EX-10.2 4 ex10-2.txt Exhibit 10.2 GUARANTY (Domestic) GUARANTY, dated as of February 28, 2002, by WATTS INDUSTRIES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Parent"), WATTS INVESTMENT COMPANY, a Delaware corporation, WATTS PREMIER, INC., an Arizona corporation, WATTS SPACEMAKER, INC. a California corporation, WATTS RADIANT, INC. a Delaware corporation, WATTS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, INC., a Delaware corporation, ANDERSON-BARROWS METALS CORPORATION, a California corporation, WATTS DRAINAGE PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware corporation, WEBSTER VALVE, INC., a New Hampshire corporation, and JAMECO INDUSTRIES, INC., a New York corporation (collectively, the "Guarantors" and each individually, a "Guarantor") in favor of (i) Fleet National Bank, a national banking association, as administrative agent (hereinafter, in such capacity, the "Administrative Agent") for itself and the other lending institutions (hereinafter, collectively, the "Lenders"), which are or may become parties to a Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2002 (as amended and in effect from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), by and among the Parent, Watts Regulator Co., a Delaware corporation (the "Domestic Borrower"), Watts Industries Europe B.V., a private company with limited liability organized under the laws of The Netherlands (the "Foreign Borrower" and collectively with the Domestic Borrower, the "Borrowers"), the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and (ii) each of the Lenders. WHEREAS, the Borrowers and the Guarantors are members of a group of related entities, the success of any one of which is dependent in part on the success of the other members of such group; WHEREAS, each Guarantor expects to receive substantial direct and indirect benefits from the extensions of credit to the Borrowers by the Lenders pursuant to the Credit Agreement (which benefits are hereby acknowledged); WHEREAS, it is a condition precedent to the Lenders' making any loans or otherwise extending credit to the Borrowers under the Credit Agreement that each Guarantor execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, a guaranty substantially in the form hereof; and WHEREAS, each Guarantor wishes to jointly and severally guaranty the Borrowers' obligations to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under or in respect of the Credit Agreement as provided herein; NOW, THEREFORE, each Guarantor hereby agrees with the Lenders and the Administrative Agent as follows: 1. Definitions. The term "Obligations" and all other capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the respective meanings provided therefor in the Credit Agreement. -2- 2. Guaranty of Payment and Performance. Each Guarantor hereby jointly and severally guarantees to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent the full and punctual payment when due (whether at stated maturity, by required pre-payment, by acceleration or otherwise), as well as the performance, of all of the Obligations including all such which would become due but for the operation of the automatic stay pursuant to ss.362(a) of the Federal Bankruptcy Code and the operation of ss.ss.502(b) and 506(b) of the Federal Bankruptcy Code. This Guaranty is an absolute, unconditional and continuing guaranty of the full and punctual payment and performance of all of the Obligations and not of their collectibility only and is in no way conditioned upon any requirement that the Administrative Agent or any Lender first attempt to collect any of the Obligations from the Borrowers or resort to any collateral security or other means of obtaining payment. Should the Borrowers default in the payment or performance of any of the Obligations, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder with respect to such Obligations in default shall, upon demand by the Administrative Agent, become immediately due and payable to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, without demand or notice of any nature, all of which are expressly waived by such Guarantor. Payments by any Guarantor hereunder may be required by the Administrative Agent on any number of occasions. All payments by any Guarantor hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, in the manner and at the place of payment specified therefor in the Credit Agreement, for the account of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent. Each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that all payments by such Guarantor hereunder shall be made without recoupment, setoff or counterclaim and free and clear of and without deduction for any taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions, withholdings, compulsory loans, restrictions or conditions of any nature now or hereafter imposed or levied by any jurisdiction or any political subdivision thereof or taxing or other authority therein unless such Guarantor is compelled by law to make such deduction or withholding. If any such obligation is imposed upon any Guarantor with respect to any amount payable by it hereunder, such Guarantor will pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Lenders or (as the case may be) the Administrative Agent, on the date on which such amount is due and payable hereunder, such additional amount in Dollars as shall be necessary to enable the Lenders or the Administrative Agent to receive the same net amount which the Lenders or the Administrative Agent would have received on such due date had no such obligation been imposed upon such Guarantor. Each Guarantor will deliver promptly to the Administrative Agent certificates or other valid vouchers for all taxes or other charges deducted from or paid with respect to payments made by such Guarantor hereunder. 