acr-8k_20221117.htm
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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 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): November 17, 2022

 

ACRES Commercial Realty Corp.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Maryland

 

1-32733

 

20-2287134

(State or other jurisdiction of

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

incorporation)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

390 RXR Plaza

 

 

 

 

Uniondale, NY

 

 

 

11556

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

 

 

(Zip Code)

 

 

 

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 516-535-0015

 

 

 

 

 

N/A

(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))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

 

ACR

 

New York Stock Exchange

8.625% Fixed-to-Floating Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

ACRPrC

 

New York Stock Exchange

7.875% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

ACRPrD

 

New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

 


 

Item 8.01

Other Events.

On November 17, 2022, ACRES Commercial Realty Corp. (the “Company”), entered into Amendment No. 4 to Guarantee Agreement (the “JPM Amendment”) with JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (“JPM”), which made certain amendments and modifications to the Guarantee Agreement dated October 26, 2018 between the Company and JPM, as amended (the “JPM Guarantee”), including but not limited to amending the (i) EBITDA to Interest Expense ratio (as defined in the JPM Guarantee),  (ii) maximum ratio of Total Indebtedness to its Total Equity (as defined in the JPM Guarantee) and (iii) minimum unencumbered Liquidity requirement (as defined in the JPM Guarantee), each through September 2023.

On November 18, 2022, the Company entered into Amendment No. 1 to Guaranty  (the “Morgan Stanley Amendment”) by and between the Company and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), which makes certain amendments and modifications to the Guaranty, dated November 3, 2021 between the Company and Morgan Stanley (the “MS Guaranty”) including but not limited to amending the (i) EBITDA to Interest Expense ratio (as defined in the MS Guaranty), (ii) maximum ratio of Total Indebtedness to its Total Equity (as defined in the MS Guaranty) and (iii) minimum unencumbered Liquidity requirement (as defined in the MS Guaranty), each through March 2024.

The foregoing descriptions of the JPM Amendment and Morgan Stanley Amendment do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the JPM Amendment and Morgan Stanley Amendment, which have been filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)

Exhibits.

Exhibit No.

 

Description

99.1

  

Amendment No. 4 to Guarantee Agreement, dated November 17, 2022 between ACRES Commercial Realty Corp. and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association.

99.2

 

Amendment No. 1 to Guaranty, dated November 18, 2022 between ACRES Commercial Realty Corp. and Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC.

104

 

Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

 


 

 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

ACRES COMMERCIAL REALTY CORP.

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

November 18, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ David J. Bryant

 

 

 

 

David J. Bryant

 

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO GUARANTEE AGREEMENT, dated as of November 17, 2022 (this “Amendment”), between ACRES COMMERCIAL REALTY CORP, f/k/a Exantas Capital Corp., a Maryland corporation (“Guarantor”), and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association (“Buyer”).  Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Repurchase Agreement (as defined below).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, RCC REAL ESTATE SPE 8, LLC (“Seller”) and Buyer are parties to that certain Uncommitted Master Repurchase Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2018 (as amended by that certain First Amendment to Uncommitted Master Repurchase Agreement, dated as of August 14, 2020, as further amended by that certain Amendment No. 2 to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2021, as further amended by that certain Amendment No. 3 to Master Repurchase Agreement and Guarantee Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2021, as further amended by that certain Term SOFR Conforming Changes Amendment, dated as of December 31, 2021, as amended hereby, and as may be further amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to time, the “Repurchase Agreement”);

WHEREAS, in connection with the Repurchase Agreement, Guarantor entered into that certain Guarantee Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2018 (as amended by that certain Amendment No. 1 to Guarantee Agreement, dated as of May 6, 2020, as further amended by that certain Amendment No. 2 to Guarantee Agreement, dated as October 2, 2020, as further amended by that certain Amendment No. 3 to Master Repurchase Agreement and Guarantee Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2021, as amended hereby, and as may be further amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to time, the “Guarantee Agreement”); and

WHEREAS, Guarantor and Buyer have agreed to amend certain provisions of the Guarantee Agreement in the manner set forth herein.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Guarantor and Buyer agree as follows:

Section 1.Amendments to Guarantee Agreement.

