches to be as of a date no more than ten (10) days prior to the date of the initial Advance and the results of which shall be satisfactory to Lender;
(j) Payoff Letter. Receipt of a payoff letter executed by Texas Capital Bank, N.A. in favor of Borrower, in form and substance satisfactory to Lender, providing that all outstanding loans made by Texas Capital Bank, N.A. to Borrower will be repaid in full, and all Liens securing such loans will be released, upon such Bank’s receipt of the proceeds of the initial Revolving Credit Advance;
(k) UCC Filing Authorizations. Lender shall have received a letter duly executed by each Loan Party authorizing Lender to file appropriate financing statements in such office or offices as may be necessary or, in the opinion of Lender, desirable to perfect the security interests to be created by the Loan Documents; and
(l) Other Documents, Etc. Such other documents as Lender shall reasonably request in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been delivered, executed or recorded or taken and shall be in form and substance satisfactory to Lender.
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Section 5.2 All Extensions of Credit. If and when Lender elects to make Borrower any Advance (including the initial Advance), the following must be satisfied as additional conditions precedent to Borrower’s right to request, and receive the proceeds of, any such Advance:
(a) Request for Advance. Lender shall have received in accordance with this Agreement, as the case may be, an Advance Request Form pursuant to Lender’s requirements dated the date of such Advance and executed by an authorized officer of Borrower;
(b) No Default, Etc. No Default or material adverse change or effect shall have occurred and be continuing, or would result from or after giving effect to such Advance;
(c) Representations and Warranties. All of the representations and warranties contained in Article VI hereof and in the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Advance with the same force and effect as if such representations and warranties had been made on and as of such date; and
(d) Additional Documentation. Lender shall have received such additional approvals, opinions, or documents as Lender or its legal counsel may reasonably request.
ARTICLE
VI
Representations and Warranties
To induce Lender to enter into this Agreement, Borrower represents and warrants to Lender that:
Section 6.1 Corporate Existence. Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries (a) is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation; (b) has all requisite power and authority to own its assets and carry on its business as now being or as proposed to be conducted; and (c) except as set forth on Schedule 6.1, is qualified to do business in all jurisdictions in which the nature of its business makes such qualification necessary and where failure to so qualify would have a material adverse effect on its business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, prospects, or properties. Each Loan Party has the power and authority to execute, deliver, and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is or may become a party.
Section 6.2 Action; No Breach. The execution, delivery, and performance by each Loan Party of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is or may become a party and compliance with the terms and provisions hereof and thereof have been duly authorized by all requisite action on the part of such Loan Party and do not and will not (a) violate or conflict with, or result in a breach of, or require any consent under (i) Constituent Documents of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) any applicable law, rule, or regulation or any order, writ, injunction, or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator, or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their Properties is bound or subject, or (b) constitute a default under any such agreement or instrument, or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of the revenues or assets of Borrower or any Subsidiary.
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Section 6.3 Operation of Business. Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries possess all licenses, permits, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks, and tradenames, or rights thereto, necessary to conduct their respective businesses substantially as now conducted and as presently proposed to be conducted, and Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries are not in violation of any valid rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing.
Section 6.4 Litigation and Judgments. Except as set forth on Schedule 6.4, there is no action, suit, investigation, or proceeding before or by any Governmental Authority or arbitrator pending, or to the knowledge of Borrower, threatened against or affecting Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, that would, if adversely determined, have a material adverse effect on the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, prospects, or properties of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the ability of Borrower or any Loan Party to pay and perform the Obligations. There are no outstanding judgments against Borrower or any Subsidiary of Borrower.
Section 6.5 Rights in Properties; Liens. Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries have good and indefeasible title to or valid leasehold interests in their respective Properties, and none of the Properties of Borrower or any Subsidiary is subject to any Lien, except as permitted by Section 8.2.
Section 6.6 Enforceability. This Agreement constitutes, and the other Loan Documents to which each Loan Party is party, when delivered, shall constitute legal, valid, and binding obligations of such Loan Party, enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with their respective terms, except as limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or other laws of general application relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights.
Section 6.7 Approvals. No authorization, approval, or consent of, and no filing or registration with, any Governmental Authority or third party is or will be necessary for the execution, delivery, or performance by any Loan Party of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which any Loan Party is or may become a party or the validity or enforceability thereof.
Section 6.8 Debt. Borrower and its Subsidiaries have no Debt, other than the Obligations.
Section 6.9 Taxes. Except as set forth on Schedule 6.9, Borrower and each Subsidiary have filed all tax returns (federal, state, and local) required to be filed, including all income, franchise, employment, property, and sales tax returns, and have paid all of their respective liabilities for taxes, assessments, governmental charges, and other levies that are due and payable. Borrower knows of no pending investigation of Borrower or any Subsidiary by any taxing authority or of any pending but unassessed tax liability of Borrower or any Subsidiary.
Section 6.10 Use of Proceeds; Margin Securities. Neither Borrower nor any Subsidiary is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulations T, U, or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), and no part of the proceeds of any Advance will be used to purchase or carry any margin stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.
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Section 6.11 ERISA. Borrower and each Subsidiary are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of ERISA. Neither a Reportable Event nor a Prohibited Transaction has occurred and is continuing with respect to any Plan. No notice of intent to terminate a Plan has been filed, nor has any Plan been terminated. No circumstances exist which constitute grounds entitling the PBGC to institute proceedings to terminate, or appoint a trustee to administer, a Plan, nor has the PBGC instituted any such proceedings. Neither Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has completely or partially withdrawn from a Multiemployer Plan. Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate have met their minimum funding requirements under ERISA with respect to all of their Plans, and the present value of all vested benefits under each Plan do not exceed the fair market value of all Plan assets allocable to such benefits, as determined on the most recent valuation date of the Plan and in accordance with ERISA. Neither Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability to the PBGC under ERISA.
Section 6.12 Disclosure. No statement, information, report, representation, or warranty made by any Loan Party in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document or furnished to Lender in connection with this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements herein or therein not misleading. There is no fact known to any Loan Party which has a material adverse effect, or which might in the future have a material adverse effect, on the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, prospects, or properties of Borrower or any Subsidiary that has not been disclosed in writing to Lender.
Section 6.13 Subsidiaries, Ventures, Etc. Borrower has no Subsidiaries, Affiliates or joint ventures or partnerships other than those listed on Schedule 6.13, and Schedule 6.13 sets forth the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of each such Person and the percentage of Borrower’s ownership interest in such Person. All of the outstanding capital stock or other ownership interest of Person described in Schedule 6.13 has been validly issued, is fully paid, and is nonassessable.
Section 6.14 Agreements. Neither Borrower nor any Subsidiary is a party to any indenture, loan, or credit agreement, or to any lease or other agreement or instrument, or subject to any charter or corporate or other organizational restriction except as set forth on Schedule 6.14. Neither Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in default in any respect in the performance, observance, or fulfillment of any of the obligations, covenants, or conditions contained in any agreement or instrument material to its business to which it is a party.
Section 6.15 Compliance with Laws. Neither Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in violation in any material respect of any law, rule, regulation, order, or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator.
Section 6.16 Inventory. All inventory of each Loan Party has been and will hereafter be produced in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and governmental standards, including, without limitation, the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, as amended (29 U.S.C. Sections 201-219), and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
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Section 6.17 Investment Company Act. Neither Borrower nor any Subsidiary is an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 6.18 Public Utility Holding Company Act. Neither Borrower nor any Subsidiary is a “holding company” or a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company” or an “affiliate” of a “holding company” or a “public utility” within the meaning of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.
Section 6.19 Environmental Matters.
(a) Borrower, each Subsidiary, and all of their respective properties, assets, and operations are in full compliance with all Environmental Laws. Borrower is not aware of, nor has Borrower received notice of, any past, present, or future conditions, events, activities, practices, or incidents which may interfere with or prevent the compliance or continued compliance of Borrower and the Subsidiaries with all Environmental Laws;
(b) Borrower and each Subsidiary have obtained all permits, licenses, and authorizations that are required under applicable Environmental Laws, and all such permits are in good standing and Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all of the terms and conditions of such permits;
(c) No Hazardous Materials exist on, about, or within or have been used, generated, stored, transported, disposed of on, or Released from any of the properties or assets of Borrower or any Subsidiary. The use which Borrower and the Subsidiaries make and intend to make of their respective properties and assets will not result in the use, generation, storage, transportation, accumulation, disposal, or Release of any Hazardous Material on, in, or from any of their properties or assets;
(d) Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective currently or previously owned or leased properties or operations is subject to any outstanding or threatened order from or agreement with any Governmental Authority or other Person or subject to any judicial or docketed administrative proceeding with respect to (i) failure to comply with Environmental Laws, (ii) Remedial Action, or (iii) any Environmental Liabilities arising from a Release or threatened Release;
(e) There are no conditions or circumstances associated with the currently or previously owned or leased properties or operations of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any Environmental Liabilities;
(f) Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is a treatment, storage, or disposal facility requiring a permit under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. ss. 6901 et seq., regulations thereunder or any comparable provision of state law. Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable financial responsibility requirements of all Environmental Laws;
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(g) Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has filed or failed to file any notice required under applicable Environmental Law reporting a Release; and
(h) No Lien arising under any Environmental Law has attached to any property or revenues of Borrower or its Subsidiaries.
Section 6.20 Intellectual Property. All material Intellectual Property owned or used by Borrower or any Subsidiary is listed, together with application or registration numbers, where applicable, on Schedule 6.20. Each Person identified on Schedule 6.20 owns, or is licensed to use, all Intellectual Property necessary to conduct its business as currently conducted except for such Intellectual Property the failure of which to own or license could not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect. Each Person identified on Schedule 6.20 will maintain the patenting and registration of all Intellectual Property with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office, or other appropriate Governmental Authority and each Person identified on Schedule 6.20 will promptly patent or register, as the case may be, all new Intellectual Property and notify Lender in writing five (5) Business Days prior to filing any such new patent or registration.
ARTICLE
VII
Affirmative Covenants
Borrower covenants and agrees that, as long as the Obligations or any part thereof are outstanding or Lender has any Commitment hereunder, Borrower will perform and observe the following positive covenants, unless Lender shall otherwise consent in writing:
Section 7.1 Reporting Requirements. Borrower will furnish to Lender:
(a) Annual Financial Statements.
(i) No later than January 1, 2013, with respect to the fiscal years of Borrower ending December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2011, a copy of the annual audit report of Borrower and the Subsidiaries for each such fiscal year containing, on a consolidated and consolidating basis, balance sheets and statements of income, retained earnings, and cash flow as at the end of each such fiscal year and for each of the 12-month periods then ended, in each case setting forth in comparative form the figures for the preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and audited and certified without any qualifications (including any (A) “going concern” or like qualification or exception, or (B) qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit), by an independent certified public accountants of recognized standing acceptable to Lender, to the effect that such report has been prepared in accordance with GAAP; and
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(ii) with respect to the fiscal year of Borrower ending December 31, 2012 and continuing for each fiscal year of Borrower thereafter, in each case, no later than (A) if Borrower is then subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the date on which Borrower is required to file an Annual Report on Form 10-K pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or (B) if Borrower is not then subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, as soon as available, but in any event within 105 days after the end of each such fiscal year, (i) a copy of the annual audit report of Borrower and the Subsidiaries for such fiscal year containing, on a consolidated and consolidating basis, balance sheets and statements of income, retained earnings, and cash flow as at the end of such fiscal year and for the 12-month period then ended, in each case setting forth in comparative form the figures for the preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and audited and certified by an independent certified public accountants of recognized standing acceptable to Lender, to the effect that such report has been prepared in accordance with GAAP and containing no qualifications or limitations on scope (including any “going concern” or like qualification or exception); and (ii) a certificate of such independent certified public accountants to Lender stating that to their knowledge no Default has occurred and is continuing, or if in their opinion a Default has occurred and is continuing, a statement as to the nature thereof;
(b) Quarterly Financial Statements. No later than (A) if Borrower is then subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the date on which Borrower is required to file a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q pursuant to the Exchange Act or (B) if Borrower is not then subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, as soon as available, but in any event within 50 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, in each case, beginning with the fiscal quarter of Borrower ending March 31, 2013 and continuing for each fiscal quarter of Borrower thereafter, a copy of an unaudited financial report of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, containing, on a consolidated and consolidating basis, balance sheets and statements of income, retained earnings, and cash flow, in each case setting forth in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail certified by the chief financial officer of Borrower to have been prepared in accordance with GAAP and to fairly and accurately present (subject to year-end audit adjustments) the financial condition and results of operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated and consolidating basis, at the date and for the periods indicated therein;
(c) ERISA Reports. Promptly after the filing or receipt thereof, copies of all reports, including annual reports, and notices which Borrower or any Subsidiary files with or receives from the PBGC or the U.S. Department of Labor under ERISA; and as soon as possible and in any event within five (5) days after Borrower or any Subsidiary knows or has reason to know that any Reportable Event or Prohibited Transaction has occurred with respect to any Plan or that the PBGC or Borrower or any Subsidiary has instituted or will institute proceedings under Title IV of ERISA to terminate any Plan, a certificate of the chief financial officer of Borrower setting forth the details as to such Reportable Event or Prohibited Transaction or Plan termination and the action that Borrower proposes to take with respect thereto;
(d) Proxy Statements, Etc. As soon as available, one copy of each regular, periodic or special report, registration statement, or prospectus filed by Borrower or any Subsidiary with any securities exchange or the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency;
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(e) Public Filings. As soon as available, and in any event within five (5) days after filing, true, correct, and complete copies of all material reports or filings filed by or on behalf of Borrower or any Subsidiary with any Governmental Authority, provided, however, that, with respect to any filings made with the SEC (including copies of each Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, and Form S-8 filed by or on behalf of any Loan Party with the SEC) that are publicly available on the SEC’s website, Borrower shall only be required to give Lender notice of such filings within 5 days after filing thereof;
(f) Regulatory Report. As soon as available, and in any event within five (5) days after receipt hereof by Borrower or any Subsidiary, copies of any regulatory reports;
(g) Default. Promptly upon becoming aware thereof, and in any event within five (5) days after any Loan Party becomes aware thereof, notice of any Default that occurs; and
(h) General Information. Promptly, such other information concerning Borrower or any Subsidiary as Lender may from time to time reasonably request.
Section 7.2 Maintenance of Existence; Conduct of Business. Borrower will preserve and maintain, and will cause each Subsidiary to preserve and maintain, its existence and all of its leases, privileges, licenses, permits, franchises, qualifications, and rights that are necessary or desirable in the ordinary conduct of its business. Borrower will conduct, and will cause each Subsidiary to conduct, its business in an orderly and efficient manner in accordance with good business practices. Without limitation, Borrower will not make (and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to make) any material change in its credit collection policies if such change would materially impair the collectability of any account, nor will it rescind, cancel or modify any account except in the ordinary course of business.
Section 7.3 Maintenance of Properties. Borrower will maintain, keep, and preserve, and cause each Subsidiary to maintain, keep, and preserve, all of its Properties (tangible and intangible) necessary or useful in the proper conduct of its business in good working order and condition.
Section 7.4 Taxes and Claims. Borrower will pay or discharge, and will cause each Subsidiary to pay or discharge, at or before maturity or before becoming delinquent (a) all taxes, levies, assessments, and governmental charges imposed on it or its income or profits or any of its property, and (b) all lawful claims for labor, material, and supplies, which, if unpaid, might become a Lien upon any of its property; provided, however, that neither Borrower nor any Subsidiary shall be required to pay or discharge any tax, levy, assessment, or governmental charge which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently pursued, and for which adequate reserves have been established.
Section 7.5 Insurance. Borrower will maintain, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with financially sound and reputable insurance companies in such amounts and covering such risks as is usually carried by corporations engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in the same general areas in which Borrower and the Subsidiaries operate, provided that in any event Borrower will maintain and cause each Subsidiary to maintain workmen’s compensation insurance, property insurance, comprehensive general liability insurance, reasonably satisfactory to Lender. Each insurance policy covering Collateral shall name Lender as loss payee and additional insured, and each liability insurance policy of the Loan Parties shall name Lender as additional insured, and, in each case, shall provide that such policy will not be cancelled or, except as set forth on Schedule 7.5, reduced without thirty (30) days prior written notice to Lender.
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Section 7.6 Inspection Rights. At any reasonable time and from time to time, upon reasonable notice from Lender to Borrower, Borrower will permit, and will cause each Subsidiary to permit, representatives of Lender to examine the Collateral and conduct Collateral audits, to examine, copy, and make extracts from its books and records, to visit and inspect its properties, and to discuss its business, operations, and financial condition with its officers, employees, and independent certified public accountants, provided, however, that Lender shall execute a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement, in form reasonably satisfactory to Borrower, prior to examination of any records or information that Borrower deems material non-public information.
Section 7.7 Keeping Books and Records. Borrower will maintain, and will cause each Subsidiary to maintain, proper books of record and account in which full, true, and correct entries in conformity with GAAP shall be made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities.
Section 7.8 Compliance with Laws. Borrower will comply, and will cause each Subsidiary to comply, in all material respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, orders, and decrees of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator.
Section 7.9 Compliance with Agreements. Borrower will comply, and will cause each Subsidiary to comply, in all material respects with all agreements, contracts, and instruments binding on it or affecting its properties or business.
Section 7.10 Further Assurances. Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, execute and deliver such further agreements and instruments and take such further action as may be requested by Lender to carry out the provisions and purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to create, preserve, and perfect the Liens of Lender in the Collateral.
Section 7.11 ERISA. Borrower will comply, and will cause each Subsidiary to comply, with all minimum funding requirements, and all other material requirements, of ERISA, if applicable, so as not to give rise to any liability thereunder.
