A junior mortgagee sought to subordinate the senior mortgage loan based on an argument that modification of the senior loan impaired the junior mortgagee’s rights.
In an effort to minimize the risk of loss in connection with a loan default, lenders often employ creative means to make it difficult, if not impossible, for a borrower to file bankruptcy. Lenders are generally aware that the right to seek bankruptcy protection is a fundamental constitutional right, given the inclusion of Congressional power to establish uniform laws on bankruptcy set forth in Article 8 of the U.S. Constitution.
On September 9, 2014, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York held that certain senior lenders were not entitled to the benefit of their indentures’ make-whole premiums, because they had voluntarily accelerated their notes. As we have reminded our readers several times, careful drafting of what may seem like basic boilerplate provisions is important. Seemingly benign stand-alone provisions may have unintended consequences when linked together in a single agreement.
Judge Drain’s recent decision confirming the Momentive Performance Materials Inc. plan is just the latest in a series of recent cases involving “make whole” premiums. As in several of the recent cases, the lenders lost because the contract did not clearly enough provide for the make whole premium in the event of an acceleration rather than prepayment.
Loan agreements and bond indentures often contain "make-whole" provisions, which provide yield protection to lenders and investors in the event of a repayment prior to maturity. They accomplish this by requiring the borrower to pay a premium for pre-payment of a loan. This allows lenders to lock-in a guaranteed rate of return when they agree to provide financing. Borrowers also benefit since the yield protection allows lenders to offer lower interest rates or fees than they would absent such protection.
On September 15, Freddie Mac released a bulletin updating portions of Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide (“Guide”) governing foreclosures and foreclosure alternatives.
We previously covered the Meridian Sunrise Village case on the Bankruptcy Blog here.
Last year, the 112-year old retailer J.C. Penney was regularly in the news – and it was rarely good. The stock was in a free-fall, in the process of dropping from about $20 per share in May 2013 to a low of a little more than $6 dollars per share in late October. Media reports were grim, focusing on the attempt and failure of the former Apple executive Ron Johnson to turn the business around. But now, as we approach the critical holiday season, J.C.
Can you really lease a cow?
According to the Sixth Circuit, the answer is “yes.” Dairy cattle leasing is an increasingly popular method for producers to add to their herds while conserving capital for other purposes. Leasing is particularly attractive for thinly capitalized producers who wish to spread their fixed costs across more cows.
On August 26, 2014, Judge Drain, of the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, concluded the confirmation hearing in Momentive Performance Materials and issued several bench rulings on cramdown interest rates, the availability of a make-whole premium, third party releases, and the extent of the subordination of senior subordinated noteholders. This four-part Bankruptcy Blog series will examine Judge Drain’s rulings in detail, with Part I of this series providing you with a primer on cramdown in the secured creditor context.