Master Guarantee & Collateral Agreement

MASTER GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT


MASTER GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT, dated as of June 12, 1997, made by each of the signatories hereto (together with any other entity that may become a party hereto as provided herein, the "Grantors"), in favor of CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON, as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the "Administrative Agent") for the banks and other financial institutions or entities (the "Lenders") from time to time parties to the Credit Agreement, dated as of June 12, 1997 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), among HEDSTROM CORPORATION (the "Borrower"), the Lenders and the Administrative Agent.


W I T N E S S E T H:


WHEREAS, pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Lenders have severally agreed to make extensions of credit to the Borrower upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein;


WHEREAS, the Borrower is a member of an affiliated group of companies that includes each other Grantor;


WHEREAS, the proceeds of the extensions of credit under the Credit Agreement will be used in part to enable the Borrower to make valuable transfers to one or more of the other Grantors in connection with the operation of their respective businesses;


WHEREAS, the Borrower and the other Grantors are engaged in related businesses, and each Grantor will derive substantial direct and indirect benefit from the making of the extensions of credit under the Credit Agreement; and


WHEREAS, it is a condition precedent to the obligation of the Lenders to make their respective extensions of credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement that the Grantors shall have executed and delivered this Agreement to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders;


NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and to induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into the Credit Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make their respective extensions of credit to the Borrower thereunder, each Grantor hereby agrees with the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, as follows: 2
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SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS


1.1. Definitions. (a) Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement, and the following terms which are defined in the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York on the date hereof are used herein as so defined: Accounts, Chattel Paper, Documents, Equipment, Farm Products, Instruments and Inventory.


(b) The following terms shall have the following meanings:


"Agreement": this Master Guarantee and Collateral Agreement,
as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from
time to time.


"Borrower Obligations": the collective reference to the
unpaid principal of and interest on the Loans and Reimbursement
Obligations and all other obligations and liabilities of the Borrower
(including, without limitation, interest accruing at the then
applicable rate provided in the Credit Agreement after the maturity of
the Loans and Reimbursement Obligations and interest accruing at the
then applicable rate provided in the Credit Agreement after the filing
of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency,
reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Borrower, whether
or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in
such proceeding) to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or, in the
case of any Hedge Agreement referred to below, any Affiliate of any
Lender), whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to
become due, or now existing or hereafter incurred, which may arise
under, out of, or in connection with, the Credit Agreement, this
Agreement, the other Credit Documents, any Letter of Credit or any
Hedge Agreement entered into by the Borrower with any Lender (or any
Affiliate of any Lender) or any other document made, delivered or
given in connection therewith, in each case whether on account of
principal, interest, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities,
costs, expenses or otherwise (including, without limitation, all
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative
Agent or to the Lenders that are required to be paid by the Borrower
pursuant to the terms of any of the foregoing agreements).


"Collateral": as defined in Section 3.


"Collateral Account": any collateral account established by
the Administrative Agent as provided in Section 6.1 or 6.4.


"Copyrights": (i) all copyrights arising under the laws of
the United States, any other country or any political subdivision
thereof, whether registered or unregistered and whether published or
unpublished (including, without limitation, those listed in Schedule
6), all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in
connection therewith, including, without limitation, all
registrations, recordings and applications in the United States
Copyright Office, and (ii) the right to obtain all renewals thereof. 3
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"Copyright Licenses": any written agreement naming any
Grantor as licensor or licensee (including, without limitation, those
listed in Schedule 6), granting any right under any Copyright,
including, without limitation, the grant of rights to manufacture,
distribute, exploit and sell materials derived from any Copyright.


"Foreign Issuer": any Issuer organized under the laws of any
jurisdiction outside the United States.


"General Intangibles": all "general intangibles" as such term
is defined in Section 9-106 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect
in the State of New York on the date hereof and, in any event,
including, without limitation, with respect to any Grantor, all
contracts, agreements, instruments and indentures in any form, and
portions thereof, to which such Grantor is a party or under which such
Grantor has any right, title or interest or to which such Grantor or
any property of such Grantor is subject, as the same may from time to
time be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, including,
without limitation, (i) all rights of such Grantor to receive moneys
due and to become due to it thereunder or in connection therewith,
(ii) all rights of such Grantor to damages arising thereunder and
(iii) all rights of such Grantor to perform and to exercise all
remedies thereunder, in each case to the extent the grant by such
Grantor of a security interest pursuant to this Agreement in its
right, title and interest in such contract, agreement, instrument or
indenture is not prohibited by such contract, agreement, instrument or
indenture without the consent of any other party thereto, would not
give any other party to such contract, agreement, instrument or
indenture the right to terminate its obligations thereunder, or is
permitted with consent if all necessary consents to such grant of a
security interest have been obtained from the other parties thereto
(it being understood that the foregoing shall not be deemed to
obligate such Grantor to obtain such consents); provided that the
foregoing limitation shall not affect, limit, restrict or impair the
grant by such Grantor of a security interest pursuant to this
Agreement in any Receivable or any money or other amounts due or to
become due under any such contract, agreement, instrument or
indenture.


"Guarantor Obligations": with respect to any Guarantor, the
collective reference to (i) such Guarantor's guarantee of the Borrower
Obligations pursuant to Section 2 hereof and (ii) all obligations and
liabilities of such Guarantor which may arise under or in connection
with this Agreement or any other Credit Document to which such
Guarantor is a party, in each case whether on account of guarantee
obligations, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs,
expenses or otherwise (including, without limitation, all reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent or to
the Lenders that are required to be paid by such Guarantor pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement or any other Credit Document).


"Guarantors": the collective reference to each Grantor other
than the Borrower. 4
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"Hedge Agreements": as to any Person, all interest rate
swaps, caps or collar agreements or similar arrangements entered into
by such Person, providing for protection against fluctuations in
interest rates or currency exchange rates or the exchange of nominal
interest obligations, either generally or under specific
contingencies.


"Intellectual Property": the collective reference to all
rights, priorities and privileges relating to intellectual property,
whether arising under United States, multinational or foreign laws or
otherwise, including, without limitation, the Copyrights, the
Copyright Licenses, the Patents, the Patent Licenses, the Trademarks
and the Trademark Licenses, and all rights to sue at law or in equity
for any infringement or other impairment thereof, including the right
to receive all proceeds and damages therefrom.


"Intercompany Note": any promissory note evidencing loans
made by any Grantor to the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.


"Issuers": the collective reference to each issuer of a
Pledged Security.


"New York UCC": the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to
time in effect in the State of New York.


"Obligations": (i) in the case of the Borrower, the Borrower
Obligations, and (ii) in the case of each Guarantor, its Guarantor
Obligations.


"Patents": (i) all letters patent of the United States, any
other country or any political subdivision thereof, all reissues and
extensions thereof and all goodwill associated therewith, including,
without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 6,
(ii) all applications for letters patent of the United States or any
other country and all divisions, continuations and continuations-in-
part thereof, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing
referred to in Schedule 6, and (iii) all rights to obtain any reissues
or extensions of the foregoing.


"Patent License": all agreements, whether written or oral,
providing for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to
manufacture, use or sell any invention covered in whole or in part by
a Patent, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred
to in Schedule 6.


"Pledged Notes": all promissory notes listed on Schedule 2,
all Intercompany Notes at any time issued to any Grantor and all other
promissory notes issued to or held by any Grantor (other than
promissory notes issued in connection with extensions of trade credit
by any Grantor in the ordinary course of business).


"Pledged Securities": the collective reference to the Pledged
Notes and the Pledged Stock. 5
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"Pledged Stock": the shares of Capital Stock listed on
Schedule 2, together with any other shares, stock certificates,
options or rights of any nature whatsoever in respect of the Capital
Stock of any Subsidiary that may be issued or granted to, or held by,
any Grantor while this Agreement is in effect; provided that in no
event shall any Grantor be required to pledge more than 65% of the
Capital Stock of any Foreign Issuer.


"Proceeds": all "proceeds" as such term is defined in Section
9-306(1) of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New
York on the date hereof and, in any event, shall include, without
limitation, all dividends or other income from the Pledged Securities,
collections thereon or distributions or payments with respect thereto.


"Receivable": any right to payment for goods sold or leased
or for services rendered, whether or not such right is evidenced by an
Instrument or Chattel Paper and whether or not it has been earned by
performance (including, without limitation, any Account).


"Securities Act": the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


"Subsidiary Guarantor": each of the Subsidiaries of the
Borrower which is a party to this Agreement.


"Trademarks": (i) all trademarks, trade names, corporate
names, company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade
styles, service marks, logos and other source or business identifiers,
and all goodwill associated therewith, now existing or hereafter
adopted or acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all
applications in connection therewith, whether in the United States
Patent and Trademark Office or in any similar office or agency of the
United States, any State thereof or any other country or any political
subdivision thereof, or otherwise, and all common-law rights related
thereto, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred
to in Schedule 6, and (ii) the right to obtain all renewals thereof.


"Trademark License": any agreement, whether written or oral,
providing for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to use any
Trademark, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing
referred to in Schedule 6.


1.2. Other Definitional Provisions. (a) The words "hereof," "herein", "hereto" and "hereunder" and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Section and Schedule references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.


(b) The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms. 6
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(c) Where the context requires, terms relating to the Collateral or any part thereof, when used in relation to a Grantor, shall refer to such Grantor's Collateral or the relevant part thereof.


SECTION 2. GUARANTEE


2.1. Guarantee. (a) Each of the Guarantors hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally and irrevocably, guarantees to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders and their respective successors, indorsees, transferees and assigns, the prompt and complete payment and performance by the Borrower when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of the Borrower Obligations.


(b) Anything herein or in any other Credit Document to the contrary notwithstanding, the maximum liability of each Guarantor hereunder and under the other Credit Documents shall in no event exceed the amount which can be guaranteed by such Guarantor under applicable federal and state laws relating to the insolvency of debtors (after giving effect to the right of contribution established in Section 2.2).


(c) Each Guarantor agrees that the Borrower Obligations may at any time and from time to time exceed the amount of the liability of such Guarantor hereunder without impairing the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or affecting the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder.


(d) The guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall remain in full force and effect until all the Borrower Obligations and the obligations of each Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall have been satisfied by payment in full, no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and the Commitments shall be terminated, notwithstanding that from time to time during the term of the Credit Agreement the Borrower may be free from any Borrower Obligations.


(e) No payment made by the Borrower, any of the Guarantors, any other guarantor or any other Person or received or collected by the Administrative Agent or any Lender from the Borrower, any of the Guarantors, any other guarantor or any other Person by virtue of any action or proceeding or any set-off or appropriation or application at any time or from time to time in reduction of or in payment of the Borrower Obligations shall be deemed to modify, reduce, release or otherwise affect the liability of any Guarantor hereunder which shall, notwithstanding any such payment (other than any payment made by such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower Obligations or any payment received or collected from such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower Obligations), remain liable for the Borrower Obligations up to the maximum liability of such Guarantor hereunder until the Borrower Obligations are paid in full, no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and the Commitments are terminated.


2.2. Right of Contribution. Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees that to the extent that a Subsidiary Guarantor shall have paid more than its proportionate share of 7
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any payment made hereunder, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to seek and receive contribution from and against any other Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder which has not paid its proportionate share of such payment. Each Subsidiary Guarantor's right of contribution shall be subject to the terms and conditions of Section 2.3. The provisions of this Section 2.2 shall in no respect limit the obligations and liabilities of any Subsidiary Guarantor to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and each Subsidiary Guarantor shall remain liable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders for the full amount guaranteed by such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder.


2.3. No Subrogation. Notwithstanding any payment made by any Guarantor hereunder or any set-off or application of funds of any Guarantor by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, no Guarantor shall be entitled to be subrogated to any of the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against the Borrower or any other Guarantor or any collateral security or guarantee or right of offset held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for the payment of the Borrower Obligations, nor shall any Guarantor seek or be entitled to seek any contribution or reimbursement from the Borrower or any other Guarantor in respect of payments made by such Guarantor hereunder, until all amounts owing to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders by the Borrower on account of the Borrower Obligations are paid in full, no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and the Commitments are terminated. If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time when all of the Borrower Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be held by such Guarantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such Guarantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Guarantor, be turned over to the Administrative Agent in the exact form received by such Guarantor (duly indorsed by such Guarantor to the Administrative Agent, if required), to be applied against the Borrower Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in such order as the Administrative Agent may, in its reasonable judgment, determine.