(a)Section 1 of the Guarantee Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating the following defined term in its entirety to read as follows:

““Interest Expense” shall mean, with respect to Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries and any period, determined without duplication on a consolidated basis, the amount of total interest expense incurred by Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, including capitalized or accruing interest(but excluding


(i) any accrued interest on REO construction loans where interest is reserved with the construction loan lender or the accrued or capitalized interest is not required to be recognized as interest expense under GAAP, (ii) the excess amortization of issuance costs of securitization of assets, to the extent such amortization is accelerated due to (a) early payoffs of any underlying assets in the CRE Securitizations or (b) issuer electing to early terminate the securities, and the non‑cash interest expense associated with convertible notes; (iii) the non‑cash interest expense associated with Senior Unsecured Notes non‑market discount, Convertible Debt and similar debt obligations with equity conversion or option features; (iv) non‑cash amortization from terminated interest rate swaps or (v) termination costs from the early retirement of indebtedness), plus Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries’ proportionate share of interest expense from the joint venture investments in unconsolidated Affiliates of Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, all with respect to such period.

(b)Section 1 of the Guarantee Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following defined term to read as follows:

““REO” shall mean real estate property owned by Borrower whether owned pursuant to an equity investment or mortgage foreclosure.”

(c)Section 9(a)(i) of the Guarantee Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating that section in its entirety to read as follows:

“(i)At all times, Guarantor shall maintain unpledged, unencumbered Liquidity of (1) from the Closing Date through October 25, 2021, not less than the greater of (A) $10,000,000 and (B) ten percent (10%) of the aggregate outstanding Repurchase Price of all Purchased Assets as of such time; (2) from October 26, 2021 through September 30, 2022, not less than the greater of (A) $10,000,000 and (B) five percent (5%) of the aggregate outstanding Repurchase Price of all Purchased Assets as of such time; (3) from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023, not less than the greater of (A) $15,000,000 and (B) seven and a half percent(7.5%) of the aggregate outstanding Repurchase Price of all Purchased Assets as of such time; and (4) from and after October 1, 2023, not less than the greater of (A) $10,000,000 and (B) five percent (5%) of the aggregate outstanding Repurchase Price of all Purchased Assets as of such time.”

(d)Section 9(a)(iii) of the Guarantee Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating that section in its entirety to read as follows:

“(iii)Guarantor shall not permit, for any Test Period, the ratio of its Total Indebtedness to its Total Equity to be (1) from the Closing Date through the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2022, greater than 6.00 to 1.00; (2) from calendar quarter ending December 31, 2022 through the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2023, greater than 5.50 to 1.00; and (3) at all times after the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2023, greater than 6.00 to 1.00.  For the avoidance of

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doubt, any calculation of Total Indebtedness will include any and all recourse and non-recourse debt of any Consolidated Subsidiary of Guarantor.”

(e)Section 9(a)(v) of the Guarantee Agreement is hereby amended by amending and restating that section in its entirety to read as follows:

“(v)Guarantor shall not permit, for any Test Period, the ratio of (i) the sum of the trailing four (4) fiscal quarters EBITDA for Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such Test Period to (ii) the trailing four (4) fiscal quarters Interest Expense for Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such Test Period to be (1)  from the Closing Date through the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2022, less than 1.50 to 1.00; (2) from the calendar quarter ending December 31, 2022 through the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2023, less than 1.25 to 1.00; and at all times after the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2023, less than 1.50 to 1.00.”

Section 2.Conditions Precedent; Effective Date.  This Amendment shall become effective on the date on which this Amendment is executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of each of Buyer and Guarantor (the “Amendment Effective Date”).

Section 3.Guarantor’s Representations and Warranties.  On and as of the Amendment Effective Date, and after giving effect to the matters contained in this Amendment, Guarantor hereby represents and warrants to Buyer that (a) it is in compliance with all the terms and provisions set forth in the Guarantee Agreement on its part to be observed or performed, (b) with respect to Guarantor’s covenants in Section 9(a)(i), 9(a)(iii) and 9(a)(v) of the Guarantee, after giving effect to this Amendment and, with respect to all other requirements of the Transaction Documents, both prior to and after giving effect to this Amendment, no Default or Event of Default under the Repurchase Agreement has occurred and is continuing, and (c) it has no, and hereby waives all, defenses, rights of setoff, claims, counterclaims or causes of action of any kind or description against Buyer arising under or in respect of the Guarantee Agreement or any other Transaction Document (other than a defense of payment or performance).  Guarantor hereby confirms and reaffirms the representations and warranties contained in the Guarantee Agreement and all of the other Transaction Documents.

Section 4.Acknowledgments of Guarantor.  Guarantor hereby acknowledges and agrees that (a) it continues to be bound by the Guarantee Agreement to the extent of the Obligations (as defined therein), and (b) as of the date hereof, Buyer is in compliance with its undertakings and obligations under the Repurchase Agreement, the Guarantee Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents.

