Bel Fuse Inc S-3, filed Jun 15, 2020
Bel Fuse Inc (BELFA)
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 15, 2020
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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BEL FUSE INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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New Jersey |
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22-1463699 |
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
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(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
206 Van Vorst Street
Jersey City, New Jersey 07302
(201) 432-0463
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Daniel Bernstein
President and Chief Executive Officer
Bel Fuse Inc.
206 Van Vorst Street
Jersey City, New Jersey 07302
201-432-0463
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number
including area code, of agent for service)
Please send copies of all notices, orders and communications to:
Peter H. Ehrenberg, Esq.
Lowenstein Sandler LLP
65 Livingston Avenue
Roseland, New Jersey 07068
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box: ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box: ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a nonaccelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer: ☐ Accelerated filer: ☒ Non-accelerated filer: ☐ Smaller reporting company ☒
Emerging growth company:☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered |
Amount to be Registered(1)(2) |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit(1)(2) |
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Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1)(2)(3) |
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Amount of Registration Fee(4) |
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Class A Common Stock, par value $.10 per share (5)(6) Class B Common Stock, par value $.10 per share (5)(6) |
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Preferred Stock, no par value per share(5) |
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Warrants |
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Debt Securities(5)(7) |
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Depositary Shares(5)(8) |
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Units(9) |
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Total: |
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$ |
140,000,000 |
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$ |
18,172 |
(10) |
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(1) |
The amount to be registered and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price per unit are not specified as to each class of securities to be registered pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The securities covered by this Registration Statement may be sold or otherwise distributed separately or together with any other securities covered by this Registration Statement. |
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(2) |
Such indeterminate principal amount, liquidation amount or number of each identified class of securities may from time to time be issued at indeterminate prices. The aggregate maximum offering price of all securities issued by Bel Fuse Inc. pursuant to this Registration Statement shall not have a maximum aggregate offering price that exceeds $140,000,000 in U.S. dollars or the equivalent at the time of offering in any other currency. Also includes such indeterminate principal amount, liquidation amount or number of identified classes of securities as may be issued upon conversion or exchange of any debt securities, preferred stock or warrants that provide for conversion or exchange into other securities. |
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(3) |
Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee under Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act. Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act, this registration statement also covers any additional securities that may be offered or issued in connection with any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction. Includes consideration to be received by the registrant, if applicable, for registered securities that are issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of other registered securities. |
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(4) |
Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act. |
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(5) |
Shares of preferred stock, depositary shares, Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock may be issuable upon conversion of debt securities registered hereunder. |
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(6) |
Shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock may be issuable upon conversion of shares of preferred stock registered hereunder. |
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(7) |
If any debt securities are issued at an original issue discount, then such greater amount as may be sold for an initial aggregate offering price up to the proposed maximum aggregate offering price. |
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(8) |
In the event that Bel Fuse Inc. elects to offer to the public fractional interests in shares of preferred stock registered hereunder, depositary shares, evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to a deposit agreement, will be distributed to those persons purchasing such fractional interests, and the shares of preferred stock will be issued to the depositary under any such agreement. |
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(9) |
Each unit will be issued under a unit agreement or indenture and will represent an interest in two or more securities, which may or may not be separable from one another. |
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(10) |
Pursuant to Rule 457(p) under the Securities Act, Bel Fuse Inc. hereby offsets the total registration fee due under this Registration Statement by $1,414 in filing fees that were actually paid (as opposed to being credited from a prior filing) in connection with the unsold securities from Bel Fuse Inc.’s Form S-3 Registration Statement, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 12, 2017 (SEC File No. 333-218663), registering securities for a maximum aggregate offering price of $140,000,000 (the “Prior Registration Statement”). The registrant sold no securities under the Prior Registration Statement. At the time of filing the Prior Registration Statement, $1,414 in filing fees were paid and $14,812 of the filing fee was credited from a prior filing effected more than five years ago. Such $1,414 amount is hereby used to offset the current registration fee due. Accordingly, such offset against the $18,172 registration fee currently due for this Registration Statement results in the Registrant paying $16,758 in net filing fees for this Registration Statement. |
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JUNE 15, 2020
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PROSPECTUS
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BEL FUSE INC.
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$140,000,000
Class A Common Stock
Class B Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Warrants
Debt Securities
Depositary Shares
Units
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Bel Fuse Inc. may offer, issue and sell from time to time, together or separately, in one or more offerings, any combination of (i) our Class A Common Stock, (ii) our Class B common stock, (iii) our preferred stock, which we may issue in one or more series, (iv) warrants, (v) senior or subordinated debt securities, (vi) depositary shares and (vii) units, up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $140,000,000. The debt securities may consist of debentures, notes, or other types of debt. The debt securities, preferred stock and warrants may be convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Class A common stock, Class B common stock, preferred stock or other securities of ours. The preferred stock may be represented by depositary shares. The units may consist of any combination of the securities listed above.
We may offer and sell these securities in amounts, at prices and on terms determined at the time of the offering. We will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement, as well as the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus, carefully before you make your investment decision. Our Class A common stock is quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol “BELFA” and our Class B common stock is quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol “BELFB.” On June 10, 2020, the last reported sale prices of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System was $12.00 per share and $11.40 per share, respectively. You are urged to obtain current market quotations of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock in connection with any offering involving such these securities. Each prospectus supplement will indicate if the securities offered thereby will be listed on any securities exchange.
This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
We may offer to sell these securities on a continuous or delayed basis, through agents, dealers or underwriters, or directly to purchasers. The prospectus supplement for each offering of securities will describe in detail the plan of distribution for that offering. If our agents or any dealers or underwriters are involved in the sale of the securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the names of the agents, dealers or underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts. Our net proceeds from the sale of securities will also be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. For general information about the distribution of securities offered, please see “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus.
Investing in these securities involves substantial risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 5 herein and in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference herein, updated and supplemented by our periodic reports and other information filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission and incorporated by reference herein. The prospectus supplement applicable to each type or series of securities we offer may contain a discussion of additional risks applicable to an investment in us and the particular type of securities we are offering under that prospectus supplement.
NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR REGULATORY BODY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
The date of this prospectus is , 2020.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY |
4 |
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS |
5 |
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RISK FACTORS |
5 |
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USE OF PROCEEDS |
6 |
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DESCRIPTIONS OF SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER |
6 |
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DESCRIPTION OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK AND CLASS B COMMON STOCK |
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK |
9 |
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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS |
11 |
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES |
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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES |
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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS |
25 |
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION |
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE |
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LEGAL MATTERS |
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EXPERTS |
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION |
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We have not authorized any person to give any information or make any statement that differs from what is in this prospectus. If any person does make a statement that differs from what is in this prospectus, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell, nor is it a solicitation of an offer to buy, these securities in any state in which the offer or sale is not permitted. The information in this prospectus is complete and accurate as of its date, but the information may change after that date. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of any date after its date.
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.
The registration statement containing this prospectus, including the exhibits to the registration statement, provides additional information about us and the securities offered under this prospectus. You should read the registration statement and the accompanying exhibits for further information. The registration statement, including the exhibits and the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated herein by reference, can be read and are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Each time we sell securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of a particular offering by us. That prospectus supplement may include a discussion of any risk factors or other special considerations that apply to those securities. The prospectus supplement may add to, update or change information in this prospectus. If the information in the prospectus is inconsistent with a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and, if applicable, any prospectus supplement. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for more information.
We have not authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. This prospectus and any prospectus supplement do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus and any prospectus supplement constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of such document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus and any prospectus supplement is delivered or securities are sold on a later date.
Unless this prospectus indicates otherwise or the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “our,” “us,” “Bel” or the “Company” as used in this prospectus refer to Bel Fuse Inc. and its subsidiaries, except that such terms refer to only Bel Fuse Inc. and not its subsidiaries in the sections entitled “Description of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock,” “Description of Preferred Stock,” “Description of Warrants,” “Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Depositary Shares” and “Description of Units.”
Company Overview
Bel Fuse Inc. designs, manufactures and markets a broad array of products that power, protect and connect electronic circuits. These products are primarily used in the networking, telecommunications, computing, military, aerospace, transportation and broadcasting industries. Bel's portfolio of products also finds application in the automotive, medical and consumer electronics markets.
With more than 70 years in operation, Bel has reliably demonstrated the ability to succeed in a variety of product areas across a global platform. The Company has a strong track record of technical innovation working with the engineering teams of market leaders. Bel has consistently proven itself a valuable supplier to world-class companies by developing new products with cost effective solutions.
Acquisitions have played a critical role in the growth of Bel and the expansion of both our product portfolio and our customer base and continue to be a key element in our growth strategy. The Company may, from time to time, purchase equity positions in companies that are potential merger candidates. We frequently evaluate possible merger candidates that would provide such potential benefits as an expanded product and technology base that would allow us to expand the breadth of our product offerings to our strategic customers and/or provide an opportunity to reduce overall operating expense as a percentage of revenue. Other factors, such as whether such possible merger candidates are positioned to take advantage of our lower cost offshore manufacturing facilities, and whether a cultural fit would allow the acquired company to be integrated smoothly and efficiently, are also considered.
Corporate Information
The Company is organized under New Jersey law. Following its segment reorganization in the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company operates in one industry with four reportable operating segments, Cinch Connectivity Solutions, Power Solutions & Protection and Magnetic Solutions and a Corporate segment. Bel's principal executive offices are located at 206 Van Vorst Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302, and Bel's telephone number is (201) 432-0463. The Company operates facilities in North America, Europe and Asia and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (ticker symbols “BELFA” and “BELFB”). We maintain a corporate website at www.belfuse.com. The contents of our website are not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and should not be considered to be a part of this prospectus or relied upon in connection herewith.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Any statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plans,” “projects,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expects,” “management believes,” “we believe,” “we intend” and similar words or phrases. Accordingly, these statements involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in them. Any forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the risk factors discussed in this prospectus, discussed in a supplement to this prospectus or discussed in documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which change over time, and are based on management’s expectations and assumptions at the time the statements are made, and are not guarantees of future results. Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or anticipated in the forward-looking statements for many reasons, including the factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, in any risk factors described in a supplement to this prospectus or in other filings.
You should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events after the date of this prospectus or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should, however, review the factors and risks we describe in the reports we file from time to time with the SEC after the date of this prospectus. We undertake no obligation to revise or update the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus at any time.
RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities involves risks. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and in our updates to those Risk Factors in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q following the most recent Form 10-K, and in all other information appearing in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. The material risks and uncertainties that management believes affect us will be described in those documents. In addition to those risk factors, there may be additional risks and uncertainties of which management is not aware or focused on or that management deems immaterial. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. The trading price of our securities could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment. This prospectus is qualified in its entirety by these risk factors.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus used to offer specific securities, we expect to use the net proceeds from any offering of securities by us for general corporate purposes, which may include acquisitions, capital expenditures, investments, and the repayment, redemption or refinancing of all or a portion of any indebtedness or other securities outstanding at a particular time. Pending the application of the net proceeds, we expect to invest the proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing instruments or other investment-grade securities.
DESCRIPTIONS OF SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER
This prospectus contains summary descriptions of the Class A common stock, Class B common stock, preferred stock, warrants, debt securities, depositary shares and units that we may offer and sell from time to time. We may issue the debt securities as exchangeable and/or convertible debt securities exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Class A common stock, Class B common stock or preferred stock. The preferred stock may also be exchangeable for and/or convertible into shares of Class A common stock, Class B common stock or another series of preferred stock. When one or more of these securities are offered in the future, a prospectus supplement will explain the particular terms of the securities and the extent to which these general provisions may apply. These summary descriptions and any summary descriptions in the applicable prospectus supplement do not purport to be complete descriptions of the terms and conditions of each security and are qualified in their entirety by reference to our restated certificate of incorporation and our by-laws and by applicable New Jersey law and any other documents referenced in such summary descriptions and from which such summary descriptions are derived. If any particular terms of a security described in the applicable prospectus supplement differ from any of the terms described herein, then the terms described herein will be deemed superseded by the terms set forth in that prospectus supplement.
We may issue securities in book-entry form through one or more depositaries, such as The Depository Trust Company, Euroclear or Clearstream, named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each sale of a security in book-entry form will settle in immediately available funds through the applicable depositary, unless otherwise stated. We will issue the securities only in registered form, without coupons, although we may issue the securities in bearer form if so specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. If any securities are to be listed or quoted on a securities exchange or quotation system, the applicable prospectus supplement will say so.
DESCRIPTION OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK AND CLASS B COMMON STOCK
General
The following is a description of our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock, as well as a description of the terms of such other securities of Bel as may materially limit or qualify the rights evidenced by, or any amounts payable with respect to, our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock.