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Section 7.12 Board Observer Rights. So long as any Obligations are outstanding and the Commitment remains in effect, Borrower shall hold meetings of its board of directors (either in person or by telephone) at least once every calendar quarter. Lender shall be notified in writing of the date and time for each such board meeting by notice sent (which may be oral notice) at the same time as notice thereof is sent to the members of Borrower’s board of directors (which notice shall also state whether Borrower expects any material non-public information will be disclosed in the meeting), and if Lender requests, Lender shall receive all reports and other board materials that are provided in writing or electronically (or otherwise made available) to the board members (and Borrower will advise Lender whether any material non-public information is included in the reports and board materials if requested by Lender), except any that are subject to attorney/client or other legal privilege of Borrower, any Subsidiary or any of their officers or directors. Lender shall have the right to have one (1) designated representative, at Borrower’s expense and subject to reasonable and customary confidentiality obligations, attend such board meetings as an observer; provided, however, such observer shall not constitute a member of such board and shall not be entitled to vote on any matters presented to such board; provided, further, that such observer may be required to leave such meetings (or may receive certain materials with redacted portions) to the extent a legal privilege arises in connection with the issues being discussed (or described in such materials), in each case, that reasonably would be expected to be lost if the observer were not to leave or were to receive such redacted information, as applicable. Lender and its designated board observer shall execute a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement, in form reasonably satisfactory to Borrower, prior to the receipt of any documents or information that Borrower deems material non-public information.
Section 7.13 Post-Closing Obligations. (a) No later than 30 days after the date hereof, Borrower shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Lender a fully executed Control Agreement with respect to each Securities Account and Deposit Account of the Loan Parties, and (b) no later than 30 days after the date hereof, Borrower shall deliver, or caused to be delivered, to Lender duly issued and executed stock certificates (and related stock powers executed in blank) with respect to all of the equity interests of each of the Subsidiaries that is a corporation (each in form and substance satisfactory to Lender), and shall take any further action that Lender determines necessary or advisable to confirm that each of such Subsidiaries has been fully and properly organized (and the failure to comply with any of the covenants in this Section 7.13 shall be an Event of Default).
ARTICLE
VIII
Negative Covenants
Borrower covenants and agrees that, as long as the Obligations or any part thereof are outstanding or Lender has any Commitment hereunder, Borrower will perform and observe the following negative covenants, unless Lender shall otherwise consent in writing:
Section 8.1 Debt. Borrower will not incur, create, assume, or permit to exist, and will not permit any Subsidiary to incur, create, assume, or permit to exist, any Debt, except:
(a) Debt to Lender;
(b) Existing Debt described on Schedule 8.1 hereto; and
(c) Additional Debt not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) in the aggregate;
provided, however, that this Section 8.1 shall not apply to or limit Borrower’s ability to incur indebtedness in the ordinary course of business, including, but not limited to, indebtedness resulting from consignment arrangements, provided further that, if Borrower receives cash loan proceeds from any loans obtained pursuant to the immediately preceding proviso, Borrower shall, upon receipt thereof, use such proceeds to prepay the Obligations until paid in full (with a corresponding permanent reduction of the Commitment in the same amount as the prepayment).
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Section 8.2 Limitation on Liens. Borrower will not incur, create, assume, or permit to exist, and will not permit any Subsidiary to incur, create, assume, or permit to exist, any Lien upon any of its property, assets, or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except:
(a) Liens disclosed on the Schedule 8.2 hereto;
(b) Liens in favor of Lender;
(c) Encumbrances consisting of minor easements, zoning restrictions, or other restrictions on the use of real property that do not (individually or in the aggregate) materially affect the value of the assets encumbered thereby or materially impair the ability of Borrower or the Subsidiaries to use such assets in their respective businesses, and none of which is violated in any material respect by existing or proposed structures or land use;
(d) Liens for taxes, assessments, or other governmental charges which are not delinquent or which are being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP;
(e) Liens of mechanics, materialmen, warehousemen, carriers, or other similar statutory Liens securing obligations that are not yet due and are incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(f) Liens resulting from good faith deposits to secure payments of workmen’s compensation or other social security programs or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, bids, or contracts (other than for payment of Debt), or leases made in the ordinary course of business; and
(g) Purchase money Liens on specific property to secure Debt used to acquire such property to the extent permitted in Section 8.1(c).
Section 8.3 Mergers, Etc. Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, become a party to a merger or consolidation, or purchase or otherwise acquire all or any part of the assets of any Person or any shares or other evidence of beneficial ownership of any Person, or wind-up, dissolve, or liquidate.
Section 8.4 Restricted Payments. Borrower will not declare or pay any dividends or make any other payment or distribution (in cash, property, or obligations) on account of its equity interests, or redeem, purchase, retire, or otherwise acquire any of its equity interests, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to purchase or otherwise acquire any equity interest of Borrower or another Subsidiary, or set apart any money for a sinking or other analogous fund for any dividend or other distribution on its equity interests or for any redemption, purchase, retirement, or other acquisition of any of its equity interests.
Section 8.5 Loans and Investments. Borrower will not make, and will not permit any Subsidiary to make, any advance, loan, extension of credit, or capital contribution to or investment in, or purchase, or permit any Subsidiary to purchase, any stock, bonds, notes, debentures, or other securities of, any Person, except:
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(a) readily marketable direct obligations of the United States of America or any agency thereof with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition;
(b) loans made in the ordinary course of Borrower’s business, including Pawn Loans;
(c) fully insured certificates of deposit with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition issued by Lender or any commercial bank operating in the United States of America; and
(d) commercial paper of a domestic issuer if at the time of purchase such paper is rated in one of the two highest rating categories of Standard and Poor’s Corporation or Moody’s Investors Service.
Section 8.6 Transactions With Affiliates. Borrower will not enter into, and will not permit any Subsidiary to enter into, any transaction, including, without limitation, the purchase, sale, or exchange of property or the rendering of any service, with any Affiliate of Borrower or such Subsidiary, except in the ordinary course of and pursuant to the reasonable requirements of Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s business and upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to Borrower or such Subsidiary than would be obtained in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate of Borrower or such Subsidiary.
Section 8.7 Disposition of Assets. Borrower will not sell, lease, assign, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any of its assets, or permit any Subsidiary to do so with any of its assets, except (a) dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business or (b) dispositions, for fair value, of worn-out and obsolete equipment not necessary or useful to the conduct of business.
Section 8.8 Sale and Leaseback. Borrower will not enter into, and will not permit any Subsidiary to enter into, any arrangement with any Person pursuant to which it leases from such Person real or personal property that has been or is to be sold or transferred, directly or indirectly, by it to such Person.
Section 8.9 Prepayment of Debt. Borrower will not prepay, and will not permit any Subsidiary to prepay, any Debt, except the Obligations.
Section 8.10 Nature of Business. Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, engage in any business other than the businesses in which they are engaged as of the date hereof.
Section 8.11 Environmental Protection. Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) use (or permit any tenant to use) any of their respective properties or assets for the handling, processing, storage, transportation, or disposal of any Hazardous Material, (b) generate any Hazardous Material, (c) conduct any activity that is likely to cause a Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material, or (d) otherwise conduct any activity or use any of their respective properties or assets in any manner that is likely to violate any Environmental Law or create any Environmental Liabilities for which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries would be responsible.
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Section 8.12 Accounting. Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, change its fiscal year or make any change (a) in accounting treatment or reporting practices, except as required by GAAP and disclosed to Lender, or (b) in tax reporting treatment, except as required by law and disclosed to Lender.
Section 8.13 No Negative Pledge. Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into or permit to exist any arrangement or agreement, other than pursuant to this Agreement or any Loan Document, which directly or indirectly prohibits Borrower or any Subsidiary from creating or incurring a Lien on any of its assets.
ARTICLE
IX
Default
Section 9.1 Events of Default. Each of the following shall be deemed an “Event of Default”:
(a) Any Loan Party shall fail to pay the Obligations or any part thereof shall not be paid when due or declared due.
(b) Any Loan Party shall breach any provision of Article VIII of this Agreement.
(c) Any representation or warranty made or deemed made by any Loan Party (or any of its officers) in any Loan Document or in any certificate, report, notice, or financial statement furnished at any time in connection with this Agreement shall be false, misleading, or erroneous in any material respect when made or deemed to have been made.
(d) Any Loan Party shall fail to perform, observe, or comply with any covenant, agreement, or term contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than as covered by Section 9.1(a) and (b) above) and such failure continues for more than thirty (30) days following earlier of (i) the delivery of written notice from Lender to Borrower of such failure or (ii) any Loan Party becomes aware thereof.
(e) Borrower or any Subsidiary shall commence a voluntary proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization, or other relief with respect to itself or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency, or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian, or other similar official of it or a substantial part of its property or shall consent to any such relief or to the appointment of or taking possession by any such official in an involuntary case or other proceeding commenced against it or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or shall generally fail to pay its debts as they become due or shall take any corporate action to authorize any of the foregoing.
(f) Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to pay when due any principal of or interest on any Debt (other than the Obligations), or the maturity of any such Debt shall have been accelerated, or any such Debt shall have been required to be prepaid prior to the stated maturity thereof, or any event shall have occurred that permits (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, would permit) any holder or holders of such Debt or any Person acting on behalf of such holder or holders to accelerate the maturity thereof or require any such prepayment.
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(g) This Agreement or any other Loan Document shall cease to be in full force and effect or shall be declared null and void or the validity or enforceability thereof shall be contested or challenged by Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective shareholders, or Borrower shall deny that it has any further liability or obligation under any of the Loan Documents, or any lien or security interest created by the Loan Documents shall for any reason cease to be a valid, first priority perfected security interest in and lien upon any of the Collateral purported to be covered thereby.
(h) Any of the following events shall occur or exist with respect to Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate: (i) any Prohibited Transaction involving any Plan; (ii) any Reportable Event with respect to any Plan; (iii) the filing under Section 4041 of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate any Plan or the termination of any Plan; (iv) any event or circumstance that might constitute grounds entitling the PBGC to institute proceedings under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or for the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan, or the institution by the PBGC of any such proceedings; or (v) complete or partial withdrawal under Section 4201 or 4204 of ERISA from a Multiemployer Plan or the reorganization, insolvency, or termination of any Multiemployer Plan; and in each case above, such event or condition, together with all other events or conditions, if any, have subjected or could in the reasonable opinion of Lender subject Borrower or any other Loan Party to any tax, penalty, or other liability to a Plan, a Multiemployer Plan, the PBGC, or otherwise (or any combination thereof) which in the aggregate exceed or could reasonably be expected to exceed Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000).
(i) Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties, revenues, or assets, shall become subject to an order of forfeiture, seizure, or divestiture (whether under RICO or otherwise) and the same shall not have been discharged within thirty (30) days from the date of entry thereof.
(j) An involuntary proceeding shall be commenced against Borrower or any Subsidiary, seeking liquidation, reorganization, or other relief with respect to it or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency, or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian, or other similar official for it or a substantial part of its property, and such involuntary proceeding shall remain undismissed and unstayed for a period of thirty (30) days.
(k) Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to discharge within a period of thirty (30) days after the commencement thereof any attachment, sequestration, or similar proceeding or proceedings involving an aggregate amount in excess of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) against any of its assets or properties.
(l) A final judgment or judgments for the payment of money in excess of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) in the aggregate shall be rendered by a court or courts against Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and the same shall not be discharged (or provision shall not be made for such discharge), or a stay of execution thereof shall not be procured, within thirty (30) days from the date of entry thereof and Borrower or the relevant Subsidiary shall not, within said period of thirty (30) days, or such longer period during which execution of the same shall have been stayed, appeal therefrom and cause the execution thereof to be stayed during such appeal.
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Section 9.2 Remedies Upon Default. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, Lender may without notice terminate the Commitment and declare the Obligations or any part thereof to be immediately due and payable, and the same shall thereupon become immediately due and payable, without notice, demand, presentment, notice of dishonor, notice of acceleration, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of intent to demand, protest, or other formalities of any kind, ALL OF WHICH ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVED BY BORROWER AND THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 9.1(e), Section 9.1(j) or Section 9.1(l), the Commitment shall automatically terminate, and the Obligations shall become immediately due and payable without notice, demand, presentment, notice of dishonor, notice of acceleration, notice of intent to accelerate, notice of intent to demand, protest, or other formalities of any kind, ALL OF WHICH ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVED BY BORROWER AND THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, Lender may exercise all rights and remedies available to it in law or in equity, under the Loan Documents, or otherwise.
Section 9.3 Performance by Lender. If Borrower or any other Loan Party shall fail to perform any covenant or agreement contained in any of the Loan Documents, Lender may perform or attempt to perform such covenant or agreement on behalf of Borrower or such Loan Party. In such event, Borrower shall, at the request of Lender, promptly pay any amount expended by Lender in connection with such performance or attempted performance to Lender, together with interest thereon at the Default Interest Rate from and including the date of such expenditure to but excluding the date such expenditure is paid in full. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is expressly agreed that Lender shall not have any liability or responsibility for the performance of any obligation of Borrower or any other Loan Party under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
ARTICLE
X
Miscellaneous
Section 10.1 Expenses. Borrower and the other Loan Parties hereby agree to pay ON DEMAND: (a) all costs and expenses of Lender in connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution, and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any and all amendments, modifications, renewals, extensions, and supplements thereof and thereto, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel, advisors, consultants, and auditors for Lender, (b) all costs and expenses of Lender in connection with any Default and the enforcement of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of legal counsel, advisors, consultants, and auditors for Lender, (c) all transfer, stamp, documentary, or other similar taxes, assessments, or charges levied by any Governmental Authority in respect of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, (d) all costs, expenses, assessments, and other charges incurred in connection with any filing, registration, recording, or perfection of any security interest or Lien contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and (e) all other costs and expenses incurred by Lender in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, any litigation, dispute, suit, proceeding or action; the enforcement of its rights and remedies, protection of its interests in bankruptcy, insolvency or other legal proceedings, including, without limitation, all costs, expenses, and other charges (including Lender’s internal charges) incurred in connection with evaluating, observing, collecting, examining, auditing, appraising, selling, liquidating, or otherwise disposing of the Collateral or other assets of Borrower.
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Section 10.2 INDEMNIFICATION. EACH LOAN PARTY SHALL INDEMNIFY LENDER AND EACH AFFILIATE THEREOF AND THEIR RESPECTIVE EQUITY HOLDERS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, ATTORNEYS, AND AGENTS FROM, AND HOLD EACH OF THEM HARMLESS AGAINST, ANY AND ALL LOSSES, LIABILITIES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, JUDGMENTS, DISBURSEMENTS, COSTS, AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) TO WHICH ANY OF THEM MAY BECOME SUBJECT WHICH DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISE FROM OR RELATE TO (A) THE NEGOTIATION, EXECUTION, DELIVERY, PERFORMANCE, ADMINISTRATION, OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, (B) ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, (C) ANY BREACH BY ANY LOAN PARTY OF ANY REPRESENTATION, WARRANTY, COVENANT, OR OTHER AGREEMENT CONTAINED IN ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS, (D) THE PRESENCE, RELEASE, THREATENED RELEASE, DISPOSAL, REMOVAL, OR CLEANUP OF ANY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL LOCATED ON, ABOUT, WITHIN, OR AFFECTING ANY OF THE PROPERTIES OR ASSETS OF BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY, OR (E) ANY INVESTIGATION, LITIGATION, OR OTHER PROCEEDING, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY THREATENED INVESTIGATION, LITIGATION, OR OTHER PROCEEDING, RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT OR OF ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, IT IS THE EXPRESS INTENTION OF THE LOAN PARTIES AND LENDER THAT EACH PERSON TO BE INDEMNIFIED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE INDEMNIFIED FROM AND HELD HARMLESS AGAINST ANY AND ALL LOSSES, LIABILITIES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, JUDGMENTS, DISBURSEMENTS, COSTS, AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) ARISING OUT OF OR RESULTING FROM THE SOLE CONTRIBUTORY OR ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE OF SUCH PERSON.
Section 10.3 Limitation of Liability. Neither Lender nor any Affiliate, officer, director, employee, attorney, or agent of Lender shall have any liability with respect to, and each Loan Party hereby waives, releases, and agrees not to sue any of them upon, any claim for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages suffered or incurred by Borrower or any other Loan Party in connection with, arising out of, or in any way related to, this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents. Each Loan Party hereby waives, releases, and agrees not to sue Lender or any of Lender’s Affiliates, equity holders, officers, directors, employees, attorneys, or agents for punitive damages in respect of any claim in connection with, arising out of, or in any way related to, this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents.
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Section 10.4 No Duty. All attorneys, accountants, appraisers, and other professional Persons and consultants retained by Lender shall have the right to act exclusively in the interest of Lender and shall have no duty of disclosure, duty of loyalty, duty of care, or other duty or obligation of any type or nature whatsoever to any Loan Party or any Loan Party’s shareholders or any other Person.
Section 10.5 Lender Not Fiduciary. The relationship between each Loan Party and Lender pursuant to the Loan Documents is solely that of debtor and creditor, and Lender has no fiduciary or other special relationship with any Loan Party arising out of the Loan Documents, and no term or condition of any of the Loan Documents shall be construed so as to deem the relationship between any Loan Party and Lender to be other than that of debtor and creditor as a result of the financing arrangements evidenced by the Loan Documents.
Section 10.6 Equitable Relief. Each Loan Party recognizes that in the event any Loan Party fails to pay, perform, observe, or discharge any or all of the Obligations, any remedy at law may prove to be inadequate relief to Lender. Each Loan Party therefore agrees that Lender, if Lender so requests, shall be entitled to temporary and permanent injunctive relief in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages.
