ASP Isotopes Inc S-3ASR, filed Oct 14, 2025
ASP Isotopes Inc. (ASPI)
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 14, 2025
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
| ASP Isotopes Inc. |
| (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) |
| Delaware |
| 87-2618235 |
| (State or other jurisdiction of |
| (I.R.S. Employer |
| incorporation or organization) |
| Identification Number) |
601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
South Building, Suite 900
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 756-2245
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Paul E. Mann
Executive Chairman
ASP Isotopes Inc.
601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
South Building, Suite 900
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 756-2245
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
| Donald G. Ainscow, Esq. Executive Vice President General Counsel & Secretary ASP Isotopes Inc. 601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW South Building, Suite 900 Washington, D.C. 20004 Tel: (202) 756-2245 | Yelena Barychev, Esq. Blank Rome LLP One Logan Square Philadelphia, PA 19103 Tel: (215) 569-5737 Fax: (832) 569-5737 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ |
| Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ |
|
|
| 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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
PROSPECTUS
$250,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Units
We may from time to time offer and sell any securities described in this prospectus, either individually or in combination with other securities, in one or more offerings of up to $250.0 million in aggregate initial offering price.
This prospectus provides a general description of the securities we may offer. We will provide the specific terms of the securities offered in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The prospectus supplements will also describe the specific manner in which these securities will be offered. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Please read carefully this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference before you invest in any of our securities. This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell any securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement.
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “ASPI.” On October 13, 2025, the last reported sale price of our common stock was $13.32 per share. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any other listing on Nasdaq or any securities market or other exchange of the securities, if any, covered by the prospectus supplement.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” on page 4 of this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as updated by the applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and other future filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, for a discussion of the factors we urge you to consider carefully before deciding to purchase our securities.
We may sell these securities directly to investors, through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers. For additional information on the methods of sale, please see the section titled “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus. If any underwriters are involved in the sale of any securities with respect to which this prospectus is being delivered, the names of such underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts will be set forth in a prospectus supplement. The price to the public of such securities and the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale will also be set forth in a prospectus supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is October 14, 2025
|
| 1 |
| |
|
| 2 |
| |
|
| 4 |
| |
|
| 5 |
| |
|
| 6 |
| |
|
| 7 |
| |
|
| 12 |
| |
|
| 18 |
| |
|
| 19 |
| |
|
| 20 |
| |
|
| 22 |
| |
|
| 22 |
| |
|
| 22 |
| |
|
| 23 |
|
| i |
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the “SEC,” as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the “Securities Act,” using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus, in one or more offerings, for an aggregate initial offering price of up to $250.0 million.
THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO OFFER AND SELL SECURITIES UNLESS IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.
This prospectus provides a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to a particular offering. The prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in any documents that we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between any statement contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus or any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus, the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
The information appearing in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus is accurate only as of their respective dates, and any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus, or the time of any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed materially since those dates.
You may rely only on the information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, or the information contained in any free writing prospectus we have authorized for use in connection with a specific offering. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information.
This prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the securities described in this prospectus or an applicable prospectus supplement or an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy such securities in any circumstances or in any jurisdictions where it is unlawful to do so.
As permitted by SEC rules and regulations, the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part includes additional information not contained in this prospectus. This prospectus also contains summaries of certain provisions of the documents described herein, but all summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual documents. You may read the registration statement and the other reports we file with the SEC, and you may obtain copies of the actual documents summarized herein (if and when filed with the SEC), at the SEC’s website or at its offices described in the section of this prospectus titled “Where You Can Find More Information.”
The representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part or any document that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.
In this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “ASP Isotopes,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to ASP Isotopes Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries.
| 1 |
| Table of Contents |
We are a development stage advanced materials company dedicated to the development of technology and processes that, if successful, will allow for the enrichment of natural isotopes into higher concentration products, which could be used in several industries. Our proprietary technologies, the Aerodynamic Separation Process (“ASP technology”) and Quantum Enrichment technology (“QE technology”), are designed to enable the production of isotopes used in several industries. Our initial focus is on the production and commercialization of enriched Carbon-14 (“C-14”), Silicon-28 (“Si-28”) and Ytterbium-176 (“Yb-176”).
In addition, we are considering the future development of the ASP technology for the separation of Zinc-68 and Xenon-129/136 for potential use in the healthcare end market, Germanium 70/72/74 for potential use in the semiconductor end market, and Chlorine -37 for potential use in the nuclear energy end market. We are also considering the future development of QE technology for the separation of Nickel-64, Gadolinium-160, Ytterbium-171, Lithium 6 and Lithium7.
We are also pursuing an initiative to apply our enrichment technologies to the enrichment of Uranium-235 (“U-235”) in South Africa. We believe that the U-235 we may produce using quantum enrichment technology may be commercialized as a nuclear fuel component for use in the new generation of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU)-fueled small modular reactors that are now under development for commercial and government uses.
Quantum Leap Energy
In September 2023, we formed Quantum Leap Energy LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“QLE”), to focus on the development and commercialization of advanced nuclear fuels, such as HALEU and Lithium-6. QLE’s direct wholly owned subsidiary Quantum Leap Energy Limited (“QLE UK”), has its operations in the United Kingdom. QLE UK’s direct wholly owned subsidiary, Quantum Leap Energy Proprietary Limited (“QLE South Africa”), has its operations in South Africa. QLE also formed QLE TP Funding SPE LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “QLE SPE Borrower”), as a wholly owned subsidiary to act as a special purpose borrower for a loan transaction with TerraPower, a US nuclear innovation company. The QLE SPE Borrower has formed a subsidiary in South Africa to act as the project company for a proposed new uranium enrichment facility at Pelindaba, South Africa.
As previously announced, our board of directors intends to pursue the separation of our Nuclear Fuels business and Specialist Isotopes and Related Services business in two independent companies. The regulatory landscape and supply chain for nuclear fuel production differs significantly from that of medical isotopes, hence we and QLE have different business models and we believe that both companies would benefit if QLE is independently managed and financed. We plan to effect the separation through a spin-out of QLE in a transaction that results in QLE as a separate public company with shares listed on a U.S. national securities exchange and a portion of QLE’s common equity to be distributed to the Company’s stockholders as of a to-be-determined future record date and, although no assurance can be given, we are aiming to initiate the process for listing of QLE as a separate public company during the fourth quarter of 2025, subject to market conditions and obtaining applicable approvals and consents and complying with applicable rules and regulations and public market trading and listing requirements. While we currently expect that a spin-out of QLE as a separate public company is the most likely separation transaction, our board of directors remains committed to maximizing shareholder value creation, and will continue to evaluate other options for separation to maximize shareholder value.
| 2 |
| Table of Contents |
| ASP Isotopes Inc. was incorporated as a Delaware corporation in September 2021. Our principal executive offices are located at 601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, South Building, Suite 900, Washington, D.C. 20004, and our telephone number is (202) 756-2245. Our website address is www.aspisotopes.com. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of and is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus.
|
| 3 |
| Table of Contents |
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. The prospectus supplement applicable to each offering of our securities will contain a discussion of the risks applicable to an investment in ASP Isotopes Inc. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the specific factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information contained or incorporated by reference in the prospectus supplement or appearing or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You should also consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” included in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, as may be updated by our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or our current reports on Form 8-K that we have filed with the SEC, all of which are incorporated herein by reference, and which may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by reports we file with the SEC in the future. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our operations. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities.
| 4 |
| Table of Contents |
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including documents incorporated by reference herein, contains, and any prospectus supplement may contain, forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s beliefs, expectations and assumptions about future events, conditions and results, and on information currently available to management. All statements contained in this prospectus, including documents incorporated by reference herein, and any prospectus supplement, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our ability to complete the construction of, commission and successfully operate isotope enrichment plants in a cost-effective manner; our ability to meet applicable regulatory requirements for the use of the isotopes we may produce using the ASP technology or the quantum enrichment process; our ability to obtain regulatory approvals for the production and distribution of isotopes; our ability to meet our capital requirements and obtain funding for our operations and future growth; and statements regarding our business strategies, use of capital, results of operations and financial position, and plans and objectives for future operations. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions intended to identify statements about the future, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Discussions containing these forward-looking statements may be found, among other places, in the sections entitled “Business,” “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” incorporated by reference from our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as may be updated by our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or our current reports on Form 8-K that we have filed or will file with the SEC.
Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
This prospectus, including documents incorporated by reference herein, also contains estimates and other statistical data made by independent parties and by us relating to market size and growth and other data about our industry. This data involves a number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such estimates. In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates of our future performance and the future performance of the markets in which we operate are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk.
Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or developments occurring after the date of this prospectus, even if new information becomes available in the future. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
| 5 |
| Table of Contents |
We will retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from the sale of our securities offered hereby. Except as described in any prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be provided to you, we currently intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities offered hereby for working capital and general corporate purposes, which may include capital expenditures, debt repayment, research and development, sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds from this offering to acquire or invest in businesses, products and technologies that are complementary to our own, and although we actively engage in discussions with respect to possible acquisitions and investments, we have no binding commitments or agreements to complete any such acquisitions or investments as of the date of this prospectus. Pending the application of the net proceeds, we may invest the net proceeds in short-term, investment grade, interest-bearing securities, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.
We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus our intended use for the net proceeds received from the sale of any securities sold pursuant to the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.
| 6 |
| Table of Contents |
The following description of our capital stock is a summary and does not purport to be complete. It is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, our Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, or “Bylaws. This description also summarizes applicable provisions of Delaware law. Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws are filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part. We encourage you to read our Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and the applicable provisions of Delaware law for additional information.
General
As of the date of this prospectus, our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes us to issue 500,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which all shares of preferred stock are undesignated. As of October 10, 2025, 93,406,629 shares of common stock were issued and outstanding, and no shares of preferred stock were issued and outstanding.
Common Stock
The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders. The holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, that may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of funds legally available, subject to preferences that may be applicable to preferred stock, if any, then outstanding. In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our company, the holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of liabilities, subject to prior distribution rights of preferred stock, if any, then outstanding. Our common stock has no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights or redemption or sinking fund provisions.
Our common stock is traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “ASPI.”
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Equiniti Trust Company, LLC (formerly, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC). The transfer agent’s address is 55 Challenger Road, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660.
Preferred Stock
Our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes our board of directors to establish one or more series of preferred stock. Unless otherwise required by law or any stock exchange, the authorized shares of preferred stock will be available for issuance without further action by the holders of our common stock. Our board of directors will be able to determine, with respect to any series of preferred stock, the powers (including voting powers), preferences and relative, participating, optional, conversion or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof. No shares of preferred stock have been issued or are outstanding as of the date of the filing of this registration statement. If we sell any series of preferred stock under this prospectus, we will file a certificate of designation relating to that series, which will be incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The prospectus supplement will describe:
|
| · | the title and stated value; |
|
| · | the number of shares we are offering; |
|
| · | the liquidation preference per share; |
|
| · | the purchase price per share; |
|
| · | the dividend rate per share, dividend period and payment dates and method of calculation for dividends; |
|
| · | whether dividends will be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends will accumulate; |
|
| · | our right, if any, to defer payment of dividends and the maximum length of any such deferral period; |
|
| · | the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any; |
|
| · | the provisions for a sinking fund, if any; |
|
| · | the provisions for redemption or repurchase, if applicable, and any restrictions on our ability to exercise those redemption and repurchase rights; |
|
| · | any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange or market; |
| 7 |
| Table of Contents |
|
| · | whether the preferred stock will be convertible into our common stock or other securities of ours, including warrants, and, if applicable, the conversion period, the conversion price, or how it will be calculated, and under what circumstances it may be adjusted; |
|
| · | whether the preferred stock will be exchangeable into debt securities, and, if applicable, the exchange period, the exchange price, or how it will be calculated, and under what circumstances it may be adjusted; |
|
| · | voting rights, if any, of the preferred stock; |
|
| · | preemption rights, if any; |
|
| · | restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any; |
|
| · | a discussion of any material or special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the preferred stock; |
|
| · | the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs; |
|
| · | any limitations on issuances of any class or series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the series of preferred stock being issued as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs; and |
|
| · | any other specific terms, rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications or restrictions of the preferred stock. |
Anti-Takeover Matters in our Governing Documents and Under Delaware Law
Our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws contain, and the DGCL contains, provisions that are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors. These provisions are intended to avoid costly takeover battles, reduce our vulnerability to a hostile or abusive change of control, and enhance the ability of our board of directors to maximize stockholder value in connection with any unsolicited offer to acquire us. However, these provisions may have an antitakeover effect and may delay, deter, or prevent a merger or acquisition by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest, or other takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the prevailing market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.
Authorized But Unissued Capital Stock
The authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuance without stockholder approval, subject to any limitations imposed by the listing standards of Nasdaq. These additional shares may be used for a variety of corporate finance transactions, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock could make more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger, or otherwise.
Classified Board of Directors
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that our board of directors be divided into three classes, with the classes as nearly equal in number as possible and each class serving three-year staggered terms. Directors may only be removed from our board of directors for cause by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2∕3% of the voting power of all of our then-outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. In addition, our Certificate of Incorporation provides that, subject to the rights granted to one or more series of preferred stock then outstanding, any newly created directorship on the board of directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancies on our board of directors will be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. A director chosen to fill a position resulting from an increase in the number of directors will hold office until the next election of the director’s class and until the director’s successor is duly elected and qualified, or until the director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying, or discouraging hostile takeovers, changes in control of us or changes in our management.
| 8 |
| Table of Contents |
Delaware Anti-Takeover Law
We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, which is an anti-takeover law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years following the date that the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination or the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder is approved in a prescribed manner. Generally, a business combination includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or another transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Generally, an interested stockholder is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock or is the corporation’s affiliate or associate and was the owner of 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock at any time within the three-year period immediately before the date of determination. The existence of this provision may have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions that are not approved in advance by our board, including discouraging attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.
No Cumulative Voting
Under Delaware law, the right to vote cumulatively does not exist unless the certificate of incorporation specifically authorizes cumulative voting. Our Certificate of Incorporation does not authorize cumulative voting. Therefore, stockholders holding a majority of the shares of our stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors are able to elect all of our directors.
Special Stockholder Meetings
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that special meetings of our stockholders may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the board of directors, the chair of the board of directors or our Chief Executive Officer. Our Bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying, or discouraging hostile takeovers or changes in control or management.
Director Nominations and Stockholder Proposals
Our Bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of stockholders. Our Bylaws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice. Our Bylaws allow the chair of a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of that meeting that may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at that meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions may also defer, delay, or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control.
Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Pursuant to Section 228 of the DGCL, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice, and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is or are signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our Certificate of Incorporation precludes stockholder action by written consent.
| 9 |
| Table of Contents |
Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws
The DGCL provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote on any matter is required to amend a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, unless a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, as the case may be, requires a greater percentage. Our Bylaws may be amended or repealed by a majority vote of our board of directors or by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2∕3% of the votes which all our stockholders would be entitled to cast in any annual election of directors. In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2∕3% of the votes which all our stockholders would be entitled to cast in any election of directors will be required to amend or repeal or to adopt any provisions inconsistent with any of the provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation described above.
The foregoing provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change in control. These provisions are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors and in the policies formulated by our board of directors and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change of control. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited acquisition proposal. The provisions also are intended to discourage certain tactics that may be used in proxy fights. However, such provisions could have the effect of discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit fluctuations in the market price of our shares of common stock that could result from actual or rumored takeover attempts. Such provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our management or delaying or preventing a transaction that might benefit you or other minority stockholders.
Exclusive Forum
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware be the sole and exclusive forum for: (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of our company, (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, agent, or other employee or stockholder of our company to us or our stockholders, (3) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our Certificate of Incorporation or our Bylaws or as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or (4) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. It will further provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolutions of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. The exclusive forum clauses described above shall not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Although we believe these provisions benefit us by providing increased consistency in the application of applicable law in the types of lawsuits to which they apply, the provisions may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings and there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provisions. In addition, investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. It is possible that, in connection with any applicable action brought against us, a court could find the choice of forum provisions contained in our Certificate of Incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in such action. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation.
Limitations of Liability and Indemnification
The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties, subject to certain exceptions. Our Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages to the corporation or its stockholders for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL. The effect of these provisions is to eliminate the rights of us and our stockholders, through stockholders’ derivative suits on our behalf, to recover monetary damages from a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior. However, exculpation does not apply to any breaches of the director’s duty of loyalty, any acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or knowing violation of law, any authorization of dividends or stock redemptions or repurchases paid or made in violation of the DGCL, or for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
| 10 |
| Table of Contents |
Our Bylaws generally provide that we must indemnify and advance expenses to our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We also are expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe these indemnification and advancement provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.
The limitation of liability, indemnification and advancement provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.
We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers, under which we have agreed to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law, including indemnification against expenses and liabilities incurred in legal proceedings to which the director or officer was, or is threatened to be made, a party by reason of the fact that such director or officer is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of our company, provided that such director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner that the director or officer reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interest of our company. The indemnification agreements also set forth certain procedures, presumptions and remedies that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification thereunder.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors or executive officers, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy and is therefore unenforceable.
| 11 |
| Table of Contents |
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description summarizes the material terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. We may issue debt securities from time to time, in one or more series, as either senior or subordinated debt or as senior or subordinated convertible debt. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any debt securities we may offer under this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will describe the specific terms of any debt securities offered through that prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. The terms of any debt securities we offer under a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may differ from the terms we describe below. Unless the context requires otherwise, whenever we refer to the “indentures,” we also are referring to any supplemental indentures that specify the terms of a particular series of debt securities.
We will issue any senior debt securities under the senior indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the senior indenture. We will issue any subordinated debt securities under the subordinated indenture that we will enter into with the trustee named in the subordinated indenture. We have filed forms of these documents as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, and supplemental indentures and forms of debt securities containing the terms of the debt securities being offered will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, or will be incorporated by reference from reports that we file with the SEC.
The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”). We use the term “trustee” to refer to either the trustee under the senior indenture or the trustee under the subordinated indenture, as applicable.
The following summary of material provisions of the senior debt securities, the subordinated debt securities and the indentures is subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectuses related to the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus, as well as the complete applicable indenture that contains the terms of the debt securities. Except as we may otherwise indicate, the terms of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are identical.
General
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus the terms of the series of debt securities being offered, including as applicable:
|
| · | the title; |
|
| · | the principal amount being offered, and if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount outstanding; |
|
| · | any limit on the amount that may be issued; |
|
| · | whether or not we will issue the series of debt securities in global form, and, if so, the terms and who the depository will be; |
|
| · | the maturity date; |
|
| · | whether and under what circumstances, if any, we will pay additional amounts on any debt securities held by a person who is not a United States person for tax purposes, and whether we can redeem the debt securities if we have to pay such additional amounts; |
|
| · | the annual interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate and the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates; |
|
| · | whether or not the debt securities will be secured or unsecured, and the terms of any secured debt; |
|
| · | the terms of the subordination of any series of subordinated debt; |
|
| · | the place where payments will be payable; |
|
| · | restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any; |
|
| · | our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period; |
| 12 |
| Table of Contents |
| · | the date, if any, after which, the conditions upon which, and the price at which, we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions and the terms of those redemption provisions; | |
|
| · | the date, if any, on which, and the price at which we are obligated, pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund or analogous fund provisions or otherwise, to redeem, or at the holder’s option, to purchase, the series of debt securities and the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities are payable; |
|
| · | whether the indenture will restrict our ability or the ability of our subsidiaries to: |
|
| o | incur additional indebtedness; |
|
| o | issue additional securities; |
|
| o | create liens; |
|
| o | pay dividends or make distributions in respect of our capital stock or the capital stock of our subsidiaries; |
|
| o | redeem capital stock; |
|
| o | place restrictions on our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends, make distributions or transfer assets; |
|
| o | make investments or other restricted payments; |
|
| o | sell or otherwise dispose of assets; |
|
| o | enter into sale-leaseback transactions; |
|
| o | engage in transactions with stockholders or affiliates; |
|
| o | issue or sell stock of our subsidiaries; |
|
| o | effect a consolidation or merger; |
|
| · | whether the indenture will require us to maintain any interest coverage, fixed charge, cash flow-based, asset-based or other financial ratios; |
|
| · | a discussion of material or special United States (“U.S.”) federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities; |
|
| · | information describing any book-entry features; |
|
| · | provisions for a sinking fund purchase or other analogous fund, if any; |
|
| · | the applicability of the provisions in the indenture on discharge; |
|
| · | whether the debt securities are to be offered at a price such that they will be deemed to be offered at an “original issue discount” as defined in paragraph (a) of Section 1273 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; |
|
| · | the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof; |
|
| · | the currency of payment of debt securities if other than U.S. dollars and the manner of determining the equivalent amount in U.S. dollars; and |
|
| · | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, including any additional events of default or covenants provided with respect to the debt securities, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of the debt securities. |
Conversion or Exchange Rights
We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, our preferred stock or other securities (including securities of a third-party). We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our common stock, our preferred stock or other securities (including securities of a third-party) that the holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale
Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the indentures will not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the indentures or the debt securities, as appropriate and must be a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction. If the debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities of ours or securities of other entities, the person with whom we consolidate or merge or to whom we sell all of our property must make provisions for the conversion of the debt securities into securities that the holders of the debt securities would have received if they had converted the debt securities before the consolidation, merger or sale.
| 13 |
| Table of Contents |
Events of Default under the Indenture
Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the following are events of default under the indentures with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:
|
| · | if we fail to pay interest when due and payable and our failure continues for 30 days and the time for payment has not been extended; |
|
| · | if we fail to pay the principal, premium or sinking fund payment, if any, when due and payable at maturity, upon redemption or repurchase or otherwise, and the time for payment has not been extended; |
|
| · | if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant contained in the debt securities or the indentures, other than a covenant specifically relating to another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for 60 days after we receive notice from the trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; and |
|
| · | if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur. |
We will describe in each applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus any additional events of default relating to the relevant series of debt securities.
If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal due and payable immediately.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the indenture. Any waiver shall cure the default or event of default.
Subject to the terms of the indentures, if an event of default under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the trustee reasonable indemnity or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense. Subject to the terms of the indentures, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series, provided that:
|
| · | the direction so given by the holder is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and |
|
| · | subject to its duties under the Trust Indenture Act, the trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Subject to the terms of the indentures, a holder of the debt securities of any series will have the right to institute a proceeding under the indentures or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies if: |
|
|
|
|
|
| · | the holder has given written notice to the trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series; |
|
| · | the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request to the trustee to institute proceedings, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the trustee or security satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense or to be incurred in compliance with instituting the proceeding as trustee; and |
|
| · | the trustee does not institute the proceeding, and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 60 days after the notice, request and offer. |
| 14 |
| Table of Contents |
These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities, or other defaults that may be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.
We expect to periodically file statements with the trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the indentures.
Modification of Indenture; Waiver
Subject to the terms of the indenture for any series of debt securities that we may issue, we and the trustee may enter into one or more supplemental indentures, without the consent of any holders, with respect to the following specific matters:
|
| · | to evidence the succession of another person to our company and the assumption by any such successor of our covenants; |
|
| · | to add our covenants or to surrender any right or power therein conferred upon us; |
|
| · | to add any additional events of default; |
|
| · | to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture to provide that bearer securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of or premium or make-whole amount, if any, or interest on bearer securities, to permit bearer securities to be issued in exchange for registered securities, to permit bearer securities to be issued in exchange for bearer securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of securities in uncertificated form, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of securities of any series or any related coupons in any material respect; |
|
| · | to change or eliminate any of the provisions of the indenture, provided that any such change or elimination shall become effective only when there is no securities outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of such provision; |
|
| · | to secure the securities; |
|
| · | to establish the form or terms of securities of any series and any related coupons as permitted or contemplated in the indentures; |
|
| · | to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee with respect to the securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts by more than one trustee; |
|
| · | to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the indenture which shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of the indentures, provided such provisions shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of securities of any series or any related coupons in any material respect; |
|
| · | to supplement any of the provisions of the indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of securities per the indentures; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of securities of such series and any related coupons or any other series of securities in any material respect; |
|
| · | to make provisions with respect to holders' rights of conversion with respect to any series of securities. |
In addition, under the indentures, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series that is affected. However, subject to the terms of the indenture for any series of debt securities that we may issue or as otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we and the trustee may make the following changes only with the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:
|
| · | extending the stated maturity of the series of debt securities; |
|
| · | reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or reducing any premium payable upon the redemption or repurchase of any debt securities; or |
|
| · | reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver. |
| 15 |
| Table of Contents |
Discharge
Each indenture provides that, subject to the terms of the indenture and any limitation otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of debt securities, we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities.
In order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must deposit with the trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, any premium and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due. This discharge may occur only if, among other things, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that all conditions precedent provided for in the indenture relating to the discharge have been complied with.
Form, Exchange and Transfer
We plan to issue the debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. We may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company or another depository named by us and identified in a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus with respect to that series.
At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, the holder of the debt securities of any series can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
Subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange, we will make no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.
We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.
If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:
|
| · | issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of that series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; or |
|
| · | register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in part. |
Information Concerning the Trustee
The trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under an indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default under an indenture, the trustee must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
Subject to this provision, the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given it by the indentures at the request of any holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.
| 16 |
| Table of Contents |
Payment and Paying Agents
Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.
We will pay principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities of a particular series at the office of the paying agents designated by us, except that unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, we will make interest payments by check that we will mail to the holder or by wire transfer to certain holders. Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, we will designate the corporate trust office of the trustee as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. We will name in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus any other paying agents that we initially designate for the debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.
All money we pay to a paying agent or the trustee for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt securities that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.
Governing Law
We expect the indentures and the debt securities to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act is applicable.
Ranking of Debt Securities
The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness to the extent described in a prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of subordinated debt securities that we may issue. It also does not limit us from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.
The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment to any of our other senior unsecured debt. The senior indenture does not limit the amount of senior debt securities that we may issue. It also does not limit us from issuing any other secured or unsecured debt.
Existing Long-Term Debt
On March 7, 2024, Quantum Leap Energy LLC, or “QLE,” our wholly owned subsidiary, issued convertible notes payable in the aggregate principal amount of $21,063,748 and, on June 5, 2024, QLE issued additional convertible notes payable in the aggregate principal amount of $5,494,395 (collectively, the “Convertible Notes”). The Convertible Notes are payable on demand on March 7, 2029 and bear an annual interest rate of 6% for the period beginning on the date of issuance and ending on March 7, 2025 and 8% thereafter. If QLE consummates an initial public offering or a direct listing of the common equity of QLE, the Convertible Notes convert into common equity at a price per share equal to 80% of the per share IPO price or the per share reference price in such direct listing, as applicable, subject to a valuation cap. Upon an equity financing of QLE with aggregate gross proceeds to QLE of at least US$20 million, the Convertible Notes convert into the shares to be issued in that qualified financing event at a price per share equal to 80% of the share price issued subject to a valuation cap. Upon a corporate transaction, the noteholders may elect to receive either 1.5x the principal and accrued interest balance in cash or convert into common shares. The Convertible Notes are general unsecured obligations of QLE. We are not a guarantor of the Convertible Notes. The Convertible Notes are subordinate in right of payment to all current and future indebtedness of QLE for borrowed money to banks, commercial finance lenders or other institutions regularly engaged in the business of lending money (whether or not such indebtedness is secured).
| 17 |
| Table of Contents |
The following description summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, which may specify different or additional terms. Specific warrant agreements and warrant certificates related to warrants offered under this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will contain additional important terms and provisions and will be incorporated by reference into the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, from reports that we file with the SEC.
General
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from these securities. We plan to evidence each series of warrants by warrant certificates that we will issue under a separate warrant agreement. We will enter into the warrant agreement with a warrant agent. We will indicate the name and address of the warrant agent in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of warrants.
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants, including as applicable:
|
| · | the offering price, currency, and aggregate number of warrants offered; |
|
| · | the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security; |
|
| · | the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable; |
|
| · | in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at, and currency in which, this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise; |
|
| · | in the case of warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock, the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, as the case may be, purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise; |
|
| · | the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreement and the warrants; |
|
| · | the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants; any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; the periods during which, and places at which, the warrants are exercisable; |
|
| · | the manner of exercise; |
|
| · | the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire; |
|
| · | the manner in which the warrant agreement and warrants may be modified; |
|
| · | the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants; |
|
| · | the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; and |
|
| · | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants. |
| 18 |
| Table of Contents |
The following description summarizes the material terms and provisions of the units that we may offer under this prospectus. We may issue units comprised of shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock, debt securities and warrants in any combination. We may issue units in such amounts and in as many distinct series as we deem appropriate under one or more unit agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or other financial institution, as a unit agent. The specific terms of any series of units offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, and such terms may differ from the general description presented below. If we issue units, forms of unit agreements and unit certificates relating to such units will be incorporated by reference into this registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, from reports that we file with the SEC.
General
Each unit that we may issue will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement, under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.
The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:
|
| · | the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
|
| · | the identity of any unit agent for the units, if applicable, and of any other depositaries, execution or paying agents, transfer agents, registrars or other agents; |
|
| · | any additional terms of the governing unit agreement, as applicable; |
|
| · | the price or prices at which such units will be issued; |
|
| · | the material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the units; |
|
| · | any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and |
|
| · | any other terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units. |
The provisions described in this section, as well as those described under “Description of Capital Stock,” “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description of Warrants” will apply to the securities included in each unit, to the extent relevant and as may be updated in any prospectus supplements.
| 19 |
| Table of Contents |
We may sell these securities directly to one or more investors. We may also sell these securities through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers. We may sell these securities through “at the market” offerings, within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act, to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise. The applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including, to the extent applicable:
|
| · | the name or names of any agents, underwriters or dealers; |
|
| · | the purchase price of the securities being offered and the net proceeds we will receive from the sale; |
|
| · | any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us; |
|
| · | any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation; |
|
| · | any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and |
|
| · | any securities exchanges or markets on which such securities may be listed. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at: |
|
|
|
|
|
| · | a fixed price or prices, which may be changed from time to time; |
|
| · | market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
|
| · | prices related to such prevailing market prices; or |
|
| · | negotiated prices. |
Agents and Underwriters
We may designate agents who agree to use their reasonable efforts to solicit purchases of our securities for the period of their appointment or to sell our securities on a continuing basis. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities and we will describe any fees or commissions we will pay the agent in the applicable prospectus supplement.
If we use underwriters for a sale of securities, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. Subject to certain conditions, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities of the series offered if they purchase any of the securities of that series. We may change from time to time any public offering price and any discounts or concessions the underwriters allow or reallow or pay to dealers. We may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will name any underwriter involved in the offering and sale of securities, describe any discount or other compensation and describe the nature of any material relationship in any applicable prospectus supplement. Only underwriters we name in the prospectus supplement will be underwriters of the securities offered by that prospectus supplement.
Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act, and any discounts or commissions they receive from us and any profit on their resale of the securities may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. We will identify in the applicable prospectus supplement any underwriters, dealers or agents and will describe their compensation.
We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against specified civil liabilities related to offerings under this prospectus, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents or underwriters may make with respect to these liabilities. Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their businesses.
Trading Markets and Listing of Securities
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each class or series of securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than our common stock, which is currently listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. We may elect to list or qualify for trading any other class or series of securities on any securities exchange or other market, but we are not obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a class or series of securities, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot give any assurance as to the liquidity of the trading market for any of the securities.
| 20 |
| Table of Contents |
At-the-Market Offerings
To the extent that we make sales through one or more underwriters or agents in at-the-market offerings, we will do so pursuant to the terms of a sales agency financing agreement or other at-the-market offering arrangement between us and the underwriters or agents. If we engage in at-the-market sales pursuant to any such agreement, we will issue and sell our securities through one or more underwriters or agents, which may act on an agency basis or a principal basis. During the term of any such agreement, we may sell securities on a daily basis in exchange transactions or otherwise as we agree with the underwriters or agents. Any such agreement will provide that any securities sold will be sold at prices related to the then prevailing market prices for our securities. Therefore, exact figures regarding proceeds that will be raised or commissions to be paid cannot be determined at this time. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, we may agree to sell, and the relevant underwriters or agents may agree to solicit offers to purchase blocks of our common stock or other securities. The terms of any such agreement will be set forth in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Stabilization Activities
Any underwriter may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of these activities at any time.
Passive Market Making
Any underwriter who is a qualified market maker on the Nasdaq Stock Market may engage in passive market making transactions in securities listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M, during the business day prior to the pricing of the offering, before the commencement of offers or sales of the securities. A passive market maker must comply with applicable volume and price limitations and must be identified as a passive market maker. In general, a passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid for such security. If all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, however, the passive market maker’s bid must then be lowered when certain purchase limits are exceeded.
| 21 |
| Table of Contents |
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of any common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants or units offered under this prospectus and any supplement hereto will be passed upon for us by Blank Rome LLP.
The consolidated balance sheets of ASP Isotopes Inc. and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years then ended, have been audited by EisnerAmper LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements have been incorporated herein by reference in reliance on the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated statement of financial position of Renergen Limited (“Renergen”) as of February 28, 2025 and February 29, 2024, the related consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive loss, consolidated statement of changes in equity, and consolidated statement of cash flows for each of the years then ended, have been audited by BDO South Africa Incorporated, independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is incorporated herein by reference, which report contains a material uncertainty explanatory paragraph regarding Renergen’s ability to continue as a going concern. Such financial statements have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance on the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
SEC rules permit us to incorporate information by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, except for information superseded by information contained in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement itself or in any subsequently filed incorporated document. This prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement incorporate by reference the documents set forth below that we have previously filed with the SEC (other than information in such documents that is deemed to be furnished and not filed). These documents contain important information about us and our business and financial condition.
|
| · | Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025, and as amended by that Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on April 30, 2025; |
|
| · | Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on May 20, 2025; |
|
| · | Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, filed with the SEC on August 14, 2025; |
|
| · | Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on April 15, 2025, May 20, 2025, May 22, 2025, May 27, 2025, May 28, 2025, June 2, 2025; June 4, 2025, June 11, 2025, July 11, 2025, July 17, 2025, July 24, 2025, July 25, 2025, July 28, 2025, July 30, 2025, August 8 , 2025, August 15, 2025, September 8, 2025, September 22, 2025, September 29, 2025, October 3, 2025 and October 14, 2025; and |
|
| · | The description of the Company’s common stock contained in Exhibit 4.1 incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
All documents that we file (other than information in such documents that is deemed to be furnished and not filed) pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on or after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of any of the securities covered under this prospectus shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any previously filed documents.
Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus and such applicable prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement contained in such applicable prospectus supplement, or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and such applicable prospectus supplement, modifies or supersedes such earlier statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus or such applicable prospectus supplement.
Documents incorporated by reference are available from us without charge, excluding all exhibits.
| 22 |
| Table of Contents |
Prospective investors may obtain documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement at no cost by requesting them in writing or by telephone from us at our executive offices at:
ASP Isotopes Inc.
601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
South Building, Suite 900
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 756-2245
Attention: Corporate Secretary
You may also access these documents, free of charge, on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or on our website at www.aspisotopes.com. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, the SEC’s website or our website is not part of and is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
As permitted by SEC rules, this prospectus omits certain information that is included in the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, and its exhibits. Since this prospectus may not contain all of the information that you may find important, we urge you to review the full text of these documents. If we have filed a contract, agreement or other document as an exhibit to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, please read the exhibit for a more complete understanding of the document or matter involved. Each statement in this prospectus, including statements incorporated by reference as discussed above, regarding a contract, agreement or other document is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual document.