Our restated certification of incorporation, as amended, provides that we may issue up to 41,000,000 shares of capital stock, of which (1) 40,000,000 shares are designated as common stock, par value $0.10 per share, consisting of (a) 10,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and (b) 30,000,000 shares of Class B common stock and (2) 1,000,000 shares are designated as preferred stock, no par value. In this prospectus we sometimes refer to our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock collectively as our “common stock.” Our board of directors is authorized to issue the preferred stock from time to time in one or more series, with such designations, preferences, qualifications, limitations, restrictions, and special or relative rights as the board shall determine. We may increase our authorized shares of capital stock subsequent to the date of this prospectus. The number of authorized shares common stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the holders of the outstanding shares of the Class A common stock. As of May 1, 2020, there were 2,144,912 shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding, 10,120,602 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding, and no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding. All outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. Our Class A common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “BELFA.” Our Class B common stock is also listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, under the symbol “BELFB.”
Voting Rights
Class A Common Stock. Except as otherwise provided by our board of directors in fixing the voting rights of any series of preferred stock or as otherwise required by law or expressly provided in our restated certificate of incorporation, voting power in the election of directors and for all other purposes is vested exclusively in the holders of our Class A common stock, with each holder of Class A common stock entitled to one vote for each share of Class A common stock held on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders. The quorum for shareholders’ meetings is a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote. Generally, actions and authorizations to be taken or given by shareholders require the approval of a majority of the votes cast by holders of our Class A common stock at a meeting at which a quorum is present; subject to certain exceptions for matters requiring a greater threshold for approval as specified in our restated certificate of incorporation, including certain business combinations, asset transfers and other transactions, in each case with “related persons” (as defined), or the adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company, in each case which neither (i) was approved in advance by a majority of our “continuing directors” (defined generally as a member of our board of directors who was first elected to our board prior to the date as of which a related person proposing, or involved in, a business combination became a related person; was designated at the time of his initial election as a “continuing director” by a majority of the then continuing directors or was a director at the time our certificate of incorporation was amended to include the provisions regarding business combinations), nor (ii) satisfies certain requirements as to the consideration and other matters concerning the transaction as specified in our restated certificate of incorporation. There is no cumulative voting.
In addition, our restated certificate of incorporation contains a provision that notwithstanding any other provision therein, no action may be taken without the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the holders of the outstanding shares of our Class A common stock with respect to any (i) amendment of our restated certificate of incorporation, (ii) merger or consolidation of our Company with one or more other corporations, (iii) sale, conveyance, lease, mortgage, pledge, or exchange of all or substantially all of our Company’s property or assets or (iv) liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, except as otherwise provided in the New Jersey Business Corporation Act.
Class B Common Stock. Our Class B common stock has no voting rights on any matters except as otherwise required by law or expressly provided in our restated certificate of incorporation.
Dividend and Other Distribution and Liquidation Rights
Cash Dividends. Holders of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock are entitled to dividends if, as and when determined by our board of directors in its sole discretion out of funds lawfully available for the payment of dividends. Subject to the foregoing, our restated certificate of incorporation provides that cash dividends declared on shares of our Class B common stock in any calendar year will not be less than 5% higher per share annually than the annual amount of cash dividends per share declared in such calendar year on shares of our Class A common stock. Without limiting the provisions of the preceding sentence, our board of directors may not declare a cash dividend on shares of our Class A common stock unless at the same time it declares a cash dividend on shares of our Class B common stock (payable on the same payment date as the dividends then being declared on our Class A common stock) in an amount which, together with all prior cash dividend payments in the calendar year, is at least 5% greater than the cash dividend then being declared on our Class A common stock, together with all prior cash dividend payments declared on our Class A common stock in such calendar year. Our board of directors may at any time declare a cash dividend on shares of our Class B common stock without declaring a cash dividend on shares of our Class A common stock. The only statutory limitations on cash dividends is that we may not pay a dividend if, after giving effect to the dividend, we would be unable to pay our debts as they become due in the usual course of business or our total assets would be less than our total liabilities.
Other Dividends and Distributions. Each share of our Class A common stock and each share of our Class B common stock shall have identical rights with respect to dividends (other than cash, as described above) and distributions (including distributions in connection with any recapitalization, and upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our Company) when and as declared in the form of stock or other property of the Company; provided that dividends or other distributions payable on common stock in shares of common stock shall be made to all holders of common stock and may be made only as follows: (i) in shares of our Class B common stock to the record holders of our Class A common stock and to the record holders of our Class B common stock; or (ii) in shares of our Class A common stock to the record holders of our Class A common stock and in shares of our Class B common stock to the record holders of our Class B common stock.
Subject to Preferred Stock. The dividend rights of holders of our common stock are qualified and subject to the dividend rights of holders of any outstanding preferred stock.
Merger and Consolidation
In the event of a merger or consolidation of our Company with or into another entity (whether or not our Company is the surviving entity), the holders of our Class B common stock shall be entitled to receive the same amount and form of consideration per share as the per-share consideration, if any, received by any holder of our Class A common stock in such merger or consolidation.
Convertibility
Neither our Class B common stock nor our Class A common stock is convertible into another class of common stock or any other security of our Company, except as follows:
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All outstanding shares of our Class B common stock may be converted into shares of our Class A common stock on a share-for-share basis by resolution of our board of directors if, as a result of the existence of our Class B common stock, either our Class A common stock or our Class B common stock is, or both are, excluded from quotation on NASDAQ or, if such shares are quoted on another national quotation system or listed on a national securities exchange, from trading on the principal national quotation system or principal national securities exchange on which such securities are traded.
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All outstanding shares of our Class B common stock shall be immediately converted into shares of our Class A common stock on a share-for-share basis if at any time the number of outstanding shares of our Class A common stock as reflected on the stock transfer records of our Company falls below 10% of the aggregate number of outstanding shares of our common stock. For purposes of the immediately preceding sentence, any shares of our common stock repurchased or otherwise acquired by the Company and held as treasury shares shall not be deemed “outstanding” from and after the date of acquisition.
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In the event of any conversion of our Class B common stock in the manner specified in the two preceding bullet points, certificates that formerly represented outstanding shares of our Class B common stock will thereafter be deemed to represent a like number of shares of our Class A common stock and all shares of common stock authorized by our restated certificate of incorporation shall be deemed to be shares of our Class A common stock. |
Class B Protective Provision
Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that if a shareholder, other than shareholders subject to specific exceptions, acquired (after the date of the Company’s 1998 recapitalization) 10% or more of our outstanding Class A common stock and does not own an equal or greater percentage of all then outstanding shares of both Class A and Class B common stock (all of which must have been acquired after the date of the 1998 recapitalization), such shareholder must, within 90 days of the trigger date, purchase shares of our Class B common stock in an amount and at a price determined in accordance with a formula described in our restated certificate of incorporation, or forfeit its right to vote its shares of Class A common stock. As of the date of this prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, there is one holder, GAMCO Investors, Inc. et al. (“GAMCO”), that beneficially owned in excess of 10% of the outstanding shares of our Class A common stock with no ownership of our Class B common stock and with no basis for exception from the operation of these provisions. In order to vote its shares, this shareholder would be required to either purchase the required number of shares of our Class B common stock or sell or otherwise transfer shares of Class A common stock until its Class A holdings are under 10%. To the Company’s knowledge, as of the date of this prospectus, GAMCO has not taken the required actions and, accordingly, the voting rights of GAMCO are currently suspended.
Subdivision of Shares
If our Company in any manner splits, subdivides or combines the outstanding shares of our Class A common stock or our Class B common stock, the outstanding shares of the other such class of our common stock shall be proportionately split, subdivided or combined in the same manner and on the same basis as the outstanding shares of the other class of our common stock have been split, subdivided or combined.
Assessment and Redemption
All outstanding shares of our common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. Our common stock is not redeemable at the option of the issuer or the holders thereof.
Other Matters
Certain provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation and applicable New Jersey corporate law may have the effect of discouraging a change of control of Bel, even if such a transaction is favored by some of our shareholders and could result in shareholders receiving a substantial premium over the current market price of our shares. These provisions include our blank check preferred stock that may be issued by our board of directors; our classified or “staggered” board of directors; and the supermajority voting provisions contained in our restated certificate of incorporation with respect to certain transactions with related persons described above under the caption “Description of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock – Voting Rights.” The primary purpose of these provisions is to encourage negotiations with our management by persons interested in acquiring control of our corporation. These provisions may also tend to perpetuate present management and make it difficult for shareholders owning less than a majority of the shares to be able to elect even a single director.
Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company is presently the transfer agent and registrar for our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
“Blank Check” Preferred Stock
The 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock that our restated certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue (none of which are issued and outstanding as of the date of this prospectus) are typically referred to as “blank check” preferred stock. This term refers to stock for which the rights and restrictions are determined by the board of directors of a corporation. In general, our restated certificate of incorporation authorizes our board of directors to issue new shares of our common stock or preferred stock without further shareholder action, provided that there are sufficient authorized shares.
The issuance of additional common or preferred stock may be viewed as having adverse effects upon the holders of common stock. Holders of our common stock do not have preemptive rights with respect to any newly issued stock. Our board could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock by issuing shares of preferred stock with certain voting, conversion and/or redemption rights. In the event of a proposed merger, tender offer or other attempt to gain control of Bel that the board of directors does not believe to be in the best interests of its shareholders, the board could issue additional preferred stock which could make any such takeover attempt more difficult to complete. Our board of directors does not intend to issue any preferred stock except on terms that the board deems to be in the best interests of our company and our shareholders.
Terms of the Preferred Stock That We May Offer and Sell to You
We have summarized below some of the provisions that will apply to the preferred stock that we may offer to you unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the preferred stock will be contained in the prospectus supplement. You should read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.
Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the shareholders, to issue preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the number of shares, dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights, liquidation preferences, sinking funds, and any other rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions applicable to each such series of preferred stock. Any preferred stock that we may offer may be subject to certain restrictions, including without limitation in respect of the payment of dividends, pursuant to the terms of contractual covenants to which the Company is subject. For example, the Credit and Security Agreement dated June 19, 2014 governing our (i) $50 million revolving credit facility (“Revolver”), (ii) $145 million term loan facility (“Term Loan”) and (iii) $70 million delayed draw term loan (“DDTL”) with KeyBank National Association (“KeyBank”), as administrative agent and lender, as amended and restated as of June 30, 2014, and as further amended through the Fourth Amendment Agreement made as of February 18, 2020 (as amended, the “CSA”), generally prohibits us from making certain “restricted payments” (defined to include (i) any payment made, liability incurred or other consideration given by us or any of our subsidiaries to any person, other than us or our subsidiaries, for the purchase, acquisition, redemption, repurchase, payment or retirement of any capital stock or other equity interest of such entity, or as a dividend, return of capital or other distribution, (ii) any amount paid in repayment, redemption, retirement or repurchase, directly or indirectly, of any subordinated indebtedness, or (iii) any amount paid in respect of any management, consulting or other similar arrangement with any equity holder (other than us) of us, our subsidiaries or our affiliates), except that, as long as immediately before and after giving effect thereto no “default” or “event of default” shall then exist or begin to exist under the CSA, the Company and its subsidiaries may make “capital distributions” (defined to include any payment made, liability incurred or other consideration given by us or our subsidiaries to any other person, (a) as a dividend, return of capital or other distribution in respect of our or any of our subsidiaries’ capital stock or other equity interests or (b) provided the Company is in compliance with certain financial performance standards, for the purchase, acquisition, redemption, repurchase, payment or retirement of any capital stock or other equity interest of the Company or of any of our subsidiaries).
Prior to the issuance of a new series of preferred stock, we will amend our restated certificate of incorporation, designating the stock of that series and the terms of that series. The issuance of any preferred stock could adversely affect the rights of the holders of common stock and, therefore, reduce the value of the common stock. The ability of our board of directors to issue preferred stock could discourage, delay or prevent a takeover or other corporate action.
The terms of any particular series of preferred stock will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to that particular series of preferred stock, including, where applicable:
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the designation, stated value and liquidation preference of such preferred stock and the amount of stock offered; |
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the offering price; |
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the dividend rate or rates (or method of calculation), the date or dates from which dividends shall accrue, and whether such dividends shall be cumulative or noncumulative and, if cumulative, the dates from which dividends shall commence to cumulate; |
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any redemption or sinking fund provisions; |
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the amount that shares of such series shall be entitled to receive in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up; |
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the terms and conditions, if any, on which shares of such series shall be convertible or exchangeable for shares of our stock of any other class or classes, or other series of the same class; |
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the voting rights, if any, of shares of such series; |
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the status as to reissuance or sale of shares of such series redeemed, purchased or otherwise reacquired, or surrendered to us upon conversion or exchange; |
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the conditions and restrictions, if any, on the payment of dividends or on the making of other distributions on, or the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by us or any subsidiary, of the common stock or of any other class of our shares ranking junior to the shares of such series as to dividends or upon liquidation; |
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the conditions and restrictions, if any, on the creation of indebtedness by us or by any subsidiary, or on the issuance of any additional stock ranking on a parity with or prior to the shares of such series as to dividends or upon liquidation; and |
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any additional dividend, liquidation, redemption, sinking or retirement fund and other rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions of such preferred stock. |
The description of the terms of a particular series of preferred stock in the applicable prospectus supplement will not be complete. You should refer to the applicable amendment to our restated certificate of incorporation for complete information regarding a series of preferred stock.