Section 10.7 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure on the part of Lender to exercise and no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect to, any right, power, or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power, or privilege under this Agreement preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power, or privilege. The rights and remedies provided for in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights and remedies provided by law.
Section 10.8 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents are binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of Lender and each Loan Party and their respective successors and assigns, except that no Loan Party may assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of Lender.
Section 10.9 Survival. All representations and warranties made in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any document, statement, or certificate furnished in connection with this Agreement shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and no investigation by Lender or any closing shall affect the representations and warranties or the right of Lender to rely upon them. Without prejudice to the survival of any other obligation of any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document, the obligations of the Loan Parties under Sections 10.1 and 10.2 shall survive repayment of the Notes and termination of the Commitment.
Section 10.10 ENTIRE AGREEMENT; AMENDMENT. THIS AGREEMENT, THE NOTE, AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO HEREIN EMBODY THE FINAL, ENTIRE AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO AND THERETO AND SUPERSEDE ANY AND ALL PRIOR COMMITMENTS, AGREEMENTS, REPRESENTATIONS, AND UNDERSTANDINGS, WHETHER WRITTEN OR ORAL, RELATING TO THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF AND THEREOF AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED OR VARIED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OR DISCUSSIONS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR THERETO. THERE ARE NO ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES HERETO OR THERETO. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which any Loan Party is a party may be amended or waived only by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto or thereto, as applicable.
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Section 10.11 Notices. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including by facsimile transmission) and mailed, faxed or delivered, to the address, facsimile number or subject to the last sentence hereof electronic mail address specified for notices below the signatures hereon or to such other address as shall be designated by such party in a notice to the other parties. All such other notices and other communications shall be deemed to have been given or made upon the earliest to occur of (i) actual receipt by the intended recipient or (ii) (A) if delivered by hand or courier; (B) if delivered by mail, four business days after deposit in the mail, postage prepaid; (C) if delivered by facsimile when sent and receipt has been confirmed by telephone; and (D) if delivered by electronic mail (which form of delivery is subject to the provisions of the last sentence below) when delivered; provided, however, that notices and other communications pursuant to Article II shall not be effective until actually received by Lender. Electronic mail and intranet websites may be used only to distribute only routine communications, such as financial statements and other information, and to distribute Loan Documents for execution by the parties thereto, and may not be used for any other purpose.
Section 10.12 Governing Law; Venue; Service of Process. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas and the applicable laws of the United States of America. This Agreement has been entered into in Dallas County, Texas, and it shall be performable for all purposes in Dallas County, Texas. Any action or proceeding against any Loan Party under or in connection with any of the Loan Documents may be brought in any state or federal court in Dallas County, Texas. Each Loan Party hereby irrevocably (a) submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of such courts, and (b) waives any objection it may now or hereafter have as to the venue of any such action or proceeding brought in any such court or that any such court is an inconvenient forum. Each Loan Party agrees that service of process upon it may be made by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, at its address specified or determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.11. Nothing herein or in any of the other Loan Documents shall affect the right of Lender to serve process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right of Lender to bring any action or proceeding against any Loan Party or with respect to any of its property in courts in other jurisdictions. Any action or proceeding by any Loan Party against Lender shall be brought only in a court located in Dallas County, Texas.
Section 10.13 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
Section 10.14 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable shall not impair or invalidate the remainder of this Agreement and the effect thereof shall be confined to the provision held to be invalid or illegal.
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Section 10.15 Headings. The headings, captions, and arrangements used in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement.
Section 10.16 Participations; Etc. Lender shall have the right at any time and from time to time to grant participations in, and sell and transfer, the Obligations and any Loan Documents. Each actual or proposed participant or assignee, as the case may be, shall be entitled to receive all information received by Lender regarding Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, information required to be disclosed to a participant or assignee pursuant to Banking Circular 181 (Rev., August 2, 1984), issued by the Comptroller of the Currency (whether the actual or proposed participant or assignee is subject to the circular or not).
Section 10.17 Construction. Each Loan Party and Lender acknowledge that each of them has had the benefit of legal counsel of its own choice and has been afforded an opportunity to review this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with its legal counsel and that this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be construed as if jointly drafted by each Loan Party and Lender.
Section 10.18 Independence of Covenants. All covenants hereunder shall be given independent effect so that if a particular action or condition is not permitted by any of such covenants, the fact that it would be permitted by an exception to, or be otherwise within the limitations of, another covenant shall not avoid the occurrence of a Default if such action is taken or such condition exists.
Section 10.19 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH LOAN PARTY HEREBY (OR BY ITS EXECUTION OF ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS) IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING, OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED THEREBY OR THE ACTIONS OF LENDER IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, OR ENFORCEMENT THEREOF.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
BORROWER: | ||
DGSE COMPANIES, INC. | ||
By: | ||
Name: William H. Oyster | ||
Title: President | ||
Address for Notices: | ||
DGSE Companies, Inc. | ||
11311 Reeder Rd. | ||
Dallas, Texas 75229 | ||
Attention: William H. Oyster, President | ||
Fax No.: 972-241-0646 | ||
Telephone No.: 972-484-3662 | ||
Email: _______________________________________ | ||
with copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: | ||
K&L Gates LLP | ||
1717 Main Street, Suite 2800 | ||
Dallas, Texas 75201 | ||
Attn: I. Bobby Majumder, Esq. | ||
Fax No.: _____________________________________ | ||
Email: _______________________________________ | ||
LENDER: | ||
NTR METALS, LLC | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
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Address for Notices: | |
NTR Metals, LLC | |
10720 Composite Drive | |
Dallas, Texas 75220 | |
Attention: Carl D. “Trey” Gum, III | |
Fax No.: 469.522.1111 | |
Email: tgum@ntrmetals.com | |
with copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: | |
Jones Day | |
2727 North Harwood | |
Dallas, Texas 75201 | |
Attn: Katherine Ettredge | |
Fax No.: 214.969.5100 | |
Email: kettredge@jonesday.com |
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INDEX TO SCHEDULES
Description of Schedules | Article/Section | |
Governmental Certificates | 5.1(d) | |
Registration to do Business Exceptions | 6.1 | |
Investigations by Governmental Authorities | 6.4 | |
Unassessed or Pending Tax Liabilities | 6.9 | |
Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures | 6.13 | |
Agreements | 6.14 | |
Intellectual Property | 6.20 | |
Insurance Reductions | 7.5 | |
Existing Debt | 8.1 | |
Existing Liens | 8.2 |
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit | Description of Exhibit | Section | ||
A | Advance Request Form | 1.1 | ||
C | Revolving Credit Note | 2.1 |
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EXECUTION VERSION
GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
This GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of July 19, 2012, among the Persons listed on the signature pages hereof as “Grantors” and those additional entities that hereafter become parties hereto by executing the form of Joinder attached hereto as Annex 1 (each, a “Grantor” and collectively, the “Grantors”), and NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (together with its successors and assigns, “Secured Party” or “Lender”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Loan Agreement of even date herewith (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”) by and between DGSE COMPANIES, INC., as borrower (“Borrower”), and Lender, Lender has agreed to make certain financial accommodations available to Borrower from time to time pursuant to the terms and conditions thereof;
WHEREAS, in order to induce Lender to enter into the Loan Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to induce Lender to make financial accommodations to Borrower as provided for in the Loan Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (a) each Grantor (other than Borrower) has agreed to guaranty the Guarantied Obligations, and (b) each Grantor has agreed to grant to Secured Party a continuing security interest in and to the Collateral in order to secure the prompt and complete payment, observance and performance of, among other things, the Secured Obligations; and
WHEREAS, each Grantor (other than Borrower) is a Subsidiary of Borrower and, as such, will benefit by virtue of the financial accommodations extended to Borrower by Lender.
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the recitals made above and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt, sufficiency and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions; Construction.
(a) The terms Account, Account Debtor, Chattel Paper, Equipment, Farm Products, Fixtures and Inventory have the meanings ascribed thereto in the UCC. All other terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Loan Agreement. In addition to those terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, as used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(i) “Activation Instruction” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 7(j).
(ii) “Agreement” has the meaning specified therefor in the preamble to this Agreement.
(iii) “Bankruptcy Code” means title 11 of the United States Code, as in effect from time to time.
(iv) “Books” means books and records (including each Grantor’s Records indicating, summarizing, or evidencing such Grantor’s assets (including the Collateral) or liabilities, each Grantor’s Records relating to such Grantor’s business operations or financial condition, and each Grantor’s goods or General Intangibles related to such information).
(v) “Borrower” has the meaning specified therefor in the recitals to this Agreement.
(vi) “Closing Date” means the date the initial Advances are made under the Loan Agreement.
(vii) “Collateral” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 3.
(viii) “Collections” means all cash, checks, notes, instruments, and other items of payment (including insurance proceeds, cash proceeds of asset sales, rental proceeds, and tax refunds).
(ix) “Commercial Tort Claims” means commercial tort claims (as that term is defined in the UCC), and includes those commercial tort claims listed on Schedule 1.
(x) “Controlled Account Bank” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 7(j).
(xi) “Copyrights” means any and all rights in any works of authorship, including (A) copyrights and moral rights, (B) copyright registrations and recordings thereof and all applications in connection therewith including those listed on Schedule 2, (C) income, license fees, royalties, damages, and payments now and hereafter due or payable under and with respect thereto, including payments under all licenses entered into in connection therewith and damages and payments for past, present, or future infringements thereof, (D) the right to sue for past, present, and future infringements thereof, and (E) all of each Grantor’s rights corresponding thereto throughout the world.
(xii) “Copyright Security Agreement” means each Copyright Security Agreement executed and delivered by Grantors, or any of them, and Secured Party, in substantially the form of Exhibit A.
(xiii) “Equity Interest” means, with respect to a Person, all of the shares, options, warrants, interests, participations, or other equivalents (regardless of how designated) of or in such Person, whether voting or nonvoting, including capital stock (or other ownership or profit interests or units).
(xiv) “Foreclosed Grantor” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2(i)(iv).
(xv) “General Intangibles” means general intangibles (as that term is defined in the UCC), and includes payment intangibles, software, contract rights, rights to payment, rights arising under common law, statutes, or regulations, choses or things in action, goodwill, Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property Licenses, purchase orders, customer lists, monies due or recoverable from pension funds, route lists, rights to payment and other rights under any royalty or licensing agreements, including Intellectual Property Licenses, infringement claims, pension plan refunds, pension plan refund claims, insurance premium rebates, tax refunds, and tax refund claims, interests in a partnership or limited liability company which do not constitute a security under Article 8 of the UCC, and any other personal property other than Commercial Tort Claims, money, Accounts, Chattel Paper, Deposit Accounts, goods, Investment Property, Negotiable Collateral, and oil, gas, or other minerals before extraction.
(xvi) “Grantor” and “Grantors” have the respective meanings specified therefor in the preamble to this Agreement.
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(xvii) “Guarantied Obligations” means all of the Obligations now or hereafter existing, whether for principal, interest (including any interest that accrues after the commencement of an Insolvency Proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in whole or in part as a claim in any such Insolvency Proceeding), and all fees, costs and expenses (including counsel fees and expenses) payable by any Loan Party in accordance with the Loan Documents (including any fees or expenses that accrue after the commencement of an Insolvency Proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in whole or in part as a claim in any such Insolvency Proceeding), or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Guarantied Obligations shall include all amounts that constitute part of the Guarantied Obligations and would be owed by Borrower to Secured Party, but for the fact that they are unenforceable or not allowable, including due to the existence of a bankruptcy, reorganization, other Insolvency Proceeding or similar proceeding involving Borrower or any Guarantor.
(xviii) “Guarantor” means each Grantor other than Borrower.
(xix) “Guaranty” means the guaranty set forth in Section 2 hereof.
(xx) “Insolvency Proceeding” means any proceeding commenced by or against any Person under any provision of the Bankruptcy Code or under any other state or federal bankruptcy or insolvency law, assignments for the benefit of creditors, formal or informal moratoria, compositions, extensions generally with creditors, or proceedings seeking reorganization, arrangement, or other similar relief.
(xxi) “Intellectual Property” means any and all Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, trade secrets, know-how, inventions (whether or not patentable), algorithms, software programs (including source code and object code), processes, product designs, industrial designs, blueprints, drawings, data, customer lists, URLs and domain names, specifications, documentations, reports, catalogs, literature, and any other forms of technology or proprietary information of any kind, including all rights therein and all applications for registration or registrations thereof.
(xxii) “Intellectual Property Licenses” means, with respect to any Person (the “Specified Party”), (A) any licenses or other similar rights provided to the Specified Party in or with respect to Intellectual Property owned or controlled by any other Person, and (B) any licenses or other similar rights provided to any other Person in or with respect to Intellectual Property owned or controlled by the Specified Party, in each case, including (x) any software license agreements (other than license agreements for commercially available off-the-shelf software that is generally available to the public which have been licensed to a Grantor pursuant to end-user licenses), (y) the license agreements listed on Schedule 3, and (z) the right to use any of the licenses or other similar rights described in this definition in connection with the enforcement of Secured Party’s rights under the Loan Documents.
(xxiii) “Investment Property” means (A) any and all investment property (as that term is defined in the UCC), and (B) any and all of the following (regardless of whether classified as investment property under the UCC): all Pledged Interests, Pledged Operating Agreements, and Pledged Partnership Agreements.
(xxiv) “Joinder” means each Joinder to this Agreement executed and delivered by Secured Party and each of the other parties listed on the signature pages thereto, in substantially the form of Annex 1.
(xxv) “Loan Agreement” has the meaning specified therefor in the recitals to this Agreement.
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(xxvi) “Negotiable Collateral” means letters of credit, letter-of-credit rights, instruments, promissory notes, drafts and documents (as each such term is defined in the UCC).
(xxvii) “Patents” means patents and patent applications, including (A) the patents and patent applications listed on Schedule 4, (B) all continuations, divisionals, continuations-in-part, re-examinations, reissues, and renewals thereof and improvements thereon, (C) all income, royalties, damages and payments now and hereafter due or payable under and with respect thereto, including payments under all licenses entered into in connection therewith and damages and payments for past, present, or future infringements thereof, (D) the right to sue for past, present, and future infringements thereof, and (E) all of each Grantor’s rights corresponding thereto throughout the world.
(xxviii) “Patent Security Agreement” means each Patent Security Agreement executed and delivered by Grantors, or any of them, and Secured Party, in substantially the form of Exhibit B.
(xxix) “Pledged Companies” means each Person listed on Schedule 5 as a “Pledged Company”, together with each other Person, all or a portion of whose Equity Interests are acquired or otherwise owned by a Grantor after the Closing Date.
(xxx) “Pledged Interests” means all of each Grantor’s right, title and interest in and to all of the Equity Interests now owned or hereafter acquired by such Grantor, regardless of class or designation, including in each of the Pledged Companies, and all substitutions therefor and replacements thereof, all proceeds thereof and all rights relating thereto, also including any certificates representing the Equity Interests, the right to receive any certificates representing any of the Equity Interests, all warrants, options, share appreciation rights and other rights, contractual or otherwise, in respect thereof and the right to receive all dividends, distributions of income, profits, surplus, or other compensation by way of income or liquidating distributions, in cash or in kind, and all cash, instruments, and other property from time to time received, receivable, or otherwise distributed in respect of or in addition to, in substitution of, on account of, or in exchange for any or all of the foregoing.
(xxxi) “Pledged Interests Addendum” means a Pledged Interests Addendum substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
(xxxii) “Pledged Operating Agreements” means all of each Grantor’s rights, powers, and remedies under the limited liability company operating agreements of each of the Pledged Companies that are limited liability companies.
(xxxiii) “Pledged Partnership Agreements” means all of each Grantor’s rights, powers, and remedies under the partnership agreements of each of the Pledged Companies that are partnerships.
(xxxiv) “Proceeds” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 3.
(xxxv) “PTO” means the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
(xxxvi) “Real Property” means any estates or interests in real property now owned or hereafter acquired by any Grantor or any Subsidiary of any Grantor and the improvements thereto.
(xxxvii) “Record” means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or which is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.
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(xxxviii) “Secured Obligations” means each and all of the following: (A) all of the present and future obligations of each of the Grantors arising from, or owing under or pursuant to, this Agreement (including the Guaranty), the Loan Agreement, or any of the other Loan Documents, and (B) all other Obligations of Borrower and all other Guarantied Obligations of each Guarantor (including, in the case of each of clauses (A) and (B), attorneys fees and expenses and any interest, fees, or expenses that accrue after the filing of an Insolvency Proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in whole or in part as a claim in any Insolvency Proceeding).
(xxxix) “Secured Party” has the meaning specified therefor in the preamble to this Agreement.
(xl) “Secured Party’s Lien” means, collectively, the Liens granted by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to Secured Party under the Loan Documents.
(xli) “Security Interest” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 3.
(xlii) “Supporting Obligations” means supporting obligations (as such term is defined in the UCC), and includes letters of credit and guaranties issued in support of Accounts, Chattel Paper, documents, General Intangibles, instruments or Investment Property.
(xliii) “Trademarks” means any and all trademarks, trade names, registered trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, registered service marks and service mark applications, including (A) the trade names, registered trademarks, trademark applications, registered service marks and service mark applications listed on Schedule 6, (B) all renewals thereof, (C) all income, royalties, damages and payments now and hereafter due or payable under and with respect thereto, including payments under all licenses entered into in connection therewith and damages and payments for past or future infringements or dilutions thereof, (D) the right to sue for past, present and future infringements and dilutions thereof, (E) the goodwill of each Grantor’s business symbolized by the foregoing or connected therewith, and (F) all of each Grantor’s rights corresponding thereto throughout the world.
(xliv) “Trademark Security Agreement” means each Trademark Security Agreement executed and delivered by Grantors, or any of them, and Secured Party, in substantially the form of Exhibit D.
(xlv) “UCC” means the Texas Uniform Commercial Code, as in effect from time to time; provided, however, that in the event that, by reason of mandatory provisions of law, any or all of the attachment, perfection, priority, or remedies with respect to Secured Party’s Lien on any Collateral is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as enacted and in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of Texas, the term “UCC” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as enacted and in effect in such other jurisdiction solely for purposes of the provisions thereof relating to such attachment, perfection, priority, or remedies.
(xlvi) “URL” means “uniform resource locator,” an internet web address.
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(b) Unless the context of this Agreement clearly requires otherwise, references to the plural include the singular, references to the singular include the plural, the terms “includes” and “including” are not limiting, and the term “or” has, except where otherwise indicated, the inclusive meaning represented by the phrase “and/or.” The words “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereunder,” and similar terms in this Agreement refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. Section, subsection, clause, schedule, and exhibit references herein are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified. Any reference in this Agreement to any agreement, instrument, or document shall include all alterations, amendments, changes, extensions, modifications, renewals, replacements, substitutions, joinders, and supplements, thereto and thereof, as applicable (subject to any restrictions on such alterations, amendments, changes, extensions, modifications, renewals, replacements, substitutions, joinders, and supplements set forth herein or in the Loan Agreement). The words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties. Any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns. Any requirement of a writing contained herein shall be satisfied by the transmission of a Record.
(c) All of the schedules and exhibits attached to this Agreement shall be deemed incorporated herein by reference.
2. Guaranty.
(a) In recognition of the direct and indirect benefits to be received by Guarantors from the proceeds of the Advances, and by virtue of the financial accommodations to be made to Borrower, each of the Guarantors, jointly and severally, hereby unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety the full and prompt payment when due, whether upon maturity, acceleration, or otherwise, of all of the Guarantied Obligations. If any or all of the Obligations becomes due and payable, each of the Guarantors, unconditionally and irrevocably, and without the need for demand, protest, or any other notice or formality, promises to pay such indebtedness to Secured Party, together with any and all expenses that may be incurred by Secured Party, in demanding, enforcing, or collecting any of the Guarantied Obligations (including the enforcement of any collateral for such Obligations or any collateral for the obligations of the Guarantors under this Guaranty). If claim is ever made upon Secured Party, for repayment or recovery of any amount or amounts received in payment of or on account of any or all of the Obligations and Secured Party repays all or part of said amount by reason of (i) any judgment, decree, or order of any court or administrative body having jurisdiction over such payee or any of its property, or (ii) any settlement or compromise of any such claim effected by such payee with any such claimant (including Borrower or any Guarantor), then and in each such event, each of the Guarantors agrees that any such judgment, decree, order, settlement, or compromise shall be binding upon the Guarantors, notwithstanding any revocation (or purported revocation) of this Guaranty or other instrument evidencing any liability of any Grantor, and the Guarantors shall be and remain liable to the aforesaid payees hereunder for the amount so repaid or recovered to the same extent as if such amount had never originally been received by any such payee.
(b) Additionally, each of the Guarantors unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees the payment of any and all of the Obligations to Secured Party, and irrevocably and unconditionally promises to pay such indebtedness to Secured Party, without the requirement of demand, protest, or any other notice or other formality, in lawful money of the United States.
(c) The liability of each of the Guarantors hereunder is primary, absolute, and unconditional, and is independent of any security for or other guaranty of the Obligations, whether executed by any other Guarantor or by any other Person, and the liability of each of the Guarantors hereunder shall not be affected or impaired by (i) any payment on, or in reduction of, any such other guaranty or undertaking, (ii) any dissolution, termination, or increase, decrease, or change in personnel by any Grantor, (iii) any payment made to Secured Party on account of the Obligations which Secured Party repays to any Grantor pursuant to court order in any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium or other debtor relief proceeding (or any settlement or compromise of any claim made in such a proceeding relating to such payment), and each of the Guarantors waives any right to the deferral or modification of its obligations hereunder by reason of any such proceeding, or (iv) any action or inaction by Secured Party, or (v) any invalidity, irregularity, avoidability, or unenforceability of all or any part of the Obligations or of any security therefor.
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(d) This Guaranty includes all present and future Guarantied Obligations including any under transactions continuing, compromising, extending, increasing, modifying, releasing, or renewing the Guarantied Obligations, changing the interest rate, payment terms, or other terms and conditions thereof, or creating new or additional Guarantied Obligations after prior Guarantied Obligations have been satisfied in whole or in part. To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Guarantor hereby waives any right to revoke this Guaranty as to future Guarantied Obligations. If such a revocation is effective notwithstanding the foregoing waiver, each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that (i) no such revocation shall be effective until written notice thereof has been received by Secured Party, (ii) no such revocation shall apply to any Guarantied Obligations in existence on the date of receipt by Secured Party of such written notice (including any subsequent continuation, extension, or renewal thereof, or change in the interest rate, payment terms, or other terms and conditions thereof), (iii) no such revocation shall apply to any Guarantied Obligations made or created after such date to the extent made or created pursuant to a legally binding commitment of Secured Party in existence on the date of such revocation, (iv) no payment by any Guarantor, Borrower, or from any other source, prior to the date of Secured Party’s receipt of written notice of such revocation shall reduce the maximum obligation of such Guarantor hereunder, and (v) any payment by Borrower or from any source other than such Guarantor subsequent to the date of such revocation shall first be applied to that portion of the Guarantied Obligations as to which the revocation is effective and which are not, therefore, guarantied hereunder, and to the extent so applied shall not reduce the maximum obligation of such Guarantor hereunder. This Guaranty shall be binding upon each Guarantor, its successors and assigns and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Secured Party and its successors, transferees, or assigns.
(e) The guaranty by each of the Guarantors hereunder is a guaranty of payment and not of collection. The obligations of each of the Guarantors hereunder are independent of the obligations of any other Guarantor or Grantor or any other Person and a separate action or actions may be brought and prosecuted against one or more of the Guarantors whether or not action is brought against any other Guarantor or Grantor or any other Person and whether or not any other Guarantor or Grantor or any other Person be joined in any such action or actions. Each of the Guarantors waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting its liability hereunder or the enforcement hereof. Any payment by any Grantor or other circumstance which operates to toll any statute of limitations as to any Grantor shall operate to toll the statute of limitations as to each of the Guarantors.
(f) Each of the Guarantors authorizes Secured Party without notice or demand, and without affecting or impairing its liability hereunder, from time to time to:
(i) change the manner, place, or terms of payment of, or change or extend the time of payment of, renew, increase, accelerate, or alter: (A) any of the Obligations (including any increase or decrease in the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest or fees thereon); or (B) any security therefor or any liability incurred directly or indirectly in respect thereof, and this Guaranty shall apply to the Obligations as so changed, extended, renewed, or altered;
(ii) take and hold security for the payment of the Obligations and sell, exchange, release, impair, surrender, realize upon, collect, settle, or otherwise deal with in any manner and in any order any property at any time pledged or mortgaged to secure the Obligations or any of the Guarantied Obligations (including any of the obligations of all or any of the Guarantors under this Guaranty) incurred directly or indirectly in respect thereof or hereof, or any offset on account thereof;
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(iii) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against any Grantor;
(iv) release or substitute any one or more endorsers, guarantors, any Grantor, or other obligors;
(v) settle or compromise any of the Obligations, any security therefor, or any liability (including any of those of any of the Guarantors under this Guaranty) incurred directly or indirectly in respect thereof or hereof, and may subordinate the payment of all or any part thereof to the payment of any liability (whether due or not) of any Grantor to its creditors;
(vi) apply any sums by whomever paid or however realized to any liability or liabilities of any Grantor to Secured Party regardless of what liability or liabilities of such Grantor remain unpaid;
(vii) consent to or waive any breach of, or any act, omission, or default under, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise amend, modify, or supplement this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or
(viii) take any other action that could, under otherwise applicable principles of law, give rise to a legal or equitable discharge of one or more of the Guarantors from all or part of its liabilities under this Guaranty.
(g) It is not necessary for Secured Party to inquire into the capacity or powers of any of the Guarantors or the officers, directors, partners or agents acting or purporting to act on their behalf, and any Obligations made or created in reliance upon the professed exercise of such powers shall be Guarantied hereunder.
(h) Each Guarantor jointly and severally guarantees that the Guarantied Obligations will be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, regardless of any law, regulation, or order now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction affecting any of such terms or the rights of Secured Party with respect thereto. The obligations of each Guarantor under this Guaranty are independent of the Guarantied Obligations, and a separate action or actions may be brought and prosecuted against each Guarantor to enforce such obligations, irrespective of whether any action is brought against any other Guarantor or whether any other Guarantor is joined in any such action or actions. The liability of each Guarantor under this Guaranty shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of, and each Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any defense it may now or hereafter have in any way relating to, any or all of the following:
(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or any agreement or instrument relating thereto;
(ii) any change in the time, manner, or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Guarantied Obligations, or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from any Loan Document, including any increase in the Guarantied Obligations resulting from the extension of additional credit;
(iii) any taking, exchange, release, or non-perfection of any Lien in and to any Collateral, or any taking, release, amendment, waiver of, or consent to departure from any other guaranty, for all or any of the Guarantied Obligations;
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(iv) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense, or other right that any Guarantor may have at any time against any Person, including Secured Party;
(v) any defense, set-off, counterclaim, or claim, of any kind or nature, arising directly or indirectly from the present or future lack of perfection, sufficiency, validity, or enforceability of the Guarantied Obligations or any security therefor;
(vi) any right or defense arising by reason of any claim or defense based upon an election of remedies by Secured Party including any defense based upon an impairment or elimination of such Guarantor’s rights of subrogation, reimbursement, contribution, or indemnity of such Guarantor against any other Grantor or any guarantors or sureties;
(vii) any change, restructuring, or termination of the corporate, limited liability company, or partnership structure or existence of any Grantor; or
(viii) any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Grantor or any other guarantor or surety.
(i) Waivers
(i) Each of the Guarantors waives any right (except as shall be required by applicable statute and cannot be waived) to require Secured Party to (i) proceed against any other Grantor or any other Person, (ii) proceed against or exhaust any security held from any other Grantor or any other Person, or (iii) protect, secure, perfect, or insure any security interest or Lien on any property subject thereto or exhaust any right to take any action against any other Grantor, any other Person, or any collateral, or (iv) pursue any other remedy in Secured Party’s power whatsoever. Each of the Guarantors waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of any Grantor or any other Person, other than payment of the Obligations to the extent of such payment, based on or arising out of the disability of any Grantor or any other Person, or the validity, legality, or unenforceability of the Obligations or any part thereof from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of any Grantor other than payment of the Obligations to the extent of such payment. Secured Party may foreclose upon any Collateral held by Secured Party by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales or other dispositions, whether or not every aspect of any such sale is commercially reasonable or otherwise fails to comply with applicable law or may exercise any other right or remedy Secured Party may have against any Grantor or any other Person, or any security, in each case, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of any of the Guarantors hereunder except to the extent the Obligations have been paid.
(ii) Each of the Guarantors waives all presentments, demands for performance, protests and notices, including notices of nonperformance, notices of protest, notices of dishonor, notices of acceptance of this Guaranty, and notices of the existence, creation, or incurring of new or additional Obligations or other financial accommodations. Each of the Guarantors waives notice of any Default or Event of Default under any of the Loan Documents, except to the extent provided otherwise in the Loan Agreement. Each of the Guarantors assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of each Grantor’s financial condition and assets and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Obligations and the nature, scope, and extent of the risks which each of the Guarantors assumes and incurs hereunder, and agrees that Secured Party shall not have any duty to advise any of the Guarantors of information known to them regarding such circumstances or risks.
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(iii) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Guarantor hereby waives: (A) any right to assert against Secured Party any defense (legal or equitable), set-off, counterclaim, or claim which each Guarantor may now or at any time hereafter have against Borrower or any other party liable to Secured Party; (B) any defense, set-off, counterclaim, or claim, of any kind or nature, arising directly or indirectly from the present or future lack of perfection, sufficiency, validity, or enforceability of the Guarantied Obligations or any security therefor; (C) any right or defense arising by reason of any claim or defense based upon an election of remedies by Secured Party including any defense based upon an impairment or elimination of such Guarantor’s rights of subrogation, reimbursement, contribution, or indemnity of such Guarantor against Borrower or other guarantors or sureties; and (D) the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting such Guarantor’s liability hereunder or the enforcement thereof, and any act which shall defer or delay the operation of any statute of limitations applicable to the Guarantied Obligations shall similarly operate to defer or delay the operation of such statute of limitations applicable to such Guarantor’s liability hereunder
(iv) No Guarantor will exercise any rights that it may now or hereafter acquire against any Grantor or any other guarantor that arise from the existence, payment, performance or enforcement of such Guarantor’s obligations under this Guaranty, including any right of subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution or indemnification and any right to participate in any claim or remedy of Secured Party, against any Grantor or any other guarantor or any Collateral, whether or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity or under contract, statute or common law, including the right to take or receive from any Grantor or any other guarantor, directly or indirectly, in cash or other property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or security solely on account of such claim, remedy or right, unless and until all of the Guarantied Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty shall have been paid in full in cash and the Commitment has been terminated in full. If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor in violation of the immediately preceding sentence, such amount shall be held in trust for the benefit of Secured Party, and shall forthwith be paid to Secured Party to be credited and applied to the Guarantied Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of the Loan Agreement, or to be held as Collateral for any Guarantied Obligations or other amounts payable under this Guaranty thereafter arising. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Guaranty, no Guarantor may exercise any rights of subrogation, contribution, indemnity, reimbursement or other similar rights against, and may not proceed or seek recourse against or with respect to any property or asset of, any other Grantor (the “Foreclosed Grantor”), including after payment in full of the Obligations, if all or any portion of the Obligations have been satisfied in connection with an exercise of remedies in respect of the Equity Interests of such Foreclosed Grantor whether pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise.
(v) Each of the Guarantors represents, warrants, and agrees that each of the waivers set forth above is made with full knowledge of its significance and consequences and that if any of such waivers are determined to be contrary to any applicable law or public policy, such waivers shall be effective to the maximum extent permitted by law.
3. Grant of Security. Each Grantor hereby unconditionally grants, assigns, and pledges to Secured Party to secure the Secured Obligations, a continuing security interest (hereinafter referred to as the “Security Interest”) in all of such Grantor’s right, title, and interest in and to the following, whether now owned or hereafter acquired or arising and wherever located (the “Collateral”):
(a) all of such Grantor’s Accounts;
(b) all of such Grantor’s Books;
(c) all of such Grantor’s Chattel Paper;
(d) all of such Grantor’s Commercial Tort Claims;
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(e) all of such Grantor’s Deposit Accounts;
(f) all of such Grantor’s Equipment;
(g) all of such Grantor’s Farm Products;
(h) all of such Grantor’s Fixtures;
(i) all of such Grantor’s General Intangibles;
(j) all of such Grantor’s Inventory;
(k) all of such Grantor’s Investment Property;
(l) all of such Grantor’s Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property Licenses;
(m) all of such Grantor’s Negotiable Collateral;
(n) all of such Grantor’s Pledged Interests (including all of such Grantor’s Pledged Operating Agreements and Pledged Partnership Agreements);
(o) all of such Grantor’s Securities Accounts;
(p) all of such Grantor’s Supporting Obligations;
(q) all of such Grantor’s money, cash equivalents, or other assets of such Grantor that now or hereafter come into the possession, custody, or control of Secured Party (or its agent or designee); and
(r) all of the proceeds (as such term is defined in the UCC) and products, whether tangible or intangible, of any of the foregoing, including proceeds of insurance or Commercial Tort Claims covering or relating to any or all of the foregoing, and any and all Accounts, Books, Chattel Paper, Deposit Accounts, Equipment, Fixtures, General Intangibles, Inventory, Investment Property, Intellectual Property, Negotiable Collateral, Pledged Interests, Securities Accounts, Supporting Obligations, money, or other tangible or intangible property resulting from the sale, lease, license, exchange, collection, or other disposition of any of the foregoing, the proceeds of any award in condemnation with respect to any of the foregoing, any rebates or refunds, whether for taxes or otherwise, and all proceeds of any such proceeds, or any portion thereof or interest therein, and the proceeds thereof, and all proceeds of any loss of, damage to, or destruction of the above, whether insured or not insured, and, to the extent not otherwise included, any indemnity, warranty, or guaranty payable by reason of loss or damage to, or otherwise with respect to any of the foregoing (the “Proceeds”). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term “Proceeds” includes whatever is receivable or received when Investment Property or proceeds are sold, exchanged, collected, or otherwise disposed of, whether such disposition is voluntary or involuntary, and includes proceeds of any indemnity or guaranty payable to any Grantor or Secured Party from time to time with respect to any of the Investment Property.
4. Security for Secured Obligations. The Security Interest created hereby secures the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations, whether now existing or arising hereafter. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement secures the payment of all amounts which constitute part of the Secured Obligations and would be owed by Grantors, or any of them, to Secured Party, but for the fact that they are unenforceable or not allowable (in whole or in part) as a claim in an Insolvency Proceeding involving any Grantor due to the existence of such Insolvency Proceeding.