Section 5.Limited Effect.  The Guarantee Agreement (except as the foregoing is expressly amended and modified by this Amendment), and each of the other Transaction Documents remain, in full force and effect in accordance with their respective terms; provided, however, that on the Amendment Effective Date, (a) all references in the Repurchase Agreement to the “Transaction Documents” shall be deemed to include, in any event, this Amendment, and (b) each reference to the “Guarantee” or “Guarantee Agreement” in any of the

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Transaction Documents shall be deemed to be a reference to the Guarantee Agreement, as amended hereby.

Section 6.Counterparts.  This Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which when taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument, and the words “executed,” signed,” “signature,” and words of like import as used above and elsewhere in this Amendment or in any other certificate, agreement or document related to this transaction shall include, in addition to manually executed signatures, images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf”, “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including, without limitation, any electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record).  The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code.

Section 7.Costs and Expenses.  Guarantor shall pay Buyer’s reasonable actual out of pocket costs and expenses, including reasonable fees and expenses of attorneys, incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution and consummation of this Amendment.

Section 8.No Novation, Effect of Agreement.  Guarantor and Buyer have entered into this Amendment solely to amend the terms of the Guarantee Agreement and do not intend this Amendment or the transactions contemplated hereby to be, and this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby shall not be construed to be, a novation of any of the obligations of Guarantor under or in connection with the Guarantee Agreement.  

Section 9.Submission to Jurisdiction.  Each party hereto irrevocably and unconditionally (i) submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in Manhattan, and any appellate court from any such court, solely for the purpose of any suit, action or proceeding brought to enforce its obligations under this Amendment or relating in any way to this Amendment and (ii) waives, to the fullest extent it may effectively do so, any defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court and any right of jurisdiction on account of its place of residence or domicile.

The parties hereto hereby irrevocably consent to the service of any summons and complaint and any other process by the mailing of copies of such process to them at their respective address specified in the Guarantee Agreement.  The parties hereto hereby agree that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  Nothing in this Section 9 shall affect the right of Buyer to serve legal process in any other manner permitted by

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law or affect the right of Buyer to bring any action or proceeding against Guarantor or its property in the courts of other jurisdictions.

Section 10.WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AMENDMENT.

Section 11.GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AMENDMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AMENDMENT, THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AMENDMENT, AND/OR THE INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS AND DECISIONS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CHOICE OF LAW RULES THEREOF. THE PARTIES HERETO INTEND THAT THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW SHALL APPLY TO THIS AMENDMENT.

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written and effective as of the Amendment Effective Date.

 

 

 

 

ACRES COMMERCIAL REALTY CORP, f/k/a Exantas Capital Corp., a Maryland corporation

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Mark Fogel

 

Name:

Mark Fogel

 

Title:

President and CEO

 


 

 

 

 


 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Thomas N. Cassino

 

Name:

Thomas N. Cassino

 

Title:

Managing Director

 


 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.2

AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO GUARANTY

AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO GUARANTY, dated as of November 18, 2022 (this “Amendment”), between ACRES COMMERCIAL REALTY CORP, a Maryland corporation (“Guarantor”), and MORGAN STANLEY MORTGAGE CAPITAL HOLDINGS LLC, a New York limited liability company, as administrative agent (in such capacity, together with its permitted successors and assigns, the “Administrative Agent”) for MORGAN STANLEY BANK, N.A., a national banking association (“MSBNA”), and such other financial institutions from time to time party to the Repurchase Agreement (as defined below) as buyers (MSBNA, together with its successors and assigns, and together with such other financial institutions from time to time party to the Repurchase Agreement and their respective successors and assigns, collectively “Buyers” and individually, each a “Buyer”).  Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Repurchase Agreement (as defined below).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, ACRES REAL ESTATE SPE 10, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Seller”), MSBNA, and Administrative Agent, on behalf of Buyers, are parties to that certain Master Repurchase and Securities Contract Agreement, dated as of November 3, 2021 (as amended by that certain First Amendment to Master Repurchase and Securities Contract Agreement, dated as of January 28, 2022, and as may be further amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to time, the “Repurchase Agreement”);

WHEREAS, in connection with the Repurchase Agreement, Guarantor entered into that certain Guaranty, dated as of November 3, 2021 (as amended hereby, and as may be further amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to time, the “Guaranty”); and

WHEREAS, Guarantor and Administrative Agent, on behalf of Buyers, have agreed to amend certain provisions of the Guaranty in the manner set forth herein.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Guarantor and Administrative Agent, on behalf of Buyers, agree as follows:

Section 1.Amendments to Guaranty.  

(a)Section 1 of the Guaranty is hereby amended by amending and restating the following defined term in its entirety to read as follows:

““Interest Expense” shall mean, with respect to Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries and any period, determined without duplication on a consolidated basis, the amount of total interest expense incurred by Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, including capitalized or accruing interest (but excluding (i) any accrued interest on REO construction loans where interest is reserved with the construction loan lender or the accrued or capitalized interest is not required to

 

 


be recognized as interest expense under GAAP, (ii) the excess amortization of issuance costs of securitization of assets, to the extent such amortization is accelerated due to (a) early payoffs of any underlying assets in the CRE Securitizations or (b) issuer electing to early terminate the securities, and the non‑cash interest expense associated with convertible notes; (iii) the non‑cash interest expense associated with Senior Unsecured Notes non‑market discount, Convertible Debt and similar debt obligations with equity conversion or option features; (iv) non‑cash amortization from terminated interest rate swaps or (v) termination costs from the early retirement of indebtedness), plus Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries’ proportionate share of interest expense from the joint venture investments in unconsolidated Affiliates of Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, all with respect to such period.

(b)Section 1 of the Guaranty is hereby amended by adding the following defined term to read as follows:

““REO” shall mean real estate property owned by the related borrower, whether owned pursuant to an equity investment or mortgage foreclosure.”

(c)Section 9(a)(i) of the Guaranty is hereby amended by amending and restating that section in its entirety to read as follows:

“(i)permit its unpledged, unencumbered Liquidity of (1) from the Closing Date through September 30, 2022, to be less than the greater of (A) $10,000,000 and (B) five percent (5%) of the aggregate outstanding Repurchase Price of all Purchased Assets as of such time; (2) from October 1, 2022 through March 31, 2024, to be less than the greater of (A) $15,000,000 and (B) seven and a half percent (7.5%) of the aggregate outstanding Repurchase Price of all Purchased Assets as of such time; and (3) from and after March 31, 2024, to be less than the greater of (A) $10,000,000 and (B) five percent (5%) of the aggregate outstanding Repurchase Price of all Purchased Assets as of such time.”

(d)Section 9(a)(iii) of the Guaranty is hereby amended by amending and restating that section in its entirety to read as follows:

“(iii)permit, for any Test Period, the ratio of its Total Indebtedness to its Total Equity to be (1) from the Closing Date through the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2022, greater than 6.00 to 1.00; (2) from calendar quarter ending December 31, 2022 through the calendar quarter ending March 31, 2024, greater than 5.50 to 1.00; and (3) at all times after the calendar quarter ending March 31, 2024, greater than 6.00 to 1.00.  For the avoidance of doubt, any calculation of Total Indebtedness will include any and all recourse and non-recourse debt of any Consolidated Subsidiary of Guarantor.”

(e)Section 9(a)(v) of the Guaranty is hereby amended by amending and restating that section in its entirety to read as follows:

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“(v)permit, for any Test Period, the ratio of (i) the sum of the trailing four (4) fiscal quarters EBITDA for Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such Test Period to (ii) the trailing four (4) fiscal quarters Interest Expense for Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such Test Period to be (1)  from the Closing Date through the calendar quarter ending September 30, 2022, less than 1.50 to 1.00; (2) from the calendar quarter ending December 31, 2022 through the calendar quarter ending March 31, 2024, less than 1.25 to 1.00; and at all times after the calendar quarter ending March 31, 2024, less than 1.50 to 1.00.”

Section 2.Conditions Precedent; Effective Date.  This Amendment shall become effective on the date on which this Amendment is executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of each of Guarantor and Administrative Agent, on behalf of Buyers (the “Amendment Effective Date”).

Section 3.Guarantor’s Representations and Warranties.  On and as of the Amendment Effective Date, and after giving effect to the matters contained in this Amendment, Guarantor hereby represents and warrants to Administrative Agent, on behalf of Buyers, that (a) it is in compliance with all the terms and provisions set forth in the Guaranty on its part to be observed or performed, (b) both prior to and after giving effect to this Amendment, no Default or Event of Default under the Repurchase Agreement has occurred and is continuing, (c) it has no, and hereby waives all, defenses, rights of setoff, claims, counterclaims or causes of action of any kind or description against Administrative Agent or any Buyer arising under or in respect of the Guaranty or any other Transaction Document (other than a defense of payment or performance), (d) no amendments have been made to the organizational documents of Guarantor since November 3, 2021, and (e) the person signing this Amendment on behalf of Guarantor is duly authorized to do so on its behalf.  Guarantor hereby confirms and reaffirms the representations and warranties contained in the Guaranty and all of the other Transaction Documents.

Section 4.Acknowledgments of Guarantor.  Guarantor hereby acknowledges and agrees that (a) it continues to be bound by the Guaranty, and (b) as of the date hereof, Administrative Agent and each Buyer is in compliance with its undertakings and obligations under the Repurchase Agreement, the Guaranty and each of the other Transaction Documents.

Section 5.Limited Effect.  The Guaranty (except as the foregoing is expressly amended and modified by this Amendment), and each of the other Transaction Documents remain, in full force and effect in accordance with their respective terms; provided, however, that on the Amendment Effective Date, (a) all references in the Repurchase Agreement to the “Transaction Documents” shall be deemed to include, in any event, this Amendment, and (b) each reference to the “Guaranty” in any of the Transaction Documents shall be deemed to be a reference to the Guaranty, as amended hereby.

Section 6.Counterparts.  This Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which when taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument, and the words “executed,” signed,” “signature,” and words of like import as used above and elsewhere in this Amendment or in any other certificate, agreement or document related to this transaction shall include, in addition to manually executed signatures, images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile or other electronic format (including, without

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limitation, “pdf”, “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including, without limitation, any electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record).  The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code.

Section 7.Costs and Expenses.  Guarantor shall pay Administrative Agent’s reasonable actual out of pocket costs and expenses, including reasonable fees and expenses of attorneys, incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution and consummation of this Amendment.

Section 8.No Novation, Effect of Agreement.  Guarantor and Administrative Agent, on behalf of Buyers, have entered into this Amendment solely to amend the terms of the Guaranty and do not intend this Amendment or the transactions contemplated hereby to be, and this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby shall not be construed to be, a novation of any of the obligations of Guarantor under or in connection with the Guaranty.  

Section 9.SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION; WAIVERS.  EACH OF GUARANTOR AND ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ON BEHALF OF BUYERS, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY:

 

(A) SUBMITS TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE GENERAL JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND APPELLATE COURTS FROM ANY THEREOF, SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT TO ENFORCE ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE GUARANTY, AS AMENDED BY THIS AMENDMENT, OR RELATING IN ANY WAY TO THE GUARANTY, AS AMENDED BY THIS AMENDMENT, THE REPURCHASE AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION UNDER THE REPURCHASE AGREEMENT;

 

(B) CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE BROUGHT IN SUCH COURTS AND WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT IT MAY EFFECTIVELY DO SO, ANY DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT AND ANY RIGHT OF JURISDICTION ON ACCOUNT OF ITS PLACE OF RESIDENCE OR DOMICILE;

 

(C) AGREES THAT SERVICE OF PROCESS IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE EFFECTED BY MAILING A COPY THEREOF BY REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED MAIL (OR ANY SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR FORM OF MAIL), POSTAGE PREPAID, TO ITS ADDRESS SET FORTH IN SECTION 16 OF THE GUARANTY OR AT

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SUCH OTHER ADDRESS OF WHICH ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ON BEHALF OF BUYERS, SHALL HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED; AND

 

(D) AGREES THAT NOTHING HEREIN SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT TO EFFECT SERVICE OF PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW OR SHALL LIMIT THE RIGHT TO SUE IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION.

 

Section 10.WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH OF GUARANTOR AND ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ON BEHALF OF BUYERS, EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THE GUARANTY, AS AMENDED BY THIS AMENDMENT, OR ANY RELATED DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM HEREIN OR THEREIN.

Section 11.GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AMENDMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AMENDMENT, THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AMENDMENT, AND/OR THE INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS AND DECISIONS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CHOICE OF LAW RULES THEREOF. THE PARTIES HERETO INTEND THAT THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW SHALL APPLY TO THIS AMENDMENT.

Section 12.No Waiver.  The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of Administrative Agent or any Buyer under the Guaranty or any other Transaction Document, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Guaranty or any other Transaction Document by any of the parties hereto.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

-5-

 

 


 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written and effective as of the Amendment Effective Date.

 

 

 

ACRES COMMERCIAL REALTY CORP, a Maryland corporation

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Mark Fogel

 

Name:

Mark Fogel

 

Title:

President and CEO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 


 

MORGAN STANLEY MORTGAGE CAPITAL HOLDINGS LLC, a New York limited liability company, as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Bill Bowman

 

Name:

Bill Bowman

 

Title:

Authorized Signatory