We are subject to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance with these requirements, we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements, information statements, and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or on our website at www.aspisotopes.com. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, the SEC’s website or our website is not part of and is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus.
| 23 |
| Table of Contents |
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table sets forth the fees and expenses incurred or expected to be incurred by ASP Isotopes Inc. (the “registrant”) in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered hereby. All the amounts shown are estimates, except for the registration fee of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) filing fee.
| SEC registration fee |
| $ | 30,620 |
|
| FINRA filing fees |
|
| 30,500 |
|
| Accounting fees and expenses |
| * |
| |
| Legal fees and expenses |
| * |
| |
| Transfer agent fees and expenses |
| * |
| |
| Printing and miscellaneous expenses |
| * |
| |
| Total |
| * |
| |
*These fees or expenses cannot be estimated at this time, as they are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances.
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) and the registrant’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), and Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”).
Section 145 of the DGCL provides, generally, that a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (except actions by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation against all expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. A corporation may similarly indemnify such person for expenses actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of any action or suit by or in the right of the corporation, provided that such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, in the case of claims, issues and matters as to which such person shall have been adjudged liable to the corporation, provided that a court shall have determined, upon application, that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.
| 24 |
| Table of Contents |
The registrant’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide for indemnification of the registrant’s directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) may be permitted for directors, officers or controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the registrant’s Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and the DGCL, the registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL provides that a certificate of incorporation may include a provision that eliminates or limits the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, relating to prohibited dividends or distributions or the repurchase or redemption of stock or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit. The registrant’s Certificate of Incorporation includes such a provision. As a result of this provision, the registrant and its stockholders may be unable to obtain monetary damages from a director for breach of his or her duty of care.
As permitted under the DGCL, the registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with its directors and officers, whereby it has agreed to indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law, including indemnification against expenses and liabilities incurred in legal proceedings to which the director or officer was, or is threatened to be made, a party by reason of the fact that such director or officer is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the registrant, provided that such director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner that the director or officer reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interest of the registrant. The indemnification agreements also set forth certain procedures, presumptions and remedies that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification thereunder.
At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving a director or officer of the registrant regarding which indemnification is sought, nor is the registrant aware of any threatened litigation that may result in claims for indemnification.
We maintain insurance policies that indemnify our directors and officers against various liabilities arising under the Securities Act and Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that might be incurred by any director or officer in his or her capacity as such.
| 25 |
| Table of Contents |
Item 16. Exhibits.
(a) Exhibits
|
|
|
| Incorporated by Reference | |||||||||
| Exhibit Number | Exhibit Title |
| Filed Herewith |
| Form |
| Filing Date. |
| Exhibit |
| File No. | |
| 1.1* | Form of Underwriting Agreement. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||
|
|
|
| S-1/A |
| 10/11/2022 |
| 3.3 |
| 333-267392 | |||
|
|
|
| 10-K |
| 4/10/2024 |
| 3.2 |
| 001-41555 | |||
|
| Form of indenture for senior debt securities and the related form of senior debt security. |
| X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
|
|
| X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
| 4.3* |
| Form of Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
| 4.4* |
| Form of Unit Agreement and Unit Certificate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||
| 4.5* |
| Form of Preferred Stock Certificate and Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
|
| X |
|
|
|
|
|
| |||||
|
| X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
|
|
| X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
|
|
| X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
|
|
| X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |||
| 25.1† |
| Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for the Senior Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
| 25.2† |
| Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee for the Subordinated Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
|
|
| X |
|
|
|
| ||||||
* To be filed by amendment or as exhibit(s) to a Current Report of the registrant on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference, as applicable.
† Where applicable, to be incorporated by reference to a subsequent filing in accordance with Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
| 26 |
| Table of Contents |
Item 17. Undertakings
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
|
| (i) | To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; |
|
|
|
|
|
| (ii) | To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and |
|
|
|
|
|
| (iii) | To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement;
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering;
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:
|
| (A) | Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
|
|
|
|
|
| (B) | Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; and |
| 27 |
| Table of Contents |
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
|
| (i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
|
|
|
|
|
| (ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
|
|
|
|
|
| (iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
|
|
|
|
|
| (iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference into the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(e) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the SEC under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.
| 28 |
| Table of Contents |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Washington, D.C. on October 14, 2025.
|
| ASP ISOTOPES INC. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| By | /s/ Robert Ainscow |
|
|
|
| Robert Ainscow Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer |
|
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Paul E. Mann and Heather Kiessling, and each of them, as such person’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this registration statement, and any registration statement relating to the offering covered by this registration statement and filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Signature |
| Title |
| Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /s/ Paul E. Mann |
| Executive Chairman and Director |
| October 14, 2025 |
| Paul E. Mann |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /s/ Robert Ainscow |
| Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer |
| October 14, 2025 |
| Robert Ainscow |
| (Principal Executive Officer) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /s/ Heather Kiessling |
| Chief Financial Officer |
| October 14, 2025 |
| Heather Kiessling |
| (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /s/ Michael Gorley, Ph.D. |
| Director |
| October 14, 2025 |
| Michael Gorley, Ph.D. |
|
| ||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /s/ Ralph L. Hunter |
| Director |
| October 14, 2025 |
| Ralph L. Hunter |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /s/ Sipho N. Maseko |
| Director |
| October 14, 2025 |
| Sipho N. Maseko |
|
| ||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /s/ Duncan Moore, Ph.D. |
| Director |
| October 14, 2025 |
| Duncan Moore, Ph.D. |
|
| ||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /s/ Robert Ryan |
| Director |
| October 14, 2025 |
| Robert Ryan |
|
| ||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /s/ Todd Wider, M.D. |
| Director |
| October 14, 2025 |
| Todd Wider, M.D. |
|
|
| 29 |
EXHIBIT 4.1
ASP ISOTOPES INC.
ISSUER
AND
[TRUSTEE],
TRUSTEE
INDENTURE
DATED AS OF , 20
SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
|
| Page |
|
|
| |
| ARTICLE One. - DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION | 2 | |
|
| SECTION 101. Definitions | 2 |
|
| SECTION 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions | 11 |
|
| SECTION 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee | 12 |
|
| SECTION 104. Acts of Holders | 12 |
|
| SECTION 105. Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company | 14 |
|
| SECTION 106. Notice to Holders; Waiver | 14 |
|
| SECTION 107. Counterparts; Effect of Headings and Table of Contents | 15 |
|
| SECTION 108. Successors and Assigns | 15 |
|
| SECTION 109. Severability Clause | 15 |
|
| SECTION 110. Benefits of Indenture | 15 |
|
| SECTION 111. Governing Law | 16 |
|
| SECTION 112. Legal Holidays | 16 |
|
| SECTION 113. Limited Liability; Immunity of Stockholders, Directors, Officers and Agents of the Company | 16 |
|
| SECTION 114. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act | 16 |
| ARTICLE Two. - SECURITIES FORMS | 17 | |
|
| SECTION 201. Forms of Securities | 17 |
|
| SECTION 202. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication | 17 |
|
| SECTION 203. Securities Issuable in Global Form | 17 |
| ARTICLE Three. - THE SECURITIES | 18 | |
|
| SECTION 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series | 18 |
|
| SECTION 302. Denominations | 22 |
|
| SECTION 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating | 22 |
|
| SECTION 304. Temporary Securities | 24 |
|
| SECTION 305. Registration; Registration of Transfer; Conversion and Exchange | 27 |
|
| SECTION 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities | 30 |
|
| SECTION 307. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved | 30 |
|
| SECTION 308. Persons Deemed Owners | 32 |
|
| SECTION 309. Cancellation | 33 |
|
| SECTION 310. Computation of Interest | 33 |
|
| SECTION 311. CUSIP Numbers | 33 |
| ARTICLE Four. - SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE | 34 | |
|
| SECTION 401. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture | 34 |
|
| SECTION 402. Application of Trust Funds | 35 |
| ARTICLE Five. - REMEDIES | 35 | |
|
| SECTION 501. Events of Default | 35 |
|
| SECTION 502. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment | 37 |
|
| SECTION 503. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee | 38 |
| i |
|
| SECTION 504. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | 39 |
|
| SECTION 505. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons | 40 |
|
| SECTION 506. Application of Money Collected | 40 |
|
| SECTION 507. Limitation on Suits | 40 |
|
| SECTION 508. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and Interest | 41 |
|
| SECTION 509. Restoration of Rights and Remedies | 41 |
|
| SECTION 510. Rights and Remedies Cumulative | 41 |
|
| SECTION 511. Delay or Omission Not Waiver | 41 |
|
| SECTION 512. Control by Holders of Securities | 42 |
|
| SECTION 513. Waiver of Past Defaults | 42 |
|
| SECTION 514. Waiver of Usury; Stay or Extension Laws | 42 |
|
| SECTION 515. Undertaking for Costs | 43 |
| ARTICLE Six. - THE TRUSTEE | 43 | |
|
| SECTION 601. Notice of Defaults | 43 |
|
| SECTION 602. Certain Rights of Trustee | 43 |
|
| SECTION 603. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities | 45 |
|
| SECTION 604. May Hold Securities | 46 |
|
| SECTION 605. Money Held in Trust | 46 |
|
| SECTION 606. Compensation and Reimbursement | 46 |
|
| SECTION 607. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility; Conflicting Interests | 47 |
|
| SECTION 608. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor | 47 |
|
| SECTION 609. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor | 48 |
|
| SECTION 610. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business | 49 |
|
| SECTION 611. Appointment of Authenticating Agent | 50 |
|
| SECTION 612. Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee | 51 |
| ARTICLE Seven. - HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY | 52 | |
|
| SECTION 701. Disclosure of Names and Addresses of Holders | 52 |
|
| SECTION 702. Reports by Trustee | 52 |
|
| SECTION 703. Reports by Company | 53 |
|
| SECTION 704. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders | 53 |
| ARTICLE Eight. - CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, LEASE OR CONVEYANCE | 54 | |
|
| SECTION 801. Consolidations and Mergers of Company and Sales, Leases and Conveyances Permitted Subject to Certain Conditions | 54 |
|
| SECTION 802. Rights and Duties of Successor Corporation | 54 |
|
| SECTION 803. Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel | 55 |
| ARTICLE Nine. - SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES | 55 | |
|
| SECTION 901. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders | 55 |
|
| SECTION 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders | 56 |
|
| SECTION 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures | 57 |
|
| SECTION 904. Effect of Supplemental Indentures | 57 |
|
| SECTION 905. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act | 58 |
|
| SECTION 906. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures | 58 |
| ii |
| ARTICLE Ten. - COVENANTS | 58 | |
|
| SECTION 1001. Payment of Principal, Premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any; and Interest | 58 |
|
| SECTION 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency | 58 |
|
| SECTION 1003. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust | 60 |
|
| SECTION 1004. Existence | 61 |
|
| SECTION 1005. Maintenance of Properties | 61 |
|
| SECTION 1006. Insurance | 62 |
|
| SECTION 1007. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims | 62 |
|
| SECTION 1008. Statement as to Compliance | 62 |
|
| SECTION 1009. Waiver of Certain Covenants | 62 |
| ARTICLE Eleven. - REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES | 62 | |
|
| SECTION 1101. Applicability of Article | 62 |
|
| SECTION 1102. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee | 62 |
|
| SECTION 1103. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed | 63 |
|
| SECTION 1104. Notice of Redemption | 63 |
|
| SECTION 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price | 64 |
|
| SECTION 1106. Securities Payable on Redemption Date | 65 |
|
| SECTION 1107. Securities Redeemed in Part | 65 |
| ARTICLE Twelve. - SINKING FUNDS | 66 | |
|
| SECTION 1201. Applicability of Article | 66 |
|
| SECTION 1202. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities | 66 |
|
| SECTION 1203. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund | 66 |
| ARTICLE Thirteen. - REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS | 67 | |
|
| SECTION 1301. Applicability of Article | 67 |
|
| SECTION 1302. Repayment of Securities | 67 |
|
| SECTION 1303. Exercise of Option | 67 |
|
| SECTION 1304. When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable | 68 |
|
| SECTION 1305. Securities Repaid in Part | 69 |
| ARTICLE Fourteen. - DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE | 69 | |
|
| SECTION 1401. Applicability of Article; Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance | 69 |
|
| SECTION 1402. Defeasance and Discharge | 69 |
|
| SECTION 1403. Covenant Defeasance | 70 |
|
| SECTION 1404. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance | 70 |
|
| SECTION 1405. Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions | 72 |
| ARTICLE Fifteen. - MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES | 73 | |
|
| SECTION 1501. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called | 73 |
|
| SECTION 1502. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings | 73 |
|
| SECTION 1503. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings | 73 |
|
| SECTION 1504. Quorum; Action | 74 |
| iii |
|
| SECTION 1505. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings | 75 |
|
| SECTION 1506. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings | 75 |
| ARTICLE Sixteen. - CONVERSION OF SECURITIES | 76 | |
|
| SECTION 1601. Applicability of Article; Conversion Privilege and Conversion Price | 76 |
|
| SECTION 1602. Exercise of Conversion Privilege | 77 |
|
| SECTION 1603. Fractions of Shares | 78 |
|
| SECTION 1604. Adjustment of Conversion Price | 78 |
|
| SECTION 1605. Notice of Adjustments of Conversion Price | 81 |
|
| SECTION 1606. Notice of Certain Corporate Action | 82 |
|
| SECTION 1607. Company to Reserve Common Stock | 82 |
|
| SECTION 1608. Taxes on Conversion | 82 |
|
| SECTION 1609. Covenants as to Common Stock | 82 |
|
| SECTION 1610. Cancellation of Converted Securities | 83 |
|
| SECTION 1611. Provisions in Case of Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets; Special Distributions | 83 |
|
| SECTION 1612. Trustee Adjustment Disclaimer; Company Determination Final | 84 |
|
| SECTION 1613. When No Adjustment Required | 84 |
|
| SECTION 1614. Equivalent Adjustments | 84 |
| iv |
ASP ISOTOPES INC.
Reconciliation and tie between the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA”) and the Indenture, dated as of, 20 .
| Trust Indenture Act Section | Indenture Section |
| § 310(a)(1) | 607 |
| (a) (2) | 607 |
| (b) | 607, 608 |
| § 312(c) | 701 |
| § 313(a) | 702 |
| (c) | 702 |
| § 314(a) | 703 |
| (a)(4) | 1008 |
| (c)(1) | 102 |
| (c)(2) | 102 |
| (e) | 102 |
| § 315(b) | 601 |
| § 316(a) (last sentence) | 101(“Outstanding”) |
| (a)(1)(A) | 502, 512 |
| (a) (1)(B) | 513 |
| (b) | 508 |
| § 317(a)(1) | 503 |
| (a)(2) | 504 |
| § 318(a) | 111 |
| (c) | 111 |
NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.
Attention should also be directed to Section 318(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, which provides that the provisions of Sections 310 to and including 317 of the Trust Indenture Act are a part of and govern every qualified indenture, whether or not physically contained therein
| 1 |
INDENTURE, dated as of , 20 , between ASP ISOTOPES INC., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “Company”), having its principal office at 100 Campus Drive, 6th Floor, Marlborough, Massachusetts, and, as Trustee hereunder (hereinafter called the “Trustee”), having a Corporate Trust Office at [ ].
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
The Company deems it necessary to issue from time to time for its lawful purposes senior debt securities (hereinafter called the “Securities”) evidencing its unsecured and senior indebtedness, and has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of the Securities, to be issued in one or more Series as provided in this Indenture.
This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA”), that are deemed to be incorporated into this Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done. NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of a Series thereof, as follows:
ARTICLE ONE. - DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
SECTION 101. Definitions. For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;
(2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the TIA, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein, and the terms “cash transactions” and “self-liquidating paper,” as used in TIA Section 311, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the rules of the Commission adopted under the TIA;
(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with GAAP;
(4) any reference to an “Article” or a “Section” refers to an Article or Section, as the case may be, of this Indenture; and
(5) the words “herein,” “hereof “and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.
| 2 |
“Act,” when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 104.
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
“Authenticating Agent” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 611 hereof to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more Series.
“Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper, printed in the English language or in an official language of the country of publication, customarily published on each Business Day, whether or not published on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Whenever successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different Authorized Newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any Business Day.
“Bankruptcy Law” has the meaning specified in Section 501.
“Bearer Security” means any Security established pursuant to Section 201 which is payable to the bearer.
“Board of Directors” when used with reference to the Company, means the board of directors of the Company, or any committee of that board duly authorized to act hereunder, or any director or directors and/or officer or officers of the Company, to whom the board or committee shall have duly delegated its authority.
“Board Resolution” means a copy of (1) a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, or (2) a certificate signed by the director or directors and/or officer or officers to whom the Board of Directors shall have duly delegated its authority, together with a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification authorizing such delegation, and, in each case, delivered to the Trustee.
“Business Day,” when used with respect to any Place of Payment or any other particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Securities, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities issued pursuant to Section 301, any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment or particular location are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
“Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any capital stock (including preferred stock), shares, interests, participations or other ownership interests (however designated) of such Person and any rights (other than debt securities convertible into or exchangeable for corporate stock), warrants or options to purchase any thereof.
| 3 |
“Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking Luxembourg, société anonyme, or its successor.
“Closing Price” means the closing price of a share of Common Stock of the Company as reported on The Nasdaq Global Select Market.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or, if at any time after execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties on such date.
“Common Depository” has the meaning specified in Section 304.
“Common Stock” means, with respect to any Person, all shares of capital stock issued by such Person other than Preferred Stock.
“Company” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor corporation.
“Company Request” and “Company Order” mean, respectively, a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Constituent Person” has the meaning specified in Section 1611.
“Conversion Event” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country which issued such currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community, (ii) the ECU both within the European Monetary System and for the settlement of transactions by public institutions of or within the European Communities or (iii) any currency unit (or composite currency) other than the ECU for the purposes for which it was established.
“Conversion Price” has the meaning specified in Section 1601.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which, at any particular time, its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at [ ].
“corporation” includes corporations, associations, companies and business trusts.
| 4 |
“coupon” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.
“Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1403.
“Custodian” has the meaning specified in Section 501.
“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.
“Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1402.
“Distribution Record Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1611.
“Dividend Record Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1604.
“Dollar” or the sign “$” means a dollar or other equivalent unit in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company and any successor to DTC in its capacity as depository for any Securities.
“ECU” means the European Currency Unit as defined and revised from time to time by the Council of the European Communities. “Euroclear” means the operator of the Euroclear System.
“European Communities” means the European Economic Community, the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Atomic Energy Community.
“European Monetary System” means the European Monetary System established by the Resolution of December 5,1978 of the Council of the European Communities.
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Article Five.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed; provided, however, that in the event the Exchange Act is amended after such date, “Exchange Act” means to the extent required by any such amendment, the Exchange Act as so amended.
“Exchange Date” has the meaning specified in Section 304.
“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
“Foreign Currency” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the ECU issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.
| 5 |
“GAAP” means, except as otherwise provided herein, generally accepted accounting principles, as in effect from time to time, as used in the United States applied on a consistent basis.
“Global Security” means a Security evidencing all or a part of a series of Securities issued to and registered in the name of the depository for such series, or its nominee, in accordance with Section 305, and bearing the legend prescribed in Section 203.
“Government Obligations” means (i) securities which are (A) direct obligations of the United States of America or the government which issued the Foreign Currency in which the Securities of a particular series are payable, for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (B) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such government which issued the Foreign Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and (iii) a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.
“Holder” means, in the case of a Registered Security, the Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of a Bearer Security, the bearer thereof and, when used with respect to any coupon, shall mean the bearer thereof.
“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, and shall include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 301; provided, however, that, if at any time more than one Person is acting as Trustee under this instrument, “Indenture” shall mean, with respect to any one or more series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee, this instrument as originally executed or as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of the or those particular series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee established as contemplated by Section 301, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms which relate solely to other series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee, regardless of when such terms or provisions were adopted, and exclusive of any provisions or terms adopted by means of one or more indentures supplemental hereto executed and delivered after such Person had become such Trustee but to which such Person, as such Trustee, was not a party.
“Indexed Security” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.
| 6 |
“Interest,” when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, shall mean interest payable after Maturity.
“Interest Payment Date,” when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.
“Make-Whole Amount,” when used with respect to any Security, means the amount, if any, in addition to principal (and accrued interest thereon, if any) which is required by a Security, under the terms and conditions specified therein or as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, to be paid by the Company to the Holder thereof in connection with any optional redemption or accelerated payment of such Security.
“Mandatory sinking fund payment” has the meaning specified in Section 1201.
“Market Value of the Distribution” has the meaning specified in Section 1604.
“Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal (or, if the context so requires, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, or lesser amount or, in the case of an Indexed Security, an amount determined in accordance with the specified terms of that Security) of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise.
“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or a Vice President (whether or not designated by a number or word or words added before or after the title “Vice President”), and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Company or who may be an employee of or other counsel for the Company.
“optional sinking fund payment” has the meaning specified in Section 1201.
“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which provides for an amount (excluding any amounts attributable to accrued but unpaid interest thereon) less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502.
“Outstanding,” when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:
(i) Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;
(ii) Securities, or portions thereof, for whose payment or redemption (including repayment at the option of the Holder) money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto; provided, however, that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;
| 7 |
(iii) Securities, except to the extent provided in Sections 1402 and 1403, with respect to which the Company has effected Defeasance and/or Covenant Defeasance as provided in Article Fourteen; and
(iv) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company;
provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders for quorum purposes, and for the purpose of making the calculations required by TIA Section 313, (i) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the amount of principal thereof that would be (or shall have been declared to be) due and payable, at the time of such determination, upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502, (ii) the principal amount of any Security denominated in a Foreign Currency that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the Dollar equivalent, determined pursuant to Section 301 as of the date such Security is originally issued by the Company, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent as of such date of original issuance of the amount determined as provided in clause (i) above) of such Security, (iii) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the principal face amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided with respect to such Security pursuant to Section 301, and (iv) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making such calculation or in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities owned as provided in clause (iv) above which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor. In case of a dispute as to such right, the advice of counsel shall be full protection in respect of any decision made by the Trustee in accordance with such advice.
| 8 |
“Paying Agent” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Securities or coupons on behalf of the Company.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity or organization.
“Place of Payment,” when used with respect to the Securities of or within any series, means the place or places where the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest on such Securities are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 301 and Section 1002.
“Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or a Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or the Security to which the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains.
“Preferred Stock” means, with respect to any Person, all capital stock issued by such Person that is entitled to a preference or priority over any other capital stock issued by such Person with respect to any distribution of such Person’s assets, whether by dividend or upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
“Redemption Date,” when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, in whole or in part, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.
“Redemption Price,” when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price specified in the related Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture contemplated by and pursuant to Section 301, at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.
“Reference Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1604.
“Registered Security” shall mean any Security which is registered in the Security Register.
“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Registered Securities of or within any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 301, whether or not a Business Day.
“Repayment Date” means, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid at the option of the Holder, the date fixed for such repayment by or pursuant to this Indenture.
“Repayment Price” means, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid at the option of the Holder, the price at which it is to be repaid by or pursuant to this Indenture.
| 9 |
“Responsible Officer,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any Vice President (whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “Vice President”), Assistant Vice President, Trust Officer or Assistant Trust Officer working in its Corporate Trust Department, or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and working in its Corporate Trust Department, and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
“Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 1604.
“Rights Record Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1604.
“Security” and “Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and, more particularly, means any Security or Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided, however, that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities” with respect to the Indenture as to which such Person is Trustee shall have the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and shall more particularly mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.
“Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 305.
A “Series” of Securities means all securities denoted as part of the same series authorized by or pursuant to a particular Board Resolution.
“Short Term Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 1604.
“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Registered Securities of or within any series means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 307.
“Stated Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security or a coupon representing such installment of interest as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.
“Trading Day” means any day on which The Nasdaq Global Select Market is open for business.
“Trigger Events” has the meaning specified in Section 1604.
“Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended and as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed, except as provided in Section 905.
| 10 |
“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided, however, that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean only the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.
“Unadjusted Distribution” has the meaning specified in Section 1604.
“United States” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, the United States of America (including the states and the District of Columbia), its territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.
“United States Person” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or an estate or trust the income of which is subject to United States Federal income taxation regardless of its source.
“Yield to Maturity” means the yield to maturity, computed at the time of issuance of a Security (or, if applicable, at the most recent redetermination of interest on such Security) and as set forth in such Security in accordance with generally accepted United States bond yield computation principles.
SECTION 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.
Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (including certificates delivered pursuant to Section 1008) shall include:
(1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and
(4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
| 11 |
SECTION 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, or a certificate or representations by counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the opinion, certificate or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel or certificate or representations may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information as to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.
SECTION 104. Acts of Holders.
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders of the Outstanding Securities of all series or one or more series, as the case may be, may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agents duly appointed in writing. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article Fifteen, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company and any agent of the Trustee or the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 1506.
| 12 |
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other reasonable manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.
(c) The ownership of Registered Securities shall be proved by the Security Register. As to any matter relating to beneficial ownership interests in any Global Security, the appropriate depository’s records shall be dispositive for purposes of this Indenture.
(d) The ownership of Bearer Securities may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depository, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depository, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depository, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (1) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (2) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (3) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (4) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership of Bearer Securities may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.
(e) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. Notwithstanding TIA Section 316(c), such record date shall be the record date specified in or pursuant to such Board Resolution, which shall be a date not earlier than the date 30 days prior to the first solicitation of Holders generally in connection therewith and not later than the date such solicitation is completed. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on such record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than eleven months after the record date.
| 13 |
(f) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or upon the conversion thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
SECTION 105. Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,
(1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at ☑ or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Company by the Trustee, Attention: [ ]; or
(2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to it at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this Indenture or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company, Attention: [ ]; or
(3) either the Trustee or the Company, by the other party or by any Holder, shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if given by facsimile transmission, receipt confirmed by telephone followed by an original copy delivered by guaranteed overnight courier; if to the Trustee at facsimile number ☑; and if to the Company at facsimile number [ ].
SECTION 106. Notice to Holders; Waiver. Where this Indenture provides for notice of any event to Holders of Registered Securities by the Company or the Trustee, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each such Holder affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, if any, and not earlier than the earliest date, if any, prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice mailed to a Holder in the manner herein prescribed shall be conclusively deemed to have been received by such Holder, whether or not such Holder actually receives such notice.
If by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification to Holders of Registered Securities as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification to such Holders for every purpose hereunder.
| 14 |
Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Bearer Securities of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and in such other city or cities as may be specified in such Securities on a Business Day, such publication to be not later than the latest date, if any, and not earlier than the earliest date, if any, prescribed for the giving of such notice. Any such notice shall be deemed to have been given on the date of such publication or, if published more than once, on the date of the first such publication.
If by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither the failure to give notice by publication to any particular Holder of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Bearer Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Registered Securities given as provided herein.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.
Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.
SECTION 107. Counterparts; Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same Indenture. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION 108. Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
SECTION 109. Severability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture or in any Security or coupon shall be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
SECTION 110. Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities or coupons, if any, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.
| 15 |
SECTION 111. Governing Law. This Indenture and the Securities and coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the TIA that are required to be part of this Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
SECTION 112. Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange a Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security or coupon other than a provision in the Securities of any series which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof), payment of interest or principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or conversion or exchange of such Security need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but (except as otherwise provided in the supplemental indenture with respect to such Security) may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or sinking fund payment date, or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity, or on such last day for conversion or exchange, provided that no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity, as the case may be.
SECTION 113. Limited Liability; Immunity of Stockholders, Directors, Officers and Agents of the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities of any series to the contrary, no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for the payment of any sums due on account of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, including without limitation principal, premium or interest, if any, or for any claim based on this Indenture or any Security or otherwise in respect of this Indenture or any Security, shall be had, whether by levy or execution or otherwise, against (i) the Company, the Company’s assets or against any past, present or future stockholder, employee, officer, director or agent, as such, of the Company or any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, under any rule of law, statute, constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty, or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, nor shall any such parties be personally liable for any such amounts, obligations or claims, or liable for any deficiency judgment based thereon or with respect thereto, it being expressly understood that the sole remedies hereunder or under any other document with respect to the Securities against such parties with respect to such amounts, obligations or claims shall be against the Company and that all such liability of and recourse against such parties is expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Securities by the Holders and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.
SECTION 114. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be.
| 16 |
ARTICLE TWO. - SECURITIES FORMS
SECTION 201. Forms of Securities. The Registered Securities, if any, of each series and the Bearer Securities, if any, of each series and related coupons shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto or in such other form as shall be established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto or approved from time to time by or pursuant to a Board Resolution in accordance with Section 301, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification or designation and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any over-the-counter market or securities exchange, on which the Securities may be quoted or listed, or to conform to usage.
Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, Bearer Securities shall have interest coupons attached.
The definitive Securities and coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or mechanically reproduced on safety paper or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities or coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or coupons.
SECTION 202. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 611, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| as Trustee
|
| |
| Dated: | By: |
|
|
|
| Authorized Signatory |
| |
SECTION 203. Securities Issuable in Global Form. If Securities of or within a series are issuable in the form of one or more Global Securities, then, notwithstanding clause (8) of Section 301 and the provisions of Section 302, any such Global Security or Securities may provide that it or they shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities of such series represented thereby may from time to time be increased or decreased to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Global Security to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders thereof, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made (or caused to be made) by the Trustee in such manner or by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 303 or Section 304. Subject to the provisions of Section 303 and, if applicable, Section 304, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any Global Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 303 or Section 304 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to endorsement or delivery or redelivery of a Global Security shall be in writing but need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.
| 17 |
The provisions of the last sentence of Section 303 shall apply to any Security represented by a Global Security if such Security was never issued and sold by the Company and the Company delivers to the Trustee the Global Security together with written instructions (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) with regard to the reduction in the principal amount of Securities represented thereby, together with the written statement contemplated by the last sentence of Section 303.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 307, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, payment of principal of and any premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and interest on any Global Security in permanent global form shall be made to the registered Holder thereof.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 308 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company and the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a permanent Global Security (i) in the case of a permanent Global Security in registered form, the Holder of such permanent Global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a permanent Global Security in bearer form, Euroclear or Clearstream.
Any Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
“This Security is a Global Security within the meaning set forth in the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depository or a nominee of a Depository. This Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or its nominee to a successor Depository or its nominee.”
ARTICLE THREE. - THE SECURITIES
SECTION 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.
The Securities may be issued in one or more series, each of which shall be authorized pursuant to Board Resolutions of the Company. There shall be established in one or more Board Resolutions or pursuant to authority granted by one or more Board Resolutions and, subject to Section 303, set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series:
(1) The title of the Securities of the series, including “CUSIP” numbers (which shall distinguish the Securities of such series from all other series of Securities);
| 18 |
(2) Any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or upon conversion of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906, 1107 or 1305) and the minimum authorized denominations with respect to the Securities of such series;
(3) The price (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which such Securities will be issued and, if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount thereof payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof or (if applicable) the portion of the principal amount of such Securities that is convertible into Common Stock or Preferred Stock or the method by which any such portion shall be determined;
(4) If convertible, the terms on which such Securities are convertible, including the initial conversion price or rate and the conversion period and any applicable limitations on the ownership or transferability of Common Stock or Preferred Stock receivable on conversion;
(5) The date or dates, or the method for determining such date or dates, on which the principal of such Securities will be payable;
(6) The rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable), or the method by which such rate or rates shall be determined, at which such Securities will bear interest, if any;
(7) The date or dates, or the method for determining such date or dates, from which any such interest will accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest will be payable, the Regular Record Dates for such Interest Payment Dates, or the method by which such dates shall be determined, the Persons to whom such interest shall be payable, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;
(8) The Make-Whole Amount, if any, or method for determining the Make-Whole Amount, if any, payable with respect to such Securities, and the terms upon which such amount, if any, will be payable;
(9) The place or places where the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities will be payable, where such Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or conversion or exchange and where notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served;
| 19 |
(10) The period or periods, if any, within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may, pursuant to any optional or mandatory redemption provisions, be redeemed, as a whole or in part, at the option of the Company;
(11) The obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, repay or purchase such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of a Holder thereof, and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be redeemed, repaid or purchased, as a whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
(12) If other than Dollars, the currency or currencies in which such Securities are denominated and payable, which may be a foreign currency or units of two or more foreign currencies or a composite currency or currencies, the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in Dollars for purposes of the definition of “Outstanding” in Section 101, and the terms and conditions relating thereto;
(13) Whether the amount of payments of principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, including any amount due upon redemption, if any) or interest on such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which index, formula or method may, but need not be, based on the yield on or trading price of other securities, including United States Treasury securities or on a currency, currencies, currency unit or units, or composite currency or currencies) and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;
(14) Whether the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on the Securities of the series are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies other than that in which such Securities are denominated or stated to be payable, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of, and identity of the exchange rate agent with responsibility for, determining the exchange rate between the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which such Securities are denominated or stated to be payable and the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which such Securities are to be so payable;
(15) Provisions, if any, granting special rights to the Holders of Securities of the series upon the occurrence of such events as may be specified;
(16) Any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to Securities of the series, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;
(17) Whether and under what circumstances the Company will pay any additional amounts on such Securities in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities in lieu of making such payment;
| 20 |
(18) Whether Securities of the series are to be issuable as Registered Securities, Bearer Securities (with or without coupons) or both, any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of Bearer Securities and the terms upon which Bearer Securities of the series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of the series and vice versa (if permitted by applicable laws and regulations), whether any Securities of the series are to be issuable initially in temporary global form and whether any Securities of the series are to be issuable in permanent global form with or without coupons and, if so, whether beneficial owners of interests in any such permanent global Security may, or shall be required to, exchange such interests for Securities of such series and of like tenor of any authorized form and denomination and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may, or shall be required to, occur, if other than in the manner provided in the Indenture, and, if Registered Securities of the series are to be issuable as a Global Security, the identity of the depository for such series;
(19) The date as of which any Bearer Securities of the series and any temporary Global Security representing outstanding Securities of the series shall be dated if other than the date of original issuance of the first Security of the series to be issued;
(20) The Person to whom any interest on any Registered Security of the series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest the manner in which, or the Person to whom, any interest on any Bearer Security of the series shall be payable, if otherwise than upon presentation and surrender of the coupons appertaining thereto as they severally mature, and the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payable on a temporary Global Security on an Interest Payment Date will be paid if other than in the manner provided herein; provided, however, in each case, that the manner of determining such Person or making such payment shall be acceptable to the Trustee (as not imposing on it any undue administrative burden or risk of liability);
(21) The applicability, if any, of the Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance provisions of Article Fourteen hereof to the Securities of the series;
(22) The obligation, if any, of the Company to permit the conversion of the Securities of such series into Common Stock or Preferred Stock, as the case may be, and the terms and conditions upon which such conversion shall be effected (including, without limitation, the initial conversion price or rate, the conversion period, any adjustment of the applicable conversion price and any requirements relative to the reservation of such shares for purposes of conversion);
(23) If the Securities of such series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and/or terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;
| 21 |
(24) Designation of the Trustee, if different from the Trustee under the Indenture, with respect to such series and the terms applicable to such Trustee (which shall be accepted by such Trustee by its execution and delivery of a supplemental indenture as provided therein); and
(25) Any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture).
All Securities of any one series and the coupons appertaining to any Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except, in the case of Registered Securities, as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to such Board Resolution (subject to Section 303) and set forth in such Officers’ Certificate or in any such indenture supplemental hereto. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided, a series may be reopened, without the consent of the Holders, for issuances of additional Securities of such series.
If any of the terms of the Securities of any series are established by action taken pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions, a copy of an appropriate record of such action(s) shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of the Securities of such series.
SECTION 302. Denominations. The Securities of each series shall be issuable in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 301. With respect to Securities of any series denominated in Dollars, in the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series, other than Global Securities (which may be of any denomination), shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof or the equivalent amounts thereof in the case of Securities denominated in the Foreign Currency or currency unit.
SECTION 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. The Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, its President, or one of its Vice Presidents, under its corporate seal reproduced thereon, and attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities and coupons may be manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such authorized officer and may be imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Securities.
Securities and coupons bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities or coupons.
| 22 |
At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series, together with any coupon appertaining thereto, executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities (accompanied by a copy of the Board Resolution and the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture contemplated by Section 301), and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities; provided, however, that, in connection with its original issuance, no Bearer Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States; and provided further that, unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, a Bearer Security may be delivered in connection with its original issuance only if the Person entitled to receive such Bearer Security shall have furnished a certificate to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, in the form set forth in Exhibit B-l to this Indenture or such other certificate as may be specified by the Company with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the earlier of the date on which such Bearer Security is delivered and the date on which any temporary Security first becomes exchangeable for such Bearer Security in accordance with the terms of such temporary Security and this Indenture. If any Security shall be represented by a permanent Global Security, then, for purposes of this Section and Section 304, the notation of a beneficial owner’s interest therein upon original issuance of such Security or upon exchange of a portion of a temporary Global Security shall be deemed to be delivery in connection with its original issuance of such beneficial owner’s interest in such permanent Global Security. Except as permitted by Section 306, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all appurtenant coupons for interest then matured have been detached and canceled.
If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time and if the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture establishing such series shall so permit, such Company Order may set forth procedures acceptable to the Trustee for the issuance of such Securities and determining the terms of particular Securities of such series, such as interest rate or formula, maturity date, date of issuance and date from which interest shall accrue. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to TIA Section 315(a) through 315(d)) shall be fully protected in relying upon,
(i) an Opinion of Counsel stating that
(a) the form or forms of such Securities and any coupons have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;
(b) the terms of such Securities and any coupons have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and
(c) such Securities, together with any coupons appertaining thereto, when completed by appropriate insertions and executed and delivered by the Company to the Trustee for authentication in accordance with this Indenture, authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in accordance with this Indenture and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute legal, valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles; and
| 23 |
(ii) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the issuance of the Securities have been complied with and that, to the best of the knowledge of the signers of such certificate, that no Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.
If such form or terms have been so established, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities (or to enter into the related supplemental indenture, if applicable) if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties, obligations or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of the preceding paragraph, if all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 or a Company Order, or an Opinion of Counsel or an Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to the preceding paragraph at the time of issuance of each Security of such series, but such order, opinion and certificates, with appropriate modifications to cover such future issuances, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series.
Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication and each Bearer Security shall be dated as of the date specified as contemplated by Section 301.
No Security or coupon shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security or Security to which such coupon appertains a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein duly executed by the Trustee (subject to Section 611) by manual signature of an authorized signatory, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security (including a Global Security) shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 309 together with a written statement (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) stating that such Security has never been issued and sold by the Company, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.
SECTION 304. Temporary Securities.
(a) Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form, or, if authorized, in bearer form with one or more coupons or without coupons, and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. In the case of Securities of any series, such temporary Securities may be in global form.
| 24 |
Except in the case of temporary Global Securities (which shall be exchanged as otherwise provided herein or as otherwise provided in or pursuant to a Board Resolution or supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 301), if temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series (accompanied by any non-matured coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute (in accordance with a Company Order delivered at or prior to the authentication of the first definitive security to such series) and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations; provided, however,that no definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided further that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 303. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.
(b) Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to a Board Resolution or supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 301, the following provisions of this Section 304(b) shall govern the exchange of temporary Securities other than through the facilities of the DTC. If any such temporary Security is issued in global form, then such temporary Global Security shall, unless otherwise provided therein, be delivered to the London office of a depository or common depository upon and pursuant to written direction of the Company (the “Common Depository”), for the benefit of Euroclear and Clearstream, for credit to the respective accounts of the beneficial owners of such Securities (or to such other accounts as they may direct).
Without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the date specified in, or determined pursuant to the terms of, any such temporary Global Security (the “Exchange Date”), the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities, in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such temporary Global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the Exchange Date, such temporary Global Security shall be surrendered by the Common Depository to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or from time to time in part, for definitive Securities without charge, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for each portion of such temporary Global Security, an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such temporary Global Security to be exchanged. The definitive Securities to be delivered in exchange for any such temporary Global Security shall be in bearer form, registered form, permanent global bearer form or permanent global registered form, or any combination thereof, as specified as contemplated by Section 301, and, if any combination thereof is so specified, as requested by the beneficial owner thereof (as directed by or pursuant to information provided by the Common Depository); provided, however, that, unless otherwise specified in such temporary Global Security, upon such presentation by the Common Depository, such temporary Global Security shall be accompanied by a certificate dated the Exchange Date or a subsequent date and signed by Euroclear as to the portion of such temporary Global Security held for its account then to be exchanged and a certificate dated the Exchange Date or a subsequent date and signed by Clearstream as to the portion of such temporary Global Security held for its account then to be exchanged, each in the form set forth in Exhibit B-2 to this Indenture or in such other form as may be established pursuant to Section 301; and provided further that definitive Bearer Securities shall be delivered in exchange for a portion of a temporary Global Security only in compliance with the requirements of Section 303.
| 25 |
Unless otherwise specified in such temporary Global Security, the interest of a beneficial owner of Securities of a series in a temporary Global Security shall be exchanged for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor following the Exchange Date when the account holder instructs Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, to request such exchange on his behalf and delivers to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, a certificate in the form set forth in Exhibit B-l to this Indenture (or in such other form as may be established pursuant to Section 301), dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the Exchange Date, copies of which certificate shall be available from the offices of Euroclear and Clearstream, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent appointed for such series of Securities and each Paying Agent. Unless otherwise specified in such temporary Global Security, any such exchange shall be made free of charge to the beneficial owners of such temporary Global Security, except that a Person receiving definitive Securities must bear the cost of insurance, postage, transportation and the like unless such Person takes delivery of such definitive Securities in person at the offices of Euroclear or Clearstream. Definitive Securities in bearer form to be delivered in exchange for any portion of a temporary Global Security shall be delivered only to an address located outside the United States.
Until exchanged in full as hereinabove provided, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor authenticated and delivered hereunder, except that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, interest payable on a temporary Global Security on an Interest Payment Date for Securities of such series occurring prior to the applicable Exchange Date shall be payable to Euroclear and Clearstream on such Interest Payment Date upon delivery by Euroclear and Clearstream to the Trustee of a certificate or certificates in the form set forth in Exhibit B-2 to this Indenture (or in such other forms as may be established pursuant to Section 301), for credit without further interest on or after such Interest Payment Date to the respective accounts of Persons who are the beneficial owners of such temporary Global Security on such Interest Payment Date and who have each delivered to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, a certificate dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the Interest Payment Date occurring prior to such Exchange Date in the form set forth as Exhibit B-l to this Indenture (or in such other forms as may be established pursuant to Section 301). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, the certifications made pursuant to this paragraph shall satisfy the certification requirements of the preceding two paragraphs of this Section 304(b) and of the third paragraph of Section 303 of this Indenture and the interests of the Persons who are the beneficial owners of the temporary Global Security with respect to which such certification was made will be exchanged for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor on the Exchange Date or the date of certification if such date occurs after the Exchange Date, without further act or deed by such beneficial owners. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, no payments of principal or interest owing with respect to a beneficial interest in a temporary Global Security will be made unless and until such interest in such temporary Global Security shall have been exchanged for an interest in a definitive Security. Any interest so received by Euroclear and Clearstream and not paid as herein provided shall be returned to the Trustee prior to the expiration of two years after such Interest Payment Date in order to be repaid to the Company.
| 26 |
With respect to Exhibit B-l or B-2 to this Indenture, the Company may, in its discretion and if required or desirable under applicable law, substitute one or more other forms of such exhibits for such exhibits, eliminate the requirement that any or all certificate be provided, or change the time that any certificate may be required, provided that such substitute form or forms or notice of elimination or change of such certification requirement have theretofore been delivered to the Trustee with a Company Request and such form or forms, elimination or change is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.
SECTION 305. Registration; Registration of Transfer; Conversion and Exchange. The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or in any office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment a register for each series of Securities (the registers maintained in such office or in any such office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes referred to collectively as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Registered Securities and of transfers of Registered Securities. The Security Register shall be in written form or any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time. The Trustee, at its Corporate Trust Office, is hereby initially appointed “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering Registered Securities and transfers of Registered Securities on such Security Register as herein provided. In the event that the Trustee shall cease to be Security Registrar, it shall have the right to examine, and be provided a copy of, the Security Register at all reasonable times.
Subject to the provisions of this Section 305, upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, and containing identical terms and provisions.
Subject to the provisions of this Section 305, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination or denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions, upon surrender of the Registered Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency. Whenever any such Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive. Unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities as contemplated by Section 301, Bearer Securities may not be issued in exchange for Registered Securities.
| 27 |
If (but only if) permitted by the applicable Board Resolution and (subject to Section 303) set forth in the applicable Officers’ Certificate, or in any indenture supplemental hereto, delivered as contemplated by Section 301, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of any series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of the same series of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency, with all unmatured coupons and all matured coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured coupon or coupons or matured coupon or coupons in default, any such permitted exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company (or to the Trustee for the Security in case of matured coupons in default) in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing coupon or coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, interest represented by coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons at an office or agency located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such office or agency in a permitted exchange for a Registered Security of the same series and like tenor after the close of business at such office or agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, any permanent Global Security shall be exchangeable only as provided in this paragraph. If the depository for any permanent Global Security is DTC, then, unless the terms of such Global Security expressly permit such Global Security to be exchanged in whole or in part for definitive Securities, a Global Security may be transferred, in whole but not in part, only to a nominee of DTC, or by a nominee of DTC to DTC, or to a successor to DTC for such Global Security selected or approved by the Company or to a nominee of such successor to DTC. If at any time DTC notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depository for the applicable Global Security or Securities or if at any time DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act if so required by applicable law or regulation, the Company shall appoint a successor depository with respect to such Global Security or Securities. If (w) a successor depository for such Global Security or Securities is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such unwillingness, inability or ineligibility, (x) the Company delivers to the Trustee for Securities of such series in registered form a Company Order stating that the Securities of such series shall be exchangeable, (y) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the beneficial owners representing a majority in principal amount of the applicable series of Securities represented by such Global Security or Securities advise DTC to cease acting as depository for such Global Security or Securities or (z) the Company, in its sole discretion, determines at any time that all Outstanding Securities (but not less than all) of any series issued or issuable in the form of one or more Global Securities shall no longer be represented by such Global Security or Securities, then the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver definitive Securities of like series, rank, tenor and terms in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Global Security or Securities. If any beneficial owner of an interest in a permanent global Security is otherwise entitled to exchange such interest for Securities of such series and of like tenor and principal amount of another authorized form and denomination, as specified as contemplated by Section 301 and provided that any applicable notice provided in the permanent Global Security shall have been given, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interest may be so exchanged, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver definitive Securities in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such beneficial owner’s interest in such permanent Global Security. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such permanent Global Security shall be surrendered for exchange by DTC or such other depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose; provided, however, that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before any selection of Securities to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date if the Security for which exchange is requested may be among those selected for redemption; and provided further that no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a permanent Global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a permanent Global Security after the close of business at the office or agency where such exchange occurs on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but will be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such permanent Global Security is payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
| 28 |
All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or conversion or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or conversion or exchange.
Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for conversion, exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
No service charge shall be made to the Holder for any registration of transfer or conversion or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or conversion or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 304, 906, 1107 or 1305 not involving any transfer.
The Company or the Trustee, as applicable, shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security if such Security may be among those selected for redemption during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of the Securities to be redeemed under Section 1103 and ending at the close of business on (A) if such Securities are issuable only as Registered Securities, the day of the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption and (B) if such Securities are issuable as Bearer Securities, the day of the first publication of the relevant notice of redemption or, if such Securities are also issuable as Registered Securities and there is no publication, the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except, in the case of any Registered Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security so selected for redemption except that such a Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of that series and like tenor, provided that such Registered Security shall be simultaneously surrendered for redemption, or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.
Furthermore, notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 305, the Company will not be required to exchange any Securities if, as a result of the exchange, the Company would suffer adverse consequences under any United States law or regulation.
SECTION 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee or the Company, together with, in proper cases, such security or indemnity as may be required by the Company or the Trustee to save each of them or any agent of either of them harmless, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series and principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.
If there shall be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or coupon has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains (with all appurtenant coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen), a new Security of the same series and principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains.
| 29 |
Notwithstanding the provisions of the previous two paragraphs, in case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains, pay such Security or coupon if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee for such Security such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, and in the case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence satisfactory to the Company and Trustee and any agent of any of them of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security and the ownership thereof; provided, however, that payment of principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), and interest, if any, on, Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, any interest on Bearer Securities shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the coupons appertaining thereto.
Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.
Every new Security of any series with its coupons, if any, issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains, shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and its coupons, if any, or the destroyed, lost or stolen coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that series and their coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons.
SECTION 307. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved. Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 301, interest on any Registered Security that is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest payment at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 1002; provided, however, that each installment of interest on any Registered Security may at the Company’s option be paid by (i) mailing a check for such interest, payable to or upon the written order of the Person entitled thereto pursuant to Section 308, to the address of such Person as it appears on the Security Register or (ii) transfer to an account maintained by the payee located inside the United States.
| 30 |
Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, payment of interest may be made, in the case of a Bearer Security, by transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located outside the United States.
Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301, every permanent Global Security will provide that interest, if any, payable on any Interest Payment Date will be paid to DTC, Euroclear and/or Clearstream, as the case may be, with respect to that portion of such permanent Global Security held for its account by Cede & Co. or the Common Depository, as the case may be, for the purpose of permitting such party to credit the interest received by it in respect of such permanent Global Security to the accounts of the beneficial owners thereof.
In case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security of such series after the close of business (at an office or agency in a Place of Payment for such series) on any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business (at such office or agency) on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date and interest will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 301, any interest on any Registered Security of any series that is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (1) or (2) below:
(1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Registered Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Registered Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment (which shall not be less than 20 days after such notice is received by the Trustee), and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Registered Securities of such series at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. The Trustee may, in its discretion, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment, but such publications shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Registered Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (2). In case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at the office or agency in a Place of Payment for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series after the close of business at such office or agency on any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such proposed date of payment and Defaulted Interest will not be payable on such proposed date of payment in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
| 31 |
(2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Registered Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any over-the-counter market or securities exchange on which such Securities may be quoted or listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such market or exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 305, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or upon conversion of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.
SECTION 308. Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), and (subject to Section 305 and Section 307) interest on, such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Registered Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary. All such payments so made to any such Person, or upon such Person’s order, shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sum or sums so paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for money payable upon any such Security.
Title to any Bearer Security and any coupons appertaining thereto shall pass by delivery. The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Holder of any Bearer Security and the Holder of any coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security or coupon be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
| 32 |
No holder of any beneficial interest in any Global Security held on its behalf by a depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such Global Security and such depository (which is the Holder of such security) shall be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such Global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Global Security, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee, or any agent of the Company or the Trustee, from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by any depository, as a Holder, with respect to such Global Security or impair, as between such depository and owners of beneficial interests in such Global Security, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of such depository (or its nominee) as Holder of such Global Security.
SECTION 309. Cancellation. All Securities and coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, repayment at the option of the Holder, registration of transfer or conversion or exchange or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and coupons and Securities and coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, upon direction by the Company, shall be promptly cancelled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. If the Company shall so acquire any of the Securities, however, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. Cancelled Securities and coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in accordance with its customary practices (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act).
SECTION 310. Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
SECTION 311. CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided, however, that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the “CUSIP” numbers.
| 33 |
ARTICLE FOUR. - SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
SECTION 401. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Request (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or conversion or exchange of Securities of such series herein expressly provided for), and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, and at the expense of the Company, shall execute instruments in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee and the Company acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series when
(1) either
(A) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto (other than (i) coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities surrendered for exchange for Registered Securities and maturing after such exchange, whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 305, (ii) Securities and coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306, (iii) coupons appertaining to Securities called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date, whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 1106, and (iv) Securities and coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(B) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (i) or (ii) below, any coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation
(ii) have become due and payable, or
(iii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or
| 34 |
(iv) if redeemable at the option of the Company, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,
and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose an amount in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable, sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and such coupons not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;
(2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and
(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 606, the obligations of the Company to any Authenticating Agent under Section 611 and, if money shall have been deposited with and held by the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 and the last paragraph of Section 1003 shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.
SECTION 402. Application of Trust Funds. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities, the coupons and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), and any interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
ARTICLE FIVE. - REMEDIES
SECTION 501. Events of Default. “Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to any particular series of Securities, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether or not it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):
(1) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that series or of any coupon appertaining thereto, when such interest or coupon becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or
| 35 |
(2) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on) any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable at its Maturity; or
(3) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, to the extent applicable to such series of Securities, when and as due by the terms of any Security of that series; or
(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture with respect to any Security of that series (other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than that series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or
(5) default under any bond, debenture, note, mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company, having an aggregate principal amount outstanding of at least $30,000,000, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default shall have resulted in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, without such indebtedness having been discharged, or such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled, within a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default and requiring the Company to cause such indebtedness to be discharged or cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; provided, however, that, subject to the provisions of Section 601 and Section 602, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such default unless either (A) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have knowledge of such default or (B) the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company, from any Holder, from the holder of any such indebtedness or from the trustee under any such mortgage, indenture or other instrument; or
(6) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(A) commences a voluntary case,
| 36 |
(B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,
(C) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, or
(D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or
(7) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(A) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,
(B) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or
(C) orders the liquidation of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 days; or
(8) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that series.
As used in this Section 501, the term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal or state law for the relief of debtors and the term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or other similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
SECTION 502. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal amount (or, if Securities of that Series are Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such portion of the principal as may be specified in the terms thereof) of all the Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal or specified portion thereof shall become immediately due and payable.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration of acceleration and its consequences if:
(1) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay in the currency, currency unit or composite currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series):
(A) all overdue installments of interest on all Outstanding Securities of that series and any related coupons,
| 37 |
(B) the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on) any Outstanding Securities of that series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,
(C) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of interest at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and
(D) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel; and
(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the nonpayment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on Securities of that series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 513.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 503. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if:
(1) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on any Security of any series and any related coupon when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or
(2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on) any Security of any series at its Maturity, then the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities of such series and coupons, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities and coupons for principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, with interest upon any overdue principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities of such series and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities of such series, wherever situated.
| 38 |
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any related coupons by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
SECTION 504. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities of any series shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal, premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of such series, of principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and
(ii) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar official) in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities of such series and coupons to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee, their agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee under Section 606.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or coupon in any such proceeding.
In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and also any proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the Trustee shall be a party) the Trustee shall be held to represent all the Holders of the Securities, and it shall not be necessary to make any Holders of the Securities parties to any such proceedings.
| 39 |
SECTION 505. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities and coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
SECTION 506. Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest, upon presentation of the Securities or coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 606;
SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and coupons for principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and coupons for principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, respectively; and
THIRD: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company.
SECTION 507. Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any related coupon shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture or the Securities or any related coupon, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:
(1) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that series;
(2) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;
| 40 |
(4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;
it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture or the Securities, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.
SECTION 508. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or coupon shall have the right which is absolute and unconditional to receive payment of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and (subject to Section 305 and Section 307) interest on such Security or payment of such coupon on the respective due dates expressed in such Security or coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
SECTION 509. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of Securities and coupons shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
SECTION 510. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons in the last paragraph of Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities or coupons is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
SECTION 511. Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders of Securities or coupons, as the case may be.
| 41 |
SECTION 512. Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that:
(1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,
(2) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and
(3) the Trustee need not take any action which might involve it in personal liability or be unduly prejudicial to the Holders of Securities of such series not joining therein.
Nothing in this Indenture shall impair the right of the Trustee in its discretion to take any action deemed proper by the Trustee and which is not inconsistent with such direction by Holders.
SECTION 513. Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any related coupons waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default
(1) in the payment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Security of such series or any related coupons, or
(2) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article Nine cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected; or
(3) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof for the benefit or protection of the Trustee, without its express written consent.
Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 514. Waiver of Usury; Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
| 42 |
SECTION 515. Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).
ARTICLE SIX. - THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 601. Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit in the manner and to the extent provided in TIA Section 313(c), notice of such default hereunder known to the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Security of such series, or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund installment with respect to the Securities of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Securities and coupons of such series; and provided further that in the case of any default or breach of the character specified in Section 501(4) with respect to the Securities and coupons of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series.
SECTION 602. Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to the provisions of TIA Section 315(a) through 315(d):
(1) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document (whether in its original or facsimile form) reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;
| 43 |
(2) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order (other than delivery of any Security, together with any coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 303 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;
(3) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;
(4) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its own selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;
(5) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any related coupons pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;
(6) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document, unless requested in writing so to do by the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series; provided that, if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require reasonable indemnity against such expenses or liabilities as a condition to proceeding; the reasonable expenses of every such examination shall be paid by the Holders or, if paid by the Trustee, shall be repaid by the Holders upon demand. The Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, relevant to the facts or matters that are the subject of its inquiry, personally or by agent or attorney at the expense of the Company and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation;
(7) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;
| 44 |
(8) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;
(9) any permissive right or power available to the Trustee under this Indenture or any supplement hereto shall not be construed to be a mandatory duty or obligation;
(10) the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any matter (including any default, other than as described in Section 501(1), (2) or (3)) unless and except to the extent actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee or to the extent written notice thereof is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office;
(11) the Trustee shall have no liability for any inaccuracy in the books and records of, or for any actions or omissions of, DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or any depository acting on behalf of any of them;
(12) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed by the Trustee to act hereunder; and
(13) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officers’ Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.
The Trustee shall not be required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee.
SECTION 603. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or coupons, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Indenture, authenticate the Securities and perform its obligations hereunder. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof. The Trustee shall have no responsibility with respect to any information, statement or recital in any offering prospectus or other disclosure materials prepared or distributed with respect to the Securities.
| 45 |
SECTION 604. May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Paying Agent, Security Registrar, Authenticating Agent or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and coupons and, subject to TIA Sections 310(b) and 311, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar, Authenticating Agent or such other agent.
SECTION 605. Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing with the Company.
SECTION 606. Compensation and Reimbursement. The Company agrees:
(1) to pay to the Trustee as agreed upon in writing from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);
(2) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, and disbursements incurred by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the reasonable expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense or disbursement as shall be determined to have been caused by its own negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith; and
(3) to indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense incurred without negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 501(7) or Section 501(8), the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law.
As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien for payment of the Trustee’s fees and expenses prior to the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on particular Securities or any coupons.
The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.
| 46 |
SECTION 607. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility; Conflicting Interests. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be eligible to act as Trustee under TIA Section 310(a)(1) and shall have at all times a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 (or which shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $10,000,000 and whose ultimate parent holding company shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If the Trustee publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of Federal, state, territorial or District of Columbia supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of the Trustee shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article. Neither the Company nor any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company shall serve as Trustee.
SECTION 608. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.
(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 609.
(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 60 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Trustee and to the Company. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 60 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(d) If at any time:
(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of TIA Section 310(b) after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or
(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 607 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or
(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then, in any such case, (i) the Company by or pursuant to a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee and appoint a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to TIA Section 315(e), any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.
| 47 |
(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series). If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to Securities of such series.
(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series in the manner provided for notices to the Holders of Securities in Section 106. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.
SECTION 609. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.
(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee, and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 606.
| 48 |
(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto, pursuant to Article Nine hereof, wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.
(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 609, as the case may be.
(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.
SECTION 610. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities or coupons shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities or coupons so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities or coupons. In case any Securities or coupons shall not have been authenticated by such predecessor Trustee, any such successor Trustee may authenticate and deliver such Securities or coupons, in either its own name or that of its predecessor Trustee, with the full force and effect which this Indenture provides for the certificate of authentication of the Trustee.
| 49 |
SECTION 611. Appointment of Authenticating Agent. At any time when any of the Securities remain Outstanding, the Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon conversion or exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption or repayment thereof, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Any such appointment shall be evidenced by an instrument in writing signed by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, a copy of which instrument shall be promptly furnished to the Company. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a bank or trust company or corporation organized and doing business and in good standing under the laws of the United States of America or of any state or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authorities. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. In case at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.
Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.
An Authenticating Agent for any series of Securities may at any time resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee for such series and to the Company. The Trustee for any series of Securities may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee for such series may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve in the manner set forth in Section 106. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent herein. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.
| 50 |
The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation including reimbursement of its reasonable expenses for its services under this Section, subject to Section 606.
If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication substantially in the following form:
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within- mentioned Indenture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| as Trustee |
| |
|
|
|
| |
| Dated: | By: |
|
|
|
|
| as Authenticating Agent |
|
| Dated: | By: |
|
|
|
|
| as Authenticating Agent |
|
SECTION 612. Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee.
(a) With respect to the Securities of any series, except during the continuance of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series:
(1) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(2) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture, but shall not be under any duty to verify the contents or accuracy thereof.
(b) In case an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall, with respect to Securities of such series, exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.
| 51 |
(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(1) this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of Subsection (a) of this Section;
(2) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(3) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series; and
(4) no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and, the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights and powers under this Indenture at the request of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 612.
(e) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money or assets held by it except to the extent the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Assets held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other assets except to the extent required by law.
ARTICLE SEVEN. - HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
SECTION 701. Disclosure of Names and Addresses of Holders. Every Holder of Securities or coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent nor any Paying Agent nor any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with TIA Section 312, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under TIA Section 312(b).
SECTION 702. Reports by Trustee. The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required by TIA Section 313 at the times and in the manner provided by the TIA, which shall initially be not less than every twelve months commencing on, 20 . A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each over-the-counter market or securities exchange, if any, upon which any Securities are quoted or listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The Company will notify the Trustee when any Securities are quoted or listed on any over-the-counter market or securities exchange or delisted therefrom.
| 52 |
SECTION 703. Reports by Company. The Company will:
(1) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of such Sections, then it will file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act in respect of a security quoted or listed and registered on an over-the-counter market or national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;
(2) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations;
(3) transmit by mail to the Holders of Securities, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in TIA Section 313(c), such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission; and
(4) delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates).
SECTION 704. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee:
(a) semiannually, not later than 15 days after the Regular Record Date for interest for each series of Securities, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of Registered Securities of such series as of such Regular Record Date, or if there is no Regular Record Date for interest for such series of Securities, semiannually, upon such dates as are set forth in the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, and
(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished, provided, however, that, so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar, no such list shall be required to be furnished.
| 53 |
ARTICLE EIGHT. - CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, LEASE OR CONVEYANCE
SECTION 801. Consolidations and Mergers of Company and Sales, Leases and Conveyances Permitted Subject to Certain Conditions. The Company may consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of its assets to, or merge with or into any other corporation, provided that in any such case, (1) either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the successor corporation shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States or a State thereof and such successor corporation shall expressly assume the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and any interest on all of the Securities, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Company by supplemental indenture, complying with Article Nine hereof, satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and delivered to the Trustee by such corporation, (2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result thereof as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or the lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing and (3) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee the Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required pursuant to Section 803 below.
SECTION 802. Rights and Duties of Successor Corporation. In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance and upon any such assumption by the successor corporation, such successor corporation shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company, with the same effect as if it had been named herein as the party of the first part, and the predecessor corporation, except in the event of a lease, shall be relieved of any further obligation under this Indenture and the Securities. Such successor corporation thereupon may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Company, any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor corporation, instead of the Company, and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor corporation thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.
In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.
| 54 |
SECTION 803. Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel. Any consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance permitted under Section 801 is also subject to the condition that the Trustee receive an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance, and the assumption by any successor corporation, complies with the provisions of this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.
ARTICLE NINE. - SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
SECTION 901. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or coupons, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:
(1) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or
(2) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or
(3) to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series); provided, however, that in respect of any such additional Events of Default such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such default or may limit the right of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of that or those series of Securities to which such additional Events of Default apply to waive such default; or
(4) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, or interest on Bearer Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series or any related coupons in any material respect; or
| 55 |
(5) to change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture, provided that any such change or elimination shall become effective only when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of such provision; or
(6) to secure the Securities; or
(7) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series and any related coupons as permitted or contemplated by Section 201 and Section 301; or
(8) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee; or
(9) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, provided such provisions shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series or any related coupons in any material respect; or
(10) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the Defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Sections 401, 1402 and 1403; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of such series and any related coupons or any other series of Securities in any material respect; or
(11) to make provisions with respect to Holders’ rights of conversion with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Article Sixteen.
SECTION 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities and any related coupons under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby:
(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on) or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security; or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate or amount of interest thereon, or any premium or Make-Whole Amount payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502 or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 504, or adversely affect any right of repayment at the option of the Holder of any Security, or change any Place of Payment where, or the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which, any Security or any premium or Make-Whole Amount or the interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption or repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the Redemption Date or the Repayment Date, as the case may be), or (if Securities of such series are convertible) adversely affect the right of the Holder to convert any Security as provided in Article Sixteen; or
| 56 |
(2) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver with respect to such series (or compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 1504 for quorum or voting, or
(3) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 513 or Section 1009, except to increase the required percentage to effect such action or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section 902 and Section 1009, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 609(b) and 901(11).
It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section 902 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.
A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.
SECTION 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modification thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 612) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
SECTION 904. Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.
| 57 |
SECTION 905. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.
SECTION 906. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall, if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.
ARTICLE TEN. - COVENANTS
SECTION 1001. Payment of Principal, Premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any; and Interest. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of such series of Securities, any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, any interest due on Bearer Securities on or before Maturity shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the several coupons for such interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they severally mature. Unless otherwise specified with respect to Securities of any series pursuant to Section 301, at the option of the Company (upon written notice to the Trustee), all payments of principal may be paid by check to the registered Holder of the Registered Security or other Person entitled thereto against surrender of such Security.
SECTION 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency. If Securities of a series are issuable only as Registered Securities, the Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment or conversion, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or conversion or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company will maintain: (A) in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, an office or agency where any Registered Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment or conversion, where any Registered Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served and where Bearer Securities of that series and related coupons may be presented or surrendered for payment or conversion in the circumstances described in the following paragraph (and not otherwise); (B) subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, in a Place of Payment for that series which is located outside the United States, an office or agency where Securities of that series and related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided, however, that if the Securities of that series are listed on any stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company will maintain a Paying Agent for the Securities of that series in any required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of that series are listed on such exchange; and (C) subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, in a Place of Payment for that series located outside the United States an office or agency where any Registered Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of each such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of that series and the related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment or conversion at the offices specified in the Security, in London, England, and the Company hereby appoints the same as its agent to receive such respective presentations, surrenders, notices and demands, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
| 58 |
Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, no payment of principal, premium or Make- Whole Amount or interest on Bearer Securities shall be made at any office or agency of the Company in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided. however, that, if the Securities of a series are payable in Dollars, payment of principal of and any premium or Make-Whole Amount and interest on any Bearer Security shall be made at the office of the Company’s Paying Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment in Dollars of the full amount of such principal, premium or Make-Whole Amount, or interest, as the case may be, at all offices or agencies outside the United States maintained for the purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture, is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.
The Company may from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies (in or outside the Place of Payment) where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all of such purposes, and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in accordance with the requirements set forth above for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency. Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301 with respect to a series of Securities, the Company hereby designates as a Place of Payment for each series of Securities, each of (i) the office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and (ii) the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee (as Paying Agent); and the Company hereby initially appoints the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office as Paying Agent in such city; and the Company hereby initially appoints as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands each of the Trustee, at its Corporate Trust Office.
Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of the Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent (of which it shall give written notice to the Trustee).
| 59 |
SECTION 1003. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of any Securities and any related coupons, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), or interest on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities and any related coupons, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, or interest and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will
(1) hold all sums held by it for the payment of principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on Securities in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;
(2) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities) in the making of any such payment of principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on the Securities of that series; and
(3) at any time during the continuance of any such default upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.
| 60 |
The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.
Except as otherwise provided in the Securities of any series, and subject to applicable laws, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company upon Company Request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment of such principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Security, without interest thereon, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.
SECTION 1004. Existence. Subject to Article Eight, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence, all material rights (by certificate of incorporation, bylaws and statute) and material franchises; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right or franchise if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company.
SECTION 1005. Maintenance of Properties. The Company will cause all of its material properties used or useful in the conduct of its business to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order, normal wear and tear, casualty and condemnation excepted, and supplied with all necessary equipment and will cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof (and the Company may take out of service for a period of time, any of its properties that have been condemned or suffered any loss due to casualty in order to make such repairs, betterments and improvements), all as in the judgment of the Company may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided, however, that the Company shall not be prevented from (i) removing permanently any property that has been condemned or suffered a loss due to casualty based on the Company’s reasonable judgment that such removal is in the best interest of the Company, or (ii) selling or otherwise disposing of its properties for value in the ordinary course of business.
| 61 |
SECTION 1006. Insurance. The Company will cause its insurable properties to be insured against loss or damage in an amount deemed reasonable by the Board of Directors with insurers of recognized responsibility.
SECTION 1007. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims. The Company will pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, (1) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon it or upon the income, profits or property of the Company, and (2) all lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies which, if unpaid, might by law become a lien upon the property of the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge or claim whose amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings.
SECTION 1008. Statement as to Compliance. The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a brief certificate from the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer as to his or her knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture and, in the event of any noncompliance, specifying such noncompliance and the nature and status thereof. For purposes of this Section 1008, such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture.
SECTION 1009. Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Sections 1004 to 1008, inclusive, if before or after the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of all outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such covenant or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such covenant or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.
ARTICLE ELEVEN. - REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
SECTION 1101. Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.
SECTION 1102. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all of the Securities of any series, the Company shall, at least 45 days prior to the giving of the notice of redemption in Section 1104 (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.
| 62 |
SECTION 1103. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all the Securities of any series issued on the same day with the same terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series issued on such date with the same terms not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.
For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.
SECTION 1104. Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified by the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 301, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, but failure to give such notice in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Security designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other such Security or portion thereof.
Any notice that is mailed to the Holders of Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives the notice.
All notices of redemption shall state:
(1) the Redemption Date,
(2) the Redemption Price, accrued interest to the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 1106, if any,
(3) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,
(4) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the holder will receive, without a charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,
| 63 |
(5) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price and accrued interest to the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 1106, if any, will become due and payable upon each such Security, or the portion thereof, to be redeemed and, if applicable, that interest thereon shall cease to accrue on and after said date,
(6) the Place or Places of Payment where such Securities, together in the case of Bearer Securities with all coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, or for conversion,
(7) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,
(8) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing coupon or coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee for such series and any Paying Agent is furnished,
(9) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and any Registered Securities of such series are not to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on this Redemption Date pursuant to Section 305 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,
(10) the CUSIP number of such Security, if any, and
(11) if applicable, that a Holder of Securities who desires to convert Securities for redemption must satisfy the requirements for conversion contained in such Securities, the then existing conversion price or rate, the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion, and the date and time when the option to convert shall expire.
Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.
SECTION 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, which it may not do in the case of a sinking fund payment under Article Twelve, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.
| 64 |
If any Securities called for redemption are converted, any money deposited with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent or so segregated and held in trust for the redemption of such Security shall be paid to the Company upon Company Request or, if then held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust.
SECTION 1106. Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) (together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date), and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest) such Securities shall, if the same were interest-bearing, cease to bear interest and the coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of coupons for such interest; and provided further that except as otherwise provided with respect to Securities convertible into the Company’s Common Stock or Preferred Stock, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.
If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided, however, that interest represented by coupons shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons.
If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate borne by the Security.
SECTION 1107. Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part (pursuant to the provisions of this Article or of Article Twelve) shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge a new Security or Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Global Security is so surrendered, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the depository, without service charge, a new Global Security in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Global Security so surrendered.
| 65 |
ARTICLE TWELVE. - SINKING FUNDS
SECTION 1201. Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of such Securities of any series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of any Securities of any series, the cash amount of any mandatory sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 1202. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series.
SECTION 1202. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of a series, (1) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any previously called for redemption) together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured coupons appertaining thereto and (2) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, as provided for by the terms of such Securities, or which have otherwise been acquired by the Company; provided that such Securities so delivered or applied as a credit have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the applicable Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such mandatory sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.
SECTION 1203. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 60 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for Securities of any series, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 1202, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered and credited. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 1104. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 1106 and 1107.
| 66 |
ARTICLE THIRTEEN. - REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS
SECTION 1301. Applicability of Article. Repayment of Securities of any series before their Stated Maturity at the option of Holders thereof shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities, if any, and (except as otherwise specified by the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 301) in accordance with this Article.
SECTION 1302. Repayment of Securities. Securities of any series subject to repayment in whole or in part at the option of the Holders thereof will, unless otherwise provided in the terms of such Securities, be repaid at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest, if any, thereon accrued to the Repayment Date specified in or pursuant to the terms of such Securities. The Company covenants that on or prior to the Repayment Date it will deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal (or, if so provided by the terms of the Securities of any series, a percentage of the principal) of, and (except if the Repayment Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities or portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid on such date.
SECTION 1303. Exercise of Option. Securities of any series subject to repayment at the option of the Holders thereof will contain an “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Securities. In order for any Security to be repaid at the option of the Holder, the Trustee must receive at the Place of Payment therefor specified in the terms of such Security (or at such other place or places of which the Company shall from time to time notify the Holders of such Securities) not earlier than 60 days nor later than 30 days prior to the Repayment Date (1) the Security so providing for such repayment together with the “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse thereof duly completed by the Holder (or by the Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing) or (2) a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or a letter from a member of a national securities exchange, or the FINRA, or a commercial bank or trust company in the United States setting forth the name of the Holder of the Security, the principal amount of the Security, the principal amount of the Security to be repaid, the CUSIP number, if any, or a description of the tenor and terms of the Security, a statement that the option to elect repayment is being exercised thereby and a guarantee that the Security to be repaid, together with the duly completed form entitled “Option to Elect Repayment” on the reverse of the Security, will be received by the Trustee not later than the fifth Business Day after the date of such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter; provided, however, that such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter shall only be effective if such Security and form duly completed are received by the Trustee by such fifth Business Day. If less than the entire principal amount of such Security is to be repaid in accordance with the terms of such Security, the principal amount of such Security to be repaid, in increments of the minimum denomination for Securities of such series, and the denomination or denominations of the Security or Securities to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the principal amount of such Security surrendered that is not to be repaid, must be specified. The principal amount of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof may not be repaid in part if, following such repayment, the unpaid principal amount of such Security would be less than the minimum authorized denomination of Securities of the series of which such Security to be repaid is a part. Except as otherwise may be provided by the terms of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof, exercise of the repayment option by the Holder shall be irrevocable unless waived by the Company.
| 67 |
SECTION 1304. When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable. If Securities of any series providing for repayment at the option of the Holders thereof shall have been surrendered as provided in this Article and as provided by or pursuant to the terms of such Securities, such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid shall become due and payable and shall be paid by the Company on the Repayment Date therein specified, and on and after such Repayment Date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities on such Repayment Date) such Securities shall, if the same were interest-bearing, cease to bear interest and the coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be repaid, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for repayment in accordance with such provisions, together with all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Repayment Date, the principal amount of such Security so to be repaid shall be paid by the Company, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Repayment Date; provided, however, that coupons whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Repayment Date shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of such coupons; and provided further that, in the case of Registered Securities, installments of interest, if any, whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Repayment Date shall be payable (but without interest thereon, unless the Company shall default in the payment thereof) to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.
If any Bearer Security surrendered for repayment shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant coupons maturing after the Repayment Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the amount payable therefor as provided in Section 1302 an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made as provided in the preceding sentence, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided, however, that interest represented by coupons shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons.
If the principal amount of any Security surrendered for repayment shall not be so repaid upon surrender thereof, such principal amount (together with interest, if any, thereon accrued to such Repayment Date) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Repayment Date at the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) set forth in such Security.
| 68 |
SECTION 1305. Securities Repaid in Part. Upon surrender of any Registered Security which is to be repaid in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security, without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination specified by the Holder, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the portion of the principal of such Security so surrendered which is not to be repaid.
ARTICLE FOURTEEN. - DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
SECTION 1401. Applicability of Article; Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. If, pursuant to Section 301, provision is made for either or both of (a) Defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 1402 or (b)Covenant Defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 1403, then the provisions of such Section or Sections, as the case may be, together with the other provisions of this Article (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 1402 (if applicable) or Section 1403 (if applicable) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article.
SECTION 1402. Defeasance and Discharge. Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the date the conditions set forth in Section 1404 are satisfied (hereinafter, “Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 1405 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (A) and (B) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (A) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 1404 and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, (B) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Securities under Sections 305, 306, 1002 and 1003, and the Company’s obligations under Section 606 hereof (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (D) this Article. Subject to compliance with this Article Fourteen, the Company may exercise its option under this Section notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 1403 with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto.
| 69 |
SECTION 1403. Covenant Defeasance. Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be released from its obligations under Sections 1004 to 1009, inclusive, and, if specified pursuant to Section 301, its obligations under any other covenant contained herein or in any indenture supplemental hereto, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1404 are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”), and such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “Outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with Sections 1004 to 1009, inclusive, or such other covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 501(4) or 501(8) or otherwise, as the case may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be unaffected thereby.
SECTION 1404. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. The following shall be the conditions to application of Section 1402 or Section 1403 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any coupons appertaining thereto:
(a) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 607 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Article Fourteen applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, (1) an amount in such currency, currencies or currency unit in which such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (2) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the currency, currencies or currency unit in which such Securities and coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than the due date of any payment of principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (3) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (i) the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, if any, on such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto.
| 70 |
(b) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.
(c) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or, insofar as Sections 501(6) and 501(7) are concerned, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).
(d) In the case of an election under Section 1402, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such Defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Defeasance had not occurred.
(e) In the case of an election under Section 1403, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred.
(f) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the Defeasance under Section 1402 or the Covenant Defeasance under Section 1403 (as the case may be) have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that either (i) as a result of a deposit pursuant to subsection (a) above and the related exercise of the Company’s option under Section 1402 or Section 1403 (as the case may be), registration is not required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, by the Company, with respect to the trust funds representing such deposit or by the Trustee for such trust funds or (ii) all necessary registrations under said Act have been effected.
| 71 |
(g) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith pursuant to Section 301.
(h) The payment of amounts payable to the Trustee pursuant to this Indenture shall be paid or provided for to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee.
SECTION 1405. Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 301) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 1405, the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 1404 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Security pursuant to Section 301, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 1404(a) has been made, (a) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 301 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a currency or currency unit other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 1404(a) has been made in respect of such Security, or (b) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the currency or currency unit in which the deposit pursuant to Section 1404(a) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), and interest, if any, on such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the currency or currency unit in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on the applicable market exchange rate for such currency or currency unit in effect on the second Business Day prior to each payment date, except, with respect to a Conversion Event, for such currency or currency unit in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event.
The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 1404 or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto.
| 72 |
Anything in this Article to the contrary notwithstanding, subject to Section 606, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in Section 1404 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Article.
ARTICLE FIFTEEN. - MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
SECTION 1501. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.
SECTION 1502. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.
(a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 1501, to be held at such time and at such place as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 20 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.
(b) In case at any time the Company, pursuant to a Board Resolution, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 1501, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 20 days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in subsection (a) of this Section.
SECTION 1503. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (1) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (2) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.
| 73 |
SECTION 1504. Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of Holders of Securities of such series; provided, however, that if any action is to be taken at such meeting with respect to a consent or waiver which this Indenture expressly provides may be given by the Holders of not less than a specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series, the Persons entitled to vote such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at the reconvening of any such adjourned meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days; at the reconvening of any meeting adjourned or further adjourned for lack of a quorum, the Persons entitled to vote 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then Outstanding Securities shall constitute a quorum for the taking of any action set forth in the notice of the original meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 1502(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened.
Except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted by the affirmative vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities represented at such meeting; provided, however, that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series.
Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the related coupons, whether or not present or represented at the meeting.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1504, if any action is to be taken at a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action that this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities affected thereby, or of the Holders of such series and one or more additional series:
(i) there shall be no minimum quorum requirement for such meeting; and
(ii) the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series that vote in favor of such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action shall be taken into account in determining whether such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action has been made, given or taken under this Indenture.
| 74 |
SECTION 1505. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings.
(a) Notwithstanding any provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of a series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 or by having the signature of the Person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 104 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 104 or other proof.
(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 1502(b), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.
(c) At any meeting each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.
(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 1502 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting, and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.
SECTION 1506. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in duplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record, at least in duplicate, of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any Series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the fact, setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 1502 and, if applicable, Section 1504. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.
| 75 |
ARTICLE SIXTEEN. - CONVERSION OF SECURITIES
SECTION 1601. Applicability of Article; Conversion Privilege and Conversion Price. Securities of any series which are convertible shall be convertible in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article Sixteen. Subject to and upon compliance with the provisions of this Article Sixteen, at any time during the period specified in the Securities, at the option of the Holder thereof, any Security or any portion of the principal amount thereof which is $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 may be converted at the principal amount thereof, or of such portion thereof, into fully paid and nonassessable shares (calculated as to each conversion to the nearest 1/100 of a share) of Common Stock of the Company, at the Conversion Price, determined as hereinafter provided, in effect at the time of conversion. In case a Security or portion thereof is called for redemption, such conversion right in respect of the Security or portion so called shall expire at the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Redemption Date, unless the Company defaults in making the payment due upon redemption, in which case such conversion right shall terminate on the date such default is cured.
The price at which shares of Common Stock shall be delivered upon conversion (herein called the “Conversion Price”) of Securities of any series shall be specified in such Securities. The Conversion Price shall be adjusted in certain instances as provided in Section 1604.
In case the Company shall, by dividend or otherwise, declare or make a distribution on its Common Stock referred to in paragraph (4) of Section 1604, the Holder of each Security, upon the conversion thereof pursuant to this Article Sixteen subsequent to the close of business on the date fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such distribution and prior to the effectiveness of the Conversion Price adjustment in respect of such distribution pursuant to paragraph (4) of Section 1604, shall be entitled to receive for each share of Common Stock into which such Security is converted, the portion of the evidence of indebtedness, shares of Capital Stock or assets so distributed applicable to one share of Common Stock; provided, however, that, at the election of the Company (whose election shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution filed with the Trustee) with respect to all Holders so converting, the Company may, in lieu of distributing to such Holder any portion of such distribution not consisting of cash or securities of the Company, pay such Holder an amount in cash equal to the fair market value thereof (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be conclusive and described in a Board Resolution filed with the Trustee). If any conversion of a Security entitled to the benefits described in the immediately preceding sentence occurs prior to the payment date for a distribution to holders of Common Stock which the Holder of the Security so converted is entitled to receive in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence, the Company may elect (such election to be evidenced by a Board Resolution filed with the Trustee) to distribute to such Holder a due bill for the evidences of indebtedness, shares of Capital Stock or assets to which such Holder is so entitled, provided that such due bill (i) meets any applicable requirements of the principal over-the-counter market or national securities exchange or other market on which the Common Stock is then traded, and (ii) requires payment or delivery of such evidences of indebtedness or assets no later than the date of payment or delivery thereof to holders of Common Stock receiving such distribution.
| 76 |
SECTION 1602. Exercise of Conversion Privilege. In order to exercise the conversion privilege, the Holder of any Security to be converted shall surrender such Security, duly endorsed or assigned to the Company or in blank, at any office or agency maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 1002, accompanied by written notice to the Company at such office or agency that the Holder elects to convert such Security or, if less than the entire principal amount thereof is to be converted, the portion thereof to be converted and shall comply with any additional requirements set forth in such Security. Securities surrendered for conversion during the period from the close of business on any Regular Record Date next preceding any Interest Payment Date to the opening of business on such Interest Payment Date shall (except for Securities the Maturity of which is prior to such Interest Payment Date) be accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company of an amount equal to the interest payable on such Interest Payment Date on the principal amount of Securities being surrendered for conversion and such interest shall be paid on such Interest Payment Date as provided in Section 307. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, no payment or adjustment shall be made upon any conversion on account of any interest accrued on the Securities surrendered for conversion or on account of any dividends on the Common Stock issued upon conversion.
The Company’s delivery to the Holder of the fixed number of shares of the Common Stock of the Company (and any cash in lieu of any fractional share of Common Stock) into which the Security is convertible shall be deemed to satisfy the Company’s obligation to pay the principal amount of the Security and all accrued interest and original issue discount that has not previously been paid. The shares of Common Stock of the Company so delivered shall be treated as issued first in payment of accrued interest and original issue discount and then in payment of principal. Thus, accrued interest and original issue discount shall be treated as paid, rather than canceled, extinguished or forfeited.
Securities shall be deemed to have been converted immediately prior to the close of business on the day of surrender of such Securities for conversion in accordance with the foregoing provisions, and at such time the rights of the Holders of such Securities as Holders shall cease, and the Person or Persons entitled to receive the Common Stock issuable upon conversion shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder or holders of such Common Stock at such time. As promptly as practicable on or after the conversion date, the Company shall issue and shall deliver at such office or agency a certificate or certificates for the number of full shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion, together with payment in lieu of any fraction of a share, as provided in Section 1603.
| 77 |
In the case of any Security which is converted in part only, as promptly as practicable on or after the conversion date the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery to the Holder thereof (or the Depositary in the case of a Global Security), at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities, of authorized denominations in aggregate principal amount equal to the unconverted portion of the principal amount of such Security.
SECTION 1603. Fractions of Shares. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon conversion of Securities. If more than one Security shall be surrendered for conversion at one time by the same Holder, the number of full shares of Common Stock which shall be issuable upon conversion thereof shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities (or specified portions thereof) so surrendered. Instead of any fractional share of Common Stock which would otherwise be issuable upon conversion of any Security or Securities (or specified portions thereof), the Company shall pay a cash adjustment (rounded to the nearest cent) in respect of such fraction in an amount equal to the same fraction of the Closing Price per share of the Common Stock on the day of conversion (or, if such day is not a Trading Day, on the Trading Day immediately preceding such day).
SECTION 1604. Adjustment of Conversion Price. The Conversion Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as follows:
(1) If the Company pays or makes a dividend or other distribution (a) on its Common Stock exclusively in Common Stock or (b) on any other class of Capital Stock of the Company, which dividend or distribution includes Common Stock of the Company, the Conversion Price in effect at the opening of business on the day following the date fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or other distribution (the “Dividend Record Date”) shall be reduced by multiplying such Conversion Price by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company outstanding at the close of business on the Dividend Record Date and the denominator shall be the sum of such number of shares and the total number of shares constituting such dividend or other distribution. Such reduction shall become effective immediately after the opening of business on the day following the date fixed for such determination. For the purposes of this paragraph (1), the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company at any time outstanding shall not include shares held in the treasury of the Company, but shall include shares issuable in respect of scrip certificates issued in lieu of fractions of shares of Common Stock. The Company shall not pay any dividend or make any distribution on shares of Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company.
(2) Subject to paragraph (6) of this Section, if the Company pays or makes a dividend or other distribution on its Common Stock consisting exclusively of Short Term Rights (as defined below), or otherwise issues Short Term Rights to all holders of its Common Stock, the Conversion Price in effect at the opening of business on the day following the record date for the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive such Short Term Rights (the “Rights Record Date”) shall be reduced by multiplying such Conversion Price by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company outstanding at the close of business on the Rights Record Date plus the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company which the aggregate of the offering price of the total number of shares of Common Stock so offered for subscription or purchase would purchase at such current market price and the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company outstanding at the close of business on the Rights Record Date plus the number of shares of Common Stock so offered for subscription or purchase. Such reduction shall become effective immediately after the opening of business on the day following the Rights Record Date. For the purposes of this paragraph (2), the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company at any time outstanding shall not include shares held in the treasury of the Company, but shall include shares issuable in respect of scrip certificates issued in lieu of fractions of shares of Common Stock of the Company. The Company shall not issue any rights, options or warrants in respect of shares of its Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company. When used in this Section 1604, the term “Short Term Rights” shall mean rights, warrants or options entitling the holders thereof (for a period commencing no earlier than the Rights Record Date and expiring not more than 45 days after the Rights Record Date) to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock of the Company at a price per share less than the current market price per share (determined as provided in paragraph (7) of this Section 1604) of the Common Stock of the Company on the Rights Record Date.
| 78 |
(3) In case outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company shall be subdivided into a greater number of shares of Common Stock, the Conversion Price in effect at the opening of business on the day following the day upon which such subdivision becomes effective shall be proportionately reduced, and, conversely, in case outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company shall be combined into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock, the Conversion Price in effect at the opening of business on the day following the day upon which such combination becomes effective shall be proportionately increased, such reduction or increase, as the case may be, to become effective immediately after the opening of business on the day following the day upon which such subdivision or combination becomes effective.
(4) Subject to the last sentence of this paragraph (4) of this Section, if the Company, by dividend or otherwise, (a) distributes to all holders of its Common Stock evidences of its indebtedness, shares of any class of Capital Stock of the Company or other assets (other than cash dividends out of current or retained earnings), or (b) distributes to substantially all holders of Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for securities (other than Short Term Rights to which paragraph (2) of this Section 1604 applies), the Conversion Price shall be reduced by multiplying such Conversion Price by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the current market price per share (determined as provided in paragraph (7) of this Section 1604) of the Common Stock of the Company on the Reference Date (as defined below) less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be conclusive and described in a Board Resolution filed with the Trustee), on the Reference Date, of the portion of the evidences of indebtedness and other assets so distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one share of Common Stock (collectively, the “Market Value of the Distribution”) and the denominator shall be such current market price per share of the Common Stock of the Company. Such reduction shall become effective immediately prior to the opening of business on the day (the “Reference Date”) following the later of (a) the date fixed for the payment of such distribution and (b) the date 20 days after notice relating to such distribution is required to be given pursuant to Section 1606(a). If the Board of Directors determines the fair market value of any distribution for purposes of this paragraph (4) by reference to the actual or when issued trading market for any securities comprising such distribution, it must in doing so consider the prices in such market over the same period used in computing the current market price per share pursuant to paragraph (7) of this Section 1604. In the event that, with respect to any distribution to which this paragraph (4) of Section 1604 would otherwise apply, the Market Value of the Distribution is greater than the current market price per share of the Common Stock (such distribution being referred to herein as an “Unadjusted Distribution”), then the adjustment provided by this paragraph (4) shall not be made and in lieu thereof the provisions of Section 1611 shall apply with respect to such Unadjusted Distribution.
| 79 |
(5) The Company may, but shall not be required to, make such reductions in the Conversion Price, in addition to those required by paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of this Section 1604, as it considers to be advisable in order that any event treated for federal income tax purposes as a dividend of stock or stock rights shall not be taxable to the recipients. In addition, the Company, from time to time, may decrease the Conversion Price by any amount and for any reason, temporarily or otherwise, including situations where the Board of Directors determines such decrease to be fair and appropriate with respect to transactions in which holders of Common Stock have the right to participate.
(6) Rights or warrants issued or distributed by the Company to all holders of its Common Stock entitling the holders thereof to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, which rights or warrants (i) are deemed to be transferred with such shares of Common Stock, (ii) are not exercisable and (iii) are also issued or distributed in respect of future issuances of Common Stock, in each case in clauses (i) through (iii) until the occurrence of a specified event or events (“Trigger Events”), shall for purposes of this Section 1604 not be deemed issued or distributed until the occurrence of the earliest Trigger Event. Each share of Common Stock issued upon conversion of Securities pursuant to this Article Sixteen shall be entitled to receive the appropriate number of Common Stock purchase rights (the “Rights”), if any, and the certificates representing the Common Stock issued upon conversion shall bear such legends, if any. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article Sixteen, there shall not be any adjustment to the Conversion Price as a result of (i) the distribution of separate certificates representing the Rights; (ii) the occurrence of certain events entitling holders of Rights to receive, upon exercise thereof, Common Stock or other securities of the Company or other securities of another corporation; or (iii) the exercise of such Rights. No adjustment in the Conversion Price need be made for rights to purchase or the sale of Common Stock pursuant to a Company plan providing for reinvestment of dividends or interest.
(7) For the purpose of any computation under paragraph (2), (4) or (5) of this Section 1604, the “current market price” per share of Common Stock of the Company on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily Closing Prices for the 15 consecutive Trading Days selected by the Company commencing not more than 30 Trading Days before, and ending not later than, the date in question.
(8) No adjustment in the Conversion Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Conversion Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this paragraph (8) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Article Sixteen shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one-hundredth of a share of Common Stock, as the case may be.
| 80 |
(9) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event the Company shall declare any dividend or distribution requiring an adjustment in the Conversion Price hereunder and shall, thereafter and before the payment of such dividend or distribution to stockholders, legally abandon its plan to pay such dividend or distribution, the Conversion Price then in effect hereunder, if changed to reflect such dividend or distribution, shall upon the legal abandonment of such plan be changed to the Conversion Price which would have been in effect at the time of such abandonment (after giving effect to all other adjustments not so legally abandoned pursuant to the provisions of this Article Sixteen) had such dividend or distribution never been declared.
(10) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 1604, no adjustment to the Conversion Price shall reduce the Conversion Price below the then par value per share of the Common Stock of the Company, and any such purported adjustment shall instead reduce the Conversion Price to such par value. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the Company hereby covenants that it will from time to time take all such action as may be required to assure that the par value per share of the Common Stock is at all times equal to or less than the Conversion Price.
(11) In the event that this Article Sixteen requires adjustments to the Conversion Price under more than one of paragraphs (1), (2), (3) or (4) of this Section 1604, and the record or effective dates for the transaction giving rise to such adjustments shall occur on the same date, then such adjustments shall be made by applying (to the extent they are applicable), first, the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 1604, second, the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Section 1604, third, the provisions of paragraph (4) of this Section 1604 and, fourth, the provisions of paragraph (2) of this Section 1604. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no single event shall require or result in duplicative adjustments in the Conversion Price pursuant to this Section 1604. After an adjustment to the Conversion Price under this Article Sixteen, any subsequent event requiring an adjustment under this Article Sixteen shall cause an adjustment to the Conversion Price as so adjusted. If, after an adjustment, a Holder of a Security upon conversion of such Security receives shares of two or more classes of Capital Stock of the Company, the Conversion Price shall thereafter be subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of an action taken with respect to any such class of Capital Stock as is contemplated by this Article Sixteen with respect to the Common Stock in this Article Sixteen.
SECTION 1605. Notice of Adjustments of Conversion Price. Whenever the Conversion Price is adjusted as herein provided:
(1) the Company shall compute the adjusted Conversion Price in accordance with Section 1604 or Section 1611 and shall prepare an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the adjusted Conversion Price and showing in reasonable detail the facts upon which such adjustment is based, and such certificate shall forthwith be filed (with a copy to the Trustee) at each office or agency maintained for the purpose of conversion of any Securities pursuant to Section 1002; and
(2) a notice stating that the Conversion Price has been adjusted and setting forth the adjusted Conversion Price shall forthwith be required, and as soon as practicable after it is required, such notice shall be mailed by the Company to all Holders at their last addresses as they shall appear in the Security Register.
| 81 |
SECTION 1606. Notice of Certain Corporate Action. In case:
(1) the Company shall take any action that would require a Conversion Price adjustment pursuant to Section 1604 or Section 1611; or
(2) there shall occur any reclassification of the Common Stock of the Company (other than a subdivision or combination of its outstanding shares of Common Stock), or any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, or the sale, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and for which approval of any stockholders of the Company is required; or
(3) there shall occur the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company, then the Company shall cause to be filed at each office or agency maintained for the purpose of conversion of Securities pursuant to Section 1002, and shall cause to be mailed to all Holders at their last addresses as they shall appear in the Security Register, at least 10 days prior to the applicable record, effective or expiration date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of any dividend, distribution or granting of rights, warrants or options, or, if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distribution, rights, options or warrants are to be determined, or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding up is expected to become effective, and, if applicable, the date as of which it is expected that holders of Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding up.
SECTION 1607. Company to Reserve Common Stock. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available, free from preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued Common Stock, for the purpose of effecting the conversion of Securities, a number of shares of Common Stock for the conversion of all outstanding Securities of any series which is convertible into Common Stock.
SECTION 1608. Taxes on Conversion. The Company will pay any and all taxes that may be payable in respect of the issue or delivery of shares of Common Stock on conversion of Securities pursuant hereto. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issue and delivery of shares of Common Stock in a name other than that of the Holder of the Security or Securities to be converted, and no such issue or delivery shall be made unless and until the Person requesting such issue has paid to the Company the amount of any such tax, or has established to the satisfaction of the Company that such tax has been paid.
SECTION 1609. Covenants as to Common Stock. The Company covenants that all shares of Common Stock which may be issued upon conversion of Securities will upon issue be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free of preemptive or any similar rights, and, except as provided in Section 1608, the Company will pay all taxes, liens and charges with respect to the issue thereof.
| 82 |
The Company will endeavor promptly to comply with all Federal and state securities laws regulating the offer and delivery of shares of Common Stock upon conversion of Securities, if any, and will list or cause to have quoted such shares of Common Stock on each national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market or such other market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted.
SECTION 1610. Cancellation of Converted Securities. All Securities delivered for conversion shall be delivered to the Trustee to be cancelled by or at the direction of the Trustee, which shall dispose of the same as provided in Section 309.
SECTION 1611. Provisions in Case of Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets; Special Distributions. If any of the following shall occur, namely: (i) any reclassification or change of outstanding shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of Securities (other than a change in par value, or from par value to no par value, or from no par value to par value, or as a result of a subdivision or combination), (ii) any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party other than a merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and which does not result in any reclassification of, or change (other than a change in name, or par value, or from par value to no par value, or from no par value to par value or as a result of a subdivision or combination) in, outstanding shares of Common Stock or (iii) any sale or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business of the Company as an entirety, then the Person formed by such consolidation or resulting from such merger or which acquires such properties or assets, as the case may be, shall as a condition precedent to such transaction execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture providing that the Holder of each Security then outstanding shall have the right thereafter, during the period such Security shall be convertible as specified in Section 1601, to convert such Security only into the kind and amount of securities, cash and other property receivable, if any, upon such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company into which such Security might have been converted immediately prior to such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease; provided that the kind and amount of securities, cash and other property so receivable shall be determined on the basis of the following assumptions. The holder of Common Stock referred to in the foregoing sentence:
(1) is not (a) a Person with which the Company consolidated, (b) a Person into which the Company merged or which merged into the Company, or (c) a Person to which such sale, transfer or lease was made (any Person described in the foregoing clauses (a), (b), or (c), hereinafter referred to as a “Constituent Person”), or (d) an Affiliate of a Constituent Person; and
(2) failed to exercise his rights of election, if any, as to the kind or amount of securities, cash and other property receivable upon such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease (provided that if the kind or amount of securities, cash and other property receivable upon such consolidation, merger, sale transfer or lease is not the same for each share of Common Stock of the Company in respect of which such rights of election shall not have been exercised, then for the purpose of this Section 1611 the kind and amount of securities, cash and other property receivable upon such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease shall be deemed to be the kind and amount so receivable per share by a plurality of such shares of Common Stock).
| 83 |
Such supplemental indenture shall provide for adjustments which, for events subsequent to the effective date of such supplemental indenture, shall be as nearly equivalent as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Article Sixteen. If, in the case of any such consolidation, merger, sale transfer or lease the stock or other securities and property (including cash) receivable thereupon by a holder of Common Stock includes shares of stock or other securities and property of a corporation other than the successor or purchasing corporation, as the case may be, in such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease then such supplemental indenture shall also be executed by such other corporation and shall contain such additional provisions to protect the interests of the Holders of the Securities as the Board of Directors of the Company shall reasonably consider necessary by reason of the foregoing. The above provisions of this Section 1611 shall similarly apply to successive consolidations, mergers, sales, transfers or leases.
In the event the Company shall execute a supplemental indenture pursuant to this Section 1611, the Company shall promptly file with the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate briefly stating the reasons therefor, the kind or amount of shares of stock or securities or property (including cash) receivable by Holders of the Securities upon the conversion of their Securities after any such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease and any adjustment to be made with respect thereto.
If the Company makes a distribution to all holders of its Common Stock that constitutes an Unadjusted Distribution pursuant to the last sentence of paragraph (4) of Section 1604, then, from and after the record date for determining the holders of Common Stock entitled to receive such distribution (the “Distribution Record Date”), a Holder of a Security who converts such Security in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture shall, upon conversion, be entitled to receive, in addition to the shares of Common Stock into which the Security is convertible, the kind and amount of evidences of indebtedness, shares of Capital Stock, or other assets or subscription rights or warrants, as the case may be, comprising the distribution that such Holder would have received if such Holder had converted the Security immediately prior to the Distribution Record Date.
SECTION 1612. Trustee Adjustment Disclaimer; Company Determination Final. The Trustee has no duty to determine when an adjustment under this Article Sixteen should be made, how it should be made or what it should be. The Trustee has no duty to determine whether a supplemental indenture under Section 1611 need be entered into or whether any provisions of any supplemental indenture are correct. The Trustee shall not be accountable for and makes no representation as to the validity or value of any securities or assets issued upon conversion of Securities. The Trustee shall not be responsible for the Company’s failure to comply with this Article Sixteen. Any determination that the Company or the Board of Directors must make pursuant to this Article Sixteen is conclusive, absent manifest error.
SECTION 1613. When No Adjustment Required. Except as expressly set forth in Section 1604, no adjustment in the Conversion Price shall be made because the Company issues, in exchange for cash, property or services, shares of its Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of its Common Stock, or securities (including warrants, rights and options) carrying the right to subscribe for or purchase shares of its Common Stock or such convertible or exchangeable securities.
(1) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no adjustment in the Conversion Price shall be made pursuant to Section 1604 in respect of any dividend or distribution if the Holders may participate therein (on a basis to be determined in good faith by the Board of Directors) and receive the same consideration they would have received if they had converted the Securities immediately prior to the record date with respect to such dividend or distribution.
SECTION 1614. Equivalent Adjustments. In the event that, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 1604 above, the holder of any Security thereafter surrendered for conversion shall become entitled to receive any shares of Capital Stock of the Company other than shares of its Common Stock, thereafter the Conversion Price of such other shares so receivable upon conversion of any Securities shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to Common Stock contained in this Article Sixteen.
| 84 |
SIGNATURES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
|
| ASP ISOTOPES INC. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By: |
|
|
|
| Name: |
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| as Trustee |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By: |
|
|
|
| Name: |
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
|
| 85 |
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF REDEEMABLE OR NON-REDEEMABLE SENIOR SECURITY
[Face of Security]
[If the Holder of this Security (as indicated below) is The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or a nominee of DTC, this Security is a Global Security and the following two legends apply:
Unless this Security is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation, (“DTC”) to the Company or its agent for registration of transfer, conversion, exchange or payment, and such Security issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co., or in such other name as requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL, inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.
Unless and until this Security is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in certificated form, this Security may not be transferred except as a whole by DTC to a nominee thereof or by a nominee thereof to DTC or another nominee of DTC or by DTC or any such nominee to a successor of DTC or a nominee of such successor.]
[If this Security is an Original Issue Discount Security, insert — FOR PURPOSES OF SECTION 1273 and 1275 OF THE UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT ON THIS SECURITY IS % OF ITS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT, THE ISSUE DATE IS , 20 , AND THE YIELD TO MATURITY IS %. THE METHOD USED TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT APPLICABLE TO THE SHORT ACCRUAL PERIOD OF , 20 TO , 20 , IS % OF THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THIS SECURITY.]
| Exhibit A-1 |
ASP ISOTOPES INC.
[Designation of Series]
| No. | $ |
CUSIP No.
ASP ISOTOPES INC., a Delaware corporation (herein referred to as the “Company,” which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof), for value received, hereby promises to pay to or registered assigns the principal sum of Dollars on (the “Stated Maturity Date”) [or insert date fixed for earlier redemption (the “Redemption Date,” and together with the Stated Maturity Date with respect to principal repayable on such date, the “Maturity Date.”)]
[If the Security is to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — and to pay interest thereon from or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on and in each year (each, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing, at the rate of % per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or duly provided for. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Holder in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the or (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date [at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose; provided, however, that such interest may be paid, at the Company’s option, by mailing a check to such Holder at its registered address or by transfer of funds to an account maintained by such Holder within the United States]. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and may be paid to the Holder in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any over-the-counter market or securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be quoted or listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such market or exchange, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.]
[If the Security is not to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — The principal of this Security shall not bear interest except in the case of a default in payment of principal upon acceleration, upon redemption or at the [Stated] Maturity Date and in such case the overdue principal of this Security shall bear interest at the rate of % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), which shall accrue from the date of such default in payment to the date payment of such principal has been made or duly provided for. Interest on any overdue principal shall be payable on demand. Any such interest on any overdue principal that is not so paid on demand shall bear interest at the rate of % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), which shall accrue from the date of such demand for payment to the date payment of such interest has been made or duly provided for, and such interest shall also be payable on demand.]
| Exhibit A-2 |
The principal of this Security payable on the Stated Maturity Date [or the principal of, premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and, if the Redemption Date is not an Interest Payment Date, interest on this Security payable on the Redemption Date] will be paid against presentation of this Security at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.
Interest payable on this Security on any Interest Payment Date and on the [Stated] Maturity Date [or Redemption Date, as the case may be,] will include interest accrued from and including the next preceding Interest Payment Date in respect of which interest has been paid or duly provided for (or from and including , if no interest has been paid on this Security) to but excluding such Interest Payment Date or the [Stated] Maturity Date [or Redemption Date, as the case may be.] If any Interest Payment Date or the [Stated] Maturity Date or [Redemption Date] falls on a day that is not a Business Day, as defined below, principal, premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and/or interest payable with respect to such Interest Payment Date or [Stated] Maturity Date [or Redemption Date, as the case may be,] will be paid on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if it were paid on the date such payment was due, and no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date or [Stated] Maturity Date [or Redemption Date, as the case may be.] “Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are required or authorized by law, regulation or executive order to close.
[If this Security is a Global Security, insert — All payments of principal, premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and interest in respect of this Security will be made by the Company in immediately available funds.]
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
Unless the Certificate of Authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
| Exhibit A-3 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its facsimile corporate seal.
Dated:
|
| ASP ISOTOPES INC. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By: |
|
|
|
| Name: |
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
|
Attest:
Secretary
| Exhibit A-4 |
[Reverse of Security]
ASP ISOTOPES INC.
This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an
Indenture, dated as of , 20 (herein called the “Indenture”) between the Company and, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture with respect to the series of which this Security is a part), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the duly authorized series of Securities designated on the face hereof (collectively, the “Securities”), [if applicable, insert — and the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be issued under such series is limited to $ (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of other Securities).] All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
If an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
[If applicable, insert — The Securities may not be redeemed prior to the Stated Maturity Date.]
[If applicable, insert — The Securities are subject to redemption [ (1) (If applicable, insert — on in any year commencing with the year and ending with the year through operation of the sinking fund for this series at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount, and (2) ] [If applicable, insert — at any time [on or after ], as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the following Redemption Prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount):
If redeemed on or before , % and if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning of the years indicated at the Redemption Prices indicated below.
| Year | Redemption Price | Year | Redemption Price |
and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to % of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption [If applicable, insert — (whether through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise)] with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that installments of interest on this Security whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holder of this Security, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]
| Exhibit A-5 |
[If applicable, insert — The Securities are subject to redemption (1) on in any year commencing with the year and ending with the year through operation of the sinking fund for this series at the Redemption Prices for redemption through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below, and (2) at any time [on or after ], as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the Redemption Prices for redemption otherwise than through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below: If redeemed during the 12-month period beginning of the years indicated,
| Year | Redemption Price for Redemption Through Operation of the Sinking Fund | Redemption Price for Redemption Otherwise Than Through Operation of the Sinking Fund |
and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to % of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption (whether through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise) with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that installments of interest on this Security whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holder of this Security, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]
[If applicable, insert — Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not, prior to , redeem any Securities as contemplated by [Clause (2) of] the preceding paragraph as a part of, or in anticipation of, any refunding operation by the application, directly or indirectly, of moneys borrowed having an interest cost to the Company (calculated in accordance with generally accepted financial practice) of less than % per annum.]
[If applicable, insert — The sinking fund for the Securities provides for the redemption on in each year, beginning with the year and ending with the year, of [not less than] $ ] [(“mandatory sinking fund”) and not more than $ ] aggregate principal amount of the Securities. [The Securities acquired or redeemed by the Company otherwise than through [mandatory] sinking fund payments may be credited against subsequent [mandatory] sinking fund payments otherwise required to be made in the [describe order] order in which they become due.]]
Notice of redemption will be given by mail to Holders of Securities, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, all as provided in the Indenture.
In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities for the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.
[If applicable, insert conversion provisions set forth in any Board Resolution or indenture supplemental to the Indenture.]
| Exhibit A-6 |
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of all Securities issued under the Indenture at the time Outstanding and affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities, on behalf of the Holders of all such Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount, in certain instances, of the Outstanding Securities of any series to waive, on behalf of all of the Holders of Securities of such series, certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and other Securities issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or conversion or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest on this Security at the times, places and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein [and herein] set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register of the Company upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or by his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein [and herein] set forth, this Security is exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of different authorized denominations but otherwise having the same terms and conditions, as requested by the Holder hereof surrendering the same.
The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form [without coupons] in denominations of $ and any integral multiple thereof.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or conversion or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith,
Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, or the interest on this Security, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto, against any past, present or future stockholder, employee, officer or director, as such, of the Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.
The Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely in such State
| Exhibit A-7 |
EXHIBIT B
FORMS OF CERTIFICATION
FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE GIVEN BY PERSON ENTITLED TO RECEIVE BEARER SECURITY OR TO OBTAIN INTEREST PAYABLE PRIOR TO THE EXCHANGE DATE
CERTIFICATE
[Insert title or sufficient description of Securities to be delivered]
This is to certify that, as of the date hereof, and except as set forth below, the above-captioned Securities held by you for our account (i) are owned by person(s) that are not citizens or residents of the United States, domestic partnerships, domestic corporations or any estate or trust the income of which is subject to United States Federal income taxation regardless of its source (“United States person(s)”), (ii) are owned by United States person(s) that are (a) foreign branches of United States financial institutions (financial institutions, as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 2.165-12(c)(l)(v) are herein referred to as “financial institutions”) purchasing for their own account or for resale, or (b) United States person(s) who acquired the Securities through foreign branches of United States financial institutions and who hold the Securities through such United States financial institutions on the date hereof (and in either case (a) or (b), each such United States financial institution hereby agrees, on its own behalf or through its agent, that you may advise ASP ISOTOPES INC. or its agent that such financial institution will comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3) (A), (B) or (C) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder), or (iii) are owned by United States or foreign financial institution(s) for purposes of resale during the restricted period (as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7)), and, in addition, if the owner is a United States or foreign financial institution described in clause (iii) above (whether or not also described in clause (i) or (ii)), this is to further certify that such financial institution has not acquired the Securities for purposes of resale directly or indirectly to a United States person or to a person within the United States or its possessions.
As used herein, “United States” means the United States of America (including the States and the District of Columbia); and its “possessions” include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.
We undertake to advise you promptly by tested telex or by telecopy on or prior to the date on which you intend to submit your certification relating to the above-captioned Securities held by you for our account in accordance with your operating procedures if any applicable statement herein is not correct on such date, and in the absence of any such notification it may be assumed that this certification applies as of such date.
This certificate excepts and does not relate to [U.S.$] of such interest in the above-captioned Securities in respect of which we are not able to certify and as to which we understand an exchange for an interest in a permanent Global Security or an exchange for and delivery of definitive Securities (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) cannot be made until we do so certify.
| Exhibit B-1-1 |
We understand that this certificate may be required in connection with certain tax legislation in the United States. If administrative or legal proceedings are commenced or threatened in connection with which this certificate is or would be relevant, we irrevocably authorize you to produce this certificate or a copy thereof to any interested party in such proceedings.
Dated:
[To be dated no earlier than the 15th day prior to (i) the Exchange Date or (ii) the relevant Interest Payment Date occurring prior to the Exchange Date, as applicable]
|
| [Name of Person Making Certification]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (Authorized Signatory) Name: |
|
|
| Title: |
|
| Exhibit B-1-2 |
EXHIBIT B-2
FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE GIVEN BY EUROCLEAR AND CLEARSTREAM S.A. IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXCHANGE OF A PORTION OF A TEMPORARY GLOBAL SECURITY OR TO OBTAIN INTEREST PAYABLE PRIOR TO THE EXCHANGE DATE
CERTIFICATE
[Insert title or sufficient description of Securities to be delivered]
This is to certify that, based solely on written certifications that we have received in writing, by tested telex or by electronic transmission from each of the persons appearing in our records as persons entitled to a portion of the principal amount set forth below (our “Member Organizations”) substantially in the form attached hereto, as of the date hereof, [U.S.$] principal amount of the above-captioned Securities (i) is owned by person(s) that are not citizens or residents of the United States, domestic partnerships, domestic corporations or any estate or trust the income of which is subject to United States Federal income taxation regardless of its source (“United States person(s)”), (ii) is owned by United States person(s) that are (a) foreign branches of United States financial institutions (financial institutions, as defined in U.S. Treasury Regulations Section 1.165-12(c)(l)(v) are herein referred to as “financial institutions”) purchasing for their own account or for resale, or (b) United States person(s) who acquired the Securities through foreign branches of United States financial institutions and who hold the Securities through such United States financial institutions on the date hereof (and in either case (a) or (b), each such financial institution has agreed, on its own behalf or through its agent, that we may advise ASP ISOTOPES INC. or its agent that such financial institution will comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3) (A), (B) or (C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder), or (iii) is owned by United States or foreign financial institution(s) for purposes of resale during the restricted period (as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7)), and, to the further effect, that financial institutions described in clause (iii) above (whether or not also described in clause (i) or (ii)) have certified that they have not acquired the Securities for purposes of resale directly or indirectly to a United States person or to a person within the United States or its possessions.
As used herein, “United States” means the United States of America (including the States and the District of Columbia); and its “Possessions” include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.
We further certify that (i) we are not making available herewith for exchange (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) any portion of the temporary Global Security representing the above-captioned Securities excepted in the above-referenced certificates of Member Organizations and (ii) as of the date hereof we have not received any notification from any of our Member Organizations to the effect that the statements made by such Member Organizations with respect to any portion of the part submitted herewith for exchange (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) are no longer true and cannot be relied upon as of the date hereof.
| Exhibit B-2-1 |
We understand that this certification is required in connection with certain tax legislation in the United States. If administrative or legal proceedings are commenced or threatened in connection with which this certificate is or would be relevant, we irrevocably authorize you to produce this certificate or a copy thereof to any interested party in such proceedings.
Dated:
[To be dated no earlier than the Exchange Date or the relevant Interest Payment Date occurring prior to the Exchange Date, as applicable]
[, as Operator of the Euroclear System] [Clearstream Banking Luxembourg]
|
| By: |
|
|
|
| Name: |
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
|
| Exhibit B-2-2 |
EXHIBIT 4.2
ASP ISOTOPES INC.
ISSUER
AND
[TRUSTEE],
TRUSTEE
INDENTURE
DATED AS OF , 20
SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
|
| Page |
| ||
| ARTICLE ONE. - DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION |
| 2 |
| ||
| Section 101. | Definitions |
| 2 |
| |
| Section 102. | Compliance Certificates and Opinions |
| 11 |
| |
| Section 103. | Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee |
| 12 |
| |
| Section 104. | Acts of Holders |
| 12 |
| |
| Section 105. | Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company |
| 14 |
| |
| Section 106. | Notice to Holders; Waiver |
| 14 |
| |
| Section 107. | Counterparts; Effect of Headings and Table of Contents |
| 15 |
| |
| Section 108. | Successors and Assigns |
| 15 |
| |
| Section 109. | Severability Clause |
| 16 |
| |
| Section 110. | Benefits of Indenture |
| 16 |
| |
| Section 111. | Governing Law |
| 16 |
| |
| Section 112. | Legal Holidays |
| 16 |
| |
| Section 113. | Limited Liability; Immunity of Stockholders, Directors, Officers and Agents of the Company |
| 16 |
| |
| Section 114. | Conflict with Trust Indenture Act |
| 17 |
| |
| ARTICLE TWO. - SECURITIES FORMS | 17 |
| |||
| Section 201. | Forms of Securities |
| 17 |
| |
| Section 202. | Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication |
| 17 |
| |
| Section 203. | Securities Issuable in Global Form |
| 18 |
| |
| ARTICLE THREE. - THE SECURITIES | 19 |
| |||
| Section 301. | Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series |
| 19 |
| |
| Section 302. | Denominations |
| 22 |
| |
| Section 303. | Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating |
| 22 |
| |
| Section 304. | Temporary Securities |
| 24 |
| |
| Section 305. | Registration, Registration of Transfer, Conversion and Exchange |
| 26 |
| |
| Section 306. | Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities |
| 30 |
| |
| Section 307. | Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved |
| 31 |
| |
| Section 308. | Persons Deemed Owners |
| 32 |
| |
| Section 309. | Cancellation |
| 33 |
| |
| Section 310. | Computation of Interest |
| 33 |
| |
| Section 311. | CUSIP Numbers |
| 34 |
| |
| i |
| ARTICLE FOUR. - SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE | 34 |
| |||
| Section 401. | Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture |
| 34 |
| |
| Section 402. | Application of Trust Funds |
| 35 |
| |
| ARTICLE FIVE. - REMEDIES | 35 |
| |||
| Section 501. | Events of Default |
| 35 |
| |
| Section 502. | Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment |
| 37 |
| |
| Section 503. | Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee |
| 37 |
| |
| Section 504. | Trustee May File Proofs of Claim |
| 38 |
| |
| Section 505. | Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons |
| 39 |
| |
| Section 506. | Application of Money Collected |
| 39 |
| |
| Section 507. | Limitation on Suits |
| 39 |
| |
| Section 508. | Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and Interest |
| 40 |
| |
| Section 509. | Restoration of Rights and Remedies |
| 40 |
| |
| Section 510. | Rights and Remedies Cumulative |
| 40 |
| |
| Section 511. | Delay or Omission Not Waiver |
| 41 |
| |
| Section 512. | Control by Holders of Securities |
| 41 |
| |
| Section 513. | Waiver of Past Defaults |
| 41 |
| |
| Section 514. | Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws |
| 42 |
| |
| Section 515. | Undertaking for Costs |
| 42 |
| |
| ARTICLE SIX. - THE TRUSTEE | 42 |
| |||
| Section 601. | Notice of Defaults |
| 42 |
| |
| Section 602. | Certain Rights of Trustee |
| 42 |
| |
| Section 603. | Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities |
| 44 |
| |
| Section 604. | May Hold Securities |
| 44 |
| |
| Section 605. | Money Held in Trust |
| 45 |
| |
| Section 606. | Compensation and Reimbursement |
| 45 |
| |
| Section 607. | Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility; Conflicting Interests |
| 45 |
| |
| Section 608. | Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor |
| 46 |
| |
| Section 609. | Acceptance of Appointment by Successor |
| 47 |
| |
| Section 610. | Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business |
| 48 |
| |
| Section 611. | Appointment of Authenticating Agent |
| 48 |
| |
| Section 612. | Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee |
| 50 |
| |
| ii |
| ARTICLE SEVEN. - HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY | 51 |
| |||
| Section 701. | Disclosure of Names and Addresses of Holders |
| 51 |
| |
| Section 702. | Reports by Trustee |
| 51 |
| |
| Section 703. | Reports by Company |
| 51 |
| |
| Section 704. | Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders |
| 52 |
| |
| ARTICLE EIGHT. - CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, LEASE OR CONVEYANCE | 52 |
| |||
| Section 801. | Consolidations and Mergers of Company and Sales |
| 52 |
| |
| Section 802. | Rights and Duties of Successor Corporation |
| 53 |
| |
| Section 803. | Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel |
| 53 |
| |
| ARTICLE NINE. - SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES | 53 |
| |||
| Section 901. | Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders |
| 53 |
| |
| Section 902. | Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders |
| 55 |
| |
| Section 903. | Execution of Supplemental Indentures |
| 56 |
| |
| Section 904. | Effect of Supplemental Indentures |
| 56 |
| |
| Section 905. | Conformity with Trust Indenture Act |
| 56 |
| |
| Section 906. | Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures |
| 56 |
| |
| ARTICLE TEN. COVENANTS | 56 |
| |||
| Section 1001. | Payment of Principal, Premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any; and Interest |
| 56 |
| |
| Section 1002. | Maintenance of Office or Agency |
| 57 |
| |
| Section 1003. | Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust |
| 58 |
| |
| Section 1004. | Existence |
| 59 |
| |
| Section 1005. | Maintenance of Properties |
| 59 |
| |
| Section 1006. | Insurance |
| 60 |
| |
| Section 1007. | Payment of Taxes and Other Claims |
| 60 |
| |
| Section 1008. | Statement as to Compliance |
| 60 |
| |
| Section 1009. | Waiver of Certain Covenants |
| 60 |
| |
| ARTICLE ELEVEN. - REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES | 60 |
| |||
| Section 1101. | Applicability of Article |
| 60 |
| |
| Section 1102. | Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee |
| 60 |
| |
| Section 1103. | Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed |
| 61 |
| |
| Section 1104. | Notice of Redemption |
| 61 |
| |
| Section 1105. | Deposit of Redemption Price |
| 62 |
| |
| Section 1106. | Securities Payable on Redemption Date |
| 62 |
| |
| Section 1107. | Securities Redeemed in Part |
| 63 |
| |
| iii |
| ARTICLE TWELVE. - SINKING FUNDS | 64 |
| |||
| Section 1201. | Applicability of Article |
| 64 |
| |
| Section 1202. | Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities |
| 64 |
| |
| Section 1203. | Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund |
| 64 |
| |
| ARTICLE THIRTEEN. - REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS | 65 |
| |||
| Section 1301. | Applicability of Article |
| 65 |
| |
| Section 1302. | Repayment of Securities |
| 65 |
| |
| Section 1303. | Exercise of Option |
| 65 |
| |
| Section 1304. | When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable |
| 66 |
| |
| Section 1305. | Securities Repaid in Part |
| 66 |
| |
| ARTICLE FOURTEEN. - DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE | 67 |
| |||
| Section 1401. | Applicability of Article; Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance |
| 67 |
| |
| Section 1402. | Defeasance and Discharge |
| 67 |
| |
| Section 1403. | Covenant Defeasance |
| 67 |
| |
| Section 1404. | Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance |
| 68 |
| |
| Section 1405. | Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions |
| 69 |
| |
| ARTICLE FIFTEEN. - MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES | 70 |
| |||
| Section 1501. | Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called |
| 70 |
| |
| Section 1502. | Call |
| 70 |
| |
| Section 1503. | Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings |
| 71 |
| |
| Section 1504. | Quorum; Action |
| 71 |
| |
| Section 1505. | Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings |
| 72 |
| |
| Section 1506. | Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings |
| 73 |
| |
| ARTICLE SIXTEEN. - SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES | 73 |
| |||
| Section 1601. | Agreement to Subordinate |
| 73 |
| |
| Section 1602. | Payment Over of Proceeds upon Dissolution, Etc. |
| 73 |
| |
| Section 1603. | No Payment When Senior Indebtedness in Default |
| 74 |
| |
| Section 1604. | Reliance by Senior Indebtedness on Subordination Provisions |
| 75 |
| |
| Section 1605. | Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness |
| 76 |
| |
| Section 1606. | Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights |
| 76 |
| |
| Section 1607. | Trustee to Effectuate Subordination |
| 76 |
| |
| Section 1608. | No Waiver of Subordination Provisions |
| 77 |
| |
| Section 1609. | Notice to Trustee |
| 77 |
| |
| iv |
| Section 1610. | Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent |
| 78 |
| |
| Section 1611. | Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness |
| 78 |
| |
| Section 1612. | Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness; Preservation of Trustee’s Rights |
| 78 |
| |
| Section 1613. | Article Applicable to Paying Agents |
| 78 |
| |
| ARTICLE SEVENTEEN. - CONVERSION OF SECURITIES | 79 |
| |||
| Section 1701. | Applicability of Article; Conversion Privilege and Conversion Price |
| 79 |
| |
| Section 1702. | Exercise of Conversion Privilege |
| 79 |
| |
| Section 1703. | Fractions of Shares |
| 80 |
| |
| Section 1704. | Adjustment of Conversion Price |
| 81 |
| |
| Section 1705. | Notice of Adjustments of Conversion Price |
| 84 |
| |
| Section 1706. | Notice of Certain Corporate Action |
| 84 |
| |
| Section 1707. | Company to Reserve Common Stock |
| 84 |
| |
| Section 1708. | Taxes on Conversion |
| 85 |
| |
| Section 1709. | Covenants as to Common Stock |
| 85 |
| |
| Section 1710. | Cancellation of Converted Securities |
| 85 |
| |
| Section 1711. | Provisions in Case of Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets; Special Distributions |
| 85 |
| |
| Section 1712. | Trustee Adjustment Disclaimer; Company Determination Final |
| 86 |
| |
| Section 1713. | When No Adjustment Required |
| 87 |
| |
| Section 1714. | Equivalent Adjustments |
| 87 |
| |
| v |
ASP ISOTOPES INC.
Reconciliation and tie between the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA”) and the Indenture, dated as of ,20 .
| Trust Indenture Act Section |
| Indenture Section |
| § 310(a)(1) |
| 607 |
| (a)(2) |
| 607 |
| (b) |
| 607, 608 |
| § 312(c) |
| 701 |
| § 313(a) |
| 702 |
| (c) |
| 702 |
| § 314(a) |
| 703 |
| (a)(4) |
| 1008 |
| (c)(1) |
| 102 |
| (c)(2) |
| 102 |
| (e) |
| 102 |
| § 315(b) |
| 601 |
| § 316(a) (last sentence) |
| 101 (“Outstanding”) |
| (a)(1)(A) |
| 502,513 |
| (a)(1)(B) |
| 512 |
| (b) |
| 508 |
| § 317(a)(1) |
| 503 |
| (a)(2) |
| 504 |
| § 318(a) |
| 111 |
| (c) |
| 111 |
NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture
Attention should also be directed to Section 318(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, which provides that the provisions of Sections 310 to and including 317 of the Trust Indenture Act are a part of and govern every qualified indenture, whether or not physically contained therein.
| 1 |
INDENTURE, dated as of , 20 , between ASP ISOTOPES INC., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “Company”), having its principal office at 100 Campus Drive, 6th Floor, Marlborough, Massachusetts, and, as Trustee hereunder (hereinafter called the “Trustee”), having a Corporate Trust Office at [ ].
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
The Company deems it necessary to issue from time to time for its lawful purposes subordinated debt securities (hereinafter called the “Securities”) evidencing its unsecured and subordinated indebtedness, and has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of the Securities, to be issued in one or more Series as provided in this Indenture.
This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA”), that are deemed to be incorporated into this Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of a Series thereof, as follows:
ARTICLE ONE.- DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
Section 101. Definitions. For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;
(2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the TIA, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein, and the terms “cash transactions” and “self-liquidating paper,” as used in TIA Section 311, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the rules of the Commission adopted under the TIA;
(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with GAAP;
(4) any reference to an “Article” or a “Section” refers to an Article or Section, as the case may be, of this Indenture; and
(5) the words “herein,” “hereof “and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.
“Act,” when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 104.
| 2 |
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
“Authenticating Agent” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 611 hereof to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more Series.
“Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper, printed in the English language or in an official language of the country of publication, customarily published on each Business Day, whether or not published on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Whenever successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different Authorized Newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any Business Day.
“Bankruptcy Law” has the meaning specified in Section 501.
“Bearer Security” means any Security established pursuant to Section 201 which is payable to the bearer.
“Board of Directors” when used with reference to the Company, means the board of directors of the Company, or any committee of that board duly authorized to act hereunder, or any director or directors and/or officer or officers of the Company, to whom the board or committee shall have duly delegated its authority.
“Board Resolution” means a copy of (1) a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, or (2) a certificate signed by the director or directors and/or officer or officers to whom the Board of Directors shall have duly delegated its authority, together with a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification authorizing such delegation, and, in each case, delivered to the Trustee.
“Business Day,” when used with respect to any Place of Payment or any other particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Securities, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities issued pursuant to Section 301, any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment or particular location are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
“Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any capital stock (including preferred stock), shares, interests, participations or other ownership interests (however designated) of such Person and any rights (other than debt securities convertible into or exchangeable for corporate stock), warrants or options to purchase any thereof.
“Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking Luxembourg, société anonyme, or its successor.
| 3 |
“Closing Price” means the closing price of a share of Common Stock of the Company as reported on The NASDAQ Global Select Market.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or, if at any time after execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties on such date.
“Common Depository” has the meaning specified in Section 304.
“Common Stock” means, with respect to any Person, all shares of capital stock issued by such Person other than Preferred Stock.
“Company” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor corporation.
“Company Request” and “Company Order” mean, respectively, a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, the President, or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Constituent Person” has the meaning specified in Section 1711.
“Conversion Event” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country which issued such currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community, (ii) the ECU both within the European Monetary System and for the settlement of transactions by public institutions of or within the European Communities or (iii) any currency unit (or composite currency) other than the ECU for the purposes for which it was established.
“Conversion Price” has the meaning specified in Section 1701.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which, at any particular time, its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at [ ].
“corporation” includes corporations, associations, companies and business trusts.
“coupon” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.
“Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1403.
“Custodian” has the meaning specified in Section 501.
“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.
| 4 |
“Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1402.
“Distribution Record Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1711.
“Dividend Record Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1704.
“Dollar” or the sign “$” means a dollar or other equivalent unit in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company and any successor to DTC in its capacity as depository for any Securities.
“ECU” means the European Currency Unit as defined and revised from time to time by the Council of the European Communities. “Euroclear” means the operator of the Euroclear System.
“European Communities” means the European Economic Community, the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Atomic Energy Community.
“European Monetary System” means the European Monetary System established by the Resolution of December 5,1978 of the Council of the European Communities.
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Article Five.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed; provided, however, that in the event the Exchange Act is amended after such date, “Exchange Act” means to the extent required by any such amendment, the Exchange Act as so amended.
“Exchange Date” has the meaning specified in Section 304.
“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
“Foreign Currency” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the ECU issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.
“GAAP” means, except as otherwise provided herein, generally accepted accounting principles, as in effect from time to time, as used in the United States applied on a consistent basis.
“Global Security” means a Security evidencing all or a part of a series of Securities issued to and registered in the name of the depository for such series, or its nominee, in accordance with Section 305, and bearing the legend prescribed in Section 203.
“Government Obligations” means (i) securities which are (A) direct obligations of the United States of America or the government which issued the Foreign Currency in which the Securities of a particular series are payable, for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (B) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such government which issued the Foreign Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and (iii) a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.
| 5 |
“Guaranty” by any Person means any Obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including, without limitation, every Obligation of such Person (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment of such Indebtedness, (ii) to purchase property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the holder of such Indebtedness of the payment of such Indebtedness or (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness; provided, however, that a Guaranty by any Person shall not include endorsements by such Person for collection or deposit, in either case in the ordinary course of business. The terms “Guaranteed.” “Guaranteeing” and “Guarantor” shall have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
“Holder” means, in the case of a Registered Security, the Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of a Bearer Security, the bearer thereof and, when used with respect to any coupon, shall mean the bearer thereof.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, (i) any Obligation of such Person relating to any indebtedness of such Person (A) for borrowed money (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets, of such person or only to a portion thereof), (B) evidenced by notes, debentures or similar instruments (including purchase money obligations) given in connection with the acquisition of any property or assets (other than trade accounts payable for inventory or similar property acquired in the ordinary course of business), including securities, for the payment of which such Person is liable, directly or indirectly, or the payment of which is secured by a lien, charge or encumbrance on property or assets of such Person, (C) for goods, materials or services purchased in the ordinary course of business (other than trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business), (D) with respect to letters of credit or bankers acceptances issued for the account of such Person or performance, surety or similar bonds, (E) for the payment of money relating to a capitalized lease Obligation or (F) under interest rate swaps, caps or similar agreements and foreign exchange contracts, currency swaps or similar agreements; (ii) any liability of others of the kind described in the preceding clause (i), which such Person has Guaranteed or which is otherwise its legal liability; and (iii) any and all deferrals, renewals, extensions and refunding of, or amendments, modifications or supplements to, any liability of the kind described in any of the preceding clauses (i) or (ii).
“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, and shall include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 301; provided, however, that, if at any time more than one Person is acting as Trustee under this instrument, “Indenture” shall mean, with respect to any one or more series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee, this instrument as originally executed or as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of the or those particular series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee established as contemplated by Section 301, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms which relate solely to other series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee, regardless of when such terms or provisions were adopted, and exclusive of any provisions or terms adopted by means of one or more indentures supplemental hereto executed and delivered after such Person had become such Trustee but to which such Person, as such Trustee, was not a party.
| 6 |
“Indexed Security” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.
“Interest,” when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, shall mean interest payable after Maturity.
“Interest Payment Date,” when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.
“Make-Whole Amount,” when used with respect to any Security, means the amount, if any, in addition to principal (and accrued interest thereon, if any) which is required by a Security, under the terms and conditions specified therein or as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, to be paid by the Company to the Holder thereof in connection with any optional redemption or accelerated payment of such Security.
“mandatory sinking fund payment” has the meaning specified in Section 1201.
“Market Value of the Distribution” has the meaning specified in Section 1704.
“Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal (or, if the context so requires, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, or lesser amount or, in the case of an Indexed Security, an amount determined in accordance with the specified terms of that Security) of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise.
“Obligation” of any Person with respect to any specified Indebtedness means any obligation of such Person to pay principal, premium, interest (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to such Person, whether or not a claim for such post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding), penalties, reimbursement or indemnification amounts, fees, expenses or other amounts relating to such Indebtedness.
“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, or a Vice President (whether or not designated by a number or word or words added before or after the title “Vice President”), and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.
| 7 |
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Company or who may be an employee of or other counsel for the Company.
“optional sinking fund payment” has the meaning specified in Section 1201.
“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security, which provides for an amount (excluding any amounts attributable to accrued but unpaid interest thereon) less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502.
“Outstanding,” when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:
(i) Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;
(ii) Securities, or portions thereof, for whose payment or redemption (including repayment at the option of the Holder) money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto; provided, however, that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;
(iii) Securities, except to the extent provided in Sections 1402 and 1403, with respect to which the Company has effected Defeasance and/or Covenant Defeasance as provided in Article Fourteen; and
(iv) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company.
provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders for quorum purposes, and for the purpose of making the calculations required by TIA Section 313, (i) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the amount of principal thereof that would be (or shall have been declared to be) due and payable, at the time of such determination, upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502, (ii) the principal amount of any Security denominated in a Foreign Currency that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the Dollar equivalent, determined pursuant to Section 301 as of the date such Security is originally issued by the Company, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent as of such date of original issuance of the amount determined as provided in clause (i) above) of such Security, (iii) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the principal face amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided with respect to such Security pursuant to Section 301, and (iv) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making such calculation or in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities owned as provided in clause (iv) above which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor. In case of a dispute as to such right, the advice of counsel shall be full protection in respect of any decision made by the Trustee in accordance with such advice.
| 8 |
“Paying Agent” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Securities or coupons on behalf of the Company.
“Payment Blockage Notice” and “Payment Blockage Period” have the respective meanings specified in Section 1603.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity or organization.
“Place of Payment,” when used with respect to the Securities of or within any series, means the place or places where the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest on such Securities are payable as specified as contemplated by Sections 301 and 1002.
“Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or a Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or the Security to which the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains.
“Preferred Stock” means, with respect to any Person, all capital stock issued by such Person that is entitled to a preference or priority over any other capital stock issued by such Person with respect to any distribution of such Person’s assets, whether by dividend or upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
“Proceeding” has the meaning specified in Section 1602.
“Redemption Date,” when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, in whole or in part, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.
“Redemption Price,” when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price specified in the related Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture contemplated by and pursuant to Section 301, at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.
| 9 |
“Reference Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1704.
“Registered Security” shall mean any Security, which is registered in the Security Register.
“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Registered Securities of or within any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 301, whether or not a Business Day.
“Repayment Date” means, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid at the option of the Holder, the date fixed for such repayment by or pursuant to this Indenture.
“Repayment Price” means, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid at the option of the Holder, the price at which it is to be repaid by or pursuant to this Indenture.
“Responsible Officer,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any Vice President (whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “Vice President”), Assistant Vice President, Trust Officer or Assistant Trust Officer working in its Corporate Trust Department, or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and working in its Corporate Trust Department, and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
“Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 1704.
“Rights Record Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1704.
“Securities Payment” has the meaning specified in Section 1602.
“Security” and “Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and, more particularly, means any Security or Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided, however, that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities” with respect to the Indenture as to which such Person is Trustee shall have the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and shall more particularly mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.
“Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 305.
“Senior Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of the Company, whether outstanding on the date of this Indenture or thereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed by the Company, other than the following: (1) any Indebtedness as to which, in the instrument evidencing such Indebtedness or pursuant to which such Indebtedness was issued, it is expressly provided that such Indebtedness is subordinate in right of payment to all Indebtedness of the Company not expressly subordinated to such Indebtedness; (2) any Indebtedness which by its terms refers explicitly to the Securities and states that such Indebtedness shall not be senior, shall be pari passu or shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Securities; and (3) with respect to any series of Securities, any Indebtedness of the Company evidenced by Securities of the same or of another series. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, Senior Indebtedness shall not include Indebtedness of or amounts owed by the Company for compensation to employees, or for goods, materials or services purchased in the ordinary course of business.
| 10 |
A “Series” of Securities means all securities denoted as part of the same series authorized by or pursuant to a particular Board Resolution. “Short Term Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 1704.
“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Registered Securities of or within any series means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 307.
“Stated Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security or a coupon representing such installment of interest as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.
“Trading Day” means any day on which The Nasdaq Global Select Market is open for business.
“Trigger Events” has the meaning specified in Section 1704.
“Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended and as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed, except as provided in Section 905.
“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided, however, that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean only the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.
“Unadjusted Distribution” has the meaning specified in Section 1704.
“United States” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, the United States of America (including the states and the District of Columbia), its territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.
“United States Person” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or an estate or trust the income of which is subject to United States Federal income taxation regardless of its source.
“Yield to Maturity” means the yield to maturity, computed at the time of issuance of a Security (or, if applicable, at the most recent redetermination of interest on such Security) and as set forth in such Security in accordance with generally accepted United States bond yield computation principles.
Section 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.
| 11 |
Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (including certificates delivered pursuant to Section 1008) shall include:
(1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and
(4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, or a certificate or representations by counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the opinion, certificate or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel or certificate or representations may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information as to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.
Section 104. Acts of Holders.
| 12 |
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders of the Outstanding Securities of all series or one or more series, as the case may be, may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agents duly appointed in writing. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article Fifteen, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company and any agent of the Trustee or the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 1506.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other reasonable manner, which the Trustee deems sufficient.
(c) The ownership of Registered Securities shall be proved by the Security Register. As to any matter relating to beneficial ownership interests in any Global Security, the appropriate depository’s records shall be dispositive for purposes of this Indenture.
(d) The ownership of Bearer Securities may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depository, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depository, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depository, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (1) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (2) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (3) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (4) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership of Bearer Securities may also be proved in any other manner, which the Trustee deems sufficient.
| 13 |
(e) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. Notwithstanding TIA Section 316(c), such record date shall be the record date specified in or pursuant to such Board Resolution, which shall be a date not earlier than the date 30 days prior to the first solicitation of Holders generally in connection therewith and not later than the date such solicitation is completed. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on such record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than eleven months after the record date.
(f) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or upon the conversion thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
Section 105. Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,
(1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at [ ] or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Company by the Trustee, Attention: [ ]; or
(2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to it at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this Indenture or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company, Attention: [ ]; or
(3) either the Trustee or the Company, by the other party or by any Holder, shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if given by facsimile transmission, receipt confirmed by telephone followed by an original copy delivered by guaranteed overnight courier; if to the Trustee at facsimile number [ ]; and if to the Company at facsimile number [ ].
Section 106. Notice to Holders; Waiver. Where this Indenture provides for notice of any event to Holders of Registered Securities by the Company or the Trustee, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each such Holder affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, if any, and not earlier than the earliest date, if any, prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice mailed to a Holder in the manner herein prescribed shall be conclusively deemed to have been received by such Holder, whether or not such Holder actually receives such notice.
| 14 |
If by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification to Holders of Registered Securities as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification to such Holders for every purpose hereunder.
Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Bearer Securities of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and in such other city or cities as may be specified in such Securities on a Business Day, such publication to be not later than the latest date, if any, and not earlier than the earliest date, if any, prescribed for the giving of such notice. Any such notice shall be deemed to have been given on the date of such publication or, if published more than once, on the date of the first such publication.
If by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither the failure to give notice by publication to any particular Holder of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Bearer Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Registered Securities given as provided herein.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.
Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.
Section 107. Counterparts; Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same Indenture. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
Section 108. Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
| 15 |
Section 109. Severability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture or in any Security or coupon shall be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 110. Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities or coupons, if any, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.
Section 111. Governing Law. This Indenture and the Securities and coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the TIA that are required to be part of this Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
Section 112. Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange a Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security or coupon other than a provision in the Securities of any series which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof), payment of interest or principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or conversion or exchange of such Security need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but (except as otherwise provided in the supplemental indenture with respect to such Security) may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or sinking fund payment date, or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity, or on such last day for conversion or exchange, provided that no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity, as the case may be.
Section 113. Limited Liability; Immunity of Stockholders, Directors, Officers and Agents of the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities of any series to the contrary, no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for the payment of any sums due on account of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, including without limitation principal, premium or interest, if any, or for any claim based on this Indenture or any Security or otherwise in respect of this Indenture or any Security, shall be had, whether by levy or execution or otherwise, against (i) the Company, the Company’s assets or against any past, present or future stockholder, employee, officer, director or agent, as such, of the Company or any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, under any rule of law, statute, constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty, or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, nor shall any such parties be personally liable for any such amounts, obligations or claims, or liable for any deficiency judgment based thereon or with respect thereto, it being expressly understood that the sole remedies hereunder or under any other document with respect to the Securities against such parties with respect to such amounts, obligations or claims shall be against the Company and that all such liability of and recourse against such parties is expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Securities by the Holders and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.
| 16 |
Section 114. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be.
ARTICLE TWO.- SECURITIES FORMS
Section 201. Forms of Securities. The Registered Securities, if any, of each series and the Bearer Securities, if any, of each series and related coupons shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto or in such other form as shall be established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto or approved from time to time by or pursuant to a Board Resolution in accordance with Section 301, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification or designation and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any over-the-counter market or securities exchange, on which the Securities may be quoted or listed, or to conform to usage.
Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, Bearer Securities shall have interest coupons attached.
The definitive Securities and coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or mechanically reproduced on safety paper or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities or coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or coupons.