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5. Grantors Remain Liable. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, (a) each of the Grantors shall remain liable under the contracts and agreements included in the Collateral, including the Pledged Operating Agreements and the Pledged Partnership Agreements, to perform all of the duties and obligations thereunder to the same extent as if this Agreement had not been executed, (b) the exercise by Secured Party of any of the rights hereunder shall not release any Grantor from any of its duties or obligations under such contracts and agreements included in the Collateral, and (c) Secured Party shall not have any obligation or liability under such contracts and agreements included in the Collateral by reason of this Agreement, nor shall Secured Party be obligated to perform any of the obligations or duties of any Grantors thereunder or to take any action to collect or enforce any claim for payment assigned hereunder. Until an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Loan Agreement, or any other Loan Document, Grantors shall have the right to possession and enjoyment of the Collateral for the purpose of conducting the ordinary course of their respective businesses, subject to and upon the terms hereof and of the Loan Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is the intention of the parties hereto that record and beneficial ownership of the Pledged Interests, including all voting, consensual, dividend, and distribution rights, shall remain in the applicable Grantor until (i) the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default and (ii) Secured Party has notified the applicable Grantor of Secured Party’s election to exercise such rights with respect to the Pledged Interests pursuant to Section 15.
6. Representations and Warranties. In order to induce Secured Party to enter into this Agreement, each Grantor makes the following representations and warranties to Secured Party which shall be true, correct, and complete, in all material respects (except that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof), as of the date hereof, and shall be true, correct, and complete, in all material respects (except that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof), as of the date of the making of each Advance (or other extension of credit) made thereafter, as though made on and as of the date of such Advance (or other extension of credit) (except to the extent that such representations and warranties relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof) as of such earlier date) and such representations and warranties shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement:
(a) The name (within the meaning of Section 9-503 of the UCC) and jurisdiction of organization of each Grantor and each of its Subsidiaries is set forth on Schedule 7 (as such Schedule may be updated from time to time to reflect changes resulting from transactions permitted under the Loan Documents).
(b) The chief executive office of each Grantor and each of its Subsidiaries is located at the address indicated on Schedule 7 (as such Schedule may be updated from time to time to reflect changes resulting from transactions permitted under the Loan Documents).
(c) Each Grantor’s and each of its Subsidiaries’ tax identification numbers and organizational identification numbers, if any, are identified on Schedule 7 (as such Schedule may be updated from time to time to reflect changes resulting from transactions permitted under the Loan Documents).
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(d) As of the Closing Date, no Grantor and no Subsidiary of a Grantor holds any commercial tort claims that exceed $25,000 in aggregate amount, except as set forth on Schedule 1.
(e) Set forth on Schedule 9 (as such Schedule may be updated from time to time subject to Section 7(j)(iii) with respect to Controlled Accounts and provided that Grantors comply with Section 7(c) hereof) is a listing of all of Grantors’ and their Subsidiaries’ Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts, including, with respect to each bank or securities intermediary (a) the name and address of such Person, and (b) the account numbers of the Deposit Accounts or Securities Accounts maintained with such Person.
(f) Schedule 8 sets forth all Real Property owned or leased by any of the Grantors as of the Closing Date.
(g) As of the Closing Date: (i) Schedule 2 provides a complete and correct list of all registered Copyrights owned by any Grantor, all applications for registration of Copyrights owned by any Grantor, and all other Copyrights owned by any Grantor and material to the conduct of the business of any Grantor; (ii) Schedule 3 provides a complete and correct list of all Intellectual Property Licenses entered into by any Grantor pursuant to which (A) any Grantor has provided any license or other rights in Intellectual Property owned or controlled by such Grantor to any other Person (other than non-exclusive software licenses granted in the ordinary course of business) or (B) any Person has granted to any Grantor any license or other rights in Intellectual Property owned or controlled by such Person that is material to the business of such Grantor, including any Intellectual Property that is incorporated in any Inventory, software, or other product marketed, sold, licensed, or distributed by such Grantor; (iii) Schedule 4 provides a complete and correct list of all Patents owned by any Grantor and all applications for Patents owned by any Grantor; and (iv) Schedule 6 provides a complete and correct list of all registered Trademarks owned by any Grantor, all applications for registration of Trademarks owned by any Grantor, and all other Trademarks owned by any Grantor and material to the conduct of the business of any Grantor.
(h) This Agreement creates a valid security interest in the Collateral of each Grantor, to the extent a security interest therein can be created under the UCC, securing the payment of the Secured Obligations. Except to the extent a security interest in the Collateral cannot be perfected by the filing of a financing statement under the UCC, all filings and other actions necessary or desirable to perfect and protect such security interest have been duly taken or will have been taken upon the filing of financing statements listing each applicable Grantor, as a debtor, and Secured Party, as secured party, in the jurisdictions listed next to such Grantor’s name on Schedule 11. Upon the making of such filings, Secured Party shall have a first priority perfected security interest in the Collateral of each Grantor to the extent such security interest can be perfected by the filing of a financing statement. Upon filing of any Copyright Security Agreement with the United States Copyright Office, filing of any Patent Security Agreement and any Trademark Security Agreement with the PTO, and the filing of appropriate financing statements in the jurisdictions listed on Schedule 11, all action necessary or desirable to protect and perfect the Security Interest in and on each Grantor’s Patents, Trademarks, or Copyrights has been taken and such perfected Security Interest is enforceable as such as against any and all creditors of and purchasers from any Grantor. All action by any Grantor necessary to protect and perfect such security interest on each item of Collateral has been duly taken.
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(i) (i) Except for the Security Interest created hereby, each Grantor is and will at all times be the sole holder of record and the legal and beneficial owner, free and clear of all Liens other than Liens permitted by the Loan Agreement, of the Pledged Interests indicated on Schedule 5 as being owned by such Grantor and, when acquired by such Grantor, any Pledged Interests acquired after the Closing Date; (ii) all of the Pledged Interests are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and the Pledged Interests constitute or will constitute the percentage of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Pledged Companies of such Grantor identified on Schedule 5 as supplemented or modified by any Pledged Interests Addendum or any Joinder to this Agreement; (iii) such Grantor has the right and requisite authority to pledge, the Investment Property pledged by such Grantor to Secured Party as provided herein; (iv) all actions necessary or desirable to perfect and establish the first priority of, or otherwise protect, Secured Party’s Liens in the Investment Property, and the proceeds thereof, have been duly taken, upon (A) the execution and delivery of this Agreement; (B) the taking of possession by Secured Party (or its agent or designee) of any certificates representing the Pledged Interests (but only to the extent such Pledged Interests have been certificated), together with undated powers (or other documents of transfer acceptable to Secured Party) endorsed in blank by the applicable Grantor; (C) the filing of financing statements in the applicable jurisdiction set forth on Schedule 11 for such Grantor with respect to the Pledged Interests of such Grantor that are not represented by certificates, and (D) with respect to any Securities Accounts, the delivery of Control Agreements with respect thereto; and (v) each Grantor has delivered to and deposited with Secured Party all certificates representing the Pledged Interests owned by such Grantor to the extent such Pledged Interests are represented by certificates, and undated powers (or other documents of transfer acceptable to Secured Party) endorsed in blank with respect to such certificates. None of the Pledged Interests owned or held by such Grantor has been issued or transferred in violation of any securities registration, securities disclosure, or similar laws of any jurisdiction to which such issuance or transfer may be subject.
(j) No consent, approval, authorization, or other order or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is required (i) for the grant of a Security Interest by such Grantor in and to the Collateral pursuant to this Agreement or for the execution, delivery, or performance of this Agreement by such Grantor, or (ii) for the exercise by Secured Party of the voting or other rights provided for in this Agreement with respect to the Investment Property or the remedies in respect of the Collateral pursuant to this Agreement, except as may be required in connection with such disposition of Investment Property by laws affecting the offering and sale of securities generally and except for consents, approvals, authorizations, or other orders or actions that have been obtained or given (as applicable) and that are still in force.
(k) As to all limited liability company or partnership interests, issued under any Pledged Operating Agreement or Pledged Partnership Agreement, each Grantor hereby represents and warrants that the Pledged Interests issued pursuant to such agreement (A) are not dealt in or traded on securities exchanges or in securities markets, (B) do not constitute investment company securities, and (C) are not held by such Grantor in a Securities Account. In addition, none of the Pledged Operating Agreements, the Pledged Partnership Agreements, or any other agreements governing any of the Pledged Interests issued under any Pledged Operating Agreement or Pledged Partnership Agreement, provides that such Pledged Interests are securities governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in any relevant jurisdiction.
7. Covenants. Each Grantor, jointly and severally, covenants and agrees with Secured Party that from and after the date of this Agreement and until the date of termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 22:
(a) Possession of Collateral. In the event that any Collateral, including Proceeds, is evidenced by or consists of Negotiable Collateral, Investment Property, or Chattel Paper having an aggregate value or face amount of $25,000 or more for all such Negotiable Collateral, Investment Property, or Chattel Paper, the Grantors shall promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days after acquisition thereof), notify Secured Party thereof, and if and to the extent that perfection or priority of Secured Party’s Security Interest is dependent on or enhanced by possession, the applicable Grantor, promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days) after request by Secured Party, shall execute such other documents and instruments as shall be requested by Secured Party or, if applicable, endorse and deliver physical possession of such Negotiable Collateral, Investment Property, or Chattel Paper to Secured Party, together with such undated powers (or other relevant document of transfer acceptable to Secured Party) endorsed in blank as shall be requested by Secured Party, and shall do such other acts or things deemed necessary or desirable by Secured Party to protect Secured Party’s Security Interest therein;
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(b) Chattel Paper.
(i) Promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days) after request by Secured Party, each Grantor shall take all steps reasonably necessary to grant Secured Party control of all electronic Chattel Paper in accordance with the UCC and all “transferable records” as that term is defined in Section 16 of the Uniform Electronic Transaction Act and Section 201 of the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act as in effect in any relevant jurisdiction, to the extent that the aggregate value or face amount of such electronic Chattel Paper equals or exceeds $25,000;
(ii) If any Grantor retains possession of any Chattel Paper or instruments (which retention of possession shall be subject to the extent permitted hereby and by the Loan Agreement), promptly upon the request of Secured Party, such Chattel Paper and instruments shall be marked with the following legend: “This writing and the obligations evidenced or secured hereby are subject to the Security Interest of NTR Metals, LLC, as Secured Party”;
(c) Control Agreements.
(i) Except to the extent otherwise excused by Section 7(j)(iv), each Grantor shall obtain an authenticated Control Agreement, from each bank maintaining a Deposit Account or Securities Account for such Grantor;
(ii) Except to the extent otherwise excused by Section 7(j)(iv), each Grantor shall obtain an authenticated Control Agreement, from each issuer of uncertificated securities, securities intermediary, or commodities intermediary issuing or holding any financial assets or commodities to or for any Grantor, or maintaining a Securities Account for such Grantor; and
(iii) Except to the extent otherwise excused by Section 7(j)(iv), each Grantor shall obtain an authenticated Control Agreement with respect to all of such Grantor’s investment property;
(d) Letter-of-Credit Rights. If the Grantors (or any of them) are or become the beneficiary of letters of credit having a face amount or value of $25,000 or more in the aggregate, then the applicable Grantor or Grantors shall promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days after becoming a beneficiary), notify Secured Party thereof and, promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days) after request by Secured Party, enter into a tri-party agreement with Secured Party and the issuer or confirming bank with respect to letter-of-credit rights assigning such letter-of-credit rights to Secured Party and directing all payments thereunder to Secured Party’s Account, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Secured Party;
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(e) Commercial Tort Claims. If the Grantors (or any of them) obtain Commercial Tort Claims having a value, or involving an asserted claim, in the amount of $25,000 or more in the aggregate for all Commercial Tort Claims, then the applicable Grantor or Grantors shall promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days of obtaining such Commercial Tort Claim), notify Secured Party upon incurring or otherwise obtaining such Commercial Tort Claims and, promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days) after request by Secured Party, amend Schedule 1 to describe such Commercial Tort Claims in a manner that reasonably identifies such Commercial Tort Claims and which is otherwise reasonably satisfactory to Secured Party, and hereby authorizes the filing of additional financing statements or amendments to existing financing statements describing such Commercial Tort Claims, and agrees to do such other acts or things deemed necessary or desirable by Secured Party to give Secured Party a first priority, perfected security interest in any such Commercial Tort Claim;
(f) Government Contracts. Other than Accounts and Chattel Paper the aggregate value of which does not at any one time exceed $25,000, if any Account or Chattel Paper arises out of a contract or contracts with the United States of America or any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof, Grantors shall promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days of the creation thereof) notify Secured Party thereof and, promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days) after request by Secured Party, execute any instruments or take any steps reasonably required by Secured Party in order that all moneys due or to become due under such contract or contracts shall be assigned to Secured Party, and shall provide written notice thereof under the Assignment of Claims Act or other applicable law;
(g) Intellectual Property.
(i) Upon the request of Secured Party, in order to facilitate filings with the PTO and the United States Copyright Office, each Grantor shall execute and deliver to Secured Party one or more Copyright Security Agreements, Trademark Security Agreements, or Patent Security Agreements to further evidence Secured Party’s Lien on such Grantor’s Patents, Trademarks, or Copyrights, and the General Intangibles of such Grantor relating thereto or represented thereby;
(ii) Each Grantor shall have the duty, with respect to Intellectual Property that is necessary in or material to the conduct of such Grantor’s business, to protect and diligently enforce and defend at such Grantor’s expense its Intellectual Property, including (A) to diligently enforce and defend, including promptly suing for infringement, misappropriation, or dilution and to recover any and all damages for such infringement, misappropriation, or dilution, and filing for opposition, interference, and cancellation against conflicting Intellectual Property rights of any Person, (B) to prosecute diligently any trademark application or service mark application that is part of the Trademarks pending as of the date hereof or hereafter until the termination of this Agreement, (C) to prosecute diligently any patent application that is part of the Patents pending as of the date hereof or hereafter until the termination of this Agreement, (D) to take all reasonable and necessary action to preserve and maintain all of such Grantor’s Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights, Intellectual Property Licenses, and its rights therein, including paying all maintenance fees and filing of applications for renewal, affidavits of use, and affidavits of noncontestability, and (E) to require all employees, consultants, and contractors of each Grantor who were involved in the creation or development of such Intellectual Property to sign agreements containing assignment of Intellectual Property rights and obligations of confidentiality. Each Grantor further agrees not to abandon any Intellectual Property or Intellectual Property License that is necessary in or material to the conduct of such Grantor’s business. Each Grantor hereby agrees to take the steps described in this Section 7(g)(ii) with respect to all new or acquired Intellectual Property to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is now or later becomes entitled that is necessary in or material to the conduct of such Grantor’s business; and
(iii) Grantors acknowledge and agree that Secured Party shall have no duties with respect to any Intellectual Property or Intellectual Property Licenses of any Grantor. Without limiting the generality of this Section 7(g)(iii), Grantors acknowledge and agree that Secured Party shall not be under any obligation to take any steps necessary to preserve rights in the Collateral consisting of Intellectual Property or Intellectual Property Licenses against any other Person, but Secured Party may do so at its option from and after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, and all expenses incurred in connection therewith (including reasonable fees and expenses of attorneys and other professionals) shall be for the sole account of Borrower and shall be chargeable to the Loan Account.
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(h) Investment Property.
(i) If any Grantor shall acquire, obtain, receive or become entitled to receive any Pledged Interests after the Closing Date, it shall promptly (and in any event within five (5) Business Days of acquiring or obtaining such Collateral) deliver to Secured Party a duly executed Pledged Interests Addendum identifying such Pledged Interests;
(ii) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, following the request of Secured Party, all sums of money and property paid or distributed in respect of the Investment Property that are received by any Grantor shall be held by the Grantors in trust for the benefit of Secured Party segregated from such Grantor’s other property, and such Grantor shall deliver it forthwith to Secured Party in the exact form received;
(iii) Each Grantor shall promptly deliver to Secured Party a copy of each material notice or other material communication received by it in respect of any Pledged Interests;
(iv) No Grantor shall make or consent to any amendment or other modification or waiver with respect to any Pledged Interests, Pledged Operating Agreement, or Pledged Partnership Agreement, or enter into any agreement or permit to exist any restriction with respect to any Pledged Interests if the same is prohibited pursuant to the Loan Documents;
(v) Each Grantor agrees that it will cooperate with Secured Party in obtaining all necessary approvals and making all necessary filings under federal, state, local, or foreign law to effect the perfection of the Security Interest on the Investment Property or to effect any sale or transfer thereof;
(vi) As to all limited liability company or partnership interests, issued under any Pledged Operating Agreement or Pledged Partnership Agreement, each Grantor hereby covenants that the Pledged Interests issued pursuant to such agreement (A) are not and shall not be dealt in or traded on securities exchanges or in securities markets, (B) do not and will not constitute investment company securities, and (C) are not and will not be held by such Grantor in a securities account. In addition, none of the Pledged Operating Agreements, the Pledged Partnership Agreements, or any other agreements governing any of the Pledged Interests issued under any Pledged Operating Agreement or Pledged Partnership Agreement, provides or shall provide that such Pledged Interests are securities governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in any relevant jurisdiction.
(i) Controlled Accounts; Controlled Investments.
(i) Each Grantor shall deposit or cause to be deposited promptly, and in any event no later than the first Business Day after the date of receipt thereof, all of their cash and Collections (including those sent directly by their Account Debtors to a Grantor) into a bank account of such Grantor (each, a “Controlled Account”) at one or more of the banks set forth on Schedule 11 (each a “Controlled Account Bank”).
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(ii) Each Grantor shall establish and maintain Control Agreements with Secured Party and the applicable Controlled Account Bank, in form and substance acceptable to Secured Party, in respect of each of such Grantor’s Controlled Accounts. Each such Control Agreement shall provide, among other things, that (A) the Controlled Account Bank will comply with any instructions originated by Secured Party directing the disposition of the funds in such Controlled Account without further consent by the applicable Grantor, (B) the Controlled Account Bank waives, subordinates, or agrees not to exercise any rights of setoff or recoupment or any other claim against the applicable Controlled Account other than for payment of its service fees and other charges directly related to the administration of such Controlled Account and for returned checks or other items of payment, and (C) upon the instruction of Secured Party (an “Activation Instruction”), the Controlled Account Bank will forward by daily sweep all amounts in the applicable Controlled Account to the Secured Party’s Account pursuant to the instructions contained in such Control Agreement after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default.