The preferred stock will, when issued against payment of the consideration payable therefor, be fully paid and nonassessable. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each series of preferred stock will, upon issuance, rank senior to the common stock and on a parity in all respects with each other outstanding series of preferred stock. The rights of the holders of our preferred stock will be subordinate to that of our general creditors.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
We have summarized below some of the provisions that will apply to the warrants unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the warrants will be contained in the applicable warrant certificate and warrant agreement. These documents have been or will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the warrant certificate and the warrant agreement. You should also read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.
General
We may issue, together with other securities or separately, warrants to purchase debt securities, Class A common stock, Class B common stock, preferred stock or other securities. We may issue the warrants under warrant agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent would act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of the series being offered and would not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following terms, where applicable, of warrants in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:
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the title of the warrants; |
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the designation, amount and terms of the securities for which the warrants are exercisable and the procedures and conditions relating to the exercise of such warrants; |
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the designation and terms of the other securities, if any, with which the warrants are to be issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security; |
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the price or prices at which the warrants will be issued; |
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the aggregate number of warrants; |
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any provisions for adjustment of the number or amount of securities receivable upon exercise of the warrants or the exercise price of the warrants; |
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the price or prices at which the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants may be purchased; |
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if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants will be separately transferable; |
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if applicable, a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the warrants; |
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any other terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants; |
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the date on which the right to exercise the warrants shall commence and the date on which the right shall expire; |
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if applicable, the maximum or minimum number of warrants which may be exercised at any time; |
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the identity of the warrant agent; |
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any mandatory or optional redemption provision; |
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whether the warrants are to be issued in registered or bearer form; |
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whether the warrants are extendible and the period or periods of such extendibility; |
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information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; and |
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any other terms of the warrants. |
Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up or to exercise voting rights, if any.
Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase the amount of such principal amounts of debt securities or such number of shares of Class A common stock, Class B common stock or preferred stock or other securities at the exercise price as will in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void. Warrants may be exercised as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the warrants offered thereby. Upon receipt of payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the purchased securities. If less than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, a new warrant certificate will be issued for the remaining warrants.
Enforceability of Rights of Holders of Warrants
Each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, that holder’s warrant(s).
Modification of the Warrant Agreement
The warrant agreement will permit us and the warrant agent, without the consent of the warrant holders, to supplement or amend the agreement in the following circumstances:
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to cure any ambiguity; |
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to correct or supplement any provision which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions; or |
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to add new provisions regarding matters or questions that we and the warrant agent may deem necessary or desirable and which do not adversely affect the interests of the warrant holders. |
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
We have summarized below some of the provisions that will apply to the debt securities unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the debt securities will be contained in the applicable notes. The notes will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the provisions of the notes. You should also read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information (including a description of the notes) and which may update or change some of the information below.
General
This prospectus describes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities. The debt securities will be issued under an indenture between us and a trustee to be designated prior to the issuance of the debt securities. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of the securities in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also indicate whether the general terms and provisions described in this prospectus apply to a particular series of debt securities.
We may issue, from time to time, debt securities, in one or more series, that will consist of either our senior debt (“senior debt securities”), our senior subordinated debt (“senior subordinated debt securities”), our subordinated debt (“subordinated debt securities”) or our junior subordinated debt (“junior subordinated debt securities” and, together with the senior subordinated debt securities and the subordinated debt securities, the “subordinated securities”), provided, however, that our ability to issue debt securities is limited as a result of certain covenants in our Credit and Security Agreement with KeyBank, which prohibit certain “restricted payments” (defined to include repayments of subordinated indebtedness), and include certain financial covenants with regard to our subordinated indebtedness. Debt securities, whether senior, senior subordinated, subordinated or junior subordinated, may be issued as convertible debt securities or exchangeable debt securities.
We have summarized herein certain terms and provisions of the form of indenture (the “indenture”). The summary is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual text of the indenture. The indenture is an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the indenture for the provisions which may be important to you. The indenture is subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities which we may issue. We may issue debt securities up to an aggregate principal amount as we may authorize from time to time, which securities may be in any currency or currency unit designated by us. The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to (a) a supplemental indenture, (b) a resolution of our board of directors, or (c) an officers’ certificate pursuant to authority granted under a resolution of our board of directors. The prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any debt securities being offered, including:
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the title of the debt securities; |
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the limit, if any, upon the aggregate principal amount or issue price of the debt securities of a series; |
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ranking of the specific series of debt securities relative to other outstanding indebtedness, including any debt of any of our subsidiaries; |
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the price or prices at which the debt securities will be issued; |
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the designation, aggregate principal amount and authorized denominations of the series of debt securities; |
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the issue date or dates of the series and the maturity date of the series; |
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whether the securities will be issued at par or at a premium over or a discount from their face amount; |
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the interest rate, if any, and the method for calculating the interest rate and basis upon which interest shall be calculated; |
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the right, if any, to extend interest payment periods and the duration of the extensions; |
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the interest payment dates and the record dates for the interest payments; |
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any mandatory or optional redemption terms or prepayment, conversion, sinking fund or exchangeability or convertibility provisions; |
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the currency of denomination of the securities; |
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the place where we will pay principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, and the place where the debt securities may be presented for transfer; |
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if payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the debt securities will be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the debt securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to these payments will be determined; |
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if other than denominations of $1,000 or multiples of $1,000, the denominations the debt securities will be issued in; |
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whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of global securities or certificates; |
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the applicability of and additional provisions, if any, relating to the defeasance of the debt securities; |
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the portion of principal amount of the debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the entire principal amount; |
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the currency or currencies, if other than the currency of the United States, in which principal and interest will be paid; |
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the dates on which premium, if any, will be paid; |
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any addition to or change in the “Events of Default” described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities and any change in the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities; |
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any addition to or change in the covenants described in the prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities; |
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our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of this deferral period; and |
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other specific terms, including any additional events of default or covenants. |
We may issue debt securities at a discount below their stated principal amount. Even if we do not issue the debt securities below their stated principal amount, for United States federal income tax purposes the debt securities may be deemed to have been issued with a discount because of certain interest payment characteristics. We will describe in any applicable prospectus supplement the United States federal income tax considerations applicable to debt securities issued at a discount or deemed to be issued at a discount, and will describe any special United States federal income tax considerations that may be applicable to the particular debt securities.
Senior Debt
Senior debt securities will rank equally and pari passu with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt from time to time outstanding. The indenture does not limit our ability to issue senior debt securities.
Subordinated Debt
The indenture does not limit our ability to issue subordinated debt securities. Any subordination provisions of a particular series of debt securities will be set forth in the supplemental indenture, board resolution or officers’ certificate related to that series of debt securities and will be described in the relevant prospectus supplement.
If this prospectus is being delivered in connection with a series of subordinated debt securities, the accompanying prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus will set forth the approximate amount of senior indebtedness outstanding as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter.
Conversion or Exchange Rights
Debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our other securities or property. The terms and conditions of conversion or exchange will be set forth in the supplemental indenture, board resolution or officers’ certificate related to that series of debt securities and will be described in the relevant prospectus supplement. The terms will include, among others, the following:
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the conversion or exchange price; |
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the conversion or exchange period; |
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provisions regarding our ability or the ability of the holder to convert or exchange the debt securities; |
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events requiring adjustment to the conversion or exchange price; and |
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provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of our redemption of the debt securities. |
Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets
The indenture prohibits us from merging into or consolidating with any other person or selling, leasing or conveying substantially all of our assets and the assets of our subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any person, unless:
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either we are the continuing corporation or the successor corporation or the person which acquires by sale, lease or conveyance substantially all of our or our subsidiaries’ assets is a corporation organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia, and expressly assumes the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all the debt securities and the due performance of every covenant of the indenture to be performed or observed by us, by supplemental indenture satisfactory to the trustee, executed and delivered to the trustee by such corporation; |
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immediately after giving effect to such transactions, no Event of Default described under the caption “Events of Default and Remedies” below or event which, after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default, has happened and is continuing; and |
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we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel each stating that such transaction and such supplemental indenture comply with the indenture provisions relating to merger, consolidation and sale of assets. |
Upon any consolidation or merger with or into any other person or any sale, conveyance, lease, or other transfer of all or substantially all of our or our subsidiaries’ assets to any person, the successor person shall succeed, and be substituted for, us under the indenture and each series of outstanding debt securities, and we shall be relieved of all obligations under the indenture and each series of outstanding debt securities to the extent we were the predecessor person.
Events of Default and Remedies
When we use the term “Event of Default” in the indenture with respect to the debt securities of any series, we mean:
(1) default in paying interest on the debt securities when it becomes due and the default continues for a period of 30 days or more;
(2) default in paying principal, or premium, if any, on the debt securities when due;
(3) default is made in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due, and such default continues for 30 days or more;
(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty in the indenture (other than defaults specified in clause (1), (2) or (3) above) and the default or breach continues for a period of 60 days or more after we receive written notice of such default from the trustee or we and the trustee receive notice from the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series;
(5) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, administration or similar proceedings with respect to us have occurred; and
(6) any other Event of Default provided with respect to debt securities of that series that is set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus.
No Event of Default with respect to a particular series of debt securities (except as to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) necessarily constitutes an Event of Default with respect to any other series of debt securities. The occurrence of certain Events of Default or an acceleration under the indenture may constitute an event of default under certain of our other indebtedness that we may have outstanding from time to time. Unless otherwise provided by the terms of an applicable series of debt securities, if an Event of Default under the indenture occurs with respect to the debt securities of any series and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 51% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may by written notice require us to repay immediately the entire principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series (or such lesser amount as may be provided in the terms of the securities), together with all accrued and unpaid interest and premium, if any. In the case of an Event of Default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding debt securities will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder of outstanding debt securities. We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of such discount securities upon the occurrence of an Event of Default.
After a declaration of acceleration, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind this accelerated payment requirement if all existing Events of Default, except for nonpayment of the principal on the debt securities of that series that has become due solely as a result of the accelerated payment requirement, have been cured or waived and if the rescission of acceleration would not conflict with any judgment or decree. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series also have the right to waive past defaults, except a default in paying principal or interest on any outstanding debt security, or in respect of a covenant or a provision that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of all holders of the debt securities of that series.
No holder of any debt security may seek to institute a proceeding with respect to the indenture unless such holder has previously given written notice to the trustee of a continuing Event of Default, the holders of not less than 51% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series have made a written request to the trustee to institute proceedings in respect of the Event of Default, the holder or holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the trustee and the trustee has failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days after it received this notice. In addition, within this 60-day period the trustee must not have received directions inconsistent with this written request by holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series. These limitations do not apply, however, to a suit instituted by a holder of a debt security for the enforcement of the payment of principal, interest or any premium on or after the due dates for such payment.
During the existence of an Event of Default actually known to a responsible officer of the trustee, the trustee is required to exercise the rights and powers vested in it under the indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise as a prudent person would under the circumstances in the conduct of that person’s own affairs. If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the trustee is not under any obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers at the request or direction of any of the holders unless the holders have offered to the trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee. Subject to certain provisions, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust, or power conferred on the trustee.
The trustee will, within 90 days after receiving notice of any default, give notice of the default to the holders of the debt securities of that series, unless the default was already cured or waived. Unless there is a default in paying principal, interest or any premium when due, the trustee can withhold giving notice to the holders if it determines in good faith that the withholding of notice is in the interest of the holders. In the case of a default specified in clause (4) above describing Events of Default, no notice of default to the holders of the debt securities of that series will be given until 60 days after the occurrence of the event of default.
The indenture requires us, within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year, to furnish to the trustee a statement as to compliance with the indenture. The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any series of any Event of Default (except in payment on any debt securities of that series) with respect to debt securities of that series if it in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of those debt securities.
Modification and Waiver
The indenture may be amended or modified without the consent of any holder of debt securities in order to:
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evidence a successor to the trustee; |
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cure ambiguities, defects or inconsistencies; |
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provide for the assumption of our obligations in the case of a merger or consolidation or transfer of all or substantially all of our assets that complies with the covenant described under “— Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets”; |
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make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the holders of the debt securities of a series; |
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add guarantors or co-obligors with respect to the debt securities of any series; |
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secure the debt securities of a series; |
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establish the form or forms of debt securities of any series; |
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add additional Events of Default with respect to the debt securities of any series; |
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add additional provisions as may be expressly permitted by the Trust Indenture Act; |
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maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or |
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make any change that does not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of any holder. |
Other amendments and modifications of the indenture or the debt securities issued may be made with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the amendment or modification. However, no modification or amendment may, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security affected:
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change the maturity date or the stated payment date of any payment of premium or interest payable on the debt securities; |
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reduce the principal amount, or extend the fixed maturity, of the debt securities; |
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change the method of computing the amount of principal or any interest of any debt security; |
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change or waive the redemption or repayment provisions of the debt securities; |
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change the currency in which principal, any premium or interest is paid or the place of payment; |
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reduce the percentage in principal amount outstanding of debt securities of any series which must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver or consent to take any action; |
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impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on the debt securities; |
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waive a payment default with respect to the debt securities; |
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reduce the interest rate or extend the time for payment of interest on the debt securities; |
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adversely affect the ranking or priority of the debt securities of any series; or |
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release any guarantor or co-obligor from any of its obligations under its guarantee or the indenture, except in compliance with the terms of the indenture. |
Satisfaction, Discharge and Covenant Defeasance
We may terminate our obligations under the indenture with respect to the outstanding debt securities of any series, when:
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all debt securities of any series issued that have been authenticated and delivered have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation; or |
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all the debt securities of any series issued that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable, will become due and payable within one year, or are to be called for redemption within one year and we have made arrangements satisfactory to the trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by such trustee in our name and at our expense, and in each case, we have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee sufficient funds to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the series of debt securities; |
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we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums then due and payable under the indenture; and |
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we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent under the indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of the indenture have been complied with. |
We may elect to have our obligations under the indenture discharged with respect to the outstanding debt securities of any series (“legal defeasance”). Legal defeasance means that we will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the outstanding debt securities of such series under the indenture, except for:
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the rights of holders of the debt securities to receive principal, interest and any premium when due; |
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our obligations with respect to the debt securities concerning issuing temporary debt securities, registration of transfer of debt securities, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment for security payments held in trust; |
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the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the trustee; and |
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the defeasance provisions of the indenture. |
In addition, we may elect to have our obligations released with respect to certain covenants in the indenture (“covenant defeasance”). If we so elect, any failure to comply with these obligations will not constitute a default or an event of default with respect to the debt securities of any series. In the event covenant defeasance occurs, certain events, not including non-payment, bankruptcy and insolvency events, described under “Events of Default and Remedies,” will no longer constitute an event of default for that series.
In order to exercise either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to outstanding debt securities of any series:
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we must irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to the benefits of the holders of the debt securities of a series: |
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money in an amount; or |
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U.S. government obligations (or equivalent government obligations in the case of debt securities denominated in other than U.S. dollars or a specified currency) that will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount; or |
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a combination of money and U.S. government obligations (or equivalent government obligations, as applicable), |
in each case sufficient, in the written opinion (with respect to U.S. or equivalent government obligations or a combination of money and U.S. or equivalent government obligations, as applicable) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the trustee to pay and discharge, all of the principal (including mandatory sinking fund payments), interest and any premium at the due date or maturity;
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in the case of legal defeasance, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that, under then applicable federal income tax law, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, defeasance and discharge to be effected and will be subject to the same federal income tax as would be the case if the deposit, defeasance and discharge did not occur; |
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in the case of covenant defeasance, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and covenant defeasance to be effected and will be subject to the same federal income tax as would be the case if the deposit and covenant defeasance did not occur; |
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no event of default or default with respect to the outstanding debt securities of that series has occurred and is continuing at the time of such deposit after giving effect to the deposit or, in the case of legal defeasance, no default relating to bankruptcy or insolvency has occurred and is continuing at any time on or before the 91st day after the date of such deposit, it being understood that this condition is not deemed satisfied until after the 91st day; |
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the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will not cause the trustee to have a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, assuming all debt securities of a series were in default within the meaning of such Act; |
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the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument to which we are a party; |
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if prior to the stated maturity date, notice shall have been given in accordance with the provisions of the indenture; |
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the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless the trust is registered under such Act or exempt from registration; and |
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we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel stating that all conditions precedent with respect to the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance have been complied with. |
Covenants
We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement any restrictive covenants applicable to any issue of debt securities.
Paying Agent and Registrar
The trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar for all debt securities. We may change the paying agent or registrar for any series of debt securities without prior notice, and we or any of our subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.
Forms of Securities
Each debt security will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of the series of debt securities. Certificated securities will be issued in definitive form and global securities will be issued in registered form. Definitive securities name you or your nominee as the owner of the security, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent or other agent, as applicable. Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities represented by these global securities. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each investor’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the investor with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company or other representative, as we have explained more fully below.
Global Securities
We may issue the registered debt securities in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its custodian identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or its nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the registered global security, the nominees of the depositary or any successors of the depositary or those nominees.
If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.
Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities.
So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes under the indenture. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the indenture. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the indenture. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the indenture, the depositary for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.
Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt securities represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. Neither we nor the trustee or any other agent of ours or the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.
We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.
If the depositary for any of these securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depositary. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the trustee or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depositary.
Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus supplement, the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) will act as depositary for each series of debt securities issued as global securities. We understand that DTC is a limited-purpose trust company created to hold securities for its participating organizations (collectively, the “Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of transactions in those securities between Participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its Participants. The Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Access to DTC’s system is also available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant, either directly or indirectly (collectively, the “Indirect Participants”). Persons who are not Participants may beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only through the Participants or the Indirect Participants. The ownership interests in, and transfers of ownership interests in, each security held by or on behalf of DTC are recorded on the records of the Participants and the Indirect Participants.
Governing Law
The indenture and each series of debt securities are governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES
We have summarized below some of the provisions that will apply to depositary shares unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the depositary shares will be contained in the depositary agreement and depositary receipt applicable to any depositary shares. These documents have been or will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the depositary agreement and the depositary receipt. You should also read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.
General
We may offer fractional shares of preferred stock, rather than full shares of preferred stock. If we do so, we may issue receipts for depositary shares that each represents a fraction of a share of a particular series of preferred stock. The prospectus supplement will indicate that fraction. The shares of preferred stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a depositary agreement between us and a bank or trust company that meets certain requirements and is selected by us, which we refer to as the “bank depositary.” Each owner of a depositary share will be entitled to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock represented by the depositary share. The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the depositary agreement. Depositary receipts will be distributed to those persons purchasing the fractional shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms of the offering.
The following summary description of certain common provisions of a depositary agreement and the related depositary receipts and any summary description of the depositary agreement and depositary receipts in the applicable prospectus supplement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to all of the provisions of such depositary agreement and depositary receipts. The forms of the depositary agreement and the depositary receipts relating to any particular issue of depositary shares will be filed with the SEC each time we issue depositary shares, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you.
Dividends and Other Distributions
If we pay a cash distribution or dividend on a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the bank depositary will distribute such dividends to the record holders of such depositary shares. If the distributions are in property other than cash, the bank depositary will distribute the property to the record holders of the depositary shares. However, if the bank depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution of property, the bank depositary may, with our approval, sell such property and distribute the net proceeds from such sale to the record holders of the depositary shares.
Redemption of Depositary Shares
If we redeem a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the bank depositary will redeem the depositary shares from the proceeds received by the bank depositary in connection with the redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will equal the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share of the preferred stock. If fewer than all the depositary shares are redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as the bank depositary may determine.
Voting the Preferred Stock
Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the preferred stock represented by depositary shares are entitled to vote, the bank depositary will mail the notice to the record holder of the depositary shares relating to such preferred stock. Each record holder of these depositary shares on the record date, which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock, may instruct the bank depositary as to how to vote the preferred stock represented by such holder’s depositary shares. The bank depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the amount of the preferred stock represented by such depositary shares in accordance with such instructions, and we will take all action that the bank depositary deems necessary in order to enable the bank depositary to do so. The bank depositary will abstain from voting shares of the preferred stock to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary shares representing such preferred stock.
Amendment and Termination of the Depositary Agreement
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement or required by law, the form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the depositary agreement may be amended by agreement between the bank depositary and us. The depositary agreement may be terminated by the bank depositary or us only if:
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all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed, or |
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there has been a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock in connection with the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our company, and such distribution has been distributed to the holders of depositary receipts. |
Charges of Bank Depositary
We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay charges of the bank depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary receipts will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and any other charges, including a fee for the withdrawal of shares of preferred stock upon surrender of depositary receipts, as are expressly provided in the depositary agreement for their accounts.
Withdrawal of Preferred Stock
Except as may be provided otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, upon surrender of depositary receipts at the principal office of the bank depositary, subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, the owner of the depositary shares may demand delivery of the number of whole shares of preferred stock and all money and other property, if any, represented by those depositary shares. Partial or fractional shares of preferred stock will not be issued. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holders evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of whole shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the bank depositary will deliver to such holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. Holders of preferred stock thus withdrawn may not thereafter deposit those shares under the depositary agreement or receive depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares therefor.
Miscellaneous
The bank depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts all reports and communications from us that are delivered to the bank depositary and that we are required to furnish to the holders of the preferred stock.
Neither the bank depositary nor we will be liable if we are prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control in performing our obligations under the depositary agreement. The obligations of the bank depositary and us under the depositary agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of our duties thereunder, and we will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or upon information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.
Resignation and Removal of Bank Depositary
The bank depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may at any time remove the bank depositary. Any such resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor bank depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. The successor bank depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company meeting the requirements of the depositary agreement.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date. The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:
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the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
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any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; |
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the terms of the unit agreement governing the units; |
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United States federal income tax considerations relevant to the units; and |
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whether the units will be issued in fully registered global form. |
This summary of certain general terms of units and any summary description of units in the applicable prospectus supplement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to all provisions of the applicable unit agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to such units. The forms of the unit agreements and other documents relating to a particular issue of units will be filed with the SEC each time we issue units, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Initial Offering and Sale of Securities
Unless otherwise set forth in a prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus, we may sell the securities being offered hereby, from time to time, by one or more of the following methods:
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to or through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters; |
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through one or more underwriters without a syndicate for them to offer and sell to the public; |
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through dealers or agents; and |
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to investors directly in negotiated sales or in competitively bid transactions. |
Offerings of securities covered by this prospectus also may be made into an existing trading market for those securities in transactions at other than a fixed price, either:
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on or through the facilities of the NASDAQ or any other securities exchange or quotation or trading service on which those securities may be listed, quoted, or traded at the time of sale; and/or |
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to or through a market maker otherwise than on the securities exchanges or quotation or trading services set forth above. |
Those at-the-market offerings, if any, will be conducted by underwriters acting as principal or agent of the Company, who may also be third-party sellers of securities as described above. The prospectus supplement with respect to the offered securities will set forth the terms of the offering of the offered securities, including:
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the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents; |
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the purchase price of the offered securities and the proceeds to us from such sale; |
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any underwriting discounts and commissions or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation; |
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any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and |
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any securities exchange on which such offered securities may be listed. |
Any underwriter, agent or dealer involved in the offer and sale of any series of the securities will be named in the prospectus supplement.
The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions:
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at fixed prices, which may be changed; |
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at market prices prevailing at the time of the sale; |
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at varying prices determined at the time of sale; or |
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at negotiated prices. |
Each prospectus supplement will set forth the manner and terms of an offering of securities including:
● whether that offering is being made by us, or certain holders of our securities;
● whether that offering is being made to underwriters or through agents or directly;
● the rules and procedures for any auction or bidding process, if used;
● the securities’ purchase price or initial public offering price; and
● the proceeds we anticipate from the sale of the securities, if any.
In addition, we may enter into derivative or hedging transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement so indicates, in connection with such a transaction, the third parties may sell securities covered by and pursuant to this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle such sales and may use securities received from us to close out any related short positions. We may also loan or pledge securities covered by this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement to third parties, who may sell the loaned securities or, in the event of a default in the case of a pledge, sell the pledged securities pursuant to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement.
Sales Through Underwriters
If underwriters are used in the sale of some or all of the securities covered by this prospectus, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities, either directly to the public or to securities dealers, at various times in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions. Unless indicated otherwise in a prospectus supplement, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities of the series offered if any of the securities are purchased.
Any initial public offering price and any concessions allowed or reallowed to dealers may be changed intermittently.
Sales Through Agents
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, when securities are sold through an agent, the designated agent will agree, for the period of its appointment as agent, to use its best efforts to sell the securities for our account and will receive commissions from us as will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Securities bought in accordance with a redemption or repayment under their terms also may be offered and sold, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing by one or more firms acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreement, if any, with us and its compensation will be described in the prospectus supplement. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters in connection with the securities remarketed by them.
If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers by certain specified institutions to purchase securities at a price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date specified in the prospectus supplement. These contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commissions payable for solicitation of these contracts.
Direct Sales
We may also sell offered securities directly to institutional investors or others. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. The terms of such sales will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
General Information
Broker-dealers, agents or underwriters may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from us and/or the purchasers of securities for whom such broker-dealers, agents or underwriters may act as agents or to whom they sell as principal, or both (this compensation to a particular broker-dealer may be in excess of customary commissions).
Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in any distribution of the offered securities may be deemed “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act; so, any discounts or commissions they receive in connection with the distribution may be deemed to be underwriting compensation. Those underwriters and agents may be entitled, under their agreements with us, to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution by us to payments that they may be required to make in respect of those civil liabilities. Certain of those underwriters or agents may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business. We will identify any underwriters or agents, and describe their compensation, in a prospectus supplement. Any institutional investors or others that purchase offered securities directly, and then resell the securities, may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of the securities by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act.
We will file a supplement to this prospectus, if required, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, if we enter into any material arrangement with a broker, dealer, agent or underwriter for the sale of securities through a block trade, special offering, exchange distribution or secondary distribution or a purchase by a broker or dealer. Such prospectus supplement will disclose:
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the name of any participating broker, dealer, agent or underwriter; |
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the number and type of securities involved; |
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the price at which such securities were sold; |
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any securities exchanges on which such securities may be listed; |
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the commissions paid or discounts or concessions allowed to any such broker, dealer, agent or underwriter where applicable; and |
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other facts material to the transaction. |
In order to facilitate the offering of certain securities under this prospectus or an applicable prospectus supplement, certain persons participating in the offering of those securities may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of those securities during and after the offering of those securities. Specifically, if the applicable prospectus supplement permits, the underwriters of those securities may over-allot or otherwise create a short position in those securities for their own account by selling more of those securities than have been sold to them by us and may elect to cover any such short position by purchasing those securities in the open market.
In addition, the underwriters may stabilize or maintain the price of those securities by bidding for or purchasing those securities in the open market and may impose penalty bids, under which selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other broker-dealers participating in the offering are reclaimed if securities previously distributed in the offering are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions or otherwise. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. The imposition of a penalty bid may also affect the price of securities to the extent that it discourages resales of the securities. No representation is made as to the magnitude or effect of any such stabilization or other transactions. Such transactions, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the securities must be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states the securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 generally requires that trades in the secondary market settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Your prospectus supplement may provide that the original issue date for your securities may be more than two scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities. Accordingly, in such a case, if you wish to trade securities on any date prior to the second business day before the original issue date for your securities, you will be required, by virtue of the fact that your securities initially are expected to settle in more than two scheduled business days after the trade date for your securities, to make alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
This prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable pricing supplement in electronic format may be made available on the Internet sites of, or through other online services maintained by, us and/or one or more of the agents and/or dealers participating in an offering of securities, or by their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may be able to view offering terms online and, depending upon the particular agent or dealer, prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online.
Other than this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable pricing supplement in electronic format, the information on our or any agent’s or dealer’s website and any information contained in any other website maintained by any agent or dealer:
● is not part of this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable pricing supplement or the registration statement of which they form a part;
● has not been approved or endorsed by us or by any agent or dealer in its capacity as an agent or dealer, except, in each case, with respect to the respective website maintained by such entity; and
● should not be relied upon by investors.
There can be no assurance that we will sell all or any of the securities offered by this prospectus.
This prospectus may also be used in connection with any issuance of Class A common stock, Class B common stock or preferred stock upon exercise of a warrant if such issuance is not exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders. In some cases, we or dealers acting with us or on our behalf may also purchase securities and reoffer them to the public by one or more of the methods described above. This prospectus may be used in connection with any offering of our securities through any of these methods or other methods described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we have filed with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Any information that we file subsequently with the SEC will automatically update this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the information contained in the documents listed below, which is considered to be a part of this prospectus:
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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 25, 2020;
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our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on May 8, 2020;
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our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 14, 2020 (amending a filing made on December 9, 2019), February 18, 2020, February 20, 2020, March 16, 2020, April 2, 2020, May 1, 2020, May 20, 2020 and June 12, 2020 (except for the disclosures made under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any such Current Report on Form 8-K, including the related exhibits, which are deemed furnished, and not filed, in accordance with the SEC’s regulations);
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our proxy statement for our 2020 annual meeting of shareholders, filed with the SEC on April 9, 2020, as supplemented by Definitive Additional Materials filed on May 8, 2020, May 15, 2020 and May 26, 2020; and
|
|
● |
the description of our Class B common stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on July 7, 1998 pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and any further amendment or report filed thereafter for the purpose of updating such description. |
We also incorporate by reference all documents we file under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (a) after the initial filing date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and before the effectiveness of the registration statement and (b) after the effectiveness of the registration statement and before the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that the securities offered by this prospectus have been sold or that deregisters the securities covered by this prospectus then remaining unsold. The most recent information that we file with the SEC automatically updates and supersedes older information. The information contained in any such filing will be deemed to be a part of this prospectus, commencing on the date on which the document is filed.
You may request a copy of the information incorporated by reference, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address:
Bel Fuse Inc.
Attention: Craig Brosious
Vice President of Finance, Treasurer and Secretary
206 Van Vorst Street
Jersey City, New Jersey 07302
(201) 432-0463
LEGAL MATTERS
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Lowenstein Sandler LLP, Roseland, New Jersey. If the validity of the securities offered hereby in connection with offerings made pursuant to this prospectus are passed upon by counsel for the underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, such counsel will be named in the prospectus supplement relating to such offering.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and the effectiveness of Bel Fuse Inc.'s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3, including exhibits, under the Securities Act with respect to the securities being offered under this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement. This prospectus contains descriptions of certain agreements or documents that are exhibits to the registration statement. The statements as to the contents of such exhibits, however, are brief descriptions and are not necessarily complete, and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to such agreement or document. For further information about us, please refer to the registration statement and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The SEC’s website contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding issuers, such as Bel Fuse Inc., that file electronically with the SEC. We make available free of charge through our web site our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, Proxy Statements on Schedule 14A and all amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our website address is http://www.belfuse.com. Please note that our website address is provided as an inactive textual reference only. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, and is therefore not incorporated by reference unless such information is otherwise specifically referenced elsewhere in this prospectus or the prospectus supplement.
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. No one has been authorized to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, as well as information we filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the date of those documents only. Our business, financial condition and results of operations described in those documents may have changed since those dates.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
|
Item 14. |
Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution. |
Expenses payable in connection with the registration and distribution of the securities being registered hereunder, all of which will be borne by the Registrant, are as follows. All amounts are estimates, except the Commission registration fee.
|
Registration Statement filing fee |
$ | 18,172 |
* |
|
|
Printing fees |
0 | |||
|
Legal fees and expenses |
45,000 | |||
|
Accounting fees and expenses |
25,000 | |||
|
Miscellaneous |
1,828 | |||
|
Total |
$ | 100,000 |
*Of this amount, $1,414 was previously paid.
The amounts set forth above do not include expenses of preparing and printing any accompanying prospectus supplements, listing fees, trustee fees and expenses, warrant or unit agent fees and expenses, transfer agent fees and other expenses related to offerings of particular securities from time to time. Estimated fees and expenses associated with future offerings will be provided in the applicable prospectus supplement.
|
Item 15. |
Indemnification of Directors and Officers. |
Subsection (2) of Section 3-5,Title 14A of the New Jersey Business Corporation Act empowers a corporation to indemnify a corporate agent who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) against reasonable costs (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. For purposes of the New Jersey Business Corporation Act, a “corporate agent” means any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or a person serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise.
Subsection (3) of Section 3-5 empowers a corporation to indemnify a corporate agent against reasonable costs (including attorneys' fees) incurred by him in connection with any proceeding by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor which involves such corporate agent by reason of the fact that he is or was a corporate agent if he acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification may be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Superior Court of New Jersey or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine that despite the adjudication of liability, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.
Subsection (4) of Section 3-5 provides that to the extent that a corporate agent has been successful in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (2) and (3) or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by him in connection therewith.
Subsection (5) of Section 3-5 provides that a corporation may indemnify a corporate agent in a specific case if it is determined that indemnification is proper because the corporate agent met the applicable standard of conduct, and such determination is made by any of the following: (a) the board of directors or a committee thereof, acting by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of disinterested directors; (b) independent legal counsel, if there is no quorum of disinterested directors or if the disinterested directors empowers counsel to make the determination; or (c) the shareholders.
Subsection (8) of Section 3-5 provides that the indemnification provisions in the law shall not exclude any other rights to indemnification that a director or officer may be entitled to under a provision of the certificate of incorporation, a by-law, an agreement, a vote of shareholders, or otherwise. That subsection explicitly permits indemnification for liabilities and expenses incurred in proceedings brought by or in the right of the corporation (derivative proceedings). The only limit on indemnification of directors and officers imposed by that subsection is that a corporation may not indemnify a director or officer if a judgment has established that the director's or officer's acts or omissions were a breach of his or her duty of loyalty, not in good faith, involved a knowing violation of the law, or resulted in receipt by the corporate agent of an improper personal benefit.
Subsection (9) of Section 3-5 provides that a corporation is empowered to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of a director or officer against any expenses or liabilities incurred in any proceeding by reason of that person being or having been a director or officer, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify that person against expenses and liabilities under other provisions of the law.
The Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, contains the following provisions:
“ARTICLE XIII Every person who is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or any such person who serves or served in any similar capacity with any other enterprise at the request of the Corporation, shall be indemnified by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law against all expenses and liabilities reasonably incurred by or imposed upon him in connection with any proceeding to which he may be made, or threatened to be made, a party, or in which he may become involved by reason of his being or having been a director or officer of the Corporation, or of serving or having served such other enterprise in such capacity, whether or not he is a director or officer of the Corporation, or continues to serve such other enterprise in such capacity, at the time the expenses or liabilities are incurred.”
“ARTICLE XIV So long as permitted by law, no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its shareholders for damages for breach of any duty owed by such person to the Corporation or its shareholders; provided, however, that this Article XIV shall not relieve any person from liability to the extent provided by applicable law for any breach of duty based upon an act or omission (a) in breach of such person's duty or loyalty to the Corporation or its shareholders, (b) not in good faith or involving a knowing violation of law or (c) resulting in receipt by such person of an improper personal benefit. No amendment to or repeal of this Article XIV and no amendment, repeal or termination of effectiveness of any law authorizing this Article XIV shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any director for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such amendment, repeal or termination of effectiveness.”
“ARTICLE XV So long as permitted by law, no senior officer of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its shareholders for damages for breach of any duty owed by such person to the Corporation or its shareholders; provided, however, that this Article XV shall not relieve any person from liability to the extent provided by applicable law for any breach of duty based upon an act or omission (a) in breach of such person's duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its shareholders, (b) not in good faith or involving a knowing violation of law or (c) resulting in receipt by such person of an improper personal benefit. No amendment to or repeal of this Article XV and no amendment, repeal or termination of effectiveness of any law authorizing this Article XV shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or alleged liability of any senior officer for or with respect to any acts or omissions of such senior officer occurring prior to such amendment, repeal or termination of effectiveness. For purposes of this Article XV, the term ‘senior officer’ shall mean the President and any Vice President of the Corporation.”
|
Item 16. |
List of Exhibits. |
|
Exhibit Number |
|
Description |
||
|
1.1 |
|
Form of Underwriting Agreement for Class A common stock* |
|
|
|
1.2 |
Form of Underwriting Agreement for Class B common stock* |
|||
|
1.3 |
|
Form of Underwriting Agreement for preferred stock* |
|
|
|
1.4 |
|
Form of Underwriting Agreement for debt securities* |
|
|
|
4.1 |
|
Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, is incorporated by reference to (i) Registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed as Exhibit 3.1 of Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 1998 and (ii) Certificate of Amendment to Registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed as Exhibit 3.1 of Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999 |
|
|
|
4.2 |
|
Registrant's By-laws, as amended and restated on March 27, 2020, are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 2, 2020 |
|
|
|
4.3 |
Form of certificate of amendment of the Registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, with respect to any preferred stock issued hereunder* |
|
||
|
4.4 |
Form of stock certificate evidencing ownership of Class A Common Stock* |
|||
|
4.5 |
|
Form of stock certificate evidencing ownership of Class B Common Stock, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on July 7, 1998 |
|
|
|
4.6 |
|
Form of Warrant Agreement* |
|
|
|
4.7 |
|
Form of Warrant Certificate (to be included in Exhibit 4.6)* |
|
|
|
4.8 |
|
Specimen of Preferred Stock Certificate* |
|
|
|
4.9 |
|
Specimen of Debt Security* |
|
|
|
4.10 |
|
Form of Trust Indenture** |
|
|
|
4.11 |
|
Form of Depositary Agreement* |
|
|
|
4.12 |
|
Form of Depositary Receipt (to be included in Exhibit 4.11)* |
|
|
|
4.13 |
|
Form of Unit Agreement* |
|
|
|
5.1 |
|
Opinion of Lowenstein Sandler LLP** |
|
|
|
23.1 |
|
Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP** |
|
|
|
23.2 |
|
Consent of Lowenstein Sandler LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) |
|
|
|
24.1 |
|
Power of Attorney** |
|
|
|
25.1 |
|
Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of the Trustee under the Indenture*** |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
* |
|
To be filed subsequently by an amendment to the Registration Statement or by a Current Report on Form 8-K of the Registrant that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or any such amendment. |
|
** |
|
Filed herewith. |
|
*** |
|
To be filed subsequently pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
|
|
Item 17. |
Undertakings. |
|
(a) |
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
|
|
(1) |
To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
|
|
(i) |
to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
|
|
(ii) |
to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and |
|
|
(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if this registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
|
|
(2) |
That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
|
|
(3) |
To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
(i) If the registrant is relying on Rule 430B:
|
(A) |
Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
|
|
(B) |
Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
|
(ii) |
If the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use. |
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
|
(i) |
any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
|
|
|
|
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|
(ii) |
any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(iii) |
the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(iv) |
any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
|
|
(b) |
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
|
(c)
|
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
||
|
(d) |
If this registration statement is permitted by Rule 430A, the registrant undertakes that:
(i) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b) (1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(ii) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
||
|
(e) |
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (“Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under section 305(b)2 of the Act. |
||
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Jersey City, State of New Jersey, on the 15th day of June, 2020.