2.4. Amendments, etc. with respect to the Borrower Obligations. Each Guarantor shall remain obligated hereunder notwithstanding that, without any reservation of rights against any Guarantor and without notice to or further assent by any Guarantor, any demand for payment of any of the Borrower Obligations made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be rescinded by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and any of the Borrower Obligations continued, and the Borrower Obligations, or the liability of any other Person upon or for any part thereof, or any collateral security or guarantee therefor or right of offset with respect thereto, may, from time to time, in whole or in part, be renewed, extended, amended, modified, accelerated, compromised, waived, surrendered or released by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, and the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents and any other documents executed and delivered in connection therewith may be amended, modified, supplemented or terminated, in whole or in part, as the Administrative Agent (or the Required Lenders or all Lenders, as the case may be) may deem advisable from time to time, and any collateral security, guarantee or right of offset at any time held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for the payment of the Borrower Obligations may be sold, exchanged, waived, surrendered or released. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation to protect, secure, perfect or insure any Lien at any 8
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time held by it as security for the Borrower Obligations or for the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or any property subject thereto.


2.5. Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional. Each Guarantor waives any and all notice of the creation, renewal, extension or accrual of any of the Borrower Obligations and notice of or proof of reliance by the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or acceptance of the guarantee contained in this Section 2; the Borrower Obligations, and any of them, shall conclusively be deemed to have been created, contracted or incurred, or renewed, extended, amended or waived, in reliance upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2; and all dealings between the Borrower and any of the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, on the other hand, likewise shall be conclusively presumed to have been had or consummated in reliance upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2. Each Guarantor waives diligence, presentment, protest, demand for payment and notice of default or nonpayment to or upon the Borrower or any of the Guarantors with respect to the Borrower Obligations. Each Guarantor understands and agrees that the guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall be construed as a continuing, absolute and unconditional guarantee of payment without regard to (a) the validity or enforceability of the Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document, any of the Borrower Obligations or any other collateral security therefor or guarantee or right of offset with respect thereto at any time or from time to time held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (b) any defense, set-off or counterclaim (other than a defense of payment or performance) which may at any time be available to or be asserted by the Borrower or any other Person against the Administrative Agent or any Lender, other than payment in full of the Borrower Obligations or (c) any other circumstance whatsoever (with or without notice to or knowledge of the Borrower or such Guarantor) which constitutes, or might be construed to constitute, an equitable or legal discharge of the Borrower for the Borrower Obligations, or of such Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this Section 2, in bankruptcy or in any other instance. When making any demand hereunder or otherwise pursuing its rights and remedies hereunder against any Guarantor, the Administrative Agent or any Lender may, but shall be under no obligation to, make a similar demand on or otherwise pursue such rights and remedies as it may have against the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or against any collateral security or guarantee for the Borrower Obligations or any right of offset with respect thereto, and any failure by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make any such demand, to pursue such other rights or remedies or to collect any payments from the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or to realize upon any such collateral security or guarantee or to exercise any such right of offset, or any release of the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or any such collateral security, guarantee or right of offset, shall not relieve any Guarantor of any obligation or liability hereunder, and shall not impair or affect the rights and remedies, whether express, implied or available as a matter of law, of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against any Guarantor. For the purposes hereof "demand" shall include the commencement and continuance of any legal proceedings.


2.6. Reinstatement. The guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall continue to be effective, or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any of the Borrower Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or 9
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returned by the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the Borrower or any Guarantor, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, the Borrower or any Guarantor or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise, all as though such payments had not been made.


2.7. Payments. Each Guarantor hereby guarantees that payments hereunder will be paid to the Administrative Agent without set-off or counterclaim in Dollars at the office of the Administrative Agent located at Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010.


SECTION 3. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST


Each Grantor hereby assigns and transfers to the Administrative Agent, and hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, a security interest in, all of the following property now owned or at any time hereafter acquired by such Grantor or in which such Grantor now has or at any time in the future may acquire any right, title or interest (collectively, the "Collateral"), as collateral security for the prompt and complete payment and performance when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) of such Grantor's Obligations; provided that prior to the consummation of the Merger, the Collateral of ERO and its Subsidiaries (other than any Capital Stock issued by ER ...