(iii) So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, Borrower may amend Schedule 11 to add or replace a Controlled Account Bank or Controlled Account and shall upon such addition or replacement provide to Secured Party an amended Schedule 11; provided, however, that (A) such prospective Controlled Account Bank shall be satisfactory to Secured Party, and (B) prior to the time of the opening of such Controlled Account, the applicable Grantor and such prospective Controlled Account Bank shall have executed and delivered to Secured Party a Control Agreement.
(iv) Other than amounts deposited into Deposit Accounts specially and exclusively used for payroll, payroll taxes and other employee wage and benefit payments to or for any Grantor’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees, no Grantor will, and no Grantor will permit its Subsidiaries to, make, acquire, or permit to exist investments consisting of cash, cash equivalents, or amounts credited to Deposit Accounts or Securities Accounts unless Grantor or its Subsidiary, as applicable, and the applicable bank or securities intermediary have entered into Control Agreements with Secured Party governing such investments in order to perfect (and further establish) Secured Party’s Liens in such cash, cash equivalents and investments.
(v) Borrower will deliver to Secured Party, prior to the 10th day of each month, or on such other frequency as Secured Party may request, a written report in form and content satisfactory to Secured Party, showing a listing and aging of Accounts and such other information as Secured Party may request from time to time, and Borrower shall immediately notify Secured Party of the assertion by any Account Debtor of any set-off, defense, or claim regarding an Account or any other matter adversely affecting an Account.
(j) Name, Etc. No Grantor will, nor will any Grantor permit any of its Subsidiaries to, change its name, organizational identification number, jurisdiction of organization or organizational identity; provided, that Grantor or any of its Subsidiaries may change its name upon at least 10 days prior written notice to Secured Party of such change.
8. Further Assurances, Etc.
(a) Each Grantor agrees that from time to time, at its own expense, such Grantor will promptly execute and deliver all further instruments and documents, and take all further action, that Secured Party may reasonably request, in order to perfect and protect the Security Interest granted hereby, to create, perfect or protect the Security Interest purported to be granted hereby or to enable Secured Party to exercise and enforce its rights and remedies hereunder with respect to any of the Collateral. By executing this Agreement, each Grantor also agrees to be bound by all provisions of the Loan Documents applicable to it (and hereby makes all representations and warranties applicable to such Grantor contained in the Loan Documents), in each case, regardless of whether such Grantor is an actual party to such Loan Documents.
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(b) Each Grantor authorizes the filing by Secured Party of financing or continuation statements, or amendments thereto, and such Grantor will execute and deliver to Secured Party such other instruments or notices, as Secured Party may reasonably request, in order to perfect and preserve the Security Interest granted or purported to be granted hereby.
(c) Each Grantor authorizes Secured Party at any time and from time to time to file, transmit, or communicate, as applicable, financing statements and amendments (i) describing the Collateral as “all personal property of debtor” or “all assets of debtor” or words of similar effect, (ii) describing the Collateral as being of equal or lesser scope or with greater detail, or (iii) that contain any information required by part 5 of Article 9 of the UCC for the sufficiency or filing office acceptance. Each Grantor also hereby ratifies any and all financing statements or amendments previously filed by Secured Party in any jurisdiction.
(d) Each Grantor acknowledges that it is not authorized to file any financing statement or amendment or termination statement with respect to any financing statement filed in connection with this Agreement without the prior written consent of Secured Party, subject to such Grantor’s rights under Section 9-509(d)(2) of the UCC.
9. Secured Party’s Right to Perform Contracts, Exercise Rights, etc. Secured Party (or its designee) at any time (a) may proceed to perform any and all of the obligations of any Grantor contained in any contract, lease, or other agreement and exercise any and all rights of any Grantor therein contained as fully as such Grantor itself could, (b) shall have the right to use any Grantor’s rights under Intellectual Property Licenses in connection with the enforcement of Secured Party’s rights hereunder, including the right to prepare for sale and sell any and all Inventory and Equipment now or hereafter owned by any Grantor and now or hereafter covered by such licenses, and (c) shall have the right to request that any Equity Interests that are pledged hereunder be registered in the name of Secured Party or any of its nominees.
10. Secured Party Appointed Attorney-in-Fact. Each Grantor hereby irrevocably appoints Secured Party its attorney-in-fact, with full authority in the place and stead of such Grantor and in the name of such Grantor or otherwise to, at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, take any action and to execute any instrument which Secured Party may reasonably deem necessary or advisable to accomplish the purposes of this Agreement, including:
(a) to ask, demand, collect, sue for, recover, compromise, receive and give acquittance and receipts for moneys due and to become due under or in connection with the Accounts or any other Collateral of such Grantor;
(b) to receive and open all mail addressed to such Grantor and to notify postal authorities to change the address for the delivery of mail to such Grantor to that of Secured Party;
(c) to receive, indorse, and collect any drafts or other instruments, documents, Negotiable Collateral or Chattel Paper;
(d) to file any claims or take any action or institute any proceedings which Secured Party may deem necessary or desirable for the collection of any of the Collateral of such Grantor or otherwise to enforce the rights of Secured Party with respect to any of the Collateral;
(e) to repair, alter, or supply goods, if any, necessary to fulfill in whole or in part the purchase order of any Person obligated to such Grantor in respect of any Account of such Grantor;
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(f) to use any Intellectual Property or Intellectual Property Licenses of such Grantor, including but not limited to any labels, Patents, Trademarks, trade names, URLs, domain names, industrial designs, Copyrights, or advertising matter, in preparing for sale, advertising for sale, or selling Inventory or other Collateral and to collect any amounts due under Accounts, contracts or Negotiable Collateral of such Grantor; and
(g) Secured Party shall have the right, but shall not be obligated, to bring suit in its own name to enforce the Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property Licenses and, if Secured Party shall commence any such suit, the appropriate Grantor shall, at the request of Secured Party, do any and all lawful acts and execute any and all proper documents reasonably required by Secured Party in aid of such enforcement.
To the extent permitted by law, each Grantor hereby ratifies all that such attorney-in-fact shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney is coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable until this Agreement is terminated.
11. Secured Party May Perform. If any Grantor fails to perform any agreement contained herein, Secured Party may itself perform, or cause performance of, such agreement, and the reasonable expenses of Secured Party incurred in connection therewith shall be payable, jointly and severally, by Grantors.
12. Secured Party’s Duties. The powers conferred on Secured Party hereunder are solely to protect Secured Party’s interest in the Collateral, and shall not impose any duty upon Secured Party to exercise any such powers. Except for the safe custody of any Collateral in its actual possession and the accounting for moneys actually received by it hereunder, Secured Party shall have no duty as to any Collateral or as to the taking of any necessary steps to preserve rights against prior parties or any other rights pertaining to any Collateral. Secured Party shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any Collateral in its actual possession if such Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which Secured Party accords its own property.
13. Collection of Accounts, General Intangibles and Negotiable Collateral. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, Secured Party or Secured Party’s designee may at any time (a) notify Account Debtors of any Grantor that the Accounts, General Intangibles, Chattel Paper or Negotiable Collateral of such Grantor have been assigned to Secured Party or that Secured Party has a security interest therein, and (b) collect the Accounts, General Intangibles and Negotiable Collateral of any Grantor directly, and any collection costs and expenses shall constitute part of such Grantor’s Secured Obligations under the Loan Documents.
14. Disposition of Pledged Interests by Secured Party. None of the Pledged Interests existing as of the date of this Agreement are, and none of the Pledged Interests hereafter acquired on the date of acquisition thereof will be, registered or qualified under the various federal or state securities laws of the United States and disposition thereof after an Event of Default may be restricted to one or more private (instead of public) sales in view of the lack of such registration. Each Grantor understands that in connection with such disposition, Secured Party may approach only a restricted number of potential purchasers and further understands that a sale under such circumstances may yield a lower price for the Pledged Interests than if the Pledged Interests were registered and qualified pursuant to federal and state securities laws and sold on the open market. Each Grantor, therefore, agrees that: (a) if Secured Party shall, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, sell or cause the Pledged Interests or any portion thereof to be sold at a private sale, Secured Party shall have the right to rely upon the advice and opinion of any nationally recognized brokerage or investment firm (but shall not be obligated to seek such advice and the failure to do so shall not be considered in determining the commercial reasonableness of such action) as to the best manner in which to offer the Pledged Interest or any portion thereof for sale and as to the best price reasonably obtainable at the private sale thereof; and (b) such reliance shall be conclusive evidence that Secured Party has handled the disposition in a commercially reasonable manner.
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15. Voting and Other Rights in Respect of Pledged Interests.
(a) Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, (i) Secured Party may, at its option, and with two (2) Business Days prior notice to any Grantor, and in addition to all rights and remedies available to Secured Party under any other agreement, at law, in equity, or otherwise, exercise all voting rights, or any other ownership or consensual rights (including any dividend or distribution rights) in respect of the Pledged Interests owned by such Grantor, but under no circumstances is Secured Party obligated by the terms of this Agreement to exercise such rights, and (ii) if Secured Party duly exercises its right to vote any of such Pledged Interests, each Grantor hereby appoints Secured Party, such Grantor’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact and IRREVOCABLE PROXY to vote such Pledged Interests in any manner Secured Party deems advisable for or against all matters submitted or which may be submitted to a vote of shareholders, partners or members, as the case may be. The power-of-attorney and proxy granted hereby is coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable.
(b) For so long as any Grantor shall have the right to vote the Pledged Interests owned by it, such Grantor covenants and agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of Secured Party, vote or take any consensual action with respect to such Pledged Interests which would materially adversely affect the rights of Secured Party or the value of the Pledged Interests.
16. Remedies. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(a) Secured Party may exercise in respect of the Collateral, in addition to other rights and remedies provided for herein, in the other Loan Documents, or otherwise available to it, all the rights and remedies of a secured party on default under the UCC or any other applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Grantor expressly agrees that, in any such event, Secured Party without demand of performance or other demand, advertisement or notice of any kind (except a notice specified below of time and place of public or private sale) to or upon any Grantor or any other Person (all and each of which demands, advertisements and notices are hereby expressly waived to the maximum extent permitted by the UCC or any other applicable law), may take immediate possession of all or any portion of the Collateral and (i) require Grantors to, and each Grantor hereby agrees that it will at its own expense and upon request of Secured Party forthwith, assemble all or part of the Collateral as directed by Secured Party and make it available to Secured Party at one or more locations where such Grantor regularly maintains Inventory, and (ii) without notice except as specified below, sell the Collateral or any part thereof in one or more parcels at public or private sale, at any of Secured Party’s offices or elsewhere, for cash, on credit, and upon such other terms as Secured Party may deem commercially reasonable. Each Grantor agrees that, to the extent notification of sale shall be required by law, at least ten (10) days notification by mail to the applicable Grantor of the time and place of any public sale or the time after which any private sale is to be made shall constitute reasonable notification and specifically such notification shall constitute a reasonable “authenticated notification of disposition” within the meaning of Section 9-611 of the UCC. Secured Party shall not be obligated to make any sale of Collateral regardless of notification of sale having been given. Secured Party may adjourn any public sale from time to time by announcement at the time and place fixed therefor, and such sale may, without further notice, be made at the time and place to which it was so adjourned. Each Grantor agrees that (A) the internet shall constitute a “place” for purposes of Section 9-610(b) of the UCC and (B) to the extent notification of sale shall be required by law, notification by mail of the URL where a sale will occur and the time when a sale will commence at least ten (10) days prior to the sale shall constitute a reasonable notification for purposes of Section 9-611(b) of the UCC. Each Grantor agrees that any sale of Collateral to a licensor pursuant to the terms of a license agreement between such licensor and a Grantor is sufficient to constitute a commercially reasonable sale (including as to method, terms, manner, and time) within the meaning of Section 9-610 of the UCC.
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(b) Secured Party is hereby granted a license or other right to use, without liability for royalties or any other charge, each Grantor’s Intellectual Property, including but not limited to, any labels, Patents, Trademarks, trade names, URLs, domain names, industrial designs, Copyrights, and advertising matter, whether owned by any Grantor or with respect to which any Grantor has rights under license, sublicense, or other agreements (including any Intellectual Property License), as it pertains to the Collateral, in preparing for sale, advertising for sale and selling any Collateral, and each Grantor’s rights under all licenses and all franchise agreements shall inure to the benefit of Secured Party.
(c) Secured Party may, in addition to other rights and remedies provided for herein, in the other Loan Documents, or otherwise available to it under applicable law and without the requirement of notice to or upon any Grantor or any other Person (which notice is hereby expressly waived to the maximum extent permitted by the UCC or any other applicable law), (i) with respect to any Grantor’s Deposit Accounts in which Secured Party’s Liens are perfected by control under Section 9-104 of the UCC, instruct the bank maintaining such Deposit Account for the applicable Grantor to pay the balance of such Deposit Account to or for the benefit of Secured Party, and (ii) with respect to any Grantor’s Securities Accounts in which Secured Party’s Liens are perfected by control under Section 9-106 of the UCC, instruct the securities intermediary maintaining such Securities Account for the applicable Grantor to (A) transfer any cash in such Securities Account to or for the benefit of Secured Party, or (B) liquidate any financial assets in such Securities Account that are customarily sold on a recognized market and transfer the cash proceeds thereof to or for the benefit of Secured Party.
(d) Any cash held by Secured Party as Collateral and all cash proceeds received by Secured Party in respect of any sale of, collection from, or other realization upon all or any part of the Collateral shall be applied against the Secured Obligations in the order set forth in the Loan Agreement. In the event the proceeds of Collateral are insufficient to satisfy all of the Secured Obligations in full, each Grantor shall remain jointly and severally liable for any such deficiency.
(e) Each Grantor hereby acknowledges that the Secured Obligations arise out of a commercial transaction, and agrees that if an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing Secured Party shall have the right to an immediate writ of possession without notice of a hearing. Secured Party shall have the right to the appointment of a receiver for the properties and assets of each Grantor, and each Grantor hereby consents to such rights and such appointment and hereby waives any objection such Grantor may have thereto or the right to have a bond or other security posted by Secured Party.
17. Remedies Cumulative. Each right, power, and remedy of Secured Party, as provided for in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or by statute or otherwise shall be cumulative and concurrent and shall be in addition to every other right, power, or remedy provided for in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or by statute or otherwise, and the exercise or beginning of the exercise by Secured Party of any one or more of such rights, powers, or remedies shall not preclude the simultaneous or later exercise by Secured Party of any or all such other rights, powers, or remedies.
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18. Marshaling. Secured Party shall not be required to marshal any present or future collateral security (including but not limited to the Collateral) for, or other assurances of payment of, the Secured Obligations or any of them or to resort to such collateral security or other assurances of payment in any particular order, and all of its rights and remedies hereunder and in respect of such collateral security and other assurances of payment shall be cumulative and in addition to all other rights and remedies, however existing or arising. To the extent that it lawfully may, each Grantor hereby agrees that it will not invoke any law relating to the marshaling of collateral which might cause delay in or impede the enforcement of Secured Party’s rights and remedies under this Agreement or under any other instrument creating or evidencing any of the Secured Obligations or under which any of the Secured Obligations is outstanding or by which any of the Secured Obligations is secured or payment thereof is otherwise assured, and, to the extent that it lawfully may, each Grantor hereby irrevocably waives the benefits of all such laws.
19. Indemnity and Expenses.
(a) Each Grantor agrees to indemnify Secured Party from and against all claims, lawsuits and liabilities (including attorneys fees) growing out of or resulting from this Agreement (including enforcement of this Agreement) or any other Loan Document to which such Grantor is a party, except claims, losses or liabilities resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the party seeking indemnification as determined by a final non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction. This provision shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the Loan Agreement and the repayment of the Secured Obligations.
(b) Grantors, jointly and severally, shall, upon demand, pay to Secured Party all the fees and expenses which Secured Party may incur in connection with (i) the administration of this Agreement, (ii) the custody, preservation, use or operation of, or the sale of, collection from, or other realization upon, any of the Collateral in accordance with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (iii) the exercise or enforcement of any of the rights of Secured Party hereunder or (iv) the failure by any Grantor to perform or observe any of the provisions hereof.
20. Merger, Amendments; Etc. THIS AGREEMENT, TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS, REPRESENTS THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement, and no consent to any departure by any Grantor herefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by Secured Party, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given. No amendment of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by Secured Party and each Grantor to which such amendment applies.
21. Addresses for Notices. All notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be given in the form and manner and delivered to Secured Party at its address specified in the Loan Agreement, and to any of the Grantors at their respective addresses specified in the Loan Agreement or Guaranty, as applicable, or, as to any party, at such other address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to the other party.
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22. Continuing Security Interest: Assignments under Loan Agreement.
(a) This Agreement shall create a continuing security interest in the Collateral and shall (i) remain in full force and effect until the Obligations have been paid in full in accordance with the provisions of the Loan Agreement and the Commitment has expired or has been terminated, (ii) be binding upon each Grantor, and their respective successors and assigns, and (iii) inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, Secured Party, and its successors, transferees and assigns. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing clause (iii), Lender may assign or otherwise transfer all or any portion of its rights and obligations under the Loan Agreement to any other Person, and such other Person shall thereupon become vested with all the benefits in respect thereof granted to such Lender herein or otherwise. Upon payment in full of the Secured Obligations in accordance with the provisions of the Loan Agreement and the expiration or termination of the Commitment, the Guaranty made and the Security Interest granted hereby shall terminate and all rights to the Collateral shall revert to Grantors or any other Person entitled thereto. At such time, upon Borrower’s request, Secured Party will authorize the filing of appropriate termination statements to terminate such Security Interest. No transfer or renewal, extension, assignment, or termination of this Agreement or of the Loan Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any other instrument or document executed and delivered by any Grantor to Secured Party nor any additional loans made by Lender to Borrower, nor the taking of further security, nor the retaking or re-delivery of the Collateral to Grantors, or any of them, by Secured Party shall release any Grantor from any obligation, except a release or discharge executed in writing by Secured Party in accordance with the provisions of the Loan Agreement. Secured Party shall not by any act, delay, omission or otherwise, be deemed to have waived any of its rights or remedies hereunder, unless such waiver is in writing and signed by Secured Party and then only to the extent therein set forth. A waiver by Secured Party of any right or remedy on any occasion shall not be construed as a bar to the exercise of any such right or remedy which Secured Party would otherwise have had on any other occasion.
(b) Each Grantor agrees that, if any payment made by any Grantor or other Person and applied to the Secured Obligations is at any time annulled, avoided, set, aside, rescinded, invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential or otherwise required to be refunded or repaid, or the proceeds of any Collateral are required to be returned by Secured Party to such Grantor, its estate, trustee, receiver or any other party, including any Grantor, under any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause, then, to the extent of such payment or repayment, any Lien or other Collateral securing such liability shall be and remain in full force and effect, as fully as if such payment had never been made. If, prior to any of the foregoing, (i) any Lien or other Collateral securing such Grantor’s liability hereunder shall have been released or terminated by virtue of the foregoing clause (a), or (ii) any provision of the Guaranty hereunder shall have been terminated, cancelled or surrendered, such Lien, other Collateral or provision shall be reinstated in full force and effect and such prior release, termination, cancellation or surrender shall not diminish, release, discharge, impair or otherwise affect the obligations of any such Grantor in respect of any Lien or other Collateral securing such obligation or the amount of such payment.
23. Survival. All representations and warranties made by the Grantors in this Agreement and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Advances, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that Secured Party may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or Event of Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended under the Loan Documents, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any loan or any fee or any other amount payable under the Loan Agreement is outstanding and unpaid and so long as the Commitment has not expired or terminated.
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24. CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE; JURY TRIAL WAIVER.
(a) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE APPLICABLE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN ENTERED INTO IN DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, AND IT SHALL BE PERFORMABLE FOR ALL PURPOSES IN DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS. ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS MAY BE BROUGHT IN ANY STATE OR FEDERAL COURT IN DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS. EACH GRANTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY (I) SUBMITS TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS, AND (II) WAIVES ANY OBJECTION IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE AS TO THE VENUE OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT OR THAT ANY SUCH COURT IS AN INCONVENIENT FORUM. EACH GRANTOR AGREES THAT SERVICE OF PROCESS UPON IT MAY BE MADE BY CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED, AT ITS ADDRESS SPECIFIED OR DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 21. NOTHING HEREIN OR IN ANY OF THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF LENDER TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR SHALL LIMIT THE RIGHT OF LENDER TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING AGAINST ANY GRANTOR OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF ITS PROPERTY IN COURTS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS. ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING BY ANY LOAN PARTY AGAINST LENDER SHALL BE BROUGHT ONLY IN A COURT LOCATED IN DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS.
(b) TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH GRANTOR HEREBY (OR BY ITS EXECUTION OF ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS) IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING, OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY OF THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED THEREBY OR THE ACTIONS OF LENDER IN THE NEGOTIATION, ADMINISTRATION, OR ENFORCEMENT THEREOF.
25. New Subsidiaries. Each of the Subsidiaries (whether now existing or hereafter acquired) of any Loan Party is required to enter into this Agreement by executing and delivering in favor of Secured Party a Joinder to this Agreement in substantially the form of Annex 1. Upon the execution and delivery of Annex 1 by any such Subsidiary, such Subsidiary shall become a Guarantor and Grantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if originally named as a Guarantor and Grantor herein. The execution and delivery of any instrument adding an additional Guarantor or Grantor as a party to this Agreement shall not require the consent of any Guarantor or Grantor hereunder. The rights and obligations of each Guarantor and Grantor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Guarantor or Grantor hereunder.
26. Miscellaneous.
(a) This Agreement is a Loan Document. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties on separate counterparts, each of which, when executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute but one and the same Agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Agreement by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission shall be equally as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Agreement. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Agreement by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission also shall deliver an original executed counterpart of this Agreement but the failure to deliver an original executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability, and binding effect of this Agreement. The foregoing shall apply to each other Loan Document mutatis mutandis.
(b) Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof in that jurisdiction or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction. Each provision of this Agreement shall be severable from every other provision of this Agreement for the purpose of determining the legal enforceability of any specific provision.
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(c) Headings and numbers have been set forth herein for convenience only. Unless the contrary is compelled by the context, everything contained in each Section applies equally to this entire Agreement.
[signature pages follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written.
GRANTORS: | DGSE COMPANIES, INC., | |
a Nevada corporation | ||
By: | ||
William H. Oyster, President | ||
DGSE CORPORATION, | ||
a Texas corporation | ||
By: | ||
William H. Oyster, President | ||
DGSE BULLION EXPRESS, LLC, | ||
a Texas limited liability company | ||
By: | ||
William H. Oyster, Manager | ||
CHARLESTON GOLD & DIAMOND EXCHANGE, INC., a South Carolina corporation | ||
By: | ||
William H. Oyster, President | ||
SBT, INC., | ||
a Nevada corporation | ||
By: | ||
William H. Oyster, President | ||
SUPERIOR GALLERIES, INC., | ||
a Delaware corporation | ||
By: | ||
William H. Oyster, President | ||
US BULLION EXCHANGE, INC., | ||
a Nevada corporation | ||
By: | ||
William H. Oyster, President |
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECURITY AGREEMENT]
SECURED PARTY: | NTR METALS, LLC, | |
a Texas limited liability company | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECURITY AGREEMENT]
ANNEX 1 TO GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
FORM OF JOINDER
Joinder No. ____ (this “Joinder”), dated as of ____________ 20___, to the Guaranty and Security Agreement, dated as of July 19, 2012 (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Guaranty and Security Agreement”), by and among each of the parties listed on the signature pages thereto and those additional entities that thereafter become parties thereto (collectively, jointly and severally, “Grantors” and each, individually, a “Grantor”) and NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, together with its successors and assigns, “Secured Party”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Loan Agreement dated as of July 19, 2012 (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”) by and between DGSE Companies, Inc., as borrower (“Borrower”), and Secured Party, as lender, Secured Party has agreed to make certain financial accommodations available to Borrower from time to time pursuant to the terms and conditions thereof; and
WHEREAS, initially capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Guaranty and Security Agreement or, if not defined therein, in the Loan Agreement, and this Joinder shall be subject to the rules of construction set forth in Section 1(b) of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, which rules of construction are incorporated herein by this reference, mutatis mutandis; and
WHEREAS, Grantors have entered into the Guaranty and Security Agreement in order to induce Lender to make certain financial accommodations to Borrower as provided for in the Loan Agreement and the other Loan Documents; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 4.1 of the Loan Agreement and Section 25 of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, all Subsidiaries of the Loan Parties must execute and deliver certain Loan Documents, including the Guarantor and Security Agreement, and the joinder to the Guaranty and Security Agreement by the undersigned Grantor or Grantors (collectively, the “New Grantors”) may be accomplished by the execution of this Joinder in favor of Secured Party; and
WHEREAS, each New Grantor (a) is a Subsidiary of Borrower and, as such, will benefit by virtue of the financial accommodations extended to Borrower by Lender and (b) by becoming a Grantor will benefit from certain rights granted to the Grantors pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents;
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each New Grantor hereby agrees as follows:
1. In accordance with Section 25 of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, each New Grantor, by its signature below, becomes a “Grantor” and “Guarantor” under the Guaranty and Security Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a “Grantor” and “Guarantor” and each New Grantor hereby (a) agrees to all of the terms and provisions of the Guaranty and Security Agreement applicable to it as a “Grantor” or “Guarantor” thereunder and (b) represents and warrants that the representations and warranties made by it as a “Grantor” or “Guarantor” thereunder are true and correct in all material respects (except that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any representations and warranties that are already qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof) on and as of the date hereof. In furtherance of the foregoing, each New Grantor hereby (a) jointly and severally unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety the full and prompt payment when due, whether upon maturity, acceleration, or otherwise, of all of the Guarantied Obligations, and (b) unconditionally grants, assigns, and pledges to Secured Party to secure the Secured Obligations, a continuing security interest in and to all of such New Grantor’s right, title and interest in and to the Collateral. Each reference to a “Grantor” or “Guarantor” in the Guaranty and Security Agreement shall be deemed to include each New Grantor. The Guaranty and Security Agreement is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Schedule 1, “Commercial Tort Claims”, Schedule 2, “Copyrights”, Schedule 3, “Intellectual Property Licenses”, Schedule 4, “Patents”, Schedule 5, “Pledged Companies”, Schedule 6, “Trademarks”, Schedule 7, Name; Chief Executive Office; Tax Identification Numbers and Organizational Numbers, Schedule 8, “Owned and Leased Real Property”, Schedule 9, “Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts”, Schedule 10, “Controlled Account Banks” and Schedule 11, “List of Uniform Commercial Code Filing Jurisdictions” attached hereto supplement Schedule 1, Schedule 2, Schedule 3, Schedule 4, Schedule 5, Schedule 6, Schedule 7, Schedule 8, Schedule 9, Schedule 10, and Schedule 11, respectively, to the Guaranty and Security Agreement and shall be deemed a part thereof for all purposes of the Guaranty and Security Agreement.
3. Each New Grantor authorizes Secured Party at any time and from time to time to file, transmit, or communicate, as applicable, financing statements and amendments thereto (i) describing the Collateral as “all personal property of debtor” or “all assets of debtor” or words of similar effect, (ii) describing the Collateral as being of equal or lesser scope or with greater detail, or (iii) that contain any information required by part 5 of Article 9 of the UCC for the sufficiency or filing office acceptance. Each New Grantor also hereby ratifies any and all financing statements or amendments previously filed by Secured Party in any jurisdiction in connection with the Loan Documents.
4. Each New Grantor represents and warrants to Secured Party that this Joinder has been duly executed and delivered by such New Grantor and constitutes its legal, valid, and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium, or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).
5. This Joinder is a Loan Document. This Joinder may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties on separate counterparts, each of which, when executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute but one and the same Joinder. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Joinder by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission shall be equally as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Joinder. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Joinder by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission also shall deliver an original executed counterpart of this Joinder but the failure to deliver an original executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability, and binding effect of this Joinder.
6. The Guaranty and Security Agreement, as supplemented hereby, shall remain in full force and effect.
7. THIS JOINDER SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS REGARDING CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER SET FORTH IN SECTION 24 OF THE GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT, AND SUCH PROVISIONS ARE INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFERENCE, MUTATIS MUTANDIS.
[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Joinder to the Guaranty and Security Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written.
NEW GRANTOR: | [NAME OF NEW GRANTOR] | |
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
[NAME OF NEW GRANTOR] | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
SECURED PARTY: | NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company | |
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO JOINDER NO. ____ TO GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT]
EXHIBIT A
COPYRIGHT SECURITY AGREEMENT
This COPYRIGHT SECURITY AGREEMENT (this “Copyright Security Agreement”) is made this ___ day of ___________, 20__, by and among Grantors listed on the signature pages hereof (collectively, jointly and severally, “Grantors” and each individually “Grantor”), and NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, together with its successors and assigns, “Secured Party”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Loan Agreement dated as of July 19, 2012 (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”) by and among DGSE Companies, Inc., as borrower (“Borrower”), and Secured Party, as lender, Secured Party has agreed to make certain financial accommodations available to Borrower from time to time pursuant to the terms and conditions thereof; and
WHEREAS, Secured Party is willing to make the financial accommodations to Borrower as provided for in the Loan Agreement and the other Loan Documents, but only upon the condition, among others, that Grantors shall have executed and delivered to Secured Party, that certain Guaranty and Security Agreement, dated as of July 19, 2012 (including all annexes, exhibits or schedules thereto, as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, the “Guaranty and Security Agreement”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Guaranty and Security Agreement, Grantors are required to execute and deliver to Secured Party, this Copyright Security Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Grantors hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINED TERMS. All initially capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Guaranty and Security Agreement or, if not defined therein, in the Loan Agreement, and this Copyright Security Agreement shall be subject to the rules of construction set forth in Section 1(b) of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, which rules of construction are incorporated herein by this reference, mutatis mutandis.
2. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN COPYRIGHT COLLATERAL. Each Grantor hereby unconditionally grants, assigns, and pledges to Secured Party, to secure the Secured Obligations, a continuing security interest (referred to in this Copyright Security Agreement as the “Security Interest”) in all of such Grantor’s right, title and interest in and to the following, whether now owned or hereafter acquired or arising (collectively, the “Copyright Collateral”):
(a) all of such Grantor’s Copyrights and Copyright Intellectual Property Licenses to which it is a party including those referred to on Schedule I;
(b) all renewals or extensions of the foregoing; and
(c) all products and proceeds of the foregoing, including any claim by such Grantor against third parties for past, present or future infringement of any Copyright or any Copyright exclusively licensed under any Intellectual Property License, including the right to receive damages, or the right to receive license fees, royalties, and other compensation under any Copyright Intellectual Property License.
3. SECURITY FOR SECURED OBLIGATIONS. This Copyright Security Agreement and the Security Interest created hereby secures the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations, whether now existing or arising hereafter. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Copyright Security Agreement secures the payment of all amounts which constitute part of the Secured Obligations and would be owed by Grantors, or any of them, to Secured Party, whether or not they are unenforceable or not allowable due to the existence of an Insolvency Proceeding involving any Grantor.
4. SECURITY AGREEMENT. The Security Interest granted pursuant to this Copyright Security Agreement is granted in conjunction with the security interests granted to Secured Party, pursuant to the Guaranty and Security Agreement. Each Grantor hereby acknowledges and affirms that the rights and remedies of Secured Party with respect to the Security Interest in the Copyright Collateral made and granted hereby are more fully set forth in the Guaranty and Security Agreement, the terms and provisions of which are incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth herein. To the extent there is any inconsistency between this Copyright Security Agreement and the Guaranty and Security Agreement, the Guaranty and Security Agreement shall control.
5. AUTHORIZATION TO SUPPLEMENT. Grantors shall give Secured Party prior written notice of no less than five (5) Business Days before filing any additional application for registration of any copyright and prompt notice in writing of any additional copyright registrations granted therefor after the date hereof. Without limiting Grantors’ obligations under this Section, Grantors hereby authorize Secured Party unilaterally to modify this Copyright Security Agreement by amending Schedule I to include any future United States registered copyrights or applications therefor of each Grantor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no failure to so modify this Copyright Security Agreement or amend Schedule I shall in any way affect, invalidate or detract from Secured Party’s continuing security interest in all Collateral, whether or not listed on Schedule I.
6. COUNTERPARTS. This Copyright Security Agreement is a Loan Document. This Copyright Security Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties on separate counterparts, each of which, when executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute but one and the same Copyright Security Agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Copyright Security Agreement by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission shall be equally as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Copyright Security Agreement. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Copyright Security Agreement by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission also shall deliver an original executed counterpart of this Copyright Security Agreement but the failure to deliver an original executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability, and binding effect of this Copyright Security Agreement.
7. CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER PROVISION. THIS COPYRIGHT SECURITY AGREEMENT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS REGARDING CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER SET FORTH IN SECTION 24 OF THE GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT, AND SUCH PROVISIONS ARE INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFERENCE, MUTATIS MUTANDIS.
[signature page follows]
2 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Copyright Security Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written.
GRANTORS: | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
ACCEPTED AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY: | ||
SECURED PARTY: | NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company | |
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO COPYRIGHT SECURITY AGREEMENT]
SCHEDULE
I
to
COPYRIGHT SECURITY AGREEMENT
Copyright Registrations
Grantor | Country | Copyright | Registration No. | Registration Date | ||||
Copyright Licenses
EXHIBIT B
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT
This PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (this “Patent Security Agreement”) is made this ___ day of ___________, 20__, by and among the Grantors listed on the signature pages hereof (collectively, jointly and severally, “Grantors” and each individually “Grantor”), and NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, together with its successors and assigns, “Secured Party”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Loan Agreement dated as of July 19, 2012 (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”) by and among DGSE Companies, Inc., as borrower (“Borrower”), and Secured Party, as Lender, Lender has agreed to make certain financial accommodations available to Borrower from time to time pursuant to the terms and conditions thereof; and
WHEREAS, Secured Party is willing to make the financial accommodations to Borrower as provided for in the Loan Agreement and the other Loan Documents, but only upon the condition, among others, that the Grantors shall have executed and delivered to Secured Party, that certain Guaranty and Security Agreement, dated as of July 19, 2012 (including all annexes, exhibits or schedules thereto, as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, the “Guaranty and Security Agreement”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Guaranty and Security Agreement, Grantors are required to execute and deliver to Secured Party, this Patent Security Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each Grantor hereby agrees as follows:
1. DEFINED TERMS. All initially capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Guaranty and Security Agreement or, if not defined therein, in the Loan Agreement, and this Patent Security Agreement shall be subject to the rules of construction set forth in Section 1(b) of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, which rules of construction are incorporated herein by this reference, mutatis mutandis.
2. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL. Each Grantor hereby unconditionally grants, assigns, and pledges to Secured Party to secure the Secured Obligations, a continuing security interest (referred to in this Patent Security Agreement as the “Security Interest”) in all of such Grantor’s right, title and interest in and to the following, whether now owned or hereafter acquired or arising (collectively, the “Patent Collateral”):
(a) all of its Patents and Patent Intellectual Property Licenses to which it is a party including those referred to on Schedule I;
(b) all divisionals, continuations, continuations-in-part, reissues, reexaminations, or extensions of the foregoing; and
(c) all products and proceeds of the foregoing, including any claim by such Grantor against third parties for past, present or future infringement of any Patent or any Patent exclusively licensed under any Intellectual Property License, including the right to receive damages, or right to receive license fees, royalties, and other compensation under any Patent Intellectual Property License.
3. SECURITY FOR SECURED OBLIGATIONS. This Patent Security Agreement and the Security Interest created hereby secures the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations, whether now existing or arising hereafter. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Patent Security Agreement secures the payment of all amounts which constitute part of the Secured Obligations and would be owed by Grantors, or any of them, to Secured Party, whether or not they are unenforceable or not allowable due to the existence of an Insolvency Proceeding involving any Grantor.
4. SECURITY AGREEMENT. The Security Interest granted pursuant to this Patent Security Agreement is granted in conjunction with the security interests granted to Secured Party, pursuant to the Guaranty and Security Agreement. Each Grantor hereby acknowledges and affirms that the rights and remedies of Secured Party with respect to the Security Interest in the Patent Collateral made and granted hereby are more fully set forth in the Guaranty and Security Agreement, the terms and provisions of which are incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth herein. To the extent there is any inconsistency between this Patent Security Agreement and the Guaranty and Security Agreement, the Guaranty and Security Agreement shall control.
5. AUTHORIZATION TO SUPPLEMENT. If any Grantor shall obtain rights to any new patent application or issued patent or become entitled to the benefit of any patent application or patent for any divisional, continuation, continuation-in-part, reissue, or reexamination of any existing patent or patent application, the provisions of this Patent Security Agreement shall automatically apply thereto. Grantors shall give prompt notice in writing to Secured Party with respect to any such new patent rights. Without limiting Grantors’ obligations under this Section, Grantors hereby authorize Secured Party unilaterally to modify this Patent Security Agreement by amending Schedule I to include any such new patent rights of each Grantor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no failure to so modify this Patent Security Agreement or amend Schedule I shall in any way affect, invalidate or detract from Secured Party’s continuing security interest in all Collateral, whether or not listed on Schedule I.
6. COUNTERPARTS. This Patent Security Agreement is a Loan Document. This Patent Security Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties on separate counterparts, each of which, when executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute but one and the same Patent Security Agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Patent Security Agreement by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission shall be equally as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Patent Security Agreement. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Patent Security Agreement by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission also shall deliver an original executed counterpart of this Patent Security Agreement but the failure to deliver an original executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability, and binding effect of this Patent Security Agreement.
7. CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER PROVISION. THIS PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS REGARDING CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER SET FORTH IN SECTION 24 OF THE GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT, AND SUCH PROVISIONS ARE INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFERENCE, MUTATIS MUTANDIS.
[signature page follows]
2 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Patent Security Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written.
GRANTORS: | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
SECURED PARTY: | ACCEPTED AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY: | |
NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT]
SCHEDULE
I
to
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT
Patents
Grantor |
Country |
Patent |
Application/ Patent No. |
Filing Date | ||||
Patent Licenses
EXHIBIT C
PLEDGED INTERESTS ADDENDUM
This Pledged Interests Addendum, dated as of July 19, 2012 (this “Pledged Interests Addendum”), is delivered pursuant to Section 7 of the Guaranty and Security Agreement referred to below. The undersigned hereby agrees that this Pledged Interests Addendum may be attached to that certain Guaranty and Security Agreement, dated as of July 19, 2012, (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Guaranty and Security Agreement”), made by the undersigned, together with the other Grantors named therein, to NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, as Secured Party. Initially capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Guaranty and Security Agreement or, if not defined therein, in the Loan Agreement, and this Pledged Interests Addendum shall be subject to the rules of construction set forth in Section 1(b) of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, which rules of construction are incorporated herein by this reference, mutatis mutandis. The undersigned hereby agrees that the additional interests listed on Schedule I shall be and become part of the Pledged Interests pledged by the undersigned to Secured Party in the Guaranty and Security Agreement and any pledged company set forth on Schedule I shall be and become a “Pledged Company” under the Guaranty and Security Agreement, each with the same force and effect as if originally named therein.
This Pledged interests Addendum is a Loan Document. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Pledged Interests Addendum by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission shall be equally as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Pledged Interests Addendum. If the undersigned delivers an executed counterpart of this Pledged Interests Addendum by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission, the undersigned shall also deliver an original executed counterpart of this Pledged Interests Addendum but the failure to deliver an original executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability, and binding effect of this Pledged Interests Addendum.
The undersigned hereby certifies that the representations and warranties set forth in Section 6 of the Guaranty and Security Agreement of the undersigned are true and correct as to the Pledged Interests listed herein on and as of the date hereof.
THIS PLEDGED INTERESTS ADDENDUM SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS REGARDING CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER SET FORTH IN SECTION 24 OF THE GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT, AND SUCH PROVISIONS ARE INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFERENCE, MUTATIS MUTANDIS.
[signature page follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Pledged Interests Addendum to be executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written.
[___________________]
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
SCHEDULE
I
to
PLEDGED INTERESTS ADDENDUM
Pledged Interests
Name of Grantor |
Name of Pledged Company |
Number of Shares/Units |
Class of Interests |
Percentage of Class Owned |
Certificate Nos. | |||||
EXHIBIT D
TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT
This TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT (this “Trademark Security Agreement”) is made this ___ day of ___________, 20__, by and among Grantors listed on the signature pages hereof (collectively, jointly and severally, “Grantors” and each individually “Grantor”), and NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, together with its successors and assigns, “Secured Party”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Loan Agreement dated as of July 19, 2012 (as amended, restated, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”) by and among DGSE Companies, Inc., as borrower (“Borrower”), and Secured Party, as lender, Secured Party has agreed to make certain financial accommodations available to Borrower from time to time pursuant to the terms and conditions thereof; and
WHEREAS, Secured Party is willing to make the financial accommodations to Borrower as provided for in the Loan Agreement and the other Loan Documents, but only upon the condition, among others, that Grantors shall have executed and delivered to Secured Party, that certain Guaranty and Security Agreement, dated as of July 19, 2012 (including all annexes, exhibits or schedules thereto, as from time to time amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, the “Guaranty and Security Agreement”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Guaranty and Security Agreement, Grantors are required to execute and deliver to Secured Party, this Trademark Security Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each Grantor hereby agrees as follows:
1. DEFINED TERMS. All initially capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Guaranty and Security Agreement or, if not defined therein, in the Loan Agreement, and this Trademark Security Agreement shall be subject to the rules of construction set forth in Section 1(b) of the Guaranty and Security Agreement, which rules of construction are incorporated herein by this reference, mutatis mutandis.
2. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN TRADEMARK COLLATERAL. Each Grantor hereby unconditionally grants, assigns, and pledges to Secured Party to secure the Secured Obligations, a continuing security interest (referred to in this Trademark Security Agreement as the “Security Interest”) in all of such Grantor’s right, title and interest in and to the following, whether now owned or hereafter acquired or arising (collectively, the “Trademark Collateral”):
(a) all of its Trademarks and Trademark Intellectual Property Licenses to which it is a party including those referred to on Schedule I;
(b) all goodwill of the business connected with the use of, and symbolized by, each Trademark and each Trademark Intellectual Property License; and
(c) all products and proceeds (as that term is defined in the UCC) of the foregoing, including any claim by such Grantor against third parties for past, present or future (i) infringement or dilution of any Trademark or any Trademarks exclusively licensed under any Intellectual Property License, including right to receive any damages, (ii) injury to the goodwill associated with any Trademark, or (iii) right to receive license fees, royalties, and other compensation under any Trademark Intellectual Property License.
3. SECURITY FOR SECURED OBLIGATIONS. This Trademark Security Agreement and the Security Interest created hereby secures the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations, whether now existing or arising hereafter. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Trademark Security Agreement secures the payment of all amounts which constitute part of the Secured Obligations and would be owed by Grantors, or any of them, to Secured Party, whether or not they are unenforceable or not allowable due to the existence of an Insolvency Proceeding involving any Grantor.
4. SECURITY AGREEMENT. The Security Interest granted pursuant to this Trademark Security Agreement is granted in conjunction with the security interests granted to Secured Party, pursuant to the Guaranty and Security Agreement. Each Grantor hereby acknowledges and affirms that the rights and remedies of Secured Party with respect to the Security Interest in the Trademark Collateral made and granted hereby are more fully set forth in the Guaranty and Security Agreement, the terms and provisions of which are incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth herein. To the extent there is any inconsistency between this Trademark Security Agreement and the Guaranty and Security Agreement, the Guaranty and Security Agreement shall control.
5. AUTHORIZATION TO SUPPLEMENT. If any Grantor shall obtain rights to any new trademarks, the provisions of this Trademark Security Agreement shall automatically apply thereto. Grantors shall give prompt notice in writing to Secured Party with respect to any such new trademarks or renewal or extension of any trademark registration. Without limiting Grantors’ obligations under this Section, Grantors hereby authorize Secured Party unilaterally to modify this Trademark Security Agreement by amending Schedule I to include any such new trademark rights of each Grantor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no failure to so modify this Trademark Security Agreement or amend Schedule I shall in any way affect, invalidate or detract from Secured Party’s continuing security interest in all Collateral, whether or not listed on Schedule I.
6. COUNTERPARTS. This Trademark Security Agreement is a Loan Document. This Trademark Security Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties on separate counterparts, each of which, when executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute but one and the same Trademark Security Agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Trademark Security Agreement by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission shall be equally as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Trademark Security Agreement. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Trademark Security Agreement by telefacsimile or other electronic method of transmission also shall deliver an original executed counterpart of this Trademark Security Agreement but the failure to deliver an original executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability, and binding effect of this Trademark Security Agreement.
7. CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER PROVISION. THIS TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS REGARDING CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER SET FORTH IN SECTION 24 OF THE GUARANTY AND SECURITY AGREEMENT, AND SUCH PROVISIONS ARE INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFERENCE, MUTATIS MUTANDIS.
[signature page follows]
2 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Trademark Security Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written.
GRANTORS: | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
SECURED PARTY: | ACCEPTED AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY: | |
NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT]
SCHEDULE
I
to
TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT
Trademark Registrations/Applications
Grantor |
Country |
Mark |
Application/ Registration No. |
App/Reg Date | ||||
Trade Names
Common Law Trademarks
Trademarks Not Currently In Use
Trademark Licenses
EXECUTION VERSION
REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE
July 19, 2012 | Dallas, Texas | $7,500,000.00 |
For value received, the undersigned (hereinafter called “Maker”) promises to pay to the order of NTR METALS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (together with its successors and assigns, hereinafter called “Lender”) by wire transfer to a Deposit Account of Lender designated from time to time by Lender to Borrower, in immediately available lawful money of the United States of America, the sum of SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($7,500,000.00), or so much thereof as may be advanced hereunder, together with interest on the outstanding unpaid principal balance from the dates funded until the Maturity Date at the rate of two percent (2.0%) per annum. All past due principal and interest shall bear interest at a rate of ten percent (10%) per annum (the “Default Interest Rate”). Capitalized terms used in this note have the meanings assigned thereto in the Loan Agreement (as defined below).
Principal and accrued interest on this note are due and payable as follows:
(a) Interest as it accrues on the outstanding principal balance hereof shall be due and payable on the last Business Day of each September, December, March, and June, beginning September 28, 2012, and on the Maturity Date; and
(b) All outstanding principal of this Note and all other Obligations shall be due and payable in full at 11:00 am, Dallas, Texas time, on the date (the “Maturity Date”) that is the earlier of (i) August 1, 2014, (ii) the date that is twelve (12) months after Lender gives Maker written notice demanding that all Obligations be paid in full, (iii) the date the Obligations are accelerated in accordance with the Loan Agreement, or (iv) the date on which the Commitment terminates as provided in the Loan Agreement.
The unpaid principal balance hereof shall at no time exceed the sum of SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. The unpaid principal balance of this note at any time shall be the total amounts loaned or advanced hereunder by Lender, less the amount of payments or prepayments of principal made hereon by or for the account of Maker. Advances hereunder are made at Lender’s sole discretion. It is contemplated that by reason of prepayments hereon there may be times when no indebtedness is owing hereunder; but notwithstanding such occurrences, this note shall remain valid and shall be in full force and effect as to loans or advances made pursuant to and under the terms of this note subsequent to each such occurrence. All Advances and all payments or prepayments made hereunder on account of principal or interest may be endorsed by Lender on a schedule on the last page hereof and on additional schedule pages attached hereto from time to time by Lender if more space is necessary; failure to make any such endorsement, however, shall not affect the rights of Lender or any obligations of Borrower to Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Documents. In the event that the aggregate Obligations at any time, for any reason, exceed the Commitment, Maker covenants and agrees to pay the excess forthwith ON DEMAND; such excess principal amount shall in all respects be deemed to be included among the Advances made pursuant to the other terms of this note and the Loan Agreement and shall bear interest at the rates hereinabove stated.
REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE – Page 1
Advances hereunder may be made by Lender, at its sole discretion, shall be deemed to have been made pursuant to (and shall in all respects be subject to) the terms of that certain Loan Agreement (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”), dated of even date with this note, by and between Maker and Lender.
If all Obligations are not paid in full on the Maturity Date, or proceedings are had in bankruptcy, receivership, reorganization, arrangement or other legal proceedings for collection hereof, Maker and each other Loan Party agree to pay Lender its collection costs, including attorney’s fees, but in no event to exceed the maximum amount permitted by applicable law. Maker hereby expressly waives bringing of suit and diligence in taking any action to collect any sums owing hereon and in the handling of any security, and Maker hereby consents to and agrees to remain liable hereon regardless of any renewals, extensions for any period or rearrangements hereof, or partial prepayments hereon, or any release or substitution of security herefore, in whole or in part, with or without notice, from time to time, before or after maturity.
Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default (as such term is defined in the Loan Agreement), this note shall become due and payable forthwith without demand, notice of default or of intent to accelerate the maturity hereof, notice of nonpayment, presentment, protest or notice of dishonor, ALL OF WHICH ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVED BY MAKER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY.
Maker reserves the option of prepaying the principal of this note, in whole or in part, at any time after the date hereof without penalty. At the option of Lender, it may demand (at any time at or after prepayment) all accrued and unpaid interest with respect to the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment. All payments made hereunder, whether designated as payments of principal or interest, shall be applied to the principal or interest of this note or to expenses provided for herein, or any combination of the foregoing, as directed by Lender at its option.
Unless otherwise specified below, this note shall be construed under and governed by the laws of the State of Texas (including applicable federal law), but in any event Chapter 346 of the Texas Finance Code (which regulates certain revolving credit loan accounts and revolving tri-party accounts) shall not apply to the Advances evidenced by this note.
DGSE COMPANIES, INC., | ||
a Nevada corporation | ||
By: | ||
William H. Oyster, President |
REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE – Page 2
DGSE Announces Entry into Loan Agreement with NTR Metals, LLC
DGSE Companies, Inc. (NYSE MKT: DGSE) today announced that it has entered into a Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with its majority shareholder, NTR Metals, LLC (“NTR”), through which NTR will provide to DGSE a guidance line of revolving credit in an amount of up to $7,500,000 (the “Line of Credit”).
“Our new credit facility with NTR Metals grants DGSE the flexibility to pursue growth in our core business lines at terms that are extremely favorable to DGSE,” stated William Oyster, President and CEO of DGSE Companies, Inc.
The new credit facility carries an interest rate of two percent (2%) per annum for all funds borrowed pursuant to the Loan Agreement. Proceeds from the first draw of funds from the Line of Credit were used to repay DGSE’s indebtedness to Texas Capital Bank, N.A. (“TCB”). Future funds drawn on the Line of Credit will be used as working capital in the ordinary course of business of DGSE.
John Loftus, President of NTR Metals, LLC added, “Today’s announcement by DGSE Companies represents an important statement regarding NTR’s enthusiasm for DGSE’s current financial stability and future growth expectations.”
About DGSE Companies, Inc.
DGSE Companies, Inc. wholesales and retails jewelry, diamonds, fine watches, and precious metal bullion and rare coin products through its Bullion Express, Charleston Gold & Diamond Exchange, Dallas Gold & Silver Exchange, and Southern Bullion Coin & Jewelry operations. DGSE also owns Fairchild International, Inc., one of the largest vintage watch wholesalers in the country. In addition to its retail facilities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, the Company operates internet websites which can be accessed at www.bullionexpress.com, www.dgse.com, www.cgdeinc.com, and www.sbcoin.com. Real-time price quotations and real-time order execution in precious metals are provided on another DGSE website at www.USBullionExchange.com. Wholesale customers can access the full vintage watch inventory through the restricted site at www.FairchildWatches.com.
The Company is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and its common stock trades on NYSE MKT Exchange under the symbol "DGSE."
This press release includes statements which may constitute "forward-looking" statements, usually containing the words "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect" or similar expressions. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that would cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, continued acceptance of the Company's products and services in the marketplace, competitive factors, dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release. In addition to the results presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles throughout this press release, DGSE has presented non-GAAP financial measures such as EBITDA. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures, viewed in addition to and not in lieu of the Company's reported GAAP results, provide useful information to investors because they are an integral part of the Company's internal evaluation of operating performance. In addition, they are measures that DGSE uses to evaluate management's effectiveness. DGSE's non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies.
Contact:
DGSE Companies, Inc.
William H. Oyster, 972-484-3662
Chairman and CEO