BEL FUSE INC.
By:/s/ Daniel Bernstein
Daniel Bernstein
President and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
|
Signatures |
|
Title |
|
Date |
||
|
/s/ Daniel Bernstein |
|
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
June 15, 2020 |
||
|
Daniel Bernstein |
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||
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|
||||
|
*/s/Thomas E. Dooley |
|
Director |
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June 15, 2020 |
||
|
Thomas E. Dooley |
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|||||
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|
|
||||
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*/s/ Peter Gilbert |
|
Director |
|
June 15, 2020 |
||
|
Peter Gilbert |
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|
|
|
||
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|
||||
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*/s/ Eric Nowling |
|
Director |
|
June 15, 2020 |
||
|
Eric Nowling |
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|
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||
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|
||||
|
*/s/ Mark Segall |
|
Director |
|
June 15, 2020 |
||
|
Mark Segall |
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|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
||||
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*/s/ Rita V. Smith |
|
Director |
|
June 15, 2020 |
||
|
Rita V. Smith |
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|
|
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||
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|
|
|
||||
|
*/s/ John F. Tweedy |
|
Director |
|
June 15, 2020 |
||
|
John F. Tweedy |
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|
|
|
||
| */s/ Vincent Vellucci | Director | June 15, 2020 | ||||
|
Vincent Vellucci |
||||||
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|
|
|
||||
|
*/s/ Craig Brosious |
|
Vice President of Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) |
|
June 15, 2020 |
||
|
Craig Brosious |
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||
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||||
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||||
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||||
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*By: |
|
/s/ Daniel Bernstein |
||||
|
|
|
Daniel Bernstein |
||||
|
|
|
Attorney-in-Fact
|
||||
EXHIBIT INDEX
|
Exhibit Number |
|
Description |
||
|
1.1 |
|
Form of Underwriting Agreement for Class A common stock* |
|
|
|
1.2 |
Form of Underwriting Agreement for Class B common stock* |
|||
|
1.3 |
|
Form of Underwriting Agreement for preferred stock* |
|
|
|
1.4 |
|
Form of Underwriting Agreement for debt securities* |
|
|
|
4.1 |
|
Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, is incorporated by reference to (i) Registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed as Exhibit 3.1 of Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 1998 and (ii) Certificate of Amendment to Registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed as Exhibit 3.1 of Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999 |
|
|
|
4.2 |
|
Registrant's By-laws, as amended and restated on March 27, 2020, are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 2, 2020 |
|
|
|
4.3 |
Form of certificate of amendment of the Registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, with respect to any preferred stock issued hereunder* |
|
||
|
4.4 |
Form of stock certificate evidencing ownership of Class A Common Stock* |
|||
|
4.5 |
|
Form of stock certificate evidencing ownership of Class B Common Stock, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on July 7, 1998 |
|
|
|
4.6 |
|
Form of Warrant Agreement* |
|
|
|
4.7 |
|
Form of Warrant Certificate (to be included in Exhibit 4.6)* |
|
|
|
4.8 |
|
Specimen of Preferred Stock Certificate* |
|
|
|
4.9 |
|
Specimen of Debt Security* |
|
|
|
4.10 |
|
Form of Trust Indenture** |
|
|
|
4.11 |
|
Form of Depositary Agreement* |
|
|
|
4.12 |
|
Form of Depositary Receipt (to be included in Exhibit 4.11)* |
|
|
|
4.13 |
|
Form of Unit Agreement* |
|
|
|
5.1 |
|
Opinion of Lowenstein Sandler LLP** |
|
|
|
23.1 |
|
Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP** |
|
|
|
23.2 |
|
Consent of Lowenstein Sandler LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) |
|
|
|
24.1 |
|
Power of Attorney** |
|
|
|
25.1 |
|
Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of the Trustee under the Indenture*** |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
* |
|
To be filed subsequently by an amendment to the Registration Statement or by a Current Report on Form 8-K of the Registrant that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or any such amendment. |
|
** |
|
Filed herewith. |
|
*** |
|
To be filed subsequently pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
|
Exhibit 4.10
BEL FUSE INC.
and
_______________________________, as Trustee
INDENTURE
Dated as of ___________, 20__
Providing for the Issuance of Debt Securities
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*
|
Trust Indenture |
||
|
Act Section |
Indenture Section |
|
|
310 |
(a)(1) |
N.A. |
|
(a)(2) |
6.13 |
|
|
(a)(3) |
6.13 |
|
|
(a)(4) |
N.A. |
|
|
(a)(5) |
7.01 |
|
|
(b) |
7.02 |
|
|
(c) |
7.02 |
|
|
311 |
(a) |
7.03 |
|
(b) |
7.03 |
|
|
(c) |
7.03 |
|
|
312 |
(a) |
7.03 |
|
(b) |
7.04; 1.02 |
|
|
(c) |
1.02 |
|
|
313 |
(a) |
1.02 |
|
(b)(2) |
N.A. |
|
|
(c) |
1.02 |
|
|
(d) |
N.A. |
|
|
314 |
(a) |
6.01 |
|
(c)(1) |
6.02; 1.06 |
|
|
(c)(2) |
6.01 |
|
|
(c)(3) |
6.01 |
|
|
(e) |
5.14 |
|
|
(f) |
1.01 |
|
|
315 |
(a) |
5.12 |
|
(b) |
5.02 |
|
|
(c) |
N.A. |
|
|
(d) |
5.08 |
|
|
(e) |
3.07 |
|
|
316 |
(a)(last sentence) |
5.03 |
|
(a)(1)(A) |
5.04 |
|
|
(a)(1)(B) |
4.06 |
|
|
(a)(2) |
1.07 |
|
|
(b) |
N.A. |
|
|
(c) |
1.07 |
|
N.A. means not applicable
* This Cross-Reference Table is not part of the Indenture.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION |
|||
|
Section 1.01 |
Definitions |
1 | |
|
Section 1.02 |
Officers’ Certificates and Opinions |
6 | |
|
Section 1.03 |
Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee |
6 | |
|
Section 1.04 |
Acts of Securityholders. |
6 | |
|
Section 1.05 |
Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company |
7 | |
|
Section 1.06 |
Notice To Securityholders; Waiver |
7 | |
|
Section 1.07 |
Conflict with Trust Indenture Act |
8 | |
|
Section 1.08 |
Effect of Headings and Table of Contents |
8 | |
|
Section 1.09 |
Successors and Assigns |
8 | |
|
Section 1.10 |
Separability Clause |
8 | |
|
Section 1.11 |
Benefits of Indenture |
8 | |
|
Section 1.12 |
Governing Law |
8 | |
|
Section 1.13 |
Counterparts |
8 | |
|
Section 1.14 |
Judgment Currency |
8 | |
|
Section 1.15 |
Legal Holidays |
9 | |
|
Section 1.16 |
No Recourse |
9 | |
|
ARTICLE II SECURITY FORMS |
|||
|
Section 2.01 |
Forms Generally |
9 | |
|
Section 2.02 |
Forms of Securities |
9 | |
|
Section 2.03 |
Securities in Global Form |
10 | |
|
Section 2.04 |
Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication |
10 | |
|
ARTICLE III THE SECURITIES |
|||
|
Section 3.01 |
General Title; General Limitations; Issuable in Series; Terms of Particular Series. |
10 | |
|
Section 3.02 |
Denominations and Currency |
13 | |
|
Section 3.03 |
Execution, Authentication and Delivery, and Dating |
13 | |
|
Section 3.04 |
Temporary Securities |
14 | |
|
Section 3.05 |
Registration, Transfer and Exchange |
15 | |
|
Section 3.06 |
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities |
16 | |
|
Section 3.07 |
Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved |
17 | |
|
Section 3.08 |
Persons Deemed Owners |
18 | |
|
Section 3.09 |
Cancellation. |
18 | |
|
Section 3.10 |
Computation of Interest |
18 | |
|
ARTICLE IV SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE |
|||
|
Section 4.01 |
Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture |
18 | |
|
Section 4.02 |
Discharge and Defeasance |
19 | |
|
Section 4.03 |
Covenant Defeasance |
20 | |
|
Section 4.04 |
Conditions To Defeasance Or Covenant Defeasance |
20 | |
|
Section 4.05 |
Application of Trust Money; Excess Funds |
21 | |
|
Section 4.06 |
Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held |
21 | |
|
Section 4.07 |
Return of Unclaimed Amounts |
22 | |
|
ARTICLE V ARTICLE V REMEDIES |
|||
|
Section 5.01 |
Events of Default |
22 | |
|
Section 5.02 |
Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission, and Annulment |
23 | |
|
Section 5.03 |
Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee |
23 | |
|
Section 5.04 |
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim |
24 | |
|
Section 5.05 |
Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities |
24 | |
|
Section 5.06 |
Application of Money Collected |
25 | |
|
Section 5.07 |
Limitation on Suits |
25 | |
|
Section 5.08 |
Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Receive Principal, Premium, and Interest |
25 | |
|
Section 5.09 |
Restoration of Rights and Remedies |
25 | |
|
Section 5.10 |
Rights and Remedies Cumulative |
25 | |
|
Section 5.11 |
Delay or Omission Not a Waiver |
26 | |
|
Section 5.12 |
Control by Securityholders |
26 | |
|
Section 5.13 |
Waiver of Past Defaults |
26 | |
|
Section 5.14 |
Undertaking for Costs |
26 | |
|
Section 5.15 |
Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws |
26 | |
|
ARTICLE VI THE TRUSTEE |
|||
|
Section 6.01 |
Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee. |
27 | |
|
Section 6.02 |
Notice of Defaults |
27 | |
|
Section 6.03 |
Certain Rights of Trustee |
28 | |
|
Section 6.04 |
Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities |
28 | |
|
Section 6.05 |
May Hold Securities |
28 | |
|
Section 6.06 |
Money Held in Trust |
28 | |
|
Section 6.07 |
Compensation and Reimbursement |
28 | |
|
Section 6.08 |
Disqualification; Conflicting Interests |
29 | |
|
Section 6.09 |
Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility |
29 | |
|
Section 6.10 |
Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. |
29 | |
|
Section 6.11 |
Acceptance of Appointment by Successor |
30 | |
|
Section 6.12 |
Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business |
31 |
|
|
Section 6.13 |
Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company |
31 | |
|
Section 6.14 |
Appointment of Authenticating Agent |
31 | |
|
ARTICLE VII SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY |
|||
|
Section 7.01 |
Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders |
32 | |
|
Section 7.02 |
Preservation of Information; Communications to Securityholders. |
33 | |
|
Section 7.03 |
Reports by Trustee. |
33 | |
|
Section 7.04 |
Reports by Company |
34 | |
|
ARTICLE VIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER |
|||
|
Section 8.01 |
Company May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms |
34 | |
|
Section 8.02 |
Successor Corporation Substituted |
35 | |
|
ARTICLE IX SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES |
|||
|
Section 9.01 |
Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders |
35 | |
|
Section 9.02 |
Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders |
36 | |
|
Section 9.03 |
Execution of Supplemental Indentures |
37 | |
|
Section 9.04 |
Effect of Supplemental Indentures |
37 | |
|
Section 9.05 |
Conformity With Trust Indenture Act |
37 | |
|
Section 9.06 |
Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures |
37 | |
|
ARTICLE X COVENANTS |
|||
|
Section 10.01 |
Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest |
37 | |
|
Section 10.02 |
Maintenance of Office or Agency |
37 | |
|
Section 10.03 |
Money or Security Payments to Be Held in Trust |
38 | |
|
Section 10.04 |
Certificate to Trustee |
38 | |
|
Section 10.05 |
Corporate Existence |
38 | |
|
ARTICLE XI REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES |
|||
|
Section 11.01 |
Applicability of Article |
38 | |
|
Section 11.02 |
Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee |
39 | |
|
Section 11.03 |
Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed |
39 | |
|
Section 11.04 |
Notice of Redemption |
39 | |
|
Section 11.05 |
Deposit of Redemption Price |
40 | |
|
Section 11.06 |
Securities Payable on Redemption Date |
40 | |
|
Section 11.07 |
Securities Redeemed in Part |
40 | |
|
Section 11.08 |
Provisions with Respect to any Sinking Funds |
40 | |
|
ARTICLE XII REPAYMENT AT OPTION OF HOLDERS |
|||
|
Section 12.01 |
Applicability of Article |
41 | |
|
Section 12.02 |
Repayment of Securities |
41 | |
|
Section 12.03 |
Exercise of Option |
41 | |
|
Section 12.04 |
When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable |
42 | |
|
Section 12.05 |
Securities Repaid in Part |
42 | |
THIS INDENTURE, by and between Bel Fuse Inc., a New Jersey corporation having its principal office at 206 Van Vorst Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302, and, [ ], a [ ], as trustee (hereinafter called the “Trustee”), is made and entered into as of this [ ] day of [ ], 20[ ].