Section 202. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 611, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
| 17 |
| Dated: |
|
|
|
|
|
| as Trustee, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By: |
|
|
|
|
| Authorized Signatory |
|
Section 203. Securities Issuable in Global Form. If Securities of or within a series are issuable in the form of one or more Global Securities, then, notwithstanding clause (8) of Section 301 and the provisions of Section 302, any such Global Security or Securities may provide that it or they shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities of such series represented thereby may from time to time be increased or decreased to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Global Security to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders thereof, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made (or caused to be made) by the Trustee in such manner or by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 303 or Section 304. Subject to the provisions of Section 303 and, if applicable, Section 304, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any Global Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 303 or Section 304 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to endorsement or delivery or redelivery of a Global Security shall be in writing but need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.
The provisions of the last sentence of Section 303 shall apply to any Security represented by a Global Security if such Security was never issued and sold by the Company and the Company delivers to the Trustee the Global Security together with written instructions (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) with regard to the reduction in the principal amount of Securities represented thereby, together with the written statement contemplated by the last sentence of Section 303.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 307, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, payment of principal of and any premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and interest on any Global Security in permanent global form shall be made to the registered Holder thereof.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 308 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company and the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a permanent Global Security (i) in the case of a permanent Global Security in registered form, the Holder of such permanent Global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a permanent Global Security in bearer form, Euroclear or Clearstream.
Any Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
| 18 |
“This Security is a Global Security within the meaning set forth in the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depository or a nominee of a Depository. This Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or its nominee to a successor Depository or its nominee.”
ARTICLE THREE. - THE SECURITIES
Section 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities, which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, is unlimited.
The Securities may be issued in one or more series, each of which shall be authorized pursuant to Board Resolutions of the Company. There shall be established in one or more Board Resolutions or pursuant to authority granted by one or more Board Resolutions and, subject to Section 303, set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series:
(1) The title of the Securities of the series, including “CUSIP” numbers (which shall distinguish the Securities of such series from all other series of Securities);
(2) Any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or upon conversion of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906, 1107 or 1305) and the minimum authorized denominations with respect to the Securities of such series;
(3) The price (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which such Securities will be issued and, if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount thereof payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof or (if applicable) the portion of the principal amount of such Securities that is convertible into Common Stock or Preferred Stock or the method by which any such portion shall be determined;
(4) If convertible, the terms on which such Securities are convertible, including the initial conversion price or rate and the conversion period and any applicable limitations on the ownership or transferability of Common Stock or Preferred Stock receivable on conversion;
(5) The date or dates, or the method for determining such date or dates, on which the principal of such Securities will be payable;
(6) The rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable), or the method by which such rate or rates shall be determined, at which such Securities will bear interest, if any;
(7) The date or dates, or the method for determining such date or dates, from which any such interest will accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest will be payable, the Regular Record Dates for such Interest Payment Dates, or the method by which such dates shall be determined, the Persons to whom such interest shall be payable, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;
| 19 |
(8) The Make-Whole Amount, if any, or method for determining the Make-Whole Amount, if any, payable with respect to such Securities, and the terms upon which such amount, if any, will be payable;
(9) The place or places where the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities will be payable, where such Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or conversion or exchange and where notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served;
(10) The period or periods, if any, within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may, pursuant to any optional or mandatory redemption provisions, be redeemed, as a whole or in part, at the option of the Company;
(11) The obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, repay or purchase such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of a Holder thereof, and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be redeemed, repaid or purchased, as a whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
(12) If other than Dollars, the currency or currencies in which such Securities are denominated and payable, which may be a foreign currency or units of two or more foreign currencies or a composite currency or currencies, the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in Dollars for purposes of the definition of “Outstanding” in Section 101, and the terms and conditions relating thereto;
(13) Whether the amount of payments of principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, including any amount due upon redemption, if any) or interest on such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which index, formula or method may, but need not be, based on the yield on or trading price of other securities, including United States Treasury securities or on a currency, currencies, currency unit or units, or composite currency or currencies) and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;
(14) Whether the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on the Securities of the series are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies other than that in which such Securities are denominated or stated to be payable, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of, and identity of the exchange rate agent with responsibility for, determining the exchange rate between the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which such Securities are denominated or stated to be payable and the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which such Securities are to be so payable;
(15) Provisions, if any, granting special rights to the Holders of Securities of the series upon the occurrence of such events as may be specified;
(16) Any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to Securities of the series, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;
| 20 |
(17) Whether and under what circumstances the Company will pay any additional amounts on such Securities in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities in lieu of making such payment;
(18) Whether Securities of the series are to be issuable as Registered Securities, Bearer Securities (with or without coupons) or both, any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of Bearer Securities and the terms upon which Bearer Securities of the series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of the series and vice versa (if permitted by applicable laws and regulations), whether any Securities of the series are to be issuable initially in temporary global form and whether any Securities of the series are to be issuable in permanent global form with or without coupons and, if so, whether beneficial owners of interests in any such permanent global Security may, or shall be required to, exchange such interests for Securities of such series and of like tenor of any authorized form and denomination and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may, or shall be required to, occur, if other than in the manner provided in the Indenture, and, if Registered Securities of the series are to be issuable as a Global Security, the identity of the depository for such series;
(19) The date as of which any Bearer Securities of the series and any temporary Global Security representing outstanding Securities of the series shall be dated if other than the date of original issuance of the first Security of the series to be issued;
(20) The Person to whom any interest on any Registered Security of the series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest the manner in which, or the Person to whom, any interest on any Bearer Security of the series shall be payable, if otherwise than upon presentation and surrender of the coupons appertaining thereto as they severally mature, and the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payable on a temporary Global Security on an Interest Payment Date will be paid if other than in the manner provided herein; provided, however, in each case, that the manner of determining such Person or making such payment shall be acceptable to the Trustee (as not imposing on it any undue administrative burden or risk of liability);
(21) The applicability, if any, of the Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance provisions of Article Fourteen hereof to the Securities of the series;
(22) The obligation, if any, of the Company to permit the conversion of the Securities of such series into Common Stock or Preferred Stock, as the case may be, and the terms and conditions upon which such conversion shall be effected (including, without limitation, the initial conversion price or rate, the conversion period, any adjustment of the applicable conversion price and any requirements relative to the reservation of such shares for purposes of conversion);
(23) If the Securities of such series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and/or terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;
| 21 |
(24) Designation of the Trustee, if different from the Trustee under the Indenture, with respect to such series and the terms applicable to such Trustee (which shall be accepted by such Trustee by its execution and delivery of a supplemental indenture as provided therein); and
(25) Any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture).
All Securities of any one series and the coupons appertaining to any Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except, in the case of Registered Securities, as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to such Board Resolution (subject to Section 303) and set forth in such Officers’ Certificate or in any such indenture supplemental hereto. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided, a series may be reopened, without the consent of the Holders, for issuances of additional Securities of such series.
If any of the terms of the Securities of any series are established by action taken pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions, a copy of an appropriate record of such action(s) shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of the Securities of such series.
Section 302. Denominations. The Securities of each series shall be issuable in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 301. With respect to Securities of any series denominated in Dollars, in the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series, other than Global Securities (which may be of any denomination), shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof or the equivalent amounts thereof in the case of Securities denominated in the Foreign Currency or currency unit.
Section 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. The Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, its President, or one of its Vice Presidents, under its corporate seal reproduced thereon, and attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities and coupons may be manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such authorized officer and may be imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Securities.
Securities and coupons bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities or coupons.
At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series, together with any coupon appertaining thereto, executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities (accompanied by a copy of the Board Resolution and the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture contemplated by Section 301), and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities; provided, however, that, in connection with its original issuance, no Bearer Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States; and provided further that, unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, a Bearer Security may be delivered in connection with its original issuance only if the Person entitled to receive such Bearer Security shall have furnished a certificate to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, in the form set forth in Exhibit B-l to this Indenture or such other certificate as may be specified by the Company with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the earlier of the date on which such Bearer Security is delivered and the date on which any temporary Security first becomes exchangeable for such Bearer Security in accordance with the terms of such temporary Security and this Indenture. If any Security shall be represented by a permanent Global Security, then, for purposes of this Section and Section 304, the notation of a beneficial owner’s interest therein upon original issuance of such Security or upon exchange of a portion of a temporary Global Security shall be deemed to be delivery in connection with its original issuance of such beneficial owner’s interest in such permanent Global Security. Except as permitted by Section 306, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all appurtenant coupons for interest then matured have been detached and canceled.
| 22 |
If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time and if the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture establishing such series shall so permit, such Company Order may set forth procedures acceptable to the Trustee for the issuance of such Securities and determining the terms of particular Securities of such series, such as interest rate or formula, maturity date, date of issuance and date from which interest shall accrue. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to TIA Section 315(a) through 315(d)) shall be fully protected in relying upon,
(i) an Opinion of Counsel stating that
(a) the form or forms of such Securities and any coupons have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;
(b) the terms of such Securities and any coupons have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and
(c) such Securities, together with any coupons appertaining thereto, when completed by appropriate insertions and executed and delivered by the Company to the Trustee for authentication in accordance with this Indenture, authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in accordance with this Indenture and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute legal, valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles; and
(ii) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the issuance of the Securities have been complied with and that, to the best of the knowledge of the signers of such certificate, that no Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.
| 23 |
If such form or terms have been so established, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities (or to enter into the related supplemental indenture, if applicable) if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties, obligations or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of the preceding paragraph, if all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 or a Company Order, or an Opinion of Counsel or an Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to the preceding paragraph at the time of issuance of each Security of such series, but such order, opinion and certificates, with appropriate modifications to cover such future issuances, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series.
Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication and each Bearer Security shall be dated as of the date specified as contemplated by Section 301.
No Security or coupon shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security or Security to which such coupon appertains a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein duly executed by the Trustee (subject to Section 611) by manual signature of an authorized signatory, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security (including a Global Security) shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 309 together with a written statement (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) stating that such Security has never been issued and sold by the Company, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.
Section 304. Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form, or, if authorized, in bearer form with one or more coupons or without coupons, and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. In the case of Securities of any series, such temporary Securities may be in global form.
Except in the case of temporary Global Securities (which shall be exchanged as otherwise provided herein or as otherwise provided in or pursuant to a Board Resolution or supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 301), if temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series (accompanied by any non-matured coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute (in accordance with a Company Order delivered at or prior to the authentication of the first definitive security to such series) and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations; provided, however, that no definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided further that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 303. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.
| 24 |
(a) Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to a Board Resolution or supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 301, the following provisions of this Section 304(b) shall govern the exchange of temporary Securities other than through the facilities of the DTC. If any such temporary Security is issued in global form, then such temporary Global Security shall, unless otherwise provided therein, be delivered to the London office of a depository or common depository upon and pursuant to written direction of the Company (the “Common Depository”), for the benefit of Euroclear and Clearstream, for credit to the respective accounts of the beneficial owners of such Securities (or to such other accounts as they may direct).
Without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the date specified in, or determined pursuant to the terms of, any such temporary Global Security (the “Exchange Date”), the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities, in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such temporary Global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the Exchange Date, such temporary Global Security shall be surrendered by the Common Depository to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or from time to time in part, for definitive Securities without charge, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for each portion of such temporary Global Security, an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such temporary Global Security to be exchanged. The definitive Securities to be delivered in exchange for any such temporary Global Security shall be in bearer form, registered form, permanent global bearer form or permanent global registered form, or any combination thereof, as specified as contemplated by Section 301, and, if any combination thereof is so specified, as requested by the beneficial owner thereof (as directed by or pursuant to information provided by the Common Depository); provided, however, that, unless otherwise specified in such temporary Global Security, upon such presentation by the Common Depository, such temporary Global Security shall be accompanied by a certificate dated the Exchange Date or a subsequent date and signed by Euroclear as to the portion of such temporary Global Security held for its account then to be exchanged and a certificate dated the Exchange Date or a subsequent date and signed by Clearstream as to the portion of such temporary Global Security held for its account then to be exchanged, each in the form set forth in Exhibit B-2 to this Indenture or in such other form as may be established pursuant to Section 301; and provided further that definitive Bearer Securities shall be delivered in exchange for a portion of a temporary Global Security only in compliance with the requirements of Section 303.
Unless otherwise specified in such temporary Global Security, the interest of a beneficial owner of Securities of a series in a temporary Global Security shall be exchanged for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor following the Exchange Date when the account holder instructs Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, to request such exchange on his behalf and delivers to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, a certificate in the form set forth in Exhibit B-l to this Indenture (or in such other form as may be established pursuant to Section 301), dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the Exchange Date, copies of which certificate shall be available from the offices of Euroclear and Clearstream, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent appointed for such series of Securities and each Paying Agent. Unless otherwise specified in such temporary Global Security, any such exchange shall be made free of charge to the beneficial owners of such temporary Global Security, except that a Person receiving definitive Securities must bear the cost of insurance, postage, transportation and the like unless such Person takes delivery of such definitive Securities in person at the offices of Euroclear or Clearstream. Definitive Securities in bearer form to be delivered in exchange for any portion of a temporary Global Security shall be delivered only to an address located outside the United States.
| 25 |
Until exchanged in full as hereinabove provided, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor authenticated and delivered hereunder, except that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, interest payable on a temporary Global Security on an Interest Payment Date for Securities of such series occurring prior to the applicable Exchange Date shall be payable to Euroclear and Clearstream on such Interest Payment Date upon delivery by Euroclear and Clearstream to the Trustee of a certificate or certificates in the form set forth in Exhibit B-2 to this Indenture (or in such other forms as may be established pursuant to Section 301), for credit without further interest on or after such Interest Payment Date to the respective accounts of Persons who are the beneficial owners of such temporary Global Security on such Interest Payment Date and who have each delivered to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, a certificate dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the Interest Payment Date occurring prior to such Exchange Date in the form set forth as Exhibit B-l to this Indenture (or in such other forms as may be established pursuant to Section 301). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, the certifications made pursuant to this paragraph shall satisfy the certification requirements of the preceding two paragraphs of this Section 304(b) and of the third paragraph of Section 303 of this Indenture and the interests of the Persons who are the beneficial owners of the temporary Global Security with respect to which such certification was made will be exchanged for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor on the Exchange Date or the date of certification if such date occurs after the Exchange Date, without further act or deed by such beneficial owners. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, no payments of principal or interest owing with respect to a beneficial interest in a temporary Global Security will be made unless and until such interest in such temporary Global Security shall have been exchanged for an interest in a definitive Security. Any interest so received by Euroclear and Clearstream and not paid as herein provided shall be returned to the Trustee prior to the expiration of two years after such Interest Payment Date in order to be repaid to the Company.
With respect to Exhibit B-l or B-2 to this Indenture, the Company may, in its discretion and if required or desirable under applicable law, substitute one or more other forms of such exhibits for such exhibits, eliminate the requirement that any or all certificate be provided, or change the time that any certificate may be required, provided that such substitute form or forms or notice of elimination or change of such certification requirement have theretofore been delivered to the Trustee with a Company Request and such form or forms, elimination or change is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.
Section 305. Registration, Registration of Transfer, Conversion and Exchange. The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or in any office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment a register for each series of Securities (the registers maintained in such office or in any such office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes referred to collectively as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Registered Securities and of transfers of Registered Securities. The Security Register shall be in written form or any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time. The Trustee, at its Corporate Trust Office, is hereby initially appointed “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering Registered Securities and transfers of Registered Securities on such Security Register as herein provided. In the event that the Trustee shall cease to be Security Registrar, it shall have the right to examine, and be provided a copy of, the Security Register at all reasonable times.
| 26 |
Subject to the provisions of this Section 305, upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, and containing identical terms and provisions.
Subject to the provisions of this Section 305, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination or denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions, upon surrender of the Registered Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency. Whenever any such Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities, which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive. Unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities as contemplated by Section 301, Bearer Securities may not be issued in exchange for Registered Securities.
If (but only if) permitted by the applicable Board Resolution and (subject to Section 303) set forth in the applicable Officers’ Certificate, or in any indenture supplemental hereto, delivered as contemplated by Section 301, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of any series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of the same series of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency, with all unmatured coupons and all matured coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured coupon or coupons or matured coupon or coupons in default, any such permitted exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company (or to the Trustee for the Security in case of matured coupons in default) in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing coupon or coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, interest represented by coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons at an office or agency located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such office or agency in a permitted exchange for a Registered Security of the same series and like tenor after the close of business at such office or agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities, which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
| 27 |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, any permanent Global Security shall be exchangeable only as provided in this paragraph. If the depository for any permanent Global Security is DTC, then, unless the terms of such Global Security expressly permit such Global Security to be exchanged in whole or in part for definitive Securities, a Global Security may be transferred, in whole but not in part, only to a nominee of DTC, or by a nominee of DTC to DTC, or to a successor to DTC for such Global Security selected or approved by the Company or to a nominee of such successor to DTC. If at any time DTC notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depository for the applicable Global Security or Securities or if at any time DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act if so required by applicable law or regulation, the Company shall appoint a successor depository with respect to such Global Security or Securities. If (w) a successor depository for such Global Security or Securities is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such unwillingness, inability or ineligibility, (x) the Company delivers to the Trustee for Securities of such series in registered form a Company Order stating that the Securities of such series shall be exchangeable, (y) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the beneficial owners representing a majority in principal amount of the applicable series of Securities represented by such Global Security or Securities advise DTC to cease acting as depository for such Global Security or Securities or (z) the Company, in its sole discretion, determines at any time that all Outstanding Securities (but not less than all) of any series issued or issuable in the form of one or more Global Securities shall no longer be represented by such Global Security or Securities, then the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver definitive Securities of like series, rank, tenor and terms in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Global Security or Securities. If any beneficial owner of an interest in a permanent global Security is otherwise entitled to exchange such interest for Securities of such series and of like tenor and principal amount of another authorized form and denomination, as specified as contemplated by Section 301 and provided that any applicable notice provided in the permanent Global Security shall have been given, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interest may be so exchanged, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver definitive Securities in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such beneficial owner’s interest in such permanent Global Security. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such permanent Global Security shall be surrendered for exchange by DTC or such other depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose; provided, however, that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before any selection of Securities to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date if the Security for which exchange is requested may be among those selected for redemption; and provided further that no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a permanent Global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a permanent Global Security after the close of business at the office or agency where such exchange occurs on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but will be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such permanent Global Security is payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or conversion or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or conversion or exchange.
| 28 |
Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for conversion, exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
No service charge shall be made to the Holder for any registration of transfer or conversion or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or conversion or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 304, 906, 1107 or 1305 not involving any transfer.
The Company or the Trustee, as applicable, shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security if such Security may be among those selected for redemption during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of the Securities to be redeemed under Section 1103 and ending at the close of business on (A) if such Securities are issuable only as Registered Securities, the day of the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption and (B) if such Securities are issuable as Bearer Securities, the day of the first publication of the relevant notice of redemption or, if such Securities are also issuable as Registered Securities and there is no publication, the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except, in the case of any Registered Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security so selected for redemption except that such a Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of that series and like tenor, provided that such Registered Security shall be simultaneously surrendered for redemption, or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.
Furthermore, notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 305, the Company will not be required to exchange any Securities if, as a result of the exchange, the Company would suffer adverse consequences under any United States law or regulation.
| 29 |
Section 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee or the Company, together with, in proper cases, such security or indemnity as may be required by the Company or the Trustee to save each of them or any agent of either of them harmless, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series and principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.
If there shall be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or coupon has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains (with all appurtenant coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen), a new Security of the same series and principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains.
Notwithstanding the provisions of the previous two paragraphs, in case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains, pay such Security or coupon if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee for such Security such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, and in the case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence satisfactory to the Company and Trustee and any agent of any of them of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security and the ownership thereof; provided, however, that payment of principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), and interest, if any, on, Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, any interest on Bearer Securities shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the coupons appertaining thereto.
Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.
Every new Security of any series with its coupons, if any, issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains, shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and its coupons, if any, or the destroyed, lost or stolen coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that series and their coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.
| 30 |
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons.
Section 307. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved. Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 301, interest on any Registered Security that is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest payment at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 1002; provided, however, that each installment of interest on any Registered Security may at the Company’s option be paid by (i) mailing a check for such interest, payable to or upon the written order of the Person entitled thereto pursuant to Section 308, to the address of such Person as it appears on the Security Register or (ii) transfer to an account maintained by the payee located inside the United States.
Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, payment of interest may be made, in the case of a Bearer Security, by transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located outside the United States.
Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301, every permanent Global Security will provide that interest, if any, payable on any Interest Payment Date will be paid to DTC, Euroclear and/or Clearstream, as the case may be, with respect to that portion of such permanent Global Security held for its account by Cede & Co. or the Common Depository, as the case may be, for the purpose of permitting such party to credit the interest received by it in respect of such permanent Global Security to the accounts of the beneficial owners thereof.
In case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security of such series after the close of business (at an office or agency in a Place of Payment for such series) on any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business (at such office or agency) on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date and interest will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 301, any interest on any Registered Security of any series that is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (1) or (2) below:
| 31 |
(1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Registered Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Registered Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment (which shall not be less than 20 days after such notice is received by the Trustee), and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Registered Securities of such series at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. The Trustee may, in its discretion, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment, but such publications shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Registered Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (2). In case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at the office or agency in a Place of Payment for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series after the close of business at such office or agency on any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such proposed date of payment and Defaulted Interest will not be payable on such proposed date of payment in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
(2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Registered Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any over-the-counter market or securities exchange on which such Securities may be quoted or listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such market or exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 305, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or upon conversion of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.
Section 308. Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), and (subject to Section 305 and Section 307) interest on, such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Registered Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary. All such payments so made to any such Person, or upon such Person’s order, shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sum or sums so paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for money payable upon any such Security.
| 32 |
Title to any Bearer Security and any coupons appertaining thereto shall pass by delivery. The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Holder of any Bearer Security and the Holder of any coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security or coupon be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
No holder of any beneficial interest in any Global Security held on its behalf by a depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such Global Security and such depository (which is the Holder of such security) shall be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such Global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Global Security, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee, or any agent of the Company or the Trustee, from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by any depository, as a Holder, with respect to such Global Security or impair, as between such depository and owners of beneficial interests in such Global Security, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of such depository (or its nominee) as Holder of such Global Security.
Section 309. Cancellation. All Securities and coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, repayment at the option of the Holder, registration of transfer or conversion or exchange or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and coupons and Securities and coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, upon direction by the Company, shall be promptly cancelled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. If the Company shall so acquire any of the Securities, however, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. Cancelled Securities and coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in accordance with its customary practices (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act).
Section 310. Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
| 33 |
Section 311. CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided, however, that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the “CUSIP” numbers.
ARTICLE FOUR. - SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 401. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Request (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or conversion or exchange of Securities of such series herein expressly provided for), and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, and at the expense of the Company, shall execute instruments in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee and the Company acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series when
(1) either
(A) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto (other than (i) coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities surrendered for exchange for Registered Securities and maturing after such exchange, whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 305, (ii) Securities and coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306, (iii) coupons appertaining to Securities called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date, whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 1106, and (iv) Securities and coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(B) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (i) or (ii) below, any coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation
(i) have become due and payable, or
(ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or
(iii) if redeemable at the option of the Company, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,
and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose an amount in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable, sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and such coupons not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;
| 34 |
(2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and
(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 606, the obligations of the Company to any Authenticating Agent under Section 611 and, if money shall have been deposited with and held by the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 and the last paragraph of Section 1003 shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.
Section 402. Application of Trust Funds. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities, the coupons and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), and any interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
ARTICLE FIVE. - REMEDIES
Section 501. Events of Default. “Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to any particular series of Securities, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether or not it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):
(1) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that series or of any coupon appertaining thereto, when such interest or coupon becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or
(2) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on) any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable at its Maturity; or
(3) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, to the extent applicable to such series of Securities, when and as due by the terms of any Security of that series; or
(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture with respect to any Security of that series (other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than that series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or
| 35 |
(5) default under any bond, debenture, note, mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company, having an aggregate principal amount outstanding of at least $75,000,000, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default shall have resulted in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, without such indebtedness having been discharged, or such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled, within a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default and requiring the Company to cause such indebtedness to be discharged or cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; provided, however, that, subject to the provisions of Section 601 and Section 602, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such default unless either (A) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have knowledge of such default or (B) the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company, from any Holder, from the holder of any such indebtedness or from the trustee under any such mortgage, indenture or other instrument; or
(6) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(A) commences a voluntary case,
(B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,
(C) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, or
(D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or
(7) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(A) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,
(B) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or
(C) orders the liquidation of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 days; or
(8) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that series.
| 36 |
As used in this Section 501, the term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal or state law for the relief of debtors and the term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or other similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
Section 502. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal amount (or, if Securities of that Series are Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such portion of the principal as may be specified in the terms thereof) of all the Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal or specified portion thereof shall become immediately due and payable.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration of acceleration and its consequences if:
(1) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay in the currency, currency unit or composite currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series):
(A) all overdue installments of interest on all Outstanding Securities of that series and any related coupons,
(B) the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on) any Outstanding Securities of that series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,
(C) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of interest at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and
(D) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel; and
(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the nonpayment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on Securities of that series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 513.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 503. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if:
(1) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on any Security of any series and any related coupon when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or
| 37 |
(2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on) any Security of any series at its Maturity,
then the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities of such series and coupons, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities and coupons for principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, with interest upon any overdue principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities of such series and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities of such series, wherever situated.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any related coupons by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
Section 504. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities of any series shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal, premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of such series, of principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and
(ii) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
| 38 |
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar official) in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities of such series and coupons to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee, their agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee under Section 606.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or coupon in any such proceeding.
In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and also any proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the Trustee shall be a party), the Trustee shall be held to represent all the Holders of the Securities, and it shall not be necessary to make any Holders of the Securities parties to any such proceedings.
Section 505. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities and coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
Section 506. Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest, upon presentation of the Securities or coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 606;
SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and coupons for principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and coupons for principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, respectively; and
THIRD: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company.
Section 507. Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any related coupon shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture or the Securities or any related coupon, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:
| 39 |
(1) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that series;
(2) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;
(4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;
it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture or the Securities or any related coupon, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.
Section 508. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or coupon shall have the right which is absolute and unconditional to receive payment of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and (subject to Section 305 and Section 307) interest on such Security or payment of such coupon on the respective due dates expressed in such Security or coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
Section 509. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of Securities and coupons shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 510. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons in the last paragraph of Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities or coupons is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
| 40 |
Section 511. Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders of Securities or coupons, as the case may be.
Section 512. Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that:
(1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,
(2) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and
(3) the Trustee need not take any action, which might involve it in personal liability or be unduly prejudicial to the Holders of Securities of such series not joining therein.
Nothing in this Indenture shall impair the right of the Trustee in its discretion to take any action deemed proper by the Trustee and which is not inconsistent with such direction by Holders.
Section 513. Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any related coupons waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default
(1) in the payment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Security of such series or any related coupons, or
(2) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article Nine cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected; or
(3) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof for the benefit or protection of the Trustee, without its express written consent.
Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
| 41 |
Section 514. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
Section 515. Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).
ARTICLE SIX. - THE TRUSTEE
Section 601. Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit in the manner and to the extent provided in TIA Section 313(c), notice of such default hereunder known to the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Security of such series, or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund installment with respect to the Securities of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Securities and coupons of such series; and provided further that in the case of any default or breach of the character specified in Section 501(4) with respect to the Securities and coupons of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event, which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series.
Section 602. Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to the provisions of TIA Section 315(a) through 315(d):
(1) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document (whether in its original or facsimile form) reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;
| 42 |
(2) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order (other than delivery of any Security, together with any coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 303 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;
(3) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;
(4) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its own selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;
(5) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any related coupons pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;
(6) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document, unless requested in writing so to do by the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series; provided that, if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require reasonable indemnity against such expenses or liabilities as a condition to proceeding; the reasonable expenses of every such examination shall be paid by the Holders or, if paid by the Trustee, shall be repaid by the Holders upon demand. The Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, relevant to the facts or matters that are the subject of its inquiry, personally or by agent or attorney at the expense of the Company and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation;
(7) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;
| 43 |
(8) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;
(9) any permissive right or power available to the Trustee under this Indenture or any supplement hereto shall not be construed to be a mandatory duty or obligation;
(10) the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any matter (including any default, other than as described in Section 501(1), (2) or (3)) unless and except to the extent actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee or to the extent written notice thereof is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office;
(11) the Trustee shall have no liability for any inaccuracy in the books and records of, or for any actions or omissions of, DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or any depository acting on behalf of any of them;
(12) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed by the Trustee to act hereunder; and
(13) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officers’ Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.
The Trustee shall not be required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee.
Section 603. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or coupons, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Indenture, authenticate the Securities and perform its obligations hereunder. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof. The Trustee shall have no responsibility with respect to any information, statement or recital in any offering prospectus or other disclosure materials prepared or distributed with respect to the Securities.
Section 604. May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Paying Agent, Security Registrar, Authenticating Agent or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and coupons and, subject to TIA Sections 310(b) and 311, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar, Authenticating Agent or such other agent.
| 44 |
Section 605. Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing with the Company.
Section 606. Compensation and Reimbursement. The Company agrees:
(1) to pay to the Trustee as agreed upon in writing from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);
(2) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, and disbursements incurred by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the reasonable expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense or disbursement as shall be determined to have been caused by its own negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith; and
(3) to indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense incurred without negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 501(7) or Section 501(8), the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law.
As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien for payment of the Trustee’s fees and expenses prior to the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on particular Securities or any coupons.
The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.
Section 607. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility; Conflicting Interests. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be eligible to act as Trustee under TIA Section 310(a)(1) and shall have at all times a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 (or which shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $10,000,000 and whose ultimate parent holding company shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If the Trustee publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of Federal, state, territorial or District of Columbia supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of the Trustee shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article. Neither the Company nor any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company shall serve as Trustee.
| 45 |
Section 608. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.
(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 609.
(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 60 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Trustee and to the Company. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 60 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(d) If at any time:
(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of TIA Section 310(b) after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or
(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 607 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or
(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,
then, in any such case, (i) the Company by or pursuant to a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee and appoint a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to TIA Section 315(e), any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.
| 46 |
(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series). If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to Securities of such series.
(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series in the manner provided for notices to the Holders of Securities in Section 106. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.
Section 609. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.
(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee, and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 606.
(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto, pursuant to Article Nine hereof, wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.
| 47 |
(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 609, as the case may be.
(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.
Section 610. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities or coupons shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities or coupons so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities or coupons. In case any Securities or coupons shall not have been authenticated by such predecessor Trustee, any such successor Trustee may authenticate and deliver such Securities or coupons, in either its own name or that of its predecessor Trustee, with the full force and effect, which this Indenture provides for the certificate of authentication of the Trustee.
Section 611. Appointment of Authenticating Agent. At any time when any of the Securities remain Outstanding, the Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon conversion or exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption or repayment thereof, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Any such appointment shall be evidenced by an instrument in writing signed by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, a copy of which instrument shall be promptly furnished to the Company. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication, delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent, and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a bank or trust company or corporation organized and doing business and in good standing under the laws of the United States of America or of any state or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authorities. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. In case at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.
| 48 |
Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.
An Authenticating Agent for any series of Securities may at any time resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee for such series and to the Company. The Trustee for any series of Securities may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee for such series may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve in the manner set forth in Section 106. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent herein. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.
The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation including reimbursement of its reasonable expenses for its services under this Section, subject to Section 606.
If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication substantially in the following form:
| 49 |
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within- mentioned Indenture.
|
|
|
| |
|
| as Trustee |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Dated: | By |
|
|
|
| As Authenticating Agent |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Dated: | By: |
|
|
|
| As Authenticating Agent |
| |
Section 612. Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee.
(a) With respect to the Securities of any series, except during the continuance of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series:
(1) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(2) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture, but shall not be under any duty to verify the contents or accuracy thereof.
(b) In case an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall, with respect to Securities of such series, exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.
(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(1) this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of Subsection (a) of this Section;
(2) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(3) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series; and
| 50 |
(4) no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and, the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights and powers under this Indenture at the request of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 612.
(e) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money or assets held by it except to the extent the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Assets held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other assets except to the extent required by law.
ARTICLE SEVEN. - HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
Section 701. Disclosure of Names and Addresses of Holders. Every Holder of Securities or coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent nor any Paying Agent nor any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with TIA Section 312, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under TIA Section 312(b).
Section 702. Reports by Trustee. The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required by TIA Section 313 at the times and in the manner provided by the TIA, which shall initially be not less than every twelve months commencing on, 20. A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each over-the-counter market or securities exchange, if any, upon which any Securities are quoted or listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The Company will notify the Trustee when any Securities are quoted or listed on any over-the-counter market or securities exchange or delisted therefrom.
Section 703. Reports by Company. The Company will:
(1) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of such Sections, then it will file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act in respect of a security quoted or listed and registered on an over-the-counter market or national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;
| 51 |
(2) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations;
(3) transmit by mail to the Holders of Securities, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in TIA Section 313(c), such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission; and
(4) delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates).
Section 704. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee:
(a) semiannually, not later than 15 days after the Regular Record Date for interest for each series of Securities, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of Registered Securities of such series as of such Regular Record Date, or if there is no Regular Record Date for interest for such series of Securities, semiannually, upon such dates as are set forth in the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, and
(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished, provided. however, that, so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar, no such list shall be required to be furnished.
ARTICLE EIGHT. - CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, LEASE OR CONVEYANCE
Section 801. Consolidations and Mergers of Company and Sales. Leases and Conveyances Permitted Subject to Certain Conditions. The Company may consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of its assets to, or merge with or into any other corporation, provided that in any such case, (1) either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the successor corporation shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States or a State thereof and such successor corporation shall expressly assume the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and any interest on all of the Securities, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Company by supplemental indenture, complying with Article Nine hereof, satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and delivered to the Trustee by such corporation, (2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result thereof as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or the lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing and (3) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee the Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required pursuant to Section 803 below.
| 52 |
Section 802. Rights and Duties of Successor Corporation. In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance and upon any such assumption by the successor corporation, such successor corporation shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company, with the same effect as if it had been named herein as the party of the first part, and the predecessor corporation, except in the event of a lease, shall be relieved of any further obligation under this Indenture and the Securities. Such successor corporation thereupon may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Company, any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor corporation, instead of the Company, and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor corporation thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.
In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.
Section 803. Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel. Any consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance permitted under Section 801 is also subject to the condition that the Trustee receive an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance, and the assumption by any successor corporation, complies with the provisions of this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.
ARTICLE NINE. - SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
Section 901. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or coupons, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:
(1) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or
| 53 |
(2) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or
(3) to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series); provided, however, that in respect of any such additional Events of Default such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such default or may limit the right of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of that or those series of Securities to which such additional Events of Default apply to waive such default; or
(4) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, or interest on Bearer Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series or any related coupons in any material respect; or
(5) to change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture, provided that any such change or elimination shall become effective only when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of such provision; or
(6) to secure the Securities; or
(7) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series and any related coupons as permitted or contemplated by Section 201 and Section 301; or
(8) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee; or
(9) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, provided such provisions shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series or any related coupons in any material respect; or
(10) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the Defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Sections 401, 1402 and 1403; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of such series and any related coupons or any other series of Securities in any material respect; or
| 54 |
(11) to make provisions with respect to Holders’ rights of conversion with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Article Seventeen.
Section 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities and any related coupons under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby:
(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of (or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on) or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security; or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate or amount of interest thereon, or any premium or Make-Whole Amount payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502 or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 504, or adversely affect any right of repayment at the option of the Holder of any Security, or change any Place of Payment where, or the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which, any Security or any premium or Make-Whole Amount or the interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption or repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the Redemption Date or the Repayment Date, as the case may be), or (if Securities of such series are convertible) adversely affect the right of the Holder to convert any Security as provided in Article Seventeen, or modify the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the subordination of the Securities in a manner materially adverse to the Holders; or
(2) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver with respect to such series (or compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 1504 for quorum or voting, or
(3) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 513 or Section 1009, except to increase the required percentage to effect such action or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section 902 and Section 1009, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 609(b) and 901(11).
It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section 902 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.
A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.
| 55 |
Section 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modification thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 612) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
Section 904. Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any coupon, appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.
Section 905. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.
Section 906. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall, if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.
ARTICLE TEN. COVENANTS
Section 1001.Payment of Principal, Premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any; and Interest. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of such series of Securities, any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, any interest due on Bearer Securities on or before Maturity shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the several coupons for such interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they severally mature. Unless otherwise specified with respect to Securities of any series pursuant to Section 301, at the option of the Company (upon written notice to the Trustee), all payments of principal may be paid by check to the registered Holder of the Registered Security or other Person entitled thereto against surrender of such Security.
| 56 |
Section 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency. If Securities of a series are issuable only as Registered Securities, the Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment or conversion, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or conversion or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company will maintain: (A) in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, an office or agency where any Registered Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment or conversion, where any Registered Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served and where Bearer Securities of that series and related coupons may be presented or surrendered for payment or conversion in the circumstances described in the following paragraph (and not otherwise); (B) subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, in a Place of Payment for that series which is located outside the United States, an office or agency where Securities of that series and related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided, however, that if the Securities of that series are listed on any stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company will maintain a Paying Agent for the Securities of that series in any required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of that series are listed on such exchange; and (C) subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, in a Place of Payment for that series located outside the United States an office or agency where any Registered Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of each such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of that series and the related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment or conversion at the offices specified in the Security, in London, England, and the Company hereby appoints the same as its agent to receive such respective presentations, surrenders, notices and demands, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, no payment of principal, premium or Make- Whole Amount or interest on Bearer Securities shall be made at any office or agency of the Company in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided, however, that, if the Securities of a series are payable in Dollars, payment of principal of and any premium or Make-Whole Amount and interest on any Bearer Security shall be made at the office of the Company’s Paying Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment in Dollars of the full amount of such principal, premium or Make-Whole Amount, or interest, as the case may be, at all offices or agencies outside the United States maintained for the purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture, is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.
The Company may from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies (in or outside the Place of Payment) where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all of such purposes, and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in accordance with the requirements set forth above for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency. Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301 with respect to a series of Securities, the Company hereby designates as a Place of Payment for each series of Securities, each of (i) the office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and (ii) the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee (as Paying Agent); and the Company hereby initially appoints the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office as Paying Agent in such city; and the Company hereby initially appoints as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands each of the Trustee, at its Corporate Trust Office.
| 57 |
Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of the Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent (of which it shall give written notice to the Trustee).
Section 1003. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of any Securities and any related coupons, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), or interest on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities and any related coupons, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, or interest and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section that such Paying Agent will
(1) hold all sums held by it for the payment of principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on Securities in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;
(2) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities) in the making of any such payment of principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on the Securities of that series; and
| 58 |
(3) at any time during the continuance of any such default upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.
The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.
Except as otherwise provided in the Securities of any series, and subject to applicable laws, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company upon Company Request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment of such principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) or interest on any Security, without interest thereon, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.
Section 1004. Existence. Subject to Article Eight, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence, all material rights (by certificate of incorporation, bylaws and statute) and material franchises; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right or franchise if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company.
Section 1005. Maintenance of Properties. The Company will cause all of its material properties used or useful in the conduct of its business to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order, normal wear and tear, casualty and condemnation excepted, and supplied with all necessary equipment and will cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof (and the Company may take out of service for a period of time, any of its properties that have been condemned or suffered any loss due to casualty in order to make such repairs, betterments and improvements), all as in the judgment of the Company may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided, however, that the Company shall not be prevented from (i) removing permanently any property that has been condemned or suffered a loss due to casualty based on the Company’s reasonable judgment that such removal is in the best interest of the Company, or (ii) selling or otherwise disposing of its properties for value in the ordinary course of business.
| 59 |
Section 1006. Insurance. The Company will cause its insurable properties to be insured against loss or damage in an amount deemed reasonable by the Board of Directors with insurers of recognized responsibility.
Section 1007. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims. The Company will pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, (1) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon it or upon the income, profits or property of the Company, and (2) all lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies which, if unpaid, might by law become a lien upon the property of the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge or claim whose amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings.
Section 1008. Statement as to Compliance. The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a brief certificate from the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer as to his or her knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture and, in the event of any noncompliance, specifying such noncompliance and the nature and status thereof. For purposes of this Section 1008, such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture.
Section 1009. Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Sections 1004 to 1008, inclusive, if before or after the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of all outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such covenant or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such covenant or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.
ARTICLE ELEVEN. - REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
Section 1101. Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.
Section 1102. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all of the Securities of any series, the Company shall, at least 45 days prior to the giving of the notice of redemption in Section 1104 (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.
| 60 |
Section 1103. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all the Securities of any series issued on the same day with the same terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series issued on such date with the same terms not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.
For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.
Section 1104. Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified by the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 301, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, but failure to give such notice in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Security designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other such Security or portion thereof.
Any notice that is mailed to the Holders of Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives the notice.
All notices of redemption shall state:
(1) the Redemption Date,
(2) the Redemption Price, accrued interest to the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 1106, if any,
(3) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,
(4) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the holder will receive, without a charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,
(5) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price and accrued interest to the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 1106, if any, will become due and payable upon each such Security, or the portion thereof, to be redeemed and, if applicable, that interest thereon shall cease to accrue on and after said date,
| 61 |
(6) the Place or Places of Payment where such Securities, together in the case of Bearer Securities with all coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, or for conversion,
(7) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,
(8) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing coupon or coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee for such series and any Paying Agent is furnished,
(9) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and any Registered Securities of such series are not to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on this Redemption Date pursuant to Section 305 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,
(10) the CUSIP number of such Security, if any, and
(11) if applicable, that a Holder of Securities who desires to convert Securities for redemption must satisfy the requirements for conversion contained in such Securities, the then existing conversion price or rate, the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion, and the date and time when the option to convert shall expire.
Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.
Section 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, which it may not do in the case of a sinking fund payment under Article Twelve, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.
If any Securities called for redemption are converted, any money deposited with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent or so segregated and held in trust for the redemption of such Security shall be paid to the Company upon Company Request or, if then held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust.
Section 1106. Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) (together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date), and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest) such Securities shall, if the same were interest-bearing, cease to bear interest and the coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of coupons for such interest; and provided further that except as otherwise provided with respect to Securities convertible into the Company’s Common Stock or Preferred Stock, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.
| 62 |
If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided, however, that interest represented by coupons shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons.
If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate borne by the Security.
Section 1107. Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part (pursuant to the provisions of this Article or of Article Twelve) shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge a new Security or Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Global Security is so surrendered, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the depository, without service charge, a new Global Security in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Global Security so surrendered.
| 63 |
ARTICLE TWELVE. - SINKING FUNDS
Section 1201. Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of such Securities of any series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of any Securities of any series, the cash amount of any mandatory sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 1202. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series.
Section 1202. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of a series, (1) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any previously called for redemption) together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured coupons appertaining thereto and (2) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, as provided for by the terms of such Securities, or which have otherwise been acquired by the Company; provided that such Securities so delivered or applied as a credit have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the applicable Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such mandatory sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.
Section 1203. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 60 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for Securities of any series, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 1202, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered and credited. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 1104. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 1106 and 1107.
| 64 |
ARTICLE THIRTEEN. - REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS
Section 1301. Applicability of Article. Repayment of Securities of any series before their Stated Maturity at the option of Holders thereof shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities, if any, and (except as otherwise specified by the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 301) in accordance with this Article.
Section 1302. Repayment of Securities. Securities of any series subject to repayment in whole or in part at the option of the Holders thereof will, unless otherwise provided in the terms of such Securities, be repaid at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest, if any, thereon accrued to the Repayment Date specified in or pursuant to the terms of such Securities. The Company covenants that on or prior to the Repayment Date it will deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal (or, if so provided by the terms of the Securities of any series, a percentage of the principal) of, and (except if the Repayment Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities or portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid on such date.
Section 1303. Exercise of Option. Securities of any series subject to repayment at the option of the Holders thereof will contain an “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Securities. In order for any Security to be repaid at the option of the Holder, the Trustee must receive at the Place of Payment therefor specified in the terms of such Security (or at such other place or places of which the Company shall from time to time notify the Holders of such Securities) not earlier than 60 days nor later than 30 days prior to the Repayment Date (1) the Security so providing for such repayment together with the “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse thereof duly completed by the Holder (or by the Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing) or (2) a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or a letter from a member of a national securities exchange, or the FINRA, or a commercial bank or trust company in the United States setting forth the name of the Holder of the Security, the principal amount of the Security, the principal amount of the Security to be repaid, the CUSIP number, if any, or a description of the tenor and terms of the Security, a statement that the option to elect repayment is being exercised thereby and a guarantee that the Security to be repaid, together with the duly completed form entitled “Option to Elect Repayment” on the reverse of the Security, will be received by the Trustee not later than the fifth Business Day after the date of such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter; provided, however, that such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter shall only be effective if such Security and form duly completed are received by the Trustee by such fifth Business Day. If less than the entire principal amount of such Security is to be repaid in accordance with the terms of such Security, the principal amount of such Security to be repaid, in increments of the minimum denomination for Securities of such series, and the denomination or denominations of the Security or Securities to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the principal amount of such Security surrendered that is not to be repaid, must be specified. The principal amount of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof may not be repaid in part if, following such repayment, the unpaid principal amount of such Security would be less than the minimum authorized denomination of Securities of the series of which such Security to be repaid is a part. Except as otherwise may be provided by the terms of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof, exercise of the repayment option by the Holder shall be irrevocable unless waived by the Company.
| 65 |
Section 1304. When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable. If Securities of any series providing for repayment at the option of the Holders thereof shall have been surrendered as provided in this Article and as provided by or pursuant to the terms of such Securities, such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid shall become due and payable and shall be paid by the Company on the Repayment Date therein specified, and on and after such Repayment Date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities on such Repayment Date) such Securities shall, if the same were interest-bearing, cease to bear interest and the coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be repaid, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for repayment in accordance with such provisions, together with all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Repayment Date, the principal amount of such Security so to be repaid shall be paid by the Company, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Repayment Date; provided, however, that coupons whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Repayment Date shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of such coupons; and provided further that, in the case of Registered Securities, installments of interest, if any, whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Repayment Date shall be payable (but without interest thereon, unless the Company shall default in the payment thereof) to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.
If any Bearer Security surrendered for repayment shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant coupons maturing after the Repayment Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the amount payable therefor as provided in Section 1302 an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made as provided in the preceding sentence, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided, however, that interest represented by coupons shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons.
If the principal amount of any Security surrendered for repayment shall not be so repaid upon surrender thereof, such principal amount (together with interest, if any, thereon accrued to such Repayment Date) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Repayment Date at the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) set forth in such Security.
Section 1305. Securities Repaid in Part. Upon surrender of any Registered Security which is to be repaid in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security, without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination specified by the Holder, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the portion of the principal of such Security so surrendered which is not to be repaid.
| 66 |
ARTICLE FOURTEEN. - DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
Section 1401. Applicability of Article; Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. If, pursuant to Section 301, provision is made for either or both of (a) Defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 1402 or (b) Covenant Defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 1403, then the provisions of such Section or Sections, as the case may be, together with the other provisions of this Article (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 1402 (if applicable) or Section 1403 (if applicable) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article.
Section 1402. Defeasance and Discharge. Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the date the conditions set forth in Section 1404 are satisfied (hereinafter, “Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 1405 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (A) and (B) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (A) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 1404 and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, (B) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Securities under Sections 305, 306, 1002 and 1003, and the Company’s obligations under Section 606 hereof (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (D) this Article. Subject to compliance with this Article Fourteen, the Company may exercise its option under this Section notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 1403 with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto.
Section 1403. Covenant Defeasance. Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be released from its obligations under Sections 1004 to 1009, inclusive, and, if specified pursuant to Section 301, its obligations under any other covenant contained herein or in any indenture supplemental hereto, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1404 are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”), and such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “Outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with Sections 1004 to 1009, inclusive, or such other covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 501(4) or 501(8) or otherwise, as the case may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be unaffected thereby.
| 67 |
Section 1404. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. The following shall be the conditions to application of Section 1402 or Section 1403 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any coupons appertaining thereto:
(a) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 607 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Article Fourteen applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, (1) an amount in such currency, currencies or currency unit in which such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (2) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the currency, currencies or currency unit in which such Securities and coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than the due date of any payment of principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (3) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (i) the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, if any, on such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto.
(b) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.
(c) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or, insofar as Sections 501(6) and 501(7) are concerned, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).
| 68 |
(d) In the case of an election under Section 1402, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such Defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Defeasance had not occurred.
(e) In the case of an election under Section 1403, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred.
(f) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the Defeasance under Section 1402 or the Covenant Defeasance under Section 1403 (as the case may be) have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that either (i) as a result of a deposit pursuant to subsection (a) above and the related exercise of the Company’s option under Section 1402 or Section 1403 (as the case may be), registration is not required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, by the Company, with respect to the trust funds representing such deposit or by the Trustee for such trust funds or (ii) all necessary registrations under said Act have been effected.
(g) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith pursuant to Section 301.
(h) The payment of amounts payable to the Trustee pursuant to this Indenture shall be paid or provided for to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee.
Section 1405. Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 301) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 1405, the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 1404 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
| 69 |
Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Security pursuant to Section 301, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 1404(a) has been made, (a) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 301 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a currency or currency unit other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 1404(a) has been made in respect of such Security, or (b) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the currency or currency unit in which the deposit pursuant to Section 1404(a) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any), and interest, if any, on such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the currency or currency unit in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on the applicable market exchange rate for such currency or currency unit in effect on the second Business Day prior to each payment date, except, with respect to a Conversion Event, for such currency or currency unit in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event.
The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 1404 or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto.
Anything in this Article to the contrary notwithstanding, subject to Section 606, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in Section 1404 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Article.
ARTICLE FIFTEEN. - MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
Section 1501. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.
Section 1502. Call. Notice and Place of Meetings.
(a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 1501, to be held at such time and at such place as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 20 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.
(b) In case at any time the Company, pursuant to a Board Resolution, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 1501, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 20 days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in subsection (a) of this Section.
| 70 |
Section 1503. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (1) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (2) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.
Section 1504. Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of Holders of Securities of such series; provided, however, that if any action is to be taken at such meeting with respect to a consent or waiver which this Indenture expressly provides may be given by the Holders of not less than a specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series, the Persons entitled to vote such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case, the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at the reconvening of any such adjourned meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days; at the reconvening of any meeting adjourned or further adjourned for lack of a quorum, the Persons entitled to vote 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then Outstanding Securities shall constitute a quorum for the taking of any action set forth in the notice of the original meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 1502(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened.
Except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted by the affirmative vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities represented at such meeting; provided, however, that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series.
| 71 |
Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the related coupons, whether or not present or represented at the meeting.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1504, if any action is to be taken at a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action that this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities affected thereby, or of the Holders of such series and one or more additional series:
(i) there shall be no minimum quorum requirement for such meeting; and
(ii) the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series that vote in favor of such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action shall be taken into account in determining whether such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action has been made, given or taken under this Indenture.
Section 1505. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings.
(a) Notwithstanding any provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of a series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 or by having the signature of the Person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 104 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 104 or other proof.
(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 1502(b), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.
(c) At any meeting each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.
| 72 |
(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 1502 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting, and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.
Section 1506. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings.The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting, their verified written reports in duplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record, at least in duplicate, of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any Series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the fact, setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 1502 and, if applicable, Section 1504. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.
ARTICLE SIXTEEN. - SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES
Section 1601. Agreement to Subordinate. Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture to the contrary (other than Article Four of this Indenture), the Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of a Security, by his acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth in this Article, the Indebtedness represented by the Securities and the payment of any Obligations with respect to each and all of the Securities are hereby expressly made subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness.
Section 1602. Payment Over of Proceeds upon Dissolution, Etc.. In the event of (a) any insolvency or bankruptcy case or Proceeding, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or Proceeding in connection therewith, relative to the Company or to its creditors, as such, or to its assets, or (b) any liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary and whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy, or (c) any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshaling of assets and liabilities of the Company, then and in any such event specified in (a), (b) or (c) above (each such event, if any, herein sometimes referred to as a “Proceeding”)
(1) the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall first be entitled to receive payment in full of all Obligations due or to become due on or in respect of all Senior Indebtedness, or provision shall be made for such payment in cash or cash equivalents or otherwise in a manner satisfactory to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, before the Holders of the Securities are entitled to receive any payment or distribution on account of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on or other Obligations in respect of the Securities or on account of any purchase, redemption or other acquisition of Securities by the Company (individually and collectively, a “Securities Payment”), and
| 73 |
(2) any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities (other than Capital Stock or securities of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinate, at least to the extent provided in this Article Sixteen with respect to the Securities, to the payment in full, without diminution or modification by such plan, of all Senior Indebtedness), to which the Holders would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article Sixteen, shall be paid by the liquidating trustee or agent or other person making such a payment or distribution, directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness) (or their representative(s) or trustee(s) acting on their behalf), ratably according to the aggregate amounts remaining unpaid on account of the principal of or interest on and other amounts due on the Senior Indebtedness held or represented by each, to the extent necessary to make payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1602, the Trustee or the Holder of any Security shall have received any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities (other than Capital Stock or securities of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinate, at least to the extent provided in this Article with respect to the Securities, to the payment in full, without diminution or modification by such plan, of Senior Indebtedness), before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full or payment thereof provided for in cash or cash equivalents or otherwise in a manner satisfactory to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and be paid over to, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid (or their representative(s) or trustee(s) acting on their behalf), ratably as aforesaid, for application to the payment of such Senior Indebtedness until such Senior Indebtedness shall have been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of all or substantially all of its properties and assets as an entirety to another Person upon the terms and conditions set forth in Article Eight shall not be deemed a Proceeding for the purposes of this Section 1602 if the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer such properties and assets as an entirety, as the case may be, shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions set forth in Article Eight.
Section 1603. No Payment When Senior Indebtedness in Default. Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, no payment on account of principal of or redemption of, interest on or other amounts due on the Securities, and no redemption, purchase, or other acquisition of the Securities, shall be made by or on behalf of the Company (i) unless full payment of amounts then due for principal and interest and of all other obligations then due on all Senior Indebtedness has been made or duly provided for pursuant to the terms of the instrument governing such Senior Indebtedness, (ii) if, at the time of such payment, redemption, purchase or other acquisition, or immediately after giving effect thereto, there shall exist under any Senior Indebtedness, or any agreement pursuant to which any Senior Indebtedness is issued, any default, which default shall not have been cured or waived and which default shall have resulted in the full amount of such Senior Indebtedness being declared due and payable or (iii) if, at the time of such payment, redemption, purchase or other acquisition, the Trustee shall have received written notice from the holder or holders of any Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives (a “Payment Blockage Notice”) that there exists under such Senior Indebtedness, or any agreement pursuant to which such Senior Indebtedness is issued, any default, which default shall not have been cured or waived, permitting the holders thereof to declare the full amount of such Senior Indebtedness due and payable, but only for the period (the “Payment Blockage Period”) commencing on the date of receipt of the Payment Blockage Notice and ending (unless earlier terminated by notice given to the Trustee by the Holders of such Senior Indebtedness) on the earlier of (A) the date on which such event of default shall have been cured or waived or (B) 180 days from the receipt of the Payment Blockage Notice. Upon termination of a Payment Blockage Period, payments on account of principal of or interest on the Securities and redemptions, purchases or other acquisitions may be made by or on behalf of the Company. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (A) only one Payment Blockage Notice may be given during any period of 360 consecutive days with respect to the same event of default and any other events of default on the same issue of Senior Indebtedness existing and known to the person giving such notice at the time of such notice and (B) no new Payment Blockage Period may be commenced by the holder or holders of the same issue of Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives during any period of 360 consecutive days unless all events of default which were the object of the immediately preceding Payment Blockage Notice, and any other event of default on the same issue of Senior Indebtedness existing and known to the person giving such notice at the time of such notice, have been cured or waived.
| 74 |
In the event that, notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 1603, payments are made by or on behalf of the Company in contravention of the provisions of this Section 1603, such payments shall be held by the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Holders, as applicable, in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over to and delivered to, the holders of Senior Indebtedness or their representative or the trustee under the indenture or other agreement (if any), pursuant to which any instruments evidencing any Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full in accordance with the terms of such Senior Indebtedness, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of Senior Indebtedness.
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any payment with respect to which Section 1602 would be applicable.
Section 1604. Reliance by Senior Indebtedness on Subordination Provisions. Each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing subordination provisions are, and are intended to be, an inducement and a consideration for each holder of any Senior Indebtedness, whether such Senior Indebtedness was created or acquired before or after the issuance of the Securities, to acquire and continue to hold, or to continue to hold, such Senior Indebtedness, and such holder of Senior Indebtedness shall be deemed conclusively to have relied on such subordination provisions in acquiring and continuing to hold or in continuing to hold such Senior Indebtedness.
| 75 |
Section 1605. Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness. Subject to the payment in full of all Obligations due or to become due on or in respect of Senior Indebtedness, or the provision for such payment in cash or cash equivalents or otherwise in a manner satisfactory to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of the Securities shall be subrogated to the extent of the payments or distributions made to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness pursuant to the provisions of this Article Sixteen to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments and distributions of cash, property and securities applicable to the Senior Indebtedness until the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities shall be paid in full. For purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article Sixteen, and no payments over pursuant to the provisions of this Article Sixteen to the holders of Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities or the Trustee, shall, as among the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Securities, be deemed to be a payment or distribution by the Company to or on account of the Senior Indebtedness.
Section 1606. Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights. The provisions of this Article Sixteen are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities on the one hand and the holders of Senior Indebtedness on the other hand. Nothing contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture or in the Securities is intended to or shall (a) impair, as among the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Securities, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional (and which, subject to the rights under this Article Sixteen of the holders of Senior Indebtedness, is intended to rank equally with all other general obligations of the Company), to pay to the Holders of the Securities the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms; or (b) affect the relative rights against the Company of the Holders of the Securities and creditors of the Company other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness; or (c) prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive cash, property and securities otherwise payable or deliverable to the Trustee or such Holder.
Section 1607. Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. Each Holder of a Security by his acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate, as between the Holders of the Securities and the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the subordination provided in this Article Sixteen and appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes, including, in the event of any dissolution, winding up or liquidation or reorganization under any applicable bankruptcy law of the Company (whether in bankruptcy, insolvency or receivership Proceedings or otherwise), the timely filing of a claim for the unpaid balance of such Holder’s Securities in the form required in such Proceedings and the causing of such claim to be approved. If the Trustee does not file a claim or proof of debt in the form required in such Proceedings prior to 30 days before the expiration of the time to file such claims or proofs, then the holders of Senior Indebtedness, jointly, or their representatives shall have the right to file an appropriate claim for and on behalf of the Holders and to demand, sue for, collect, receive and receipt for the payments and distributions in respect of the Securities which are required to be paid or delivered to the holders of Senior Indebtedness as provided in this Article Sixteen and to take all such other action in the name of the Holders or otherwise, as such holder of Senior Indebtedness or representative thereof may determine to be necessary or appropriate for the enforcement of the provisions of this Article Sixteen.
| 76 |
Section 1608. No Waiver of Subordination Provisions. No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder or any representative or trustee therefor, or by any non-compliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof any such holder may have or be otherwise charged with.
Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness may, at any time from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of the Securities, without incurring responsibility to the Holders of the Securities and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article Sixteen or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (i) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (ii) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing Senior Indebtedness; (iii) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of Senior Indebtedness and settle or compromise Senior Indebtedness (which, to the extent so settled and compromised, shall be deemed to have been paid in full for all purposes hereof); (iv) apply any amounts received to any liability of the Company owing to holders of Senior Indebtedness; and (v) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.
Section 1609. Notice to Trustee. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any default or event of default with respect to any Senior Indebtedness or of any fact known to the Company, which would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article Sixteen. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article Sixteen or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts which would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities, unless and until the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder of Senior Indebtedness or from any representative or trustee acting on their behalf; and, prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 612, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however, that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section at least three Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on any Security), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purpose for which such money was received and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it within three Business Days prior to such date. Nothing contained in this Article Sixteen or any other Article of this Indenture or in any of the Securities shall prevent (a) the Company, at any time except during the pendency of any Proceeding, or under the conditions described in Section 1603, from making payments at any time in respect of the Securities, or (b) the application by the Trustee of any money deposited with it hereunder to the payment of or on account of the Securities, or the retention thereof by any Holder, if the Trustee did not have notice, as provided in this Section 1609, that such payment would have been prohibited by the provisions of this Article Sixteen.
| 77 |
Subject to the provisions of Section 612, the Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a representative or trustee therefor) to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee therefor). In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article Sixteen, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article Sixteen, and if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.
Section 1610. Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent. Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article Sixteen, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 612, and the Holders of the Securities shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which any Proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article.
Section 1611. Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness. Nothing contained in this Article Sixteen or elsewhere in this Indenture, or in any of the Securities, shall prevent the application by the Trustee of any moneys which were deposited with it hereunder, prior to its receipt of written notice of facts which would prohibit such application, for the purpose of the payment of or on account of the principal of or interest on, the Securities unless, prior to the date on which such application is made by the Trustee, the Trustee shall be charged with notice under Section 1609 hereof of the facts which would prohibit the making of such application.
Section 1612. Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness; Preservation of Trustee’s Rights. The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article Sixteen with respect to any Senior Indebtedness which may at any time be held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder. Nothing in this Article shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 606.
Section 1613. Article Applicable to Paying Agents. In case at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term “Trustee” as used in this Article Sixteen shall in such case (unless the context otherwise requires) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent were named in this Article in addition to or in place of the Trustee; provided, however,that Section 1612 shall not apply to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company if it or such Affiliate acts as Paying Agent.
| 78 |
ARTICLE SEVENTEEN. - CONVERSION OF SECURITIES
Section 1701. Applicability of Article; Conversion Privilege and Conversion Price. Securities of any series which are convertible shall be convertible in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article Seventeen. Subject to and upon compliance with the provisions of this Article Seventeen, at any time during the period specified in the Securities, at the option of the Holder thereof, any Security or any portion of the principal amount thereof which is $1,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 may be converted at the principal amount thereof, or of such portion thereof, into fully paid and nonassessable shares (calculated as to each conversion to the nearest 1/100 of a share) of Common Stock of the Company, at the Conversion Price, determined as hereinafter provided, in effect at the time of conversion. In case a Security or portion thereof is called for redemption, such conversion right in respect of the Security or portion so called shall expire at the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Redemption Date, unless the Company defaults in making the payment due upon redemption, in which case such conversion right shall terminate on the date such default is cured.
The price at which shares of Common Stock shall be delivered upon conversion (herein called the “Conversion Price”) of Securities of any series shall be specified in such Securities. The Conversion Price shall be adjusted in certain instances as provided in Section 1704.
In case the Company shall, by dividend or otherwise, declare or make a distribution on its Common Stock referred to in paragraph (4) of Section 1704, the Holder of each Security, upon the conversion thereof pursuant to this Article Seventeen subsequent to the close of business on the date fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such distribution and prior to the effectiveness of the Conversion Price adjustment in respect of such distribution pursuant to paragraph (4) of Section 1704, shall be entitled to receive for each share of Common Stock into which such Security is converted, the portion of the evidence of indebtedness, shares of Capital Stock or assets so distributed applicable to one share of Common Stock; provided, however, that, at the election of the Company (whose election shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution filed with the Trustee) with respect to all Holders so converting, the Company may, in lieu of distributing to such Holder any portion of such distribution not consisting of cash or securities of the Company, pay such Holder an amount in cash equal to the fair market value thereof (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be conclusive and described in a Board Resolution filed with the Trustee). If any conversion of a Security entitled to the benefits described in the immediately preceding sentence occurs prior to the payment date for a distribution to holders of Common Stock which the Holder of the Security so converted is entitled to receive in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence, the Company may elect (such election to be evidenced by a Board Resolution filed with the Trustee) to distribute to such Holder a due bill for the evidences of indebtedness, shares of Capital Stock or assets to which such Holder is so entitled, provided that such due bill (i) meets any applicable requirements of the principal over-the-counter market or national securities exchange or other market on which the Common Stock is then traded, and (ii) requires payment or delivery of such evidences of indebtedness or assets no later than the date of payment or delivery thereof to holders of Common Stock receiving such distribution.
Section 1702. Exercise of Conversion Privilege. In order to exercise the conversion privilege, the Holder of any Security to be converted shall surrender such Security, duly endorsed or assigned to the Company or in blank, at any office or agency maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 1002, accompanied by written notice to the Company at such office or agency that the Holder elects to convert such Security or, if less than the entire principal amount thereof is to be converted, the portion thereof to be converted and shall comply with any additional requirements set forth in such Security. Securities surrendered for conversion during the period from the close of business on any Regular Record Date next preceding any Interest Payment Date to the opening of business on such Interest Payment Date shall (except for Securities the Maturity of which is prior to such Interest Payment Date) be accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company of an amount equal to the interest payable on such Interest Payment Date on the principal amount of Securities being surrendered for conversion and such interest shall be paid on such Interest Payment Date as provided in Section 307. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, no payment or adjustment shall be made upon any conversion on account of any interest accrued on the Securities surrendered for conversion or on account of any dividends on the Common Stock issued upon conversion.
| 79 |
The Company’s delivery to the Holder of the fixed number of shares of the Common Stock of the Company (and any cash in lieu of any fractional share of Common Stock) into which the Security is convertible shall be deemed to satisfy the Company’s obligation to pay the principal amount of the Security and all accrued interest and original issue discount that has not previously been paid. The shares of Common Stock of the Company so delivered shall be treated as issued first in payment of accrued interest and original issue discount and then in payment of principal. Thus, accrued interest and original issue discount shall be treated as paid, rather than canceled, extinguished or forfeited.
Securities shall be deemed to have been converted immediately prior to the close of business on the day of surrender of such Securities for conversion in accordance with the foregoing provisions, and at such time the rights of the Holders of such Securities as Holders shall cease, and the Person or Persons entitled to receive the Common Stock issuable upon conversion shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder or holders of such Common Stock at such time. As promptly as practicable on or after the conversion date, the Company shall issue and shall deliver at such office or agency a certificate or certificates for the number of full shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion, together with payment in lieu of any fraction of a share, as provided in Section 1703.
In the case of any Security which is converted in part only, as promptly as practicable on or after the conversion date the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery to the Holder thereof (or the Depositary in the case of a Global Security), at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities, of authorized denominations in aggregate principal amount equal to the unconverted portion of the principal amount of such Security.
Section 1703. Fractions of Shares. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon conversion of Securities. If more than one Security shall be surrendered for conversion at one time by the same Holder, the number of full shares of Common Stock which shall be issuable upon conversion thereof shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities (or specified portions thereof) so surrendered. Instead of any fractional share of Common Stock which would otherwise be issuable upon conversion of any Security or Securities (or specified portions thereof), the Company shall pay a cash adjustment (rounded to the nearest cent) in respect of such fraction in an amount equal to the same fraction of the Closing Price per share of the Common Stock on the day of conversion (or, if such day is not a Trading Day, on the Trading Day immediately preceding such day).
| 80 |
Section 1704. Adjustment of Conversion Price. The Conversion Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as follows:
(1) If the Company pays or makes a dividend or other distribution (a) on its Common Stock exclusively in Common Stock or (b) on any other class of Capital Stock of the Company, which dividend or distribution includes Common Stock of the Company, the Conversion Price in effect at the opening of business on the day following the date fixed for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or other distribution (the “Dividend Record Date”) shall be reduced by multiplying such Conversion Price by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company outstanding at the close of business on the Dividend Record Date and the denominator shall be the sum of such number of shares and the total number of shares constituting such dividend or other distribution. Such reduction shall become effective immediately after the opening of business on the day following the date fixed for such determination. For the purposes of this paragraph (1), the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company at any time outstanding shall not include shares held in the treasury of the Company, but shall include shares issuable in respect of scrip certificates issued in lieu of fractions of shares of Common Stock. The Company shall not pay any dividend or make any distribution on shares of Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company.
(2) Subject to paragraph (6) of this Section, if the Company pays or makes a dividend or other distribution on its Common Stock consisting exclusively of Short Term Rights (as defined below), or otherwise issues Short Term Rights to all holders of its Common Stock, the Conversion Price in effect at the opening of business on the day following the record date for the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive such Short Term Rights (the “Rights Record Date”) shall be reduced by multiplying such Conversion Price by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company outstanding at the close of business on the Rights Record Date plus the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company which the aggregate of the offering price of the total number of shares of Common Stock so offered for subscription or purchase would purchase at such current market price and the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company outstanding at the close of business on the Rights Record Date plus the number of shares of Common Stock so offered for subscription or purchase. Such reduction shall become effective immediately after the opening of business on the day following the Rights Record Date. For the purposes of this paragraph (2), the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company at any time outstanding shall not include shares held in the treasury of the Company, but shall include shares issuable in respect of scrip certificates issued in lieu of fractions of shares of Common Stock of the Company. The Company shall not issue any rights, options or warrants in respect of shares of its Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company. When used in this Section 1704, the term “Short Term Rights” shall mean rights, warrants or options entitling the holders thereof (for a period commencing no earlier than the Rights Record Date and expiring not more than 45 days after the Rights Record Date) to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock of the Company at a price per share less than the current market price per share (determined as provided in paragraph (7) of this Section 1704) of the Common Stock of the Company on the Rights Record Date.
(3) In case outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company shall be subdivided into a greater number of shares of Common Stock, the Conversion Price in effect at the opening of business on the day following the day upon which such subdivision becomes effective shall be proportionately reduced, and, conversely, in case outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company shall be combined into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock, the Conversion Price in effect at the opening of business on the day following the day upon which such combination becomes effective shall be proportionately increased, such reduction or increase, as the case may be, to become effective immediately after the opening of business on the day following the day upon which such subdivision or combination becomes effective.
| 81 |
(4) Subject to the last sentence of this paragraph (4) of this Section, if the Company, by dividend or otherwise, (a) distributes to all holders of its Common Stock evidences of its indebtedness, shares of any class of Capital Stock of the Company or other assets (other than cash dividends out of current or retained earnings), or (b) distributes to substantially all holders of Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for securities (other than Short Term Rights to which paragraph(2) of this Section 1704 applies), the Conversion Price shall be reduced by multiplying such Conversion Price by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the current market price per share (determined as provided in paragraph (7) of this Section 1704) of the Common Stock of the Company on the Reference Date (as defined below) less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be conclusive and described in a Board Resolution filed with the Trustee), on the Reference Date, of the portion of the evidences of indebtedness and other assets so distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one share of Common Stock (collectively, the “Market Value of the Distribution”) and the denominator shall be such current market price per share of the Common Stock of the Company. Such reduction shall become effective immediately prior to the opening of business on the day (the “Reference Date”) following the later of (a) the date fixed for the payment of such distribution and (b) the date 20 days after notice relating to such distribution is required to be given pursuant to Section 1706(a). If the Board of Directors determines the fair market value of any distribution for purposes of this paragraph (4) by reference to the actual or when issued trading market for any securities comprising such distribution, it must in doing so consider the prices in such market over the same period used in computing the current market price per share pursuant to paragraph (7) of this Section 1704. In the event that, with respect to any distribution to which this paragraph (4) of Section 1704 would otherwise apply, the Market Value of the Distribution is greater than the current market price per share of the Common Stock (such distribution being referred to herein as an “Unadjusted Distribution”), then the adjustment provided by this paragraph (4) shall not be made and in lieu thereof the provisions of Section 1711 shall apply with respect to such Unadjusted Distribution.
(5) The Company may, but shall not be required to, make such reductions in the Conversion Price, in addition to those required by paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of this Section 1704, as it considers to be advisable in order that any event treated for federal income tax purposes as a dividend of stock or stock rights shall not be taxable to the recipients. In addition, the Company, from time to time, may decrease the Conversion Price by any amount and for any reason, temporarily or otherwise, including situations where the Board of Directors determines such decrease to be fair and appropriate with respect to transactions in which holders of Common Stock have the right to participate.
(6) Rights or warrants issued or distributed by the Company to all holders of its Common Stock entitling the holders thereof to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, which rights or warrants (i) are deemed to be transferred with such shares of Common Stock, (ii) are not exercisable and (iii) are also issued or distributed in respect of future issuances of Common Stock, in each case in clauses (i) through (iii) until the occurrence of a specified event or events (“Trigger Events”), shall for purposes of this Section 1704 not be deemed issued or distributed until the occurrence of the earliest Trigger Event. Each share of Common Stock issued upon conversion of Securities pursuant to this Article Seventeen shall be entitled to receive the appropriate number of Common Stock purchase rights (the “Rights”), if any, and the certificates representing the Common Stock issued upon conversion shall bear such legends, if any. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article Seventeen, there shall not be any adjustment to the Conversion Price as a result of (i) the distribution of separate certificates representing the Rights; (ii) the occurrence of certain events entitling holders of Rights to receive, upon exercise thereof, Common Stock or other securities of the Company or other securities of another corporation; or (iii) the exercise of such Rights. No adjustment in the Conversion Price need be made for rights to purchase or the sale of Common Stock pursuant to a Company plan providing for reinvestment of dividends or interest.
| 82 |
(7) For the purpose of any computation under paragraph (2), (4) or (5) of this Section 1704, the “current market price” per share of Common Stock of the Company on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily Closing Prices for the 15 consecutive Trading Days selected by the Company commencing not more than 30 Trading Days before, and ending not later than, the date in question.
(8) No adjustment in the Conversion Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Conversion Price; provided, however, that any adjustments, which by reason of this paragraph (8) are not required to be made, shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Article Seventeen shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one-hundredth of a share of Common Stock, as the case may be.
(9) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event the Company shall declare any dividend or distribution requiring an adjustment in the Conversion Price hereunder and shall, thereafter and before the payment of such dividend or distribution to stockholders, legally abandon its plan to pay such dividend or distribution, the Conversion Price then in effect hereunder, if changed to reflect such dividend or distribution, shall upon the legal abandonment of such plan be changed to the Conversion Price which would have been in effect at the time of such abandonment (after giving effect to all other adjustments not so legally abandoned pursuant to the provisions of this Article Seventeen) had such dividend or distribution never been declared.
(10) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 1704, no adjustment to the Conversion Price shall reduce the Conversion Price below the then par value per share of the Common Stock of the Company, and any such purported adjustment shall instead reduce the Conversion Price to such par value. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the Company hereby covenants that it will from time to time take all such action as may be required to assure that the par value per share of the Common Stock is at all times equal to or less than the Conversion Price.
(11) In the event that this Article Seventeen requires adjustments to the Conversion Price under more than one of paragraphs (1), (2), (3) or (4) of this Section 1704, and the record or effective dates for the transaction giving rise to such adjustments shall occur on the same date, then such adjustments shall be made by applying (to the extent they are applicable), first, the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 1704, second, the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Section 1704, third, the provisions of paragraph (4) of this Section 1704 and, fourth, the provisions of paragraph (2) of this Section 1704. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no single event shall require or result in duplicative adjustments in the Conversion Price pursuant to this Section 1704. After an adjustment to the Conversion Price under this Article Seventeen, any subsequent event requiring an adjustment under this Article Seventeen shall cause an adjustment to the Conversion Price as so adjusted. If, after an adjustment, a Holder of a Security upon conversion of such Security receives shares of two or more classes of Capital Stock of the Company, the Conversion Price shall thereafter be subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of an action taken with respect to any such class of Capital Stock as is contemplated by this Article Seventeen with respect to the Common Stock in this Article Seventeen.
| 83 |
Section 1705. Notice of Adjustments of Conversion Price. Whenever the Conversion Price is adjusted as herein provided:
(1) the Company shall compute the adjusted Conversion Price in accordance with Section 1704 or Section 1711 and shall prepare an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the adjusted Conversion Price and showing in reasonable detail the facts upon which such adjustment is based, and such certificate shall forthwith be filed (with a copy to the Trustee) at each office or agency maintained for the purpose of conversion of any Securities pursuant to Section 1002; and
(2) a notice stating that the Conversion Price has been adjusted and setting forth the adjusted Conversion Price shall forthwith be required, and as soon as practicable after it is required, such notice shall be mailed by the Company to all Holders at their last addresses as they shall appear in the Security Register.
Section 1706. Notice of Certain Corporate Action. In case:
(1) the Company shall take any action that would require a Conversion Price adjustment pursuant to Section 1704 or Section 1711; or
(2) there shall occur any reclassification of the Common Stock of the Company (other than a subdivision or combination of its outstanding shares of Common Stock), or any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, or the sale, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and for which approval of any stockholders of the Company is required; or
(3) there shall occur the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company, then the Company shall cause to be filed at each office or agency maintained for the purpose of conversion of Securities pursuant to Section 1002, and shall cause to be mailed to all Holders at their last addresses as they shall appear in the Security Register, at least 10 days prior to the applicable record, effective or expiration date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of any dividend, distribution or granting of rights, warrants or options, or, if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distribution, rights, options or warrants are to be determined, or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding up is expected to become effective, and, if applicable, the date as of which it is expected that holders of Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding up.
Section 1707. Company to Reserve Common Stock. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available, free from preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued Common Stock, for the purpose of effecting the conversion of Securities, a number of shares of Common Stock for the conversion of all outstanding Securities of any series which is convertible into Common Stock.
| 84 |
Section 1708. Taxes on Conversion. The Company will pay any and all taxes that may be payable in respect of the issue or delivery of shares of Common Stock on conversion of Securities pursuant hereto. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issue and delivery of shares of Common Stock in a name other than that of the Holder of the Security or Securities to be converted, and no such issue or delivery shall be made unless and until the Person requesting such issue has paid to the Company the amount of any such tax, or has established to the satisfaction of the Company that such tax has been paid.
Section 1709. Covenants as to Common Stock. The Company covenants that all shares of Common Stock, which may be issued upon conversion of Securities, will upon issue be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free of preemptive or any similar rights, and, except as provided in Section 1708, the Company will pay all taxes, liens and charges with respect to the issue thereof.
The Company will endeavor promptly to comply with all Federal and state securities laws regulating the offer and delivery of shares of Common Stock upon conversion of Securities, if any, and will list or cause to have quoted such shares of Common Stock on each national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market or such other market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted.
Section 1710. Cancellation of Converted Securities. All Securities delivered for conversion shall be delivered to the Trustee to be cancelled by or at the direction of the Trustee, which shall dispose of the same as provided in Section 309.
Section 1711. Provisions in Case of Consolidation, Merger or Sale of Assets; Special Distributions. If any of the following shall occur, namely: (i) any reclassification or change of outstanding shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of Securities (other than a change in par value, or from par value to no par value, or from no par value to par value, or as a result of a subdivision or combination), (ii) any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party other than a merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and which does not result in any reclassification of, or change (other than a change in name, or par value, or from par value to no par value, or from no par value to par value or as a result of a subdivision or combination) in, outstanding shares of Common Stock or (iii) any sale or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business of the Company as an entirety, then the Person formed by such consolidation or resulting from such merger or which acquires such properties or assets, as the case may be, shall as a condition precedent to such transaction execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture providing that the Holder of each Security then outstanding shall have the right thereafter, during the period such Security shall be convertible as specified in Section 1701, to convert such Security only into the kind and amount of securities, cash and other property receivable, if any, upon such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company into which such Security might have been converted immediately prior to such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease; provided that the kind and amount of securities, cash and other property so receivable shall be determined on the basis of the following assumptions. The holder of Common Stock referred to in the foregoing sentence:
| 85 |
(1) is not (a) a Person with which the Company consolidated, (b) a Person into which the Company merged or which merged into the Company, or (c) a Person to which such sale, transfer or lease was made (any Person described in the foregoing clauses (a), (b), or (c), hereinafter referred to as a “Constituent Person”), or (d) an Affiliate of a Constituent Person; and
(2) failed to exercise his rights of election, if any, as to the kind or amount of securities, cash and other property receivable upon such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease (provided that if the kind or amount of securities, cash and other property receivable upon such consolidation, merger, sale transfer or lease is not the same for each share of Common Stock of the Company in respect of which such rights of election shall not have been exercised, then for the purpose of this Section 1711 the kind and amount of securities, cash and other property receivable upon such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease shall be deemed to be the kind and amount so receivable per share by a plurality of such shares of Common Stock).
Such supplemental indenture shall provide for adjustments, which, for events subsequent to the effective date of such supplemental indenture, shall be as nearly equivalent as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Article Seventeen. If, in the case of any such consolidation, merger, sale transfer or lease the stock or other securities and property (including cash) receivable thereupon by a holder of Common Stock includes shares of stock or other securities and property of a corporation other than the successor or purchasing corporation, as the case may be, in such consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease then such supplemental indenture shall also be executed by such other corporation and shall contain such additional provisions to protect the interests of the Holders of the Securities as the Board of Directors of the Company shall reasonably consider necessary by reason of the foregoing. The above provisions of this Section 1711 shall similarly apply to successive consolidations, mergers, sales, transfers or leases.
In the event the Company shall execute a supplemental indenture pursuant to this Section 1711, the Company shall promptly file with the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate briefly stating the reasons therefor, the kind or amount of shares of stock or securities or property (including cash) receivable by Holders of the Securities upon the conversion of their Securities after any such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or lease and any adjustment to be made with respect thereto.
If the Company makes a distribution to all holders of its Common Stock that constitutes an Unadjusted Distribution pursuant to the last sentence of paragraph (4) of Section 1704, then, from and after the record date for determining the holders of Common Stock entitled to receive such distribution (the “Distribution Record Date”), a Holder of a Security who converts such Security in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture shall, upon conversion, be entitled to receive, in addition to the shares of Common Stock into which the Security is convertible, the kind and amount of evidences of indebtedness, shares of Capital Stock, or other assets or subscription rights or warrants, as the case may be, comprising the distribution that such Holder would have received if such Holder had converted the Security immediately prior to the Distribution Record Date.
Section 1712. Trustee Adjustment Disclaimer; Company Determination Final. The Trustee has no duty to determine when an adjustment under this Article Seventeen should be made, how it should be made or what it should be. The Trustee has no duty to determine whether a supplemental indenture under Section 1711 need be entered into or whether any provisions of any supplemental indenture are correct. The Trustee shall not be accountable for and makes no representation as to the validity or value of any securities or assets issued upon conversion of Securities. The Trustee shall not be responsible for the Company’s failure to comply with this Article Seventeen. Any determination that the Company or the Board of Directors must make pursuant to this Article Seventeen is conclusive, absent manifest error.
| 86 |
Section 1713. When No Adjustment Required. Except as expressly set forth in Section 1704, no adjustment in the Conversion Price shall be made because the Company issues, in exchange for cash, property or services, shares of its Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of its Common Stock, or securities (including warrants, rights and options) carrying the right to subscribe for or purchase shares of its Common Stock or such convertible or exchangeable securities.
(1) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no adjustment in the Conversion Price shall be made pursuant to Section 1704 in respect of any dividend or distribution if the Holders may participate therein (on a basis to be determined in good faith by the Board of Directors) and receive the same consideration they would have received if they had converted the Securities immediately prior to the record date with respect to such dividend or distribution.
Section 1714. Equivalent Adjustments. In the event that, as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 1704 above, the holder of any Security thereafter surrendered for conversion shall become entitled to receive any shares of Capital Stock of the Company other than shares of its Common Stock, thereafter the Conversion Price of such other shares so receivable upon conversion of any Securities shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to Common Stock contained in this Article Seventeen.
| 87 |
SIGNATURES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
|
| ASP ISOTOPES INC. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By: |
|
|
|
| Name: |
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| as Trustee |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By: |
|
|
|
| Name: |
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
|
| 88 |
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF REDEEMABLE OR NON-REDEEMABLE SUBORDINATED SECURITY
[Face of Security]
[If the Holder of this Security (as indicated below) is The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or a nominee of DTC, this Security is a Global Security and the following two legends apply:
Unless this Security is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company a New York corporation (“DTC”) to the Company or its agent for registration of transfer, conversion, exchange or payment, and such Security issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co., or in such other name as requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL, inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.
Unless and until this Security is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in certificated form, this Security may not be transferred except as a whole by DTC to a nominee thereof or by a nominee thereof to DTC or another nominee of DTC or by DTC or any such nominee to a successor of DTC or a nominee of such successor.]
[If this Security is an Original Issue Discount Security, insert — FOR PURPOSES OF SECTION 1273 and 1275 OF THE UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT ON THIS SECURITY IS % OF ITS PRINCIPAL AMOUNT, THE ISSUE DATE IS , 20 , AND THE YIELD TO MATURITY IS %. THE METHOD USED TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT APPLICABLE TO THE SHORT ACCRUAL PERIOD OF , 20 TO , 20 , IS % OF THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THIS SECURITY.]
ASP ISOTOPES INC.
[Designation of Series]
| No. | $ |
CUSIP No.
ASP ISOTOPES INC., a Delaware corporation (herein referred to as the “Company,” which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof), for value received, hereby promises to pay to or registered assigns the principal sum of Dollars on (the “Stated Maturity Date”) [or insert date fixed for earlier redemption (the “Redemption Date,” and together with the Stated Maturity Date with respect to principal repayable on such date, the “Maturity Date.”)]
[if the Security is to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — and to pay interest thereon from or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on and in each year (each, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing, at the rate of % per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or duly provided for. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Holder in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the or (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date [at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose; provided, however, that such interest may be paid, at the Company’s option, by mailing a check to such Holder at its registered address or by transfer of funds to an account maintained by such Holder within the United States]. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and may be paid to the Holder in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any over-the-counter market or securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be quoted or listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such market or exchange, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.]
| 89 |
[If the Security is not to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — The principal of this Security shall not bear interest except in the case of a default in payment of principal upon acceleration, upon redemption or at the [Stated] Maturity Date and in such case the overdue principal of this Security shall bear interest at the rate of % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), which shall accrue from the date of such default in payment to the date payment of such principal has been made or duly provided for. Interest on any overdue principal shall be payable on demand. Any such interest on any overdue principal that is not so paid on demand shall bear interest at the rate of % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), which shall accrue from the date of such demand for payment to the date payment of such interest has been made or duly provided for, and such interest shall also be payable on demand.]
The principal of this Security payable on the Stated Maturity Date [or the principal of, premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and, if the Redemption Date is not an Interest Payment Date, interest on this Security payable on the Redemption Date] will be paid against presentation of this Security at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.
Interest payable on this Security on any Interest Payment Date and on the [Stated] Maturity Date [or Redemption Date, as the case may be,] will include interest accrued from and including the next preceding Interest Payment Date in respect of which interest has been paid or duly provided for (or from and including, if no interest has been paid on this Security) to but excluding such Interest Payment Date or the [Stated] Maturity Date [or Redemption Date, as the case may be.] If any Interest Payment Date or the [Stated] Maturity Date or [Redemption Date] falls on a day that is not a Business Day, as defined below, principal, premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and/or interest payable with respect to such Interest Payment Date or [Stated] Maturity Date [or Redemption Date, as the case may be,] will be paid on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if it were paid on the date such payment was due, and no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date or [Stated] Maturity Date [or Redemption Date, as the case may be.] “Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are required or authorized by law, regulation or executive order to close.
| 90 |
[If this Security is a Global Security, insert — All payments of principal, premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, and interest in respect of this Security will be made by the Company in immediately available funds.]
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
Unless the Certificate of Authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its facsimile corporate seal.
| Dated: |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| ASP ISOTOPES INC. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By: |
|
|
|
| Name: |
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
|
Attest:
Secretary
| 91 |
[Reverse of Security]
ASP ISOTOPES INC.
This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an
Indenture, dated as of , 20 (herein called the “Indenture”) between the Company and, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture with respect to the series of which this Security is a part), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the duly authorized series of Securities designated on the face hereof (collectively, the “Securities”), [if applicable, insert — and the aggregate principal amount of the Securities to be issued under such series is limited to $ (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of other Securities).] All terms used in this Security, which are defined in the Indenture, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
If an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
[If applicable, insert — The Securities may not be redeemed prior to the Stated Maturity Date.]
[If applicable, insert — The Securities are subject to redemption [ (1) (If applicable, insert — on in any year commencing with the year and ending with the year through operation of the sinking fund for this series at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount, and (2) ] [If applicable, insert — at any time [on or after ], as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the following Redemption Prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount):
If redeemed on or before , % and if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning of the years indicated at the Redemption Prices indicated below.
| Year |
| Redemption Price |
| Year |
| Redemption Price |
and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to % of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption [If applicable, insert — (whether through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise)] with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that installments of interest on this Security whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holder of this Security, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]
| 92 |
[If applicable, insert — The Securities are subject to redemption (1) on in any year commencing with the year and ending with the year through operation of the sinking fund for this series at the Redemption Prices for redemption through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below, and (2) at any time [on or after ], as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the Redemption Prices for redemption otherwise than through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below: If redeemed during the 12-month period beginning of the years indicated,
| Year |
| Redemption Price for Redemption Through Operation of the Sinking Fund |
| Redemption Price for Redemption Otherwise Than Through Operation of the sinking Fund |
and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to % of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption (whether through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise) with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that installments of interest on this Security whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holder of this Security, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]
[If applicable, insert — Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not, prior to , redeem any Securities as contemplated by [Clause (2) of] the preceding paragraph as a part of, or in anticipation of, any refunding operation by the application, directly or indirectly, of moneys borrowed having an interest cost to the Company (calculated in accordance with generally accepted financial practice) of less than % per annum.]
[If applicable, insert — The sinking fund for the Securities provides for the redemption on in each year, beginning with the year and ending with the year, of [not less than] $ ] [(“mandatory sinking fund”) and not more than $ ] aggregate principal amount of the Securities. [The Securities acquired or redeemed by the Company otherwise than through [mandatory] sinking fund payments may be credited against subsequent [mandatory] sinking fund payments otherwise required to be made in the [describe order] order in which they become due.]]
Notice of redemption will be given by mail to Holders of Securities, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, all as provided in the Indenture.
In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities for the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.
[If applicable, insert conversion provisions set forth in any Board Resolution or indenture supplemental to the Indenture.]
| 93 |
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of all Securities issued under the Indenture at the time Outstanding and affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities, on behalf of the Holders of all such Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount, in certain instances, of the Outstanding Securities of any series to waive, on behalf of all of the Holders of Securities of such series, certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and other Securities issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or conversion or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest on this Security at the times, places and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein [and herein] set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register of the Company upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of (and premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or by his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein [and herein] set forth, this Security is exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of different authorized denominations but otherwise having the same terms and conditions, as requested by the Holder hereof surrendering the same.
This Security is subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of Senior Indebtedness to the extent set forth in Article Sixteen of the Indenture. The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form [without coupons] in denominations of $ and any integral multiple thereof.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or conversion or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith,
Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or premium or Make-Whole Amount, if any, or the interest on this Security, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto, against any past, present or future stockholder, employee, officer or director, as such, of the Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.
The Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely in such State.
| 94 |
EXHIBIT B
FORMS OF CERTIFICATION
EXHIBIT B-l
FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE GIVEN BY PERSON ENTITLED TO RECEIVE BEARER SECURITY OR TO OBTAIN INTEREST PAYABLE PRIOR TO THE EXCHANGE DATE
CERTIFICATE
[Insert title or sufficient description of Securities to be delivered]
This is to certify that, as of the date hereof, and except as set forth below, the above-captioned Securities held by you for our account (i) are owned by person(s) that are not citizens or residents of the United States, domestic partnerships, domestic corporations or any estate or trust the income of which is subject to United States Federal income taxation regardless of its source (“United States person(s)”), (ii) are owned by United States person(s) that are (a) foreign branches of United States financial institutions (financial institutions, as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 2.165-12(c)(l)(v) are herein referred to as “financial institutions”) purchasing for their own account or for resale, or (b) United States person(s) who acquired the Securities through foreign branches of United States financial institutions and who hold the Securities through such United States financial institutions on the date hereof (and in either case (a) or (b), each such United States financial institution hereby agrees, on its own behalf or through its agent, that you may advise ASP ISOTOPES INC. or its agent that such financial institution will comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3) (A), (B) or (C) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder), or (iii) are owned by United States or foreign financial institution(s) for purposes of resale during the restricted period (as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7)), and, in addition, if the owner is a United States or foreign financial institution described in clause (iii) above (whether or not also described in clause (i) or (ii)), this is to further certify that such financial institution has not acquired the Securities for purposes of resale directly or indirectly to a United States person or to a person within the United States or its possessions.
As used herein, “United States” means the United States of America (including the States and the District of Columbia); and its “possessions” include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.
We undertake to advise you promptly by tested telex or by telecopy on or prior to the date on which you intend to submit your certification relating to the above-captioned Securities held by you for our account in accordance with your operating procedures if any applicable statement herein is not correct on such date, and in the absence of any such notification it may be assumed that this certification applies as of such date.
This certificate excepts and does not relate to [U.S.$] of such interest in the above-captioned Securities in respect of which we are not able to certify and as to which we understand an exchange for an interest in a permanent Global Security or an exchange for and delivery of definitive Securities (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) cannot be made until we do so certify.
| 95 |
We understand that this certificate may be required in connection with certain tax legislation in the United States. If administrative or legal proceedings are commenced or threatened in connection with which this certificate is or would be relevant, we irrevocably authorize you to produce this certificate or a copy thereof to any interested party in such proceedings.
Dated:
[To be dated no earlier than the 15th day prior to (i) the Exchange Date or (ii) the relevant Interest Payment Date occurring prior to the Exchange Date, as applicable]
|
| [Name of Person Making Certification] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (Authorized Signature) |
|
|
| Name: |
|
|
| Title: |
|
| 96 |
EXHIBIT B-2
FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE GIVEN BY EUROCLEAR AND CLEARSTREAM S.A. IN CONNECTION WITH THE
EXCHANGE OF A PORTION OF A TEMPORARY GLOBAL SECURITY OR TO OBTAIN INTEREST PAYABLE PRIOR TO THE
EXCHANGE DATE
CERTIFICATE
[Insert title or sufficient description of Securities to be delivered]
This is to certify that, based solely on written certifications that we have received in writing, by tested telex or by electronic transmission from each of the persons appearing in our records as persons entitled to a portion of the principal amount set forth below (our “Member Organizations”) substantially in the form attached hereto, as of the date hereof, [U.S.$] principal amount of the above-captioned Securities (i) is owned by person(s) that are not citizens or residents of the United States, domestic partnerships, domestic corporations or any estate or trust the income of which is subject to United States Federal income taxation regardless of its source (“United States person(s)”), (ii) is owned by United States person(s) that are (a) foreign branches of United States financial institutions (financial institutions, as defined in U.S. Treasury Regulations Section 1.165-12(c)(l)(v) are herein referred to as “financial institutions”) purchasing for their own account or for resale, or (b) United States person(s) who acquired the Securities through foreign branches of United States financial institutions and who hold the Securities through such United States financial institutions on the date hereof (and in either case (a) or (b), each such financial institution has agreed, on its own behalf or through its agent, that we may advise ASP ISOTOPES INC. or its agent that such financial institution will comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3) (A), (B) or (C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder), or (iii) is owned by United States or foreign financial institution(s) for purposes of resale during the restricted period (as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7)), and, to the further effect, that financial institutions described in clause (iii) above (whether or not also described in clause (i) or (ii)) have certified that they have not acquired the Securities for purposes of resale directly or indirectly to a United States person or to a person within the United States or its possessions.
As used herein, “United States” means the United States of America (including the States and the District of Columbia); and its “Possessions” include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.
We further certify that (i) we are not making available herewith for exchange (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) any portion of the temporary Global Security representing the above-captioned Securities excepted in the above-referenced certificates of Member Organizations and (ii) as of the date hereof we have not received any notification from any of our Member Organizations to the effect that the statements made by such Member Organizations with respect to any portion of the part submitted herewith for exchange (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) are no longer true and cannot be relied upon as of the date hereof.
We understand that this certification is required in connection with certain tax legislation in the United States. If administrative or legal proceedings are commenced or threatened in connection with which this certificate is or would be relevant, we irrevocably authorize you to produce this certificate or a copy thereof to any interested party in such proceedings.
Dated:
[To be dated no earlier than the Exchange Date or the relevant Interest Payment Date occurring prior to the Exchange Date, as applicable]
[, as Operator of the Euroclear System] [Clearstream Banking Luxembourg]
|
| By: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Name: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Title: |
|
|
| 97 |
EXHIBIT 5.1
1271 Avenue of the Americas | New York, NY 10020
blankrome.com
October 14, 2025
The Board of Directors
ASP Isotopes Inc.
601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
South Building, Suite 900
Washington, D.C. 20004
| Re: | ASP Isotopes Inc. Registration Statement on Form S-3 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to ASP Isotopes Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) including a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with respect to the contemplated issuance from time to time of up to $250,000,000 of any combination of the following securities (the “Registered Securities”): (i) shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”); (ii) shares of preferred stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock”); (iii) debt securities, in one or more series (the “Debt Securities”), which may be issued pursuant to indentures to be dated on or about the date of the first issuance of Debt Securities thereunder, as applicable, by and between a trustee to be selected by the Company (the “Trustee”) and the Company, in the form filed as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2 to the Registration Statement and one or more indentures supplemental thereto with respect to any particular series of Debt Securities (collectively, the “Indentures”); (iv) warrants to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”), which may be issued under one or more warrant agreements, to be dated on or about the date of the first issuance of the Warrants thereunder, by and between a warrant agent to be selected by the Company (the “Warrant Agent”) and the Company (each, a “Warrant Agreement”); and (v) units consisting of one or more of the other securities described in (i) through (iv) above in any combination (the “Units”).
This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.
In rendering the opinions set forth herein, we have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Registration Statement, (ii) the Indentures, (iii) resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), (iv) the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), (v) the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, and (vi) such other corporate records, agreements, certificates, including, but not limited to, certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company, statutes and other instruments and documents as we considered relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed.
ASP Isotopes Inc.
October 14, 2025
Page 2
In rendering this opinion, we have assumed, without inquiry or investigation: (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals; (ii) the conformity to the original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such copies; (iii) the legal capacity of all natural persons and the genuineness of all signatures on the Registration Statement and all documents submitted to us; (iv) that the books and records of the Company are maintained in accordance with proper corporate procedures; and (v) that all statements in certificates of public officials and officers of the Company that we reviewed were and are accurate.
In making our examination of executed documents or documents to be executed, we have assumed that the parties thereto had or will have the power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and we have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and (except to the extent we have opined on such matters below) the validity and binding effect on such parties. In addition, we have assumed that (i) a purchase, underwriting or similar agreement with respect to any Registered Securities will have been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (ii) the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto is effective and complies with all applicable laws at the time the Registered Securities are offered or issued as contemplated by the Registration Statement and no stop order suspending its effectiveness will have been issued and remain in effect; (iii) all Registered Securities will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the applicable prospectus supplement; (iv) a prospectus supplement or term sheet will have been prepared and filed with the Commission describing the Registered Securities offered thereby and will comply at all relevant times with all applicable laws; (v) the applicable Indenture or Indentures and indenture Trustees will have been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and a Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee on Form T-1 has been or will be filed with the Commission with respect to each such Trustee; (vi) the choice of New York law to govern the Indentures is a valid and legal provision; (vii) the Company will have obtained any legally required consents, approvals, authorizations and other orders of the Commission and any other regulatory authorities necessary (x) to issue and sell the Registered Securities being offered, and (y) to execute and deliver the applicable Indenture, purchase, underwriting or similar agreement, or other applicable operative document; (viii) any securities issuable upon conversion, exchange, redemption or exercise of any Registered Securities being offered will be duly authorized, created and, if appropriate, reserved for issuance upon such conversion, exchange, redemption or exercise and, with respect to shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock offered, there will be sufficient shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, as applicable, authorized under the Certificate of Incorporation and not otherwise reserved for issuance; (ix) at the time of issuance of the Registered Securities, the Company validly exists and is duly qualified and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, and has the necessary corporate power for such issuance; (x) at the time of issuance of the Registered Securities, the Certificate of Incorporation and then-operative bylaws of the Company are in full force and effect and have not been amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise altered, and there has been no authorization of any such amendment, restatement, supplement or other alteration, in either case since the date hereof; and (xi) the terms, execution and delivery of the Registered Securities (x) do not result in breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments to which the Company is bound or violations of applicable statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders, and (y) comply with any applicable requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company. As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein that we have not independently established or verified, we have relied upon, and assumed the accuracy of, statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, exceptions and assumptions stated herein, we are of the opinion that:
1. With respect to shares of Common Stock, when (i) the Board or a committee thereof has taken all necessary corporate action to establish and approve the issuance and terms of the offering thereof and related matters; and (ii) certificates representing the shares of Common Stock have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered, or if uncertificated, valid book-entry notations have been made in the share register of the Company, in each case in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation and then-operative bylaws, either (A) in accordance with the applicable purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board or a committee thereof, then upon payment of the consideration therefor (not less than the par value of Common Stock) provided for therein; or (B) upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any other security in accordance with the terms of the security or the instrument governing the security providing for the conversion, exchange or exercise as approved by the Board or a committee thereof, for the consideration approved by the Board or a committee thereof (not less than the par value of Common Stock), such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
ASP Isotopes Inc.
October 14, 2025
Page 3
2. With respect to shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock, when (i) the Board or a committee thereof has taken all necessary corporate action to establish and approve the issuance and terms of the shares of the class or series, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters, including the adoption of a resolution establishing and designating the series and fixing and determining the preferences, limitations and relative rights thereof and the filing of a certificate of designation with respect to the class or series with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by applicable law (the “Certificate of Designation”); and (ii) certificates representing the shares of the series of Preferred Stock have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered, or if uncertificated, valid book-entry notations have been made in the share register of the Company, in each case in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of Designations and then-operative bylaws, either (A) in accordance with the applicable purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board or a committee thereof, then upon payment of the consideration therefor (not less than the par value of the Preferred Stock) provided for therein; or (B) upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any other security in accordance with the terms of the security or the instrument governing the security providing for the conversion, exchange or exercise as approved by the Board or a committee thereof, for the consideration approved by the Board or a committee thereof (not less than the par value of the Preferred Stock), such shares of such series of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
3. With respect to Debt Securities, when (i) the applicable Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee; (ii) the Board or a committee thereof has taken all necessary corporate action to establish and approve the issuance and terms of such Debt Securities, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; and (iii) such Debt Securities have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Indenture and in accordance with the applicable purchase, underwriting, similar agreement or other security approved by the Board or a committee thereof, then upon payment of the consideration provided for therein, such Debt Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
4. With respect to Warrants, when (i) the Board or a committee thereof has taken all necessary corporate action to establish and approve the issuance and terms of the Warrants, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; (ii) the Warrant Agreement relating to the Warrants has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the Warrant Agent appointed by the Company; and (iii) the Warrants or certificates representing the Warrants have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered in accordance with the appropriate Warrant Agreement and the applicable purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board or a committee thereof, then upon payment of the consideration approved by the Board or a committee thereof, the Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
5. With respect to Units, when (i) the Board or a committee thereof has taken all necessary corporate action to establish and approve the terms of the Units, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters; and (ii) the Units have been duly executed and delivered in accordance with the applicable purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by or on behalf of the Board or a committee thereof, then upon payment of the consideration approved by the Board or a committee thereof (not less than the par value of Common Stock), the Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
ASP Isotopes Inc.
October 14, 2025
Page 4
In addition to the assumptions, comments, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth above, the opinions set forth herein are further limited by, subject to and based upon the following:
| a. | Our opinions herein are expressed solely with respect to the Delaware General Corporation Law, and, as to the Debt Securities, Warrants and Units constituting valid and binding obligations of the Company, the applicable laws of the State of New York that, in our experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Registration Statement. The opinions set forth herein related to the Warrants and the Units assume that such Warrants and Units will be embodied in an instrument governed by New York law. In rendering our opinions, we have not considered, and hereby disclaim any opinion as to, the application or impact of any laws, cases, decisions, rules or regulations of any other jurisdiction, court or administrative agency. The opinions set forth herein are made as of the date hereof and are subject to, and may be limited by, future changes in the factual matters set forth herein, and we undertake no duty to advise you of the same that may occur after the Registration Statement is effective. The opinions expressed herein are based upon the law in effect (and published or otherwise generally available) on the date hereof, which laws are subject to change with possible retroactive effect, and we assume no obligation to revise or supplement these opinions should such law be changed by legislative action, judicial decision or otherwise after the Registration Statement is effective. The opinion set forth herein related to Debt Securities assumes that loans or forbearances which are to be made or advanced to the Company in one or more installments pursuant to a series of Debt Securities issued under any of the Indentures shall aggregate not less than $2,500,000. |
| b. | Our opinions set forth above are subject to and may be limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, conservatorship, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance, debtor and creditor, and similar laws which relate to or affect creditors’ rights generally, and (ii) general principles of equity (including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, impossibility of performance, good faith and fair dealing) regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law. |
| c. | Our opinions are subject to the qualification that the availability of specific performance, an injunction or other equitable remedies is subject to the discretion of the court before which the request is brought. |
| d. | You have informed us that you intend to issue the Registered Securities from time to time on a delayed or continuous basis, and this opinion is limited to the laws, including the rules and regulations, as in effect on the date hereof. We understand that prior to issuing any Registered Securities you will afford us an opportunity to review the operative documents pursuant to which such Registered Securities are to be issued (including the applicable prospectus supplement) and will file such supplement or amendment to this opinion (if any) as we may reasonably consider necessary or appropriate by reason of the terms of such Registered Securities. |
ASP Isotopes Inc.
October 14, 2025
Page 5
We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We also consent to any and all references to us in the prospectus which is part of said Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder. This opinion is strictly limited to the matters stated herein and no other or more extensive opinion is intended, implied or to be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated herein. This opinion letter is not a guaranty nor may one be inferred or implied.
|
| Very truly yours, | |
|
|
| |
|
| /s/ Blank Rome LLP | |
|
| Blank Rome LLP | |
EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of ASP Isotopes Inc. on Form S-3 to be filed on or about October 14, 2025 of our report dated March 31, 2025, on our audits of the financial statements as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 and for each of the years then ended, which report was included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 31, 2025. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in this Registration Statement.
| /s/ EisnerAmper LLP |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| EISNERAMPER LLP Iselin, New Jersey October 14, 2025 |
|
|
EXHIBIT 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement of ASP Isotopes Inc. on Form S-3 to be filed on or about October 14, 2025 of our report dated May 27, 2025, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Renergen Limited (the “Company”), which appear in the Form 8-K filed by ASP Isotopes Inc. on May 27, 2025. Our report contains a material uncertainty explanatory paragraph regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in this Registration Statement.
| /s/ BDO South Africa Inc. |
|
|
|
|
| BDO SOUTH AFRICA INCORPORATED |
|
| Wanderers Office Park 52 Corlett Drive Illovo, 2196 |
|
| October 14, 2025 |