EXHIBIT 4.9
CONFORMED COPY
JCI GUARANTEE AGREEMENT dated as of April 30, 1998, between
CDRJ ACQUISITION CORPORATION (to be renamed Jafra Cosmetics
International, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (the "Guarantor"),
and CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON, a bank organized under the laws
of Switzerland, acting through its New York branch, as collateral
agent (the "Collateral Agent") for the Secured Parties (as
defined in the Credit Agreement referred to below).
Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of April 30, 1998 (as
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit
Agreement"), among CDRJ Investments (Lux) S.A., a Luxembourg societe anonyme,
the Guarantor, Jafra Cosmetics International, S.A. de C.V., a sociedad anonima
de capital variable organized under the laws of the United Mexican States
("JCISA" and, together with the Guarantor, the "Borrowers"), the lenders from
time to time party thereto (the "Lenders"), the Issuing Bank (as defined
therein) and Credit Suisse First Boston, as administrative agent for the Lenders
(in such capacity, the "Administrative Agent"), as swingline lender and as
Collateral Agent. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall
have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.
The Lenders have agreed to make Loans to the Borrowers and the Issuing Bank
has agreed to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrowers pursuant
to, and upon the terms and subject to the conditions specified in, the Credit
Agreement. The Guarantor acknowledges that it will derive substantial benefit
from the making of the Loans by the Lenders and the issuance of the Letters of
Credit by the Issuing Bank. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of
the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit are conditioned on, among other
things, the execution and delivery by the Guarantor of a Guarantee Agreement in
the form hereof. As consideration therefor and in order to induce the Lenders
to make Loans and the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit, the Guarantor is
willing to execute this Agreement.
Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Guarantee. The Guarantor unconditionally guarantees, as a
primary obligor and not merely as a surety, all obligations of JCISA:
(a) under the Credit Agreement, including (a) the due and punctual
payment of (i) the principal of and premium, if any, and interest
(including interest accruing at the applicable rate provided in the Credit
Agreement during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership
or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in
such proceeding) on the Loans to JCISA, when and as due, whether at
maturity, by acceleration, upon one or more dates set for prepayment or
otherwise, (ii) each payment required to be made by JCISA under the Credit
Agreement in respect of any Letter of Credit, when and as due, including
payments in respect of reimbursement of disbursements and interest thereon
and (iii) all other monetary obligations, including fees, costs, expenses
and indemnities, whether direct, contingent, fixed or otherwise (including
monetary obligations incurred during the pendency of any bankruptcy,
insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether
allowed or allowable in such proceeding), of JCISA to the Secured Parties
under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents;
(b) for the due and punctual performance of all covenants, agreements,
obligations and liabilities of JCISA under or pursuant to the Credit
Agreement and the other Loan Documents;
(c) unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the counterparty
thereto, for the due and punctual payment and performance of all
obligations of JCISA, monetary or otherwise,
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under each Hedging Agreement entered into with a counterparty (whether or
not a Lender or an Affiliate thereof); and
(d) for the due and punctual payment and performance of all guarantee
obligations of JCISA referred to in Section 6.01(d)(ii) of the Credit
Agreement as to which any Lender or any Affiliate thereof is originally a
beneficiary (all the monetary and other obligations referred to in the
preceding clauses (a) through (d) being collectively called the
"Obligations");
provided, however, that no legal proceedings or other remedial actions to
enforce the guarantee of the Obligations hereunder may be initiated or taken
until the earlier to occur of (a) 30 days after written demand for payment or
performance thereof has been made by the Collateral Agent to the Guarantor and
(b) an event specified in Section 7.01 of the Credit Agreement with respect to
the Guarantor.
The Guarantor further agrees that the Obligations may be extended or
renewed, in whole or in part, without notice to or further assent from it, and
that it will remain bound upon its guarantee notwithstanding any extension or
renewal of any Obligation.
SECTION 2. Obligations Not Waived. To the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law, the Guarantor waives presentment to, demand of payment from and
protest to JCISA of any of the Obligations, and also waives notice of acceptance
of its guarantee and notice of protest for nonpayment. To the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law, the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall
not be affected by (a) the failure of the Collateral Agent or any other Secured
Party to assert any claim or demand or to enforce or exercise any right or
remedy against JCISA or any other guarantor of the Obligations under the
provisions of the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document or otherwise, (b)
any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of, or any release from any of
the terms or provisions of this Agreement, any other Loan Document, any
Guarantee or any other agreement, including with respect to any other guarantor
of the Obligations or (c) the failure to perfect any security interest in, or
the release of, any of the security held by or on behalf of the Collateral Agent
or any other Secured Party.
SECTION 3. Security. The Guarantor authorizes the Collateral Agent, for
the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, to (a) take and hold security
pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, the Pledge Agreement and the
other Security Documents for the payment of this guarantee and the Obligations
and exchange, enforce, waive and release any such security, (b) apply such
security and direct the order or manner of sale thereof pursuant to the terms
of the Credit Agreement, the Pledge Agreement and the other Security Documents
and (c) release or substitute any one or more endorsees, other guarantors or
other obligors.
SECTION 4. Guarantee of Payment. The Guarantor further agrees that its
guarantee constitutes a guarantee of payment when due and not of collection, and
waives any right to require that any resort be had by the Collateral Agent or
any other Secured Party to any of the security held for payment of the
Obligations or to any balance of any deposit account or credit on the books of
the Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party in favor of JCISA or any other
Person.
SECTION 5. No Discharge or Diminishment of Guarantee. The obligations of
the Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation,
impairment or termination for any reason (other than the performance or payment
in full of the Obligations, as the case may be), including any claim of waiver,
release, surrender, alteration or compromise of any of the Obligations, and
shall not be subject to any defense or set off, counterclaim, recoupment or
termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability of the Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall
not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by the failure of the
Collateral Agent or any other Secured Party to assert any claim or demand or to
enforce any remedy under the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document or any
other agreement, by any waiver or modification of any provision of any thereof,
by any default, failure or delay, wilful or otherwise, in the performance of the
Obligations, or by any
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other act or omission that may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the
risk of the Guarantor or that would otherwise operate as a discharge of the
Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than the performance or payment in
full of all the Obligations, as the case may be).
SECTION 6. Defenses of Borrower Waived. To the fullest extent permitted
by applicable law, the Guarantor waives any defense based on or arising out of
any defense of JCISA or the unenforceability of the Obligations or any part
thereof from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of
JCISA, other than the performance or payment in full of the Obligations then due
and owing. The Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured
Parties, may, at its election, foreclose on any security held by one or more of
them by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any
such security in lieu of foreclosure, compromise or adjust any part of the
Obligations, make any other accommodation with JCISA or any other guarantor or
exercise any other right or remedy available to them against JCISA or any other
guarantor, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of the
Guarantor hereunder except to the extent the Obligations then due and owing have
been fully paid.
SECTION 7. Agreement to Pay; Subrogation. In furtherance of the foregoing
and not in limitation of any other right that the Collateral Agent or any other
Secured Party has at law or in equity against the Guarantor by virtue hereof,
upon the failure of JCISA or any other Loan Party to pay any Obligation when and
as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, after notice
of prepayment or otherwise, the Guarantor hereby promises to and will forthwith
pay, or cause to be paid, to the Collateral Agent the amount of such unpaid
Obligations. Upon payment by the Guarantor of any sums to the Collateral Agent
as provided above, all rights of the Guarantor against JCISA arising as a result
thereof by way of right of subrogation, contribution, reimbursement, indemnity
or otherwise shall in all respects be subordinate and junior in right of payment
to the prior payment in full of all the Obligations. If any amount shall
erroneously be paid to the Guarantor on account of such subrogation,
contribution, reimbursement, indemnity or similar right, such amount shall be
held in trust for the benefit of the Secured Parties and shall forthwith be paid
to the Collateral Agent to be credited against the payment of the Obligations,
whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of the Loan
Documents.
SECTION 8. Information. The Guarantor assumes all responsibility for
being and keeping itself informed of JCISA'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 that the Guarantor
assumes and incurs hereunder, and agrees that none of the Collateral Agent or
the other Secured Parties will have any duty to advise the Guarantor of
information known to it or any of them regarding such circumstances or risks.
SECTION 9. Termination. The Guarantee made hereunder (a) shall terminate
when all the Obligations have been paid in full and the Lenders have no further
commitment to lend under the Credit Agreement, the L/C Exposure has been reduced
to zero and the Issuing Bank has no further obligation to issue Letters of
Credit under the Credit Agreement and (b) shall continue to be effective or be
reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of
any Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Secured Party
or the Guarantor upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of JCISA, the Guarantor
or otherwise.
SECTION 10. Binding Agreement; Assignments. Whenever in this Agreement
any of the parties hereto is referred to, such reference shall be deemed to
include the successors and assigns of such party; and all covenants, promises
and agreements by or on behalf of the Guarantor that are contained in this
Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of each party hereto and their
respective successors and assigns. This Agreement shall become effective when a
counterpart hereof executed on behalf of the Guarantor shall have been delivered
to the Collateral Agent and a counterpart hereof shall have been executed on
behalf of the Collateral Agent, and thereafter shall be binding upon the
Guarantor and the Collateral Agent and their respective successors and assigns,
and shall inure to the benefit of the Guarantor, the Collateral Agent and the
other Secured Parties, and their respective successors and assigns, except that
the Guarantor shall not have the right to assign its
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rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein except with the written
consent of the Collateral Agent (and any such attempted assignment shall be
void).
SECTION 11. Waivers; Amendment. (a) No failure or delay of the Collateral
Agent in exercising any power or right hereunder shall operate as a waiver
thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or
any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power,
preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other
right or power. The rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent hereunder and
of the other Secured Parties under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and
are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No
waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the
Guarantor therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be
permitted by paragraph (b) below, and then such waiver or consent shall be
effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. No
notice or demand on the Guarantor in any case shall entitle the Guarantor to any
other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended
or modified except pursuant to a written agreement entered into between the
Guarantor and the Collateral Agent, with the prior written consent of the
Required Lenders (except as otherwise provided in the Credit Agreement).
SECTION 12. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND
INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT
GIVING EFFECT TO ITS PRINCIPLES OR RULES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS TO THE EXTENT SUCH
PRINCIPLES OR RULES WOULD REQUIRE THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER
JURISDICTION.
SECTION 13. Notices. All communications and notices hereunder shall be in
writing (including by facsimile transmission) and given as provided in Section
9.02 of the Credit Agreement.
SECTION 14. Survival of Agreement. All covenants and agreements made by
the Guarantors herein shall survive the making by the Lenders of the Loans and
the issuance of the Letters of Credit by the Issuing Bank.
SECTION 15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts,
each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together
shall constitute a single contract, and shall become effective as provided in
Section 10. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Agreement by
facsimile transmission shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed
counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION 16. Rules of Interpretation. The rules of interpretation
specified in Section 1.02 of the Credit Agreement shall be applicable to this
Agreement.
SECTION 17. Integration. This Agreement represents the agreement between
the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and there are no
promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by any of the parties
hereto relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred
to herein or in the other Loan Documents.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as
of the day and year first above written.
CDRJ ACQUISITION CORPORATION,
as Guarantor,
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
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Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice Chairman and EVP
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON,
as Collateral Agent,
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Director
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Director