Recitals of the Company
The Company (as hereinafter defined) has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of its unsecured debentures, notes, bonds, and other evidences of indebtedness, to be issued in one or more fully registered series.
All steps necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been completed.
Agreements of the Parties
To set forth or to provide for the establishment of the terms and conditions upon which the Securities (as hereinafter defined) are and are to be authenticated, issued, and delivered, and in consideration of the premises thereof, and the purchase of Securities by the Holders (as hereinafter defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed as follows, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders from time to time of the Securities or of any series thereof, as the case may be:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
Section 1.01 Definitions. For all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;
(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act (as hereinafter defined), either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;
(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term “generally accepted accounting principles” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date of such computation;
(d) all references in this instrument to designated “Articles”, “Sections” and other subdivisions are to the designated Articles, Sections and other subdivisions of this instrument as originally executed. The words “herein”, “hereof”, and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section, or other subdivision; and
(e) the following terms will have the meanings set forth below:
“Act”, when used with respect to any Securityholder (as hereinafter defined), has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.
“Affiliate” of any specified Person (as hereinafter defined) means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
“Authenticating Agent” means any Person authorized by the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series under Section 6.14.
“Authentication Order” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03.
“Board of Directors” means (i) the board of directors of the Company, (ii) any duly authorized committee of that board, or (iii) any officer, director, or authorized representative of the Company, in each case duly authorized by such Board to act hereunder.
“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any capital stock (including preferred stock), shares, interests, participations or other ownership interests (however designated) of such Person and any rights (other than debt securities convertible or exchangeable for corporate stock), warrants or options to purchase any thereof.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties on such date.
“Company” means Bel Fuse Inc, a New Jersey corporation, unless and until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor corporation.
“Company Request”, “Company Order”, and “Company Consent” mean, respectively, a written request, order, or consent signed in the name of the Company by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, the treasurer, the controller, or by any other officer or officers of the Company pursuant to an applicable Board Resolution, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at [ ].
“corporation” means a corporation, association, company, joint-stock company, limited liability company or business trust.
“Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 4.03.
“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.
“Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02.
“Depositary” means with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, the Person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 3.01, unless and until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the “Depositary” with respect to the Securities of that series.
“Equivalent Government Securities” means, in relation to Securities denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, securities of the government that issued the currency in which such Securities are denominated or securities of government agencies backed by the full faith and credit of such government.
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Article 5.
“Holder”, “Securityholder” and “Holder of Securities” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register (as hereinafter defined).
“Indebtedness” with respect to any Person means (1) any liability of such Person (a) for borrowed money, or (b) evidenced by a bond, note, debenture or similar instrument (including purchase money obligations but excluding Trade Payables (as hereinafter defined)), or (c) for the payment of money relating to a lease that is required to be classified as a capitalized (or finance) lease obligation in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (2) mandatorily redeemable preferred or preference stock of a Subsidiary (as hereinafter defined) held by Persons other than the Company or a Subsidiary; (3) any liability of others described in the preceding clause (1) that such Person has guaranteed, that is recourse to such Person or that is otherwise such Person’s legal liability; and (4) any amendment, supplement, modification, deferral, renewal, extension or refunding of any liability of the types referred to in clauses (1), (2) and (3) above.
“Indenture” or “this Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of any particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01.
“Interest Payment Date”, when used with respect to any series of Securities, means any date on which an installment of interest on those Securities is scheduled to be paid.
“Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal amount outstanding under such Security or an installment of principal amount outstanding under such Security becomes due and payable, as therein or herein provided, whether on the Scheduled Maturity Date (as hereinafter defined), by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, or otherwise.
“New York Business Day” means (except, with respect to any particular series of Securities, as may be otherwise provided in the form of such Securities) any day other than a Saturday or Sunday that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law, regulation, or executive order to be closed.
“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by any two of the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president, any vice president, the treasurer or by any other officer or officers of the Company pursuant to an applicable Board Resolution, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel to the Company, which counsel may be an employee of the Company or other counsel who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.
“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which is initially sold at a discount from the principal amount thereof and the terms of which provide that upon redemption or acceleration of the Maturity thereof, an amount less than the principal amount thereof would become due and payable.
“Outstanding”, when used with respect to any particular Securities or to the Securities of any particular series means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:
(a) such Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered by the Company to the Trustee for cancellation;
(b) such Securities, or portions thereof, for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent (as hereinafter defined) other than the Company, or, if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent, has been set aside and segregated in trust by the Company; provided, in any case, that if such Securities are to be redeemed prior to their Scheduled Maturity Date, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made; and
(c) such Securities in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, or which shall have been paid, in each case, pursuant to the terms of Section 3.06 (except with respect to any such Security as to which proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that such Security is held by a Person in whose hands such Security is a legal, valid, and binding obligation of the Company).
In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Securities Outstanding have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of any Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Securities Outstanding have given a direction concerning the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or concerning the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee under this Indenture, or concerning a consent on behalf of the Holders of any series of Securities to the waiver of any past default and its consequences, Securities owned by the Company, any other obligor upon the Securities, or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding. In determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer assigned to the corporate trust department of the Trustee knows to be owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right to act as owner with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor.
“Paying Agent” means, with respect to any Securities, any Person appointed by the Company to distribute amounts payable by the Company on such Securities. If at any time there shall be more than one such Person, “Paying Agent” as used with respect to the Securities of any particular series shall mean the Paying Agent with respect to Securities of that series. As of the date of this Indenture, the Company has appointed [ ] as Paying Agent with respect to all Securities issuable hereunder.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, or government, or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Place of Payment” means with respect to any series of Securities issued hereunder the city or political subdivision so designated with respect to the series of Securities in question in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.01.
“Predecessor Securities” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated, or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed, mutilated, or stolen Security.
“Record Date” means any date as of which the Holder of a Security will be determined for any purpose described herein, such determination to be made as of the close of business on such date by reference to the Security Register.
“Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.
“Redemption Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price specified in the Security at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.
“Repayment Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid, means the date fixed for such repayment pursuant to such Security.
“Repayment Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid, means the price at which it is to be repaid pursuant to such Security.
“Responsible Officer”, when used with respect to the Trustee, shall mean an officer or assistant officer of the Trustee in the Corporate Trust Office, having direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, and also, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
“Scheduled Maturity Date”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date specified in such Security as the date on which all outstanding principal and interest will be due and payable.
“Security” or “Securities” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of indebtedness, as the case may be, of any series authenticated and delivered from time to time under this Indenture.
“Security Register” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.05.
“Security Registrar” means the Person who maintains the Security Register, which Person shall be the Trustee unless and until a successor Security Registrar is appointed by the Company.
“Senior Indebtedness” means all obligations or indebtedness of, or guaranteed or assumed by, the Company, whether or not represented by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, for borrowed money, and any amendments, renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings of any such obligations or indebtedness, unless in the instrument creating or evidencing any such indebtedness or obligations or pursuant to which the same is outstanding it is specifically stated, at or prior to the time the Company becomes liable in respect thereof, that any such obligation or indebtedness or such amendment, renewal, extension, modification and refunding thereof is not Senior Indebtedness.
“Significant Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary which is a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X, as amended or modified and in effect from time to time.
“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.07.
“Specified Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01.
“Subsidiary” means any corporation, partnership or other entity of which at the time of determination the Company owns or controls directly or indirectly more than 50% of the shares of voting stock or equivalent interest.
“Trade Payables” means accounts payable or any other Indebtedness or monetary obligations to trade creditors created or assumed in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials, finished products, inventory or services.
“Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as in force as of the date hereof, except as provided in Section 9.05.
“Trustee” means the party named as such above until a successor becomes such pursuant to this Indenture and thereafter means or includes each party who is then a trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such party, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series means the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series. If Trustees with respect to different series of Securities are trustees under this Indenture, nothing herein shall constitute the Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, and each Trustee shall be the trustee of a trust separate and apart from any trust administered by any other Trustee with respect to a different series of Securities.
“U.S. Government Obligations” means (i) securities that are direct obligations of the United States of America, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, and (ii) securities that are obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, and also includes depository receipts issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any of the securities described in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii), and any payment of interest or principal payable under any of the securities described in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii) that is held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt, or from any amount received by the custodian in respect of such securities, or from any specific payment of interest or principal payable under the securities evidenced by such depository receipt.
“Voting Stock”, as applied to the stock of any corporation, means stock of any class or classes (however designated), the outstanding shares of which have, by the terms thereof, ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the members of the board of directors (or other governing body) of such corporation, other than stock having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency.
Section 1.02 Officers’ Certificates and Opinions. Every Officers’ Certificate, Opinion of Counsel, and other certificate or opinion to be delivered to the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to any action to be taken by the Trustee (except for the Officers’ Certificate required by Section 10.04) shall include the following:
(a) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read all covenants and conditions of this Indenture relating to such proposed action, including the definitions herein relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(c) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him or her to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 1.03 Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to the other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, legal counsel, unless such officer knows that any such certificate, opinion, or representation is erroneous. Any opinion of counsel for the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company, unless such counsel knows that any such certificate, opinion, or representation is erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give, or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions, or other instruments under this Indenture, such instruments may, but need not, be consolidated and form a single instrument.
Section 1.04 Acts of Securityholders.
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Securityholders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Securityholders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and (if expressly required by the applicable terms of this Indenture) to the Company. If any Securities are denominated in coin or currency other than that of the United States, then for the purposes of determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Securities have taken any action as herein described, the principal amount of such Securities shall be deemed to be that amount of United States dollars that could be obtained for such principal amount on the basis of the spot rate of exchange into United States dollars for the currency in which such Securities are denominated (as evidenced to the Trustee by a certificate provided by a financial institution, selected by the Company, that maintains an active trade in the currency in question, acting as conversion agent) as of the date the taking of such action by the Holders of such requisite principal amount is evidenced to the Trustee as provided in the immediately preceding sentence. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Securityholders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness to such execution or by the certificate of any notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by an officer of a corporation or a member of a partnership, on behalf of such corporation or partnership, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his or her authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.
(c) The ownership of Securities shall for all purposes be determined by reference to the Security Register, as such register shall exist as of the applicable date.
(d) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, the Company may, at its option, by Board Resolution, fix in advance a Record Date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such Record Date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action may be given before or after such Record Date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such Record Date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Securities Outstanding have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, and for that purpose the Securities Outstanding shall be computed as of such Record Date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on such Record Date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after such Record Date.
(e) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action by the Holder of any Security shall bind each subsequent Holder of such Security, and each Holder of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof, with respect to anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance upon such action, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
Section 1.05 Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company. Any request, demand, order, authorization, direction, consent, waiver, or other action to be taken by the Trustee, the Company, or the Securityholders hereunder (including any Authentication Order), and any notice to be given to the Trustee or the Company with respect to any action taken or to be taken by the Trustee, the Company, or the Securityholders hereunder, shall be sufficient if made in writing and
(a) (if to be furnished or delivered to or filed with the Trustee by the Company or any Securityholder) delivered to the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention: [ ], or
(b) (if to be furnished or delivered to the Company by the Trustee or any Securityholder, and except as otherwise provided in Section 5.01(d) and, in the case of a request for repayment, except as specified in the Security carrying the right to repayment) mailed to the Company, first-class postage prepaid, at its principal office (as specified in the first paragraph of this instrument), Attention: [ ], or at any other address hereafter furnished in writing by the Company to the Trustee.
Section 1.06 Notice To Securityholders; Waiver. Where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice to Securityholders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise expressly provided herein or in such Security) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Securityholder affected by such event, at his or her address as it appears in the Security Register as of the applicable Record Date, not later than the latest date or earlier than the earliest date prescribed by this Indenture or such Security for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Securityholders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice nor any defect in any notice so mailed to any particular Securityholder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Securityholders. Where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Securityholders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.
In case, by reason of the suspension of regular mail service as a result of a strike, work stoppage or otherwise, it shall be impractical to mail notice of any event to any Securityholder when such notice is required to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture or the applicable Security, then any method of notification as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee and the Company shall be deemed to be sufficient for the giving of such notice.
Section 1.07 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required to be included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of the TIA, such required provision shall control.
Section 1.08 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents hereof are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of any provision of this Indenture.
Section 1.09 Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
Section 1.10 Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 1.11 Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, their successors hereunder, the Authenticating Agent, the Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, and the Holders of Securities (or such of them as may be affected thereby), any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.
Section 1.12 Governing Law. This Indenture shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Section 1.13 Counterparts. This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 1.14 Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court with respect to the Securities of any series it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, payable with respect to such Securities into a currency in which a judgment can be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange from the currency in which payments under such Securities is payable (the “Required Currency”) into the Judgment Currency shall be the highest bid quotation (assuming European-style quotation — i.e., Required Currency per Judgment Currency) received by the Company from three recognized foreign exchange dealers in the City of New York for the purchase of the aggregate amount of the judgment (as denominated in the Judgment Currency) on the New York Business Day preceding the date on which a final unappealable judgment is rendered, for settlement on such payment date, and at which the applicable dealer timely commits to execute a contract, and (b) the Company’s obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or by any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with the preceding clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt by the judgment creditor of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture.
Section 1.15 Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Maturity of any Security shall not be a New York Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or at Maturity, provided that no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Maturity, as the case may be.
Section 1.16 No Recourse. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of this Indenture, or of any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future as such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or through the Company or any such predecessor or successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, stockholders, officers or directors as such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, stockholder, officer or director as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Securities
ARTICLE II
SECURITY FORMS
Section 2.01 Forms Generally. The Securities of each series shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon, as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange, or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities. Any portion of the text of any Security may be set forth on the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the face of the Security.
The definitive Securities, if any, shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner permitted by the rules of any securities exchange, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.
Section 2.02 Forms of Securities. Each Security shall be in one of the forms approved from time to time by or pursuant to any Board Resolution, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto. Prior to the delivery to the Trustee for authentication of any Security in any form approved by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee a copy of such Board Resolution, together with a true and correct copy of the form of Security which has been approved thereby, or, if a Board Resolution authorizes a specific officer or officers to approve a form of Security, together with a certificate of such officer or officers approving the form of Security attached thereto, provided, however, that with respect to all Securities issued pursuant to the same Board Resolution, the required copy of such Board Resolution, together with the appropriate attachment, need be delivered only once. Any form of Security approved by or pursuant to a Board Resolution must be acceptable as to form to the Trustee, such acceptance to be evidenced by the Trustee’s authentication of Securities in that form or by a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and delivered to the Company.
Section 2.03 Securities in Global Form. If Securities of a series are issuable in whole or in part in global form, the global security representing such Securities may provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be reduced to reflect exchanges or increased to reflect the issuance of additional Securities. Any endorsement of a Security in global form to reflect the amount (or any increase or decrease in the amount) of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Authentication Order delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.03 hereof.
Section 2.04 Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. The form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication for any Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be substantially as follows:
TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
[ ], as Trustee,
By:
Authorized Officer:
ARTICLE III
THE SECURITIES
Section 3.01 General Title; General Limitations; Issuable in Series; Terms of Particular Series.
(a) The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated, delivered, and Outstanding at any time under this Indenture is not limited.
(b) The Securities may be issued in one or more series in such aggregate principal amount as may from time to time be authorized by the Board of Directors. All Securities of a series issued under this Indenture shall in all respects be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits hereof, without preference, priority, or distinction on account of the actual time of the authentication and delivery or Scheduled Maturity Date thereof.
(c) Each series of Securities shall be created either by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions, by an Officers’ Certificate or by one or more indentures supplemental hereto. Any such Board Resolution or supplemental indenture (or, in the case of a series of Securities created pursuant to a Board Resolution, any officer or officers authorized by such Board Resolution) shall establish the terms of any such series of Securities, including the following (as and to such extent as may be applicable):
(1) the title of such series;
(2) the limit, if any, upon the aggregate principal amount or issue price of the Securities of such series;
(3) the issue date or issue dates of the Securities of such series;
(4) the Scheduled Maturity Date of the Securities of such series;
(5) the place or places where the principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, and additional amounts, if any, payable with respect to the Securities of such series shall be payable;
(6) whether the Securities of such series will be issued at par or at a premium over or a discount from their face amount;
(7) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) at which the Securities of such series shall bear interest, if any, and, if applicable, the method by which such rate or rates may be determined;
(8) the date or dates (or the method by which such date or dates may be determined) from which interest, if any, shall accrue, and the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable;
(9) the rights, if any, to defer payments of interest on the Securities by extending the interest payment periods and the duration of such extension;
(10) the period or periods within which, the Redemption Price(s) or Repayment Price(s) at which, and any other terms and conditions upon which the Securities of such series may be redeemed or repaid, in whole or in part, by the Company;
(11) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, repay, or purchase any of the Securities of such series pursuant to any sinking fund, mandatory redemption, purchase obligation, or analogous provision at the option of a Holder thereof, and the period or periods within which, the Redemption Price(s) or Repayment Price(s) or other price or prices at which, and any other terms and conditions upon which the Securities of such series shall be redeemed, repaid, or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
(12) the issuance of the Securities of such series in whole or in part in global form and, if so, the identity of the Depositary for such global security and the terms and conditions, if any, upon which interests in the Securities represented by such global security may be exchanged, in whole or in part, for the individual Securities represented thereby (if other than as provided in Section 3.05);
(13) whether such securities are subordinated securities and if so, the provisions for such subordination;
(14) the denominations in which the Securities of such series will be issued (which may be any denomination as set forth in the terms of such Securities) if other than U.S. $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof;
(15) whether and under what circumstances additional amounts of the Securities of such series shall be payable in respect of any taxes, assessments, or other governmental charges withheld or deducted and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such additional amounts;
(16) the basis upon which interest shall be calculated;
(17) if the Securities of such series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security for a definitive Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or upon satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents, and/or conditions;
(18) the exchange or conversion of the Securities of that series, whether or not at the option of the Holders thereof, for or into new Securities of a different series or for or into any other securities which may include shares of Capital Stock of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable for any such shares or securities of entities unaffiliated with the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company;
(19) if other than U.S. dollars, the foreign or composite currency or currencies (each such currency a “Specified Currency”) in which the Securities of such series shall be denominated and in which payments of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, or additional amounts, if any, payable with respect to such Securities shall or may be payable;
(20) if the principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, or additional amounts, if any, payable with respect to the Securities of such series are to be payable in any currency other than that in which the Securities are stated to be payable, whether at the election of the Company or of a Holder thereof, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made;
(21) if the amount of any payment of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, or other sum payable with respect to the Securities of such series may be determined by reference to the relative value of one or more Specified Currencies, commodities, securities, or instruments, the level of one or more financial or non-financial indices, or any other designated factors or formulas, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;
(22) the exchange of Securities of such series, at the option of the Holders thereof, for other Securities of the same series of the same aggregate principal amount of a different authorized kind or different authorized denomination or denominations, or both;
(23) the appointment by the Trustee of an Authenticating Agent in one or more places other than the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, with power to act on behalf of the Trustee, and subject to its direction, in the authentication and delivery of the Securities of such series;
(24) any trustees, depositaries, paying agents, transfer agents, exchange agents, conversion agents, registrars, or other agents with respect to the Securities of such series if other than the Trustee, Paying Agent and Security Registrar named herein;
(25) the portion of the principal amount of Securities of such series, if other than the principal amount thereof, that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 5.04;
(26) any Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series, if not set forth herein, or any modification of any Event of Default set forth herein with respect to such series;
(27) any covenant solely for the benefit of the Securities of such series;
(28) the inapplicability of Section 4.02 and Section 4.03 of this Indenture to the Securities of such series and if Section 4.03 is applicable, the covenants subject to Covenant Defeasance under Section 4.03; and
(29) any other terms of the securities of such series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, but which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such series).
If all of the Securities issuable by or pursuant to any Board Resolution are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required by Section 3.03 hereof at the time of issuance of each such Security, but such Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first such Security.
If any series of Securities shall be established by action taken pursuant to any Board Resolution, the execution by the officer or officers authorized by such Board Resolution of an Authentication Order (as defined in Section 3.03 below) with respect to the first Security of such series to be issued, and the delivery of such Authentication Order to the Trustee at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series, shall constitute a sufficient record of such action. Except as otherwise permitted by Section 3.03, if all of the Securities of any such series are not to be issued at one time, the Company shall deliver an Authentication Order with respect to each subsequent issuance of Securities of such series, but such Authentication Orders may be executed by any authorized officer or officers of the Company, whether or not such officer or officers would have been authorized to establish such series pursuant to the aforementioned Board Resolution.
Unless otherwise provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture creating such series, (i) a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series, and (ii) all Securities of the same series shall be substantially identical, except for the initial Interest Payment Date, issue price, initial interest accrual date and the amount of the first interest payment.
The form of the Securities of each series shall be established in a supplemental indenture or by or pursuant to the Board Resolution creating such series. The Securities of each series shall be distinguished from the Securities of each other series in such manner as the Board of Directors or its authorized representative or representatives may determine.
Unless otherwise provided with respect to Securities of a particular series, the Securities of any series may only be issuable in registered form, without coupons.
Section 3.02 Denominations and Currency. The Securities of each series shall be issuable in such denominations and currency as shall be provided in the provisions of this Indenture or by or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture creating such series. In the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of that series shall be issuable only in fully registered form in denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.
Section 3.03 Execution, Authentication and Delivery, and Dating. The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the president, any vice president, the treasurer or any assistant treasurer and attested by the secretary or any assistant secretary, under its corporate seal. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile. The seal of the Company, if set forth thereon, may be in the form of a facsimile thereof and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted, or otherwise reproduced on the Securities. Typographical and other minor errors or defects in any such reproduction of the seal or any such signature shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any Security that has been duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee.
Unless otherwise provided in the form of Security for any series, all Securities shall be dated the date of their authentication.
Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.
At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for authentication and delivery (such Order an “Authentication Order”) with respect to such Securities, and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of such Authentication Order, in accordance with procedures acceptable to the Trustee set forth in the Authentication Order, and subject to the provisions hereof, authenticate and deliver such Securities to such recipients as may be specified from time to time pursuant to such Authentication Order. The material terms of such Securities shall be determinable by reference to such Authentication Order and procedures. If provided for in such procedures, such Authentication Order may authorize authentication and delivery of such Securities pursuant to oral instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agent, which instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. In authenticating such Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to the provisions of Section 6.01 hereof) shall be fully protected in relying upon:
(1) an executed supplemental indenture, if any;
(2) an Officers’ Certificate, certifying as to the authorized form or forms and terms of such Securities; and
(3) an Opinion of Counsel, stating that:
(a) the form or forms and terms of such Securities have been established by and in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; provided that if all such Securities are not to be issued at the same time, such Opinion of Counsel may state that such terms will be established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture, subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel; and
(b) such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization, and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity;
provided, however , that if all Securities issuable by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or supplemental indenture are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to this paragraph at or prior to the time of authentication of each such Security if such documents are delivered at or prior to the time of authentication upon original issuance of the first such Security to be issued. After the original issuance of the first such Security to be issued, any separate request by the Company that the Trustee authenticate such Securities for original issuance will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that it is in compliance with all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the authentication and delivery of such Securities.
The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue thereof will adversely affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties, or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture.
If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 3.01 that Securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in global form, then the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall (in accordance with this Section 3.03 and the Authentication Order with respect to such series) authenticate and deliver, one or more Securities in global form that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series to be represented by such one or more Securities in global form, (ii) shall be registered, in the name of the Depositary for such Security or Securities in global form, or in the name of a nominee of such Depositary, (iii) shall be delivered to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instruction, and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially as follows: “Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in certificated form, this Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.” Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 3.01 for a Security in global form must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and any other applicable statute or regulation.
No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature of an authorized officer, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.
Section 3.04 Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and, upon receipt of the documents required by Sections 2.02, 3.01 and 3.03 hereof, together with an Authentication Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities of such series that are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed, or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued in registered form, without coupons, and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions, and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities. In the case of Securities of any series for which a temporary Security may be issued in global form, such temporary global security shall represent all of the Outstanding Securities of such series and tenor.
Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable, at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, or at such other office or agency as may be maintained by the Company in a Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof, for definitive Securities of such series having identical terms and provisions, upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series, at the Company’s own expense and without charge to the Holder; and upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of such series in authorized denominations containing identical terms and provisions. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to a temporary Security in global form, until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of such series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.
Section 3.05 Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Securities of each series, the Trustee shall keep a register (herein sometimes referred to as the “Security Register”) which shall provide for the registration of Securities of such series, and for transfers of Securities of such series, in accordance with information to be provided to the Trustee by the Company, subject to such reasonable regulations as the Trustee may prescribe. Such register shall be in written form or in any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time. At all reasonable times the information contained in such register or registers shall be available for inspection at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at such other office or agency to be maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof.
Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at any other office or agency maintained by the Company with respect to that series pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of such series of any authorized denominations, of like aggregate principal amount, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date.
Any other provision of this Section 3.05 notwithstanding, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual Securities represented thereby, in definitive form, a Security in global form representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary, or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary, or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor Depositary.
At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Securities of such series of any authