BC 8-K
Brunswick Corp (BC)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On March 18, 2024, Brunswick Corporation (the “Company”) and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), entered into a Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2024 (the “Sixth Supplemental Indenture”) to the Indenture, dated as of October 3, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”), relating to the Company’s 5.850% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”). $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Notes were sold in a public offering pursuant to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-258249) (the “Registration Statement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which resulted in aggregate net proceeds to the Company of approximately $396,916,000, after deducting underwriting commissions but before deducting estimated expenses. The Sixth Supplemental Indenture includes the form of the Notes. The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 5.850% per year. Interest on the Notes will be payable semiannually in arrears on March 18 and September 18 of each year, and the first interest payment date will be September 18, 2024. The Notes will mature on March 18, 2029.
The Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time prior to maturity. If the Company elects to redeem the Notes at any time prior to, February 18, 2029 (the date that is one month prior to the maturity of the Notes), it will pay a “make-whole” redemption price set forth in the Sixth Supplemental Indenture. On or after February 18, 2029, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof. In addition to the redemption price, the Company will pay accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the redemption date.
If the Company experiences a change of control triggering event with respect to the Notes, as defined in the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, each holder of Notes may require the Company to repurchase some or all of its Notes at a price equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the repurchase date.
Pursuant to the terms of the Notes, the Company and its restricted subsidiaries will be subject to, among other covenants, restrictions on the incurrence of debt secured by liens on Principal Property (as defined in the Base Indenture) or shares of capital stock of such restricted subsidiaries, entering into sale and leaseback transactions in respect of Principal Property and mergers or consolidations with another entity or sales, transfers or leases of the Company’s properties and assets substantially as an entirety to another person.
The Base Indenture also defines certain customary events of default, including, but not limited to, a default in payment of any interest installment due on the Notes and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days, a default in payment of principal or premium, if any, on the Notes and a default by the Company or any restricted subsidiary under any indebtedness for money borrowed of it or any restricted subsidiary having an aggregate principal amount equal to $75.0 million.
The Base Indenture is attached as Exhibit 4.1. The Sixth Supplemental Indenture is attached as Exhibit 4.2. The foregoing description of the Base Indenture and the Sixth Supplemental Indenture is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Base Indenture and the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes for general corporate purposes, which may include the repayment, repurchase or redemption of certain of its outstanding securities, including its 0.85% Senior Notes due 2024, as may be determined by management from time to time.
Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
The information included in Item 1.01 above is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On March 14, 2024, the Company entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among the Company and BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters listed on Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement, in connection with the offer and sale of the Notes.
The Underwriting Agreement is attached as Exhibit 1.1. The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement, which is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| BRUNSWICK CORPORATION | |||
| Dated: March 18, 2024 | By: | /s/ Ryan M. Gwillim | |
| Name: | Ryan M. Gwillim | ||
| Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Strategy Officer | ||
Exhibit 1.1
Execution Version
$400,000,000
Brunswick Corporation
5.850% Senior Notes due 2029
Underwriting Agreement
March 14, 2024
BofA Securities, Inc.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10179
c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Brunswick Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 5.850% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of October 3, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Base Indenture will be supplemented by a Sixth Supplemental Indenture (the “Sixth Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”) to be dated as of the Closing Date between the Company and the Trustee to establish certain terms of the Securities.
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:
1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-258249), including a prospectus, relating to the Securities. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before it becomes effective, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any reference to “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
At or prior to 3:27 p.m. New York City time, March 14, 2024, the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated March 14, 2024, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.
| 2. | Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters. |
(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.229% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from March 14, 2024 to the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.
(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Time of Sale Information. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.
(c) Payment for and delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017 at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on March 18, 2024, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth Business Day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.”
(d) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company. The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.
(e) The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Underwriter is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, none of the Representatives or any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and none of the Representatives or any other Underwriter shall have any responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Representatives or any Underwriter of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Representatives or such Underwriter and shall not be on behalf of the Company or any other person.
| 3. | Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that: |
(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus.
(b) Time of Sale Information. The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus.
(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. The Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on Annex A hereto which constitute part of the Time of Sale Information and (v) any electronic road show or other written communications, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not at the Time of Sale, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.
(e) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who has certified certain of the financial statements and supporting schedules of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.
(g) Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied, except to the extent stated therein, on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly, in all material respects, the information shown thereby. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP, the information required to be stated therein. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(h) Capitalization. The Company has the capitalization as set forth in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization,” and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are, in the case of capital stock, fully paid and non-assessable (except in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying shares and except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.
(i) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
(j) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses requires such qualification and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Indenture; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
(k) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company which is a significant subsidiary has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, has the power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
(l) Due Authorization. The Company has the power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”), to the extent a party thereto, and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
(m) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(n) Authorization of the Indenture. Each of the Base Indenture and the Sixth Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and upon effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the Indenture was or will have been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act; the Base Indenture has been duly executed and delivered and, when the Sixth Supplemental Indenture is duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, the Indenture will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be subject to (A) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally, (B) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (C) public policy limitations insofar as any provisions hereof provide for indemnification or limitation of liability ((A), (B) and (C) together the “Enforceability Exceptions”); and on the Closing Date, the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(o) Authorization of the Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company, and, when executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided for in the Indenture and sold and paid for as provided herein, the Securities will be duly issued and outstanding and constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be subject to the Enforceability Exceptions; and the Securities conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(p) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents or in default (and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred, and no circumstances exist, that with the passage of time or giving of notice would constitute a default) in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which they or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of their subsidiaries is subject; and the execution, delivery and performance of their respective obligations under each of the Transaction Documents to which each is a party, the issuance and delivery of the Securities by the Company and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action and will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default (or with the passage of time or giving of notice constitute a default) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any violation of any applicable law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree.