3. Guarantors' Agreement to Pay Enforcement Costs, etc. Each Guarantor further agrees, as the principal obligor and not as a guarantor only, to jointly and severally pay to the Administrative Agent, on demand, all reasonable costs and expenses (including court costs and legal expenses) incurred or expended by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the enforcement of this Guaranty and the Obligations, together with interest on amounts recoverable under this ss.3 from the time when such amounts become due until payment, whether before or after judgment, at the rate of interest for overdue principal set forth in the Credit Agreement, provided that if such interest exceeds the maximum amount permitted to be paid under applicable law, then such interest shall be reduced to such maximum permitted amount. -3- 4. Waivers by Guarantors; Lenders' Freedom to Act. Each Guarantor agrees that the Obligations will be paid and performed strictly in accordance with their respective terms, regardless of any law, regulation or order now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction affecting any of such terms or the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender with respect thereto. Each Guarantor waives promptness, diligences, presentment, demand, protest, notice of acceptance, notice of any Obligations incurred and all other notices of any kind, all defenses which may be available by virtue of any valuation, stay, moratorium law or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, any right to require the marshalling of assets of the Borrowers or any other entity or other person primarily or secondarily liable with respect to any of the Obligations, and all suretyship defenses generally. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Guarantor agrees to the provisions of any instrument evidencing, securing or otherwise executed in connection with any Obligation and agrees that the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder shall not be released or discharged, in whole or in part, or otherwise affected by (i) the failure of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against the Borrowers or any other entity or other person primarily or secondarily liable with respect to any of the Obligations; (ii) any extensions, compromise, refinancing, consolidation or renewals of any Obligation; (iii) any change in the time, place or manner of payment of any of the Obligations or any rescissions, waivers, compromise, refinancing, consolidation or other amendments or modifications of any of the terms or provisions of the Credit Agreement, the Revolving Credit Notes, the other Loan Documents or any other agreement evidencing, securing or otherwise executed in connection with any of the Obligations; (iv) the addition, substitution or release of any entity or other person primarily or secondarily liable for any Obligation; (v) the adequacy of any rights which the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have against any collateral security or other means of obtaining repayment of any of the Obligations; (vi) the impairment of any collateral securing any of the Obligations, including without limitation the failure to perfect or preserve any rights which the Administrative Agent or any Lender might have in such collateral security or the substitution, exchange, surrender, release, loss or destruction of any such collateral security; or (vii) any other act or omission which might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of such Guarantor or otherwise operate as a release or discharge of such Guarantor, all of which may be done without notice to such Guarantor. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives any and all rights or defenses arising by reason of (A) any "one action" or "anti-deficiency" law which would otherwise prevent the Administrative Agent or any Lender from bringing any action, including any claim for a deficiency, or exercising any other right or remedy (including any right of set-off), against such Guarantor before or after the Administrative Agent's or such Lender's commencement or completion of any foreclosure action, whether judicially, by exercise of power of sale or otherwise, or (B) any other law which in any other way would otherwise require any election of remedies by the Administrative Agent or any Lender. -4- 5. Unenforceability of Obligations Against Borrowers. If for any reason any Borrower has no legal existence or is under no legal obligation to discharge any of the Obligations, or if any of the Obligations have become irrecoverable from any Borrower by reason of such Borrower's insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization or by other operation of law or for any other reason, this Guaranty shall nevertheless be binding on each Guarantor to the same extent as if such Guarantor at all times had been the principal obligor on all such Obligations. In the event that acceleration of the time for payment of any of the Obligations is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower, or for any other reason, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of the Credit Agreement, the Revolving Credit Notes, the other Loan Documents or any other agreement evidencing, securing or otherwise executed in connection with any Obligation shall be immediately due and payable by each Guarantor. 6. Subrogation; Subordination. 