(q) Absence of Proceedings. Other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit or proceeding before or by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, or which could reasonably be expected to result in any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or which could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or which could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation of this Agreement or the issuance of the Securities pursuant to the Indenture; and there are no contracts or organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which are required to be disclosed as exhibits to a Registration Statement to be filed with the Commission by the Securities Act which have not been so filed or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(r) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, the patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names (collectively, “patent and proprietary rights”) presently employed by them in connection with the business now operated by them, and, other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any patent and proprietary rights, or of any facts which would render any patent and proprietary rights invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
(s) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities, compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications which shall have been obtained or made prior to the Closing Date and as may be required to be obtained or made under applicable state or non-U.S. securities laws.
(t) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess such certificates, authorities or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would materially and adversely affect the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
(u) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
(v) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all property described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus as being owned or leased by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests or other encumbrances, with such exceptions as are described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, as are not material to the condition, financial or otherwise, or to the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise or as are permitted by the Indenture.
(w) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all material U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and have paid all material taxes indicated by such returns and all assessments received by them to the extent that such taxes or assessments have become due, except for any such taxes or assessments which are being contested in good faith and for which an adequate reserve for accrual has been established in accordance with GAAP. All material tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial statements of the Company, and the Company does not know of any actual or proposed additional material tax assessments.
(x) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(y) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries maintain a system of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
The Company has implemented the “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) required in order for the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Company to engage in the review and evaluation process mandated by the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder. To the extent required by the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder, the Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures” are reasonably designed to ensure that all information (both financial and non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder, and that all such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications of the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Company required under the Exchange Act with respect to such reports.
(z) Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus none of them will be, an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).
(aa) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of the Company’s or any of the Company’s subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not have a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
(bb) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.
(cc) Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
| (dd) | No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is the Company or any of its subsidiaries owned or controlled by an individual or entity that is currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic and the Kherson, the Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea regions of Ukraine (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, initial purchaser, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past five years, or, in the case of any subsidiary, for the past five years or since the time it became a subsidiary of the Company, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in any material dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of such dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country. The Company and its subsidiaries are not now knowingly engaged in any transactions or dealings with any person that is the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country. |
(ee) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, other than pursuant to the (i) Indenture, dated as of March 15, 1987 between, Brunswick Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor trustee, including the 7.125% Notes due 2027 issued pursuant thereto, (ii) Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2022, among the Company, the subsidiary borrowers party thereto, the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, which amended and restated the Company’s prior credit agreement, dated as of March 21, 2011, as amended and restated as of June 26, 2014, as further amended and restated as of June 30, 2016, as further amended as of July 13, 2018, as further amended and restated as of September 26, 2018, as further amended as of November 12, 2019 and as further amended and restated as of July 16, 2021 and (iii) Base Indenture, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 3, 2018, between the Company and the Trustee, establishing the terms of the Company’s 6.500% Senior Notes due 2048, the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of December 3, 2018, between the Company and the Trustee, establishing the terms of the Company’s 6.625% Senior Notes due 2049, the Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 4, 2019, between the Company and the Trustee, establishing the terms of the Company’s 6.375% Senior Notes due 2049, the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of August 18, 2021, between the Company and the Trustee, establishing the terms of the Company’s 0.850% Senior Notes due 2024 and 2.400% Senior Notes due 2031, and the Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 29, 2022, between the Company and the Trustee, establishing the terms of the Company’s 4.400% Senior Notes due 2032 and 5.100% Senior Notes due 2052.
(ff) No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
(gg) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.
(hh) No Registration Rights. No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Securities.
(ii) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included or incorporated by reference in any of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
(jj) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(kk) Status under the Securities Act. The Company is not an ineligible issuer and is a well-known seasoned issuer, in each case as defined under the Securities Act, in each case at the times specified in the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will pay the registration fees for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.
(ll) Cybersecurity; Data Protection. The Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted. The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with their businesses, and, to the knowledge of the Company, there have been no material breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any material incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. The Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.
(mm) ERISA and Employee Benefits Matters. Each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”)) maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or by any member of their “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization that is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)), or for which the Company, its subsidiaries or any member of their Controlled Group would have any liability (each a “Plan”) is in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable statutes, rules and regulations, including ERISA and the Code, and with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (i) no “reportable event” (as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur for which the Company, its subsidiaries or any member of their Controlled Group would have any material liability; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any member of their Controlled Group has incurred or expects to incur any material liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than for contributions to the Plan or premiums payable to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in each case in the ordinary course and without default); (iii) no Plan which is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA has failed, or is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards within the meaning of such sections of the Code or ERISA; and (iv) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification. Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor any member of their Controlled Group have incurred any withdrawal liabilities under section 4201 or 4204 of ERISA in respect of a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA that individually or in the aggregate are material.
4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including the Pricing Term Sheet referred to in Annex A hereto) to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to the close of business, New York City time, on the second business day succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.
(c) Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. During the Prospectus Delivery Period, before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, whether before or after the time that the Registration Statement becomes effective the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object reasonably promptly after receipt thereof; provided that, if in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Company, any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement shall be required by law or regulation to be used, that the Company shall be permitted to file such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement after taking into account such comments as the Representatives may reasonably make on the content, form or other aspects of such amendment or supplement.
(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information with respect to the offering of the Securities; (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (viii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain as soon as practicable the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Time of Sale Information. If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which any of the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information (or any document filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in any of the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented (including such documents incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or so that any of the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.
(f) Ongoing Compliance. If, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented (including such documents to be incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law. Absent written notice by the Representatives to the contrary, the Prospectus Delivery Period shall terminate on the Closing Date.
(g) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will cooperate with the Underwriters and their counsel to qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(h) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.
(i) Clear Market. During the period from the date hereof through and including the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company and having a tenor of more than one year (provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Company may redeem or repurchase its existing debt securities during such period).
(j)
Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds.”
(k) DTC. The Company will assist the Underwriters in arranging for the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.
(l) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.
(m)
Record Retention. The Company will retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that it has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such Underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).
6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information with respect to the offering of the Securities shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.
(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Time of Sale and (B) the execution and date of delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded to the Securities or any other debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any other debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).
(d) No Material Adverse Change. Since December 31, 2023, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto after the Time of Sale) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto), the effect of which, in the judgment of the Representatives, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company (i) confirming that such officer has reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officer, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (c) and (d) above.
(f) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, Deloitte & Touche LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, a letter dated the date of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.
(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, its written opinion and 10b-5 Statement, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters with respect to the matters set forth in Annex C-1 hereto.
(h) Opinion of Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary to the Company. Christopher F. Dekker, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer to the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, his written opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters with respect to the matters set forth in Annex C-2 hereto.
(i) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(j) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.
(k) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its significant subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication, from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
(l) DTC. The Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.
(m)
Indenture and Securities. The Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee, and the Securities shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee.
(n) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
| 7. | Indemnification and Contribution. |
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists only of the following: the statements contained (i) in the fifth paragraph, (ii) in the third sentence of the eighth paragraph (which, for the avoidance of doubt, describes the market (or lack thereof) for the Securities), and (iii) in the tenth paragraph, in each case under the heading “Underwriting” in the Time of Sale Information and in the Prospectus and, with respect to each Underwriter, such Underwriter’s name as it appears on the cover thereof.
(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded, based on the advice of counsel, that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representatives, and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors and officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees, subject to the provisions of this Section 7, to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is for any reason unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnified Person in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities incurred by such Indemnified Person (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, as provided in this Agreement, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
8. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ National Market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal, New York State or Illinois State authorities; or (iv) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.
| 9. | Defaulting Underwriter. |
(a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of all, but not less than all, such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 24 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 24 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information, the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 10 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
(d) Nothing contained herein and no action taken pursuant to this section shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
| 10. | Payment of Expenses. |
(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any transfer taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate in accordance with Section 4(g) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by DTC; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to clause (ii) of Section 8, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred and documented by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
11. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates, officers and directors of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
12. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.
13. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; and (d) the term “significant subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.
14. Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
| 15. | Miscellaneous. |
(a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives at BofA Securities, Inc., 114 West 47th Street, NY8-114-07-01, New York, New York 10036 (fax: 212-901-7881), Attention: High Grade Debt Capital Markets Transaction Management/Legal; J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (fax: (212) 834-6081); Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk – 3rd floor; and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Email: [email protected], Attention: Transaction Management. Notice to the Company shall be given to them at 26125 N. Riverwoods Blvd. Suite 500, Mettawa, Illinois 60045, (fax: (847) 735-4765); Attention: Christopher F. Dekker, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer.
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
(d) Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.
(e) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement or any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to include electronic signatures complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000 or the New York Electronic Signature and Records Act or, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means.
(f) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(g) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
16. Recognition of U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. (a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. (b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
For purposes of this Section 16:
“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
“Covered Entity” means any of the following:
(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| BRUNSWICK CORPORATION | ||
| By: | /s/ Brian R. Frey | |
| Name: Brian R. Frey | ||
| Title: Vice President and Treasurer | ||
[Signature page to the Underwriting Agreement]
Accepted: March 14, 2024
For itself and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.
| BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Keith Harman | |
| Name: Keith Harman | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
[Signature page to the Underwriting Agreement]
| J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Som Bhattacharyya | |
| Name: Som Bhattacharyya | ||
| Title: Executive Director | ||
[Signature page to the Underwriting Agreement]
| WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Brianna Beveridge | |
| Name: Brianna Beveridge | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
[Signature page to the Underwriting Agreement]
Schedule 1
| Underwriter |
Principal Amount of the 2029 Notes |
|||
| BofA Securities, Inc. | $ | 90,000,000 | ||
| J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | $ | 90,000,000 | ||
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | $ | 90,000,000 | ||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | $ | 30,000,000 | ||
| Citizens JMP Securities, LLC | $ | 30,000,000 | ||
| U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. | $ | 30,000,000 | ||
| Truist Securities, Inc. | $ | 30,000,000 | ||
| BMO Capital Markets Corp. | $ | 10,000,000 | ||
| Total | $ | 400,000,000 | ||
Annex A
Time of Sale Information
| ● | Pricing Term Sheet, dated March 14, 2024, substantially in the form of Annex B. |
Annex B
Pricing Term Sheet
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration Statement No. 333-258249
Pricing Term Sheet
BRUNSWICK CORPORATION
Pricing Term Sheet
$400,000,000 5.850% Notes due 2029
| Issuer: | Brunswick Corporation | |
| Security Type: | Senior Unsecured Notes | |
| Format: | SEC Registered | |
| Title: | 5.850% Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”) | |
| Aggregate Principal Amount: | $400,000,000 | |
| Maturity: | March 18, 2029 | |
| Coupon: | 5.850% | |
| Interest Payment Dates: | March 18 and September 18, commencing September 18, 2024 | |
| Price to Public: | 99.829% of the aggregate principal amount | |
| Benchmark Treasury: | 4.250% due February 28, 2029 | |
| Benchmark Treasury Price / Yield: | 99-26 1/4 / 4.290% | |
| Spread to Benchmark Treasury: | +160 basis points | |
| Yield to Maturity: | 5.890% | |
| Trade Date: | March 14, 2024 | |
| Settlement Date: | T+2; March 18, 2024 | |
| Optional Redemption: | The Notes will be redeemable at the option of the Issuer, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time prior to maturity. If the Issuer elects to redeem the Notes (A) at any time prior to February 18, 2029, it will pay a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount or (ii) a “make-whole” amount calculated at the applicable treasury rate plus 25 basis points, plus, in each case, any accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date, and (B) at any time on or after February 18, 2029, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date. | |
| Day Count: | 30 / 360 | |
| CUSIP / ISIN: | 117043AW9 / US117043AW94 | |
| Denominations: | $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof | |
| Joint Book-Running Managers: |
BofA Securities, Inc. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
|
| Senior Co-Managers: |
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Citizens JMP Securities, LLC U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. Truist Securities, Inc. |
|
| Co-Manager: | BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
The Issuer has filed a registration statement (including a preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the Issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus if you request it by calling BofA Securities, Inc. toll-free at (800) 294-1322, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC collect at (212) 834-4533 or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC toll-free at (800) 645-3751.
Any disclaimer or other notice that may appear below is not applicable to this communication and should be disregarded. Such disclaimer or notice was automatically generated as a result of this communication being sent by Bloomberg or another email system.
Annex C-1
Form of Opinion of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
[Omitted.]
Annex C-2
Form of Opinion of Executive Vice President, General
Counsel, Secretary and Chief
Compliance Officer to the Company
[Omitted.]
Exhibit 4.2
EXECUTION VERSION
BRUNSWICK CORPORATION
and
U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
SIXTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
Dated as of March 18, 2024
to
INDENTURE
Dated as of October 3, 2018
5.850% Senior Notes due 2029
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||
| ARTICLE I | ||
| Definitions | ||
| SECTION 1.01. Definition of Terms | 2 | |
| ARTICLE II | ||
| General Terms and Conditions of the Notes | ||
| SECTION 2.01. Designation and Principal Amount | 3 | |
| SECTION 2.02. Further Issues | 3 | |
| SECTION 2.03. Maturity | 3 | |
| SECTION 2.04. Interest | 3 | |
| SECTION 2.05. Method and Place of Payment | 3 | |
| SECTION 2.06. Optional Redemption | 4 | |
| SECTION 2.07. Mandatory Redemption; Offers to Purchase; Open Market Purchases | 6 | |
| SECTION 2.08. Appointment of Agents | 6 | |
| SECTION 2.09. Global Securities | 6 | |
| SECTION 2.10. Change of Control | 6 | |
| SECTION 2.11. Defeasance | 9 | |
| SECTION 2.12. Covenants | 9 | |
| ARTICLE III | ||
| Form of Notes | ||
| SECTION 3.01. Registration and Form of Notes; Denomination | 9 | |
| ARTICLE IV | ||
| Miscellaneous | ||
| SECTION 4.01. Ratification of Indenture | 10 | |
| SECTION 4.02. Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, etc. | 10 | |
| SECTION 4.03. Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial | 10 | |
| SECTION 4.04. Separability | 11 | |
| SECTION 4.05. Execution in Counterparts | 11 | |
| EXHIBIT A Form of Notes | ||
SIXTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of March 18, 2024 (this “Supplemental Indenture”), between BRUNSWICK CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), and U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee (the “Trustee”), under the Indenture (as defined below).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company executed and delivered the indenture, dated as of October 3, 2018, between the Company and the Trustee (the “Indenture”) to provide for the issuance from time to time of its debt securities (the “Securities”), to be issued in one or more series;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, the Company desires to provide for the establishment of a new series of Securities under the Indenture to be known as its “5.850% Senior Notes due March 18, 2029” (the “Notes”), the form and substance of such series and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company, pursuant to (i) the resolutions duly adopted on March 8, 2024, and (ii) the delegation of authority policy and related resolutions duly adopted on October 23, 2002, and as subsequently amended and approved on July 26, 2005, May 6, 2009, December 4, 2018, July 20, 2021 and July 18, 2023, has duly authorized the issuance of the Notes, and has authorized the proper officers of the Company to execute any and all appropriate documents necessary or appropriate to effect such issuance;
WHEREAS, this Supplemental Indenture is being entered into pursuant to the provisions of Sections 2.01, 2.02 and 11.01(i) of the Indenture;
WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture;
AND WHEREAS, all acts, conditions and things necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture a valid agreement according to its terms, and to make the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the valid obligations of the Company, have been done and performed, and the execution of this Supplemental Indenture and the issue hereunder of the Notes has been duly authorized in all respects;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, and for the purpose of setting forth, as provided in the Indenture, the forms and terms of the Notes, the Company covenants and agrees with the Trustee, as follows:
2
ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01. Definition of Terms. Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) subject to clause (i) below, each term defined in the Indenture has the same meaning when used in this Supplemental Indenture;
(b) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(c) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(d) “or” is not exclusive;
(e) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular;
(f) references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement or successor sections or rules adopted by the Commission from time to time;
(g) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an “Article” or a “Section” refers to an Article or a Section, as the case may be, of this Supplemental Indenture;
(h) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Supplemental Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and
(i) the following definition is used in this Supplemental Indenture, and to the extent that a term is defined both herein and in the Indenture, the definition in the Supplemental Indenture shall govern with respect to the Notes:
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession of the United States, as in effect from time to time. Notwithstanding any changes in GAAP that became or become effective for the Company after October 3, 2018, any lease of the Company or any Subsidiary that would be characterized as an operating lease under GAAP in effect for the Company as of October 3, 2018, whether such lease is entered into before or after October 3, 2018, shall not constitute Indebtedness or a Capitalized Lease Obligation.
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ARTICLE II
General Terms and Conditions of the Notes
SECTION 2.01. Designation and Principal Amount. There is hereby authorized and established a series of Securities under the Indenture, designated as the “5.850% Senior Notes due 2029,” unlimited in aggregate principal amount. The aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be initially issued shall be $400,000,000. Additional Notes may be issued pursuant to Section 2.02 hereof.
SECTION 2.02. Further Issues. So long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to the Notes at the time of such issuance, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, issue additional Notes. Any such additional Notes will have the same interest rate, maturity date and other terms as the Notes, except for the issue date, issue price and initial Interest Payment Date. Any such additional Notes, together with any other Notes previously issued pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture, will constitute a single series of Securities under the Indenture; provided, however, that if any such additional Notes would not be fungible with the outstanding Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Company shall cause such additional Notes to be issued with a separate CUSIP number.
SECTION 2.03. Maturity. The Notes will mature on March 18, 2029.
SECTION 2.04. Interest. The Notes will bear interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) from March 18, 2024 at the rate of 5.850% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears. Interest payable on each Interest Payment Date will include interest accrued from March 18, 2024, or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for. The Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable are March 18 and September 18, commencing on September 18, 2024; and the Regular Record Date for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date is the close of business on March 1 or September 1, as the case may be, immediately preceding the relevant Interest Payment Date, whether or not that day is a Business Day.
SECTION 2.05. Method and Place of Payment. Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, or an office or agency maintained by the Company for such purpose, in the continental United States, in United States dollars; provided, however, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; and provided further, however, that all payments in respect of Global Securities shall be made by wire transfer in same-day funds in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary. In any case where the date of maturity of interest on, premium, if any, or principal of any Note, the date fixed for redemption of the Notes or any Change of Control Payment Date is not a Business Day, then the relevant payment need not be made on such date but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such date and no interest shall accrue in respect of such amount for the period from and after such date. The Notes may be presented for registration of transfer and for exchange, and notices to or upon the Company in respect of such Notes may be served, at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, or an office or agency maintained by the Company for such purpose, in the continental United States.
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SECTION 2.06. Optional Redemption. Prior to the Par Call Date (as defined below), the Company may redeem the Notes, at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:
(a) (i) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes to be redeemed discounted to the redemption date (assuming such Notes matured on the Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined below), plus 25 basis points, less (ii) interest accrued to the date of redemption, and
(b) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed,
plus, in each case, any accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be redeemed to, but not including, the date of redemption.
On or after the Par Call Date, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be redeemed to, but not including, the date of redemption.
The following terms are relevant to the determination of the redemption price of the Notes.
“Business Day” means mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which the Trustee or banking institutions in the Borough of Manhattan, The City and State of New York are obligated or authorized by law to close.
“Par Call Date” means February 18, 2029 (the date that is one month prior to the maturity of the Notes).
“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the yield determined by the Company in accordance with the following two paragraphs.
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The Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Company after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third Business Day preceding the redemption date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily) - H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities–Treasury constant maturities–Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading). In determining the Treasury Rate, the Company shall select, as applicable: (i) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the redemption date to the Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”); or (ii) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields – one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than the Remaining Life – and shall interpolate to the Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (iii) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the redemption date.
If on the third Business Day preceding the redemption date, H.15 or any successor designation or publication is no longer published, the Company shall calculate the Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second Business Day preceding such redemption date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the Par Call Date, as applicable. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the Par Call Date, the Company shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the Par Call Date or two or more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, the Company shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.
The Company’s actions and determinations in determining the redemption price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. The Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for any determination, calculation, or verification of the redemption price.
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Notice of any redemption will be mailed or electronically delivered (or otherwise transmitted in accordance with the depositary’s procedures) at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder of record of the Notes to be redeemed.
In the case of a partial redemption, selection of the Notes for redemption will be made pro rata, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee in its sole discretion deems appropriate and fair. No Notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less will be redeemed in part. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to the Note will state the portion of the principal amount of the Note to be redeemed. A new Note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Note will be issued in the name of the Holder of the Note upon surrender for cancellation of the original Note. For so long as the Notes are held by DTC (or another depositary), the redemption of the Notes shall be done in accordance with the policies and procedures of the depositary.
Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.
SECTION 2.07. Mandatory Redemption; Offers to Purchase; Open Market Purchases. The Company is not required to make any sinking fund payments or mandatory redemption with respect to the Notes. Notwithstanding any provision hereunder or in the Indenture to the contrary, the Company and its Affiliates may purchase Notes from investors who are willing to sell from time to time, either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Notes that the Company or any of its Affiliates purchase may, at the Company’s discretion, be held, resold or canceled.
SECTION 2.08. Appointment of Agents. The Trustee will initially be the Paying Agent, DTC Custodian, Authenticating Agent and Security Registrar for the Notes.
SECTION 2.09. Global Securities. The Notes will be issued in the form of one or more permanent Global Securities in definitive, fully registered form, and will be subject to the terms and conditions of Section 2.01, Section 2.02 and Section 2.11 of the Indenture.
SECTION 2.10. Change of Control. (a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, unless the Company has exercised its option to redeem the Notes pursuant to Section 2.06, each Holder of the Notes will have the right to require the Company to purchase all or a portion of such Holder’s Notes pursuant to an offer made in accordance with the terms of this Section 2.10 (the “Change of Control Offer”) at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the date of purchase, subject to the rights of Holders of the Notes on the relevant Regular Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date.
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(b) Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, or at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control but after public announcement of the pending Change of Control, the Company shall give to each Holder of the Notes, with a copy to the Trustee, a notice governing the terms of the Change of Control Offer that:
(i) describes the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event;
(ii) offers to repurchase all Notes tendered;
(iii) sets forth the payment date for the repurchase of the Notes, which date will be at least 30 days but no more than 60 days from the date such notice is given, other than as may be required by law (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);
(iv) if given prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, states that the Change of Control Offer is conditioned on the Change of Control Triggering Event occurring on or prior to the Change of Control Payment Date;
(v) discloses that any Note not tendered for repurchase will continue to accrue interest; and
(vi) specifies the procedures for tendering Notes.
(c) Holders of the Notes electing to have Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to: (i) surrender their Notes to the Paying Agent on the address specified in the notice, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed or (ii) transfer their Notes to the Paying Agent by book-entry transfer pursuant to the applicable procedures of the Paying Agent, prior to the close of business on the third Business Day prior to the Change of Control Payment Date.
(d) The Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company and the third party purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.
(e) The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder, to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable, in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any such securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control Offer provisions of the Notes, the Company will comply with those securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 2.10 by virtue of any such conflict.
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(f) Solely for purposes of this Section 2.10, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:
(i) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets and the assets of its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than the Company or one of its Subsidiaries;
(ii) the Company becomes aware of (by way of a report or any other filing pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, proxy, vote, written notice or otherwise) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), becomes the ultimate “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), of more than 50% of the Company’s outstanding Voting Stock;
(iii) the Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, any person, or any person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of the Company’s outstanding Voting Stock or the Voting Stock of such other person is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the shares of the Company’s Voting Stock outstanding immediately prior to such transaction constitute, or are converted into or exchanged for, a majority of the Voting Stock of the surviving person or any direct or indirect parent company of the surviving person immediately after giving effect to such transaction; or
(iv) the adoption of a plan relating to the Company’s liquidation or dissolution.
“Change of Control Triggering Event” means the Notes cease to be rated Investment Grade by at least two of the three Rating Agencies on any date during the period (the “Trigger Period”) commencing 60 days prior to the first public announcement of the Change of Control or the Company’s intention to effect a Change of Control and ending 60 days following consummation of such Change of Control, which Trigger Period will be extended following consummation of a Change of Control for so long as any of the Rating Agencies has publicly announced that it is considering a possible ratings change. Unless at least two of the three Rating Agencies are providing a rating for the Notes at the commencement of any Trigger Period, the Notes will be deemed to have ceased to be rated Investment Grade by at least two of the three Rating Agencies during that Trigger Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Change of Control Triggering Event will be deemed to have occurred in connection with any particular Change of Control unless and until such Change of Control has actually been consummated.
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“Investment Grade” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s; a rating equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P; a rating equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by Fitch; and the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any replacement Rating Agency or Rating Agencies selected by the Company.
“Rating Agencies” means:
(i) each of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., a subsidiary of Moody’s Corporation, and its successors (“Moody’s”), Fitch Ratings, Inc., and its successors (“Fitch”), and S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global Inc., and its successors (“S&P”); and
(ii) if any of the Rating Agencies ceases to provide rating services to issuers or investors, and no Change of Control Triggering Event has occurred or is occurring, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act that is selected by the Company as a replacement for Moody’s, S&P, Fitch or all of them, as the case may be.
“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any specified person as of any date, the Capital Stock of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the board of directors of such person.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the requirement of Section 11.02 of the Indenture that no supplemental indenture shall reduce the amount payable upon the redemption of any Note or accelerate the time at which such Note may be redeemable shall not apply to this Section 2.10.
SECTION 2.11. Defeasance. The provisions of Article IV of the Indenture will apply to the Notes. If the Company exercises its Covenant Defeasance option pursuant to Section 4.02 and 4.04 of the Indenture, in addition to the provisions of the Indenture set forth in Section 4.04, the Company also shall be released from its obligations under Section 2.10 of this Supplemental Indenture.
SECTION 2.12. Covenants. The provisions of Articles V and XII of the Indenture will apply to the Notes.
ARTICLE III
Form of Notes
SECTION 3.01. Registration and Form of Notes; Denomination. The Notes shall be issued as registered securities as provided in Section 2.09 of Article II. The Notes and the Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication to be endorsed thereon are to be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto. The Notes shall be issued and may be transferred only in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
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ARTICLE IV
Miscellaneous
SECTION 4.01. Ratification of Indenture. The Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and this Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed part of the Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided; provided, however, that the provisions of this Supplemental Indenture apply solely with respect to the Notes. Reference to this Supplemental Indenture need not be made in the Indenture or any other instrument or document executed in connection therewith, or in any certificate, letter or communication issued or made pursuant to, or with respect to, the Indenture, any reference in any of such items to the Indenture being sufficient to refer to the Indenture as amended hereby.
SECTION 4.02. Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, etc. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes (except in the certificate of authentication) shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility or liability for the correctness of the same. The Trustee makes no representations as to and shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or of the Notes. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Notes or the proceeds of the Notes authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in conformity with the provisions of this Supplemental Indenture or for any money paid to the Company or upon the Company’s directions under any provision of this Supplemental Indenture. The Trustee shall not be bound to ascertain or inquire as to the performance, observance, or breach of any covenants, conditions, representations, warranties or agreements on the part of the Company, and shall not be responsible for any statement in any document used in connection with the sale of any Notes. Neither the Trustee nor any Paying Agent shall be responsible for monitoring the Company’s rating status, making any request upon any Rating Agency or determining whether any rating event has occurred. The Trustee shall have no obligation to independently determine or verify if any Change of Control or any other event has occurred or if any Change of Control Offer is required to be made, or notify the Holders of any such event. For the avoidance of doubt, all of the provisions contained in the Indenture in respect of the rights, privileges, protections, indemnities, immunities, limitations of liability, powers and duties of the Trustee shall be applicable in respect of this Supplemental Indenture as fully and with like force and effect as though fully set forth in full herein.
SECTION 4.03. Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial. This Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. The Company and the Trustee, AND EACH HOLDER OF A NOTE HEREBY KNOWINGLY, irrevocably, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding BASED ON, arising out of, UNDER, or relating to this SUPPLEMENTAL Indenture, the Securities or any transaction contemplated thereby. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT IT HAS RECEIVED FULL AND SUFFICIENT CONSIDERATION FOR THIS PROVISION AND THAT THIS PROVISION IS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT FOR SUCH PARTIES ENTERING INTO THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE.
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SECTION 4.04. Separability. If any provision in this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes is deemed unenforceable, it shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision set forth herein, or of this Supplemental Indenture or of the Notes as a whole.
SECTION 4.05. Execution in Counterparts. This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Supplemental Indenture or any document to be signed in connection with this Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed to include electronic signatures complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000 or the New York Electronic Signature and Records Act or, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
| COMPANY: | |||
| BRUNSWICK CORPORATION | |||
| By: | /s/ Brian R. Frey | ||
| Name: | Brian R. Frey | ||
| Title: | Vice President and Treasurer | ||
[Signature Page to Sixth Supplemental Indenture]
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| TRUSTEE: | |||
| U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE | |||
| By: | /s/ Linda Garcia | ||
| Name: Linda Garcia | |||
| Title: Vice President | |||
[Signature Page to Sixth Supplemental Indenture]
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EXHIBIT A – FORM OF NOTE
THIS GLOBAL SECURITY IS HELD BY AND REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS SECURITY) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, IS NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 11.04 OF THE INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY BE EXCHANGED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.01(c) OF THE INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.08 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COMPANY.
UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), NEW YORK, NEW YORK, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS 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.
BRUNSWICK CORPORATION
5.850% Senior Notes due 2029
| REGISTERED | CUSIP No. 117043AW9 |
| No. R- | ISIN No. US117043AW94 |
Brunswick Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to [________], / [insert if Global Security: Cede & Co.], or registered assigns, [the principal sum of $ ( ________ dollars)] / [insert if Global Security: the principal amount set forth on the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in Global Securities attached hereto, which principal amount may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, in accordance with the within mentioned Indenture and as reflected in the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Security attached hereto, to reflect exchanges or redemptions of the Securities represented hereby], on March 18, 2029, and to pay interest thereon from March 18, 2024 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semiannually in arrears on March 18 and September 18 in each year, commencing on September 18, 2024, at the rate of 5.850% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment; provided, however, that any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the rate of 5.850% per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment. 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 Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the March 1 and September 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and shall be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a date to be fixed by the Company for the payment of such Defaulted Interest (a “Special Record Date”), notice whereof shall be given to Holder of Securities of this series not less than 15 days prior to such Special Record Date.
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Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in accordance with the terms of the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof in United States dollars.
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.
This Security shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.
| Dated: | BRUNSWICK CORPORATION | ||
| By: | |||
| Name: | |||
| Title: | |||
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CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
| Dated: | U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE | ||
| By: | |||
| Authorized Signatory | |||
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[REVERSE OF NOTE]
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 (herein called the “Base Indenture,” which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), dated as of October 3, 2018, between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), as supplemented by the Sixth Supplemental Indenture (herein called the “Sixth Supplemental Indenture,” which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument, and together with the Base Indenture, herein called the “Indenture”), dated as of March 18, 2024, between the Company and the Trustee, and reference is hereby made to the Indenture 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 series designated on the face hereof, initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $400,000,000.
The Securities of this series shall be redeemable at the Company’s option in accordance with the terms and conditions specified in Section 2.06 of the Sixth Supplemental Indenture and Article Three of the Base Indenture.
If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs, unless the Company has exercised its option to redeem the Securities, each holder of the Securities will have the right to require the Company to purchase all or a portion of such holder’s Securities as set forth in Section 2.10 of the Sixth Supplemental Indenture.
The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series 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.
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 of this series at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of this series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and 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 of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
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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 any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security may be registered and this Security may be exchanged as provided in the Indenture.
The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer 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 for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company, contained in the Indenture or in any supplemental indenture, or in any Security, or because of the creation of any Indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, of the Company or any successor Persons, either directly or through the Company or any such successor Person, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise. Each Holder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liabilities. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Securities.
All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
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ASSIGNMENT FORM
| To assign this Security, fill in the form below: | |
| I or we assign and transfer this Security to: | |
| (Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. no.) | |
| (Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code) | |
| and irrevocably appoint as agent to transfer this Security on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him. | |
| Your | |
| Signature: | (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Security) |
| Your | |
| Name: | |
| Date: | |
| Signature | * |
| Guarantee: | |
| * | NOTICE: The Signature must be guaranteed by an Institution which is a member of one of the following recognized signature Guarantee Programs: (i) The Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP); (ii) The New York Stock Exchange Medallion Program (MNSP); (iii) The Stock Exchange Medallion Program (SEMP); or (iv) such other guarantee program acceptable to the Trustee |
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OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE
If you want to elect to have this Security purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 2.10 of the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, check the box:
☐
If you want to elect to have only part of this Security purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 2.10 of the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, state the amount in principal amount (must be in denominations of $2,000 or any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof):
| $: ___________________ | |
| Date: ________________ | Your Signature: ____________________________________ |
| (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of the Security) |
| Signature Guarantee: | |
| (Signature must be guaranteed) |
| * | NOTICE: The Signature must be guaranteed by an Institution which is a member of one of the following recognized signature Guarantee Programs: (i) The Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP); (ii) The New York Stock Exchange Medallion Program (MNSP); (iii) The Stock Exchange Medallion Program (SEMP); or (iv) such other guarantee program acceptable to the Trustee |
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[TO BE ATTACHED TO GLOBAL SECURITIES]
SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL SECURITY
The initial Outstanding principal amount of this Global Security is FOUR HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AND NO CENTS ($400,000,000).
The following exchanges of an interest in this Global Security for an interest in another Global Security or for a Definitive Security, exchanges of an interest in another Global Security or a Definitive Security for an interest in this Global Security, or exchanges or purchases of a part of this Global Security have been made:
| Date of Exchange | Amount of decrease in Principal Amount of this Global Security |
Amount of increase in Principal Amount of this Global Security |
Principal Amount of this Global Security following such decrease or increase |
Signature of authorized signatory of Trustee or Securities Custodian |
||||
A-9
Exhibit 5.1
March 18, 2024
Brunswick Corporation
$400,000,000 Principal Amount of 5.850% Senior Notes due 2029
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for Brunswick Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the public offering and sale by the Company of $400,000,000 principal amount of the Company’s 5.850% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Securities”) issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of October 3, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (the “Trustee”) as supplemented by the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2024, between the Company and the Trustee (the “Sixth Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”).
In that connection, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion, including the Indenture and the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-258249), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on July 29, 2021 (the “Registration Statement”), for registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) of various securities of the Company, to be issued from time to time by the Company. As to various questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon representations of officers or directors of the Company and documents furnished to us by the Company without independent verification of their accuracy. In expressing the opinions set forth herein, we have assumed, with your consent and without independent investigation or verification, the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or copies and that the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and represents a legal, valid and binding obligation of, the Trustee.
Based on the foregoing and subject to the qualifications set forth herein, we are of opinion that when the Securities are authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered and paid for the Securities will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus Supplement dated March 14, 2024, forming a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.
| NEW YORK | LONDON | WASHINGTON, D.C. | Cravath, Swaine & Moore llp |
| Worldwide Plaza | CityPoint | 1601 K Street NW | |
| 825 Eighth Avenue | One Ropemaker Street | Washington, D.C. 20006-1682 | |
| New York, NY 10019-7475 | London EC2Y 9HR | T+1-202-869-7700 | |
| T+1 -212-474-1000 | T+44-20-7453-1000 | F+1-202-869-7600 | |
| F+1-212-474-3700 | F+44-20-7860-1150 |
We are admitted to practice in the State of New York, and we express no opinion as to matters governed by any laws other than the laws of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the Federal laws of the United States of America.
| Very truly yours, | |
| /s/ Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP |
Brunswick Corporation
26125 N. Riverwoods Blvd. Suite 500
Mettawa, Illinois 60045-4811
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