6.1. Waiver of Rights Against Borrowers. Until the final payment and performance in full of all of the Obligations, (a) each Guarantor shall not exercise and hereby subordinates any rights against each of the Borrowers arising as a result of payment by such Guarantor hereunder, by way of subrogation, reimbursement, restitution, contribution or otherwise, and will not prove any claim in competition with the Administrative Agent or any Lender in respect of any payment hereunder in any bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization case or proceedings of any nature; (b) none of the Guarantors will claim any setoff, recoupment or counterclaim against any Borrower in respect of any liability of such Guarantor to such Borrower; and (c) each Guarantor waives any benefit of and any right to participate in any collateral security which may be held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender. 6.2. Subordination. The payment of any amounts due with respect to any indebtedness of the Borrowers for money borrowed or credit received now or hereafter owed to any Guarantor is hereby subordinated to the prior payment in full of all of the Obligations. Each Guarantor agrees that, after the occurrence and during the continuance of any default in the payment or performance of any of the Obligations, none of the Guarantors will demand, sue for or otherwise attempt to collect any such indebtedness of any Borrower to any Guarantor until all of the Obligations shall have been paid in full. If, notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, any Guarantor shall collect, enforce or receive any amounts in respect of such indebtedness while any Obligations are still outstanding, such amounts shall be collected, enforced and received by such Guarantor as trustee for the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and be paid over to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, on account of the Obligations without affecting in any manner the liability of such Guarantor under the other provisions of this Guaranty. -5- 6.3. Provisions Supplemental. The provisions of this ss.6 shall be supplemental to and not in derogation of any rights and remedies of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under any separate subordination agreement which the Administrative Agent may at any time and from time to time enter into with any Guarantor for the benefit of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent. 7. Security; Setoff. Each Guarantor grants to each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, as security for the full and punctual payment and performance of all of such Guarantor's obligations hereunder, a continuing lien on and security interest in all securities or other property belonging to such Guarantor now or hereafter held by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and in all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) and other sums credited by or due from the Administrative Agent or such Lender to such Guarantor or subject to withdrawal by such Guarantor. Regardless of the adequacy of any collateral security or other means of obtaining payment of any of the Obligations, each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time following the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, without notice to any Guarantor (any such notice being expressly waived by such Guarantor) and to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply such deposits and other sums against the obligations of such Guarantor under this Guaranty, whether or not the Administrative Agent or such Lender shall have made any demand under this Guaranty and although such obligations may be contingent or unmatured. 8. Further Assurances. Each Guarantor agrees that it will from time to time, at the request of the Administrative Agent, do all such things and execute all such documents as the Administrative Agent may consider necessary or desirable to give full effect to this Guaranty and to perfect and preserve the rights and powers of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent hereunder. Each Guarantor acknowledges and confirms that such Guarantor itself has established its own adequate means of obtaining from the Borrowers on a continuing basis all information desired by such Guarantor concerning the financial condition of the Borrowers and that such Guarantor will look to the Borrowers and not to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in order for such Guarantor to keep adequately informed of changes in the Borrowers' financial condition. 9. Termination; Reinstatement. With respect to any Guarantor, this Guaranty shall remain in full force and effect until the Administrative Agent is given written notice of such Guarantor's intention to discontinue this Guaranty, notwithstanding any intermediate or temporary payment or settlement of the whole or any part of the Obligations. No such notice shall be effective unless received and acknowledged by an officer of the Administrative Agent at the address of the Administrative Agent for notices set forth in ss.15.6 of the Credit Agreement. No such notice shall affect any rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder, including without limitation the rights set forth in ss.ss.4 and 6, with respect to any Obligations incurred or accrued prior to the receipt of such notice or any Obligations incurred or accrued pursuant to any contract or commitment in existence prior to such receipt. This Guaranty shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, notwithstanding any such notice, if at any time any payment made or value received with respect to any Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be returned by the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower, or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made or value received. -6- 10. Successors and Assigns. This Guaranty shall be binding upon each Guarantor, its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and their respective successors, transferees and assigns. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, each Lender may assign or otherwise transfer the Credit Agreement, the Revolving Credit Notes, the other Loan Documents or any other agreement or note held by it evidencing, securing or otherwise executed in connection with the Obligations, or sell participations in any interest therein, to any other entity or other person, and such other entity or other person shall thereupon become vested, to the extent set forth in the agreement evidencing such assignment, transfer or participation, with all the rights in respect thereof granted to such Lender herein, all in accordance with ss.14 of the Credit Agreement. None of the Guarantors may assign any of its obligations hereunder. 11. Amendments and Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Guaranty nor consent to any departure by any Guarantor therefrom shall be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders. No failure on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. 12. Notices. All notices and other communications called for hereunder shall be made in writing and, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, shall be deemed to have been duly made or given when delivered by hand or mailed first class, postage prepaid, or, in the case of telegraphic or telexed notice, when transmitted, answer back received, addressed as follows: if to any Guarantor or the Administrative Agent, at the address for notices to such Guarantor or the Administrative Agent set forth in ss.15.6 of the Credit Agreement, or at such address as any party may designate in writing to the other. 13. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. THIS GUARANTY IS INTENDED TO TAKE EFFECT AS A SEALED INSTRUMENT AND SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. Each Guarantor agrees that any suit for the enforcement of this Guaranty may be brought in the courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or any federal court sitting therein and consents to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of such court and to service of process in any such suit being made upon such Guarantor by mail at the address specified by reference in ss.12. Each Guarantor hereby waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such suit or any such court or that such suit was brought in an inconvenient court. -7- 14. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH GUARANTOR HEREBY WAIVES ITS RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL WITH RESPECT TO ANY ACTION OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF ANY DISPUTE IN CONNECTION WITH THIS GUARANTY, ANY RIGHTS OR OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER OR THE PERFORMANCE OF ANY OF SUCH RIGHTS OR OBLIGATIONS. Except as prohibited by law, each Guarantor hereby waives any right which it may have to claim or recover in any litigation referred to in the preceding sentence any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages or any damages other than, or in addition to, actual damages. Each Guarantor (i) certifies that neither the Administrative Agent or any Lender nor any representative, agent or attorney of the Administrative Agent or any Lender has represented, expressly or otherwise, that the Administrative Agent or any Lender would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waivers and (ii) acknowledges that, in entering into the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the Administrative Agent or any Lender is a party, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders are relying upon, among other things, the waivers and certifications contained in this ss.14. 15. Miscellaneous. This Guaranty constitutes the entire agreement of each Guarantor with respect to the matters set forth herein. The rights and remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law or any other agreement, and this Guaranty shall be in addition to any other guaranty of or collateral security for any of the Obligations. The invalidity or unenforceability of any one or more sections of this Guaranty shall not affect the validity or enforceability of its remaining provisions. Captions are for the ease of reference only and shall not affect the meaning of the relevant provisions. The meanings of all defined terms used in this Guaranty shall be equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. [Remainder of page intentionally left blank] -8- IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Guarantor has caused this Guaranty to be executed and delivered as an instrument under seal as of the date first above written. WATTS INDUSTRIES, INC. By: _______________________________ Title: WATTS PREMIER, INC. By: _______________________________ Title: WATTS SPACEMAKER, INC. By: _______________________________ Title: WATTS RADIANT, INC. By: _______________________________ Title: ANDERSON-BARROWS METALS CORPORATION By: _______________________________ Title: WATTS DRAINAGE PRODUCTS, INC. By: _______________________________ Title: -9- WEBSTER VALVE, INC. By: _______________________________ Title: WATTS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, INC. By: _______________________________ Title: JAMECO INDUSTRIES, INC. By: _______________________________ Title: -10- WATTS INVESTMENT COMPANY By: _______________________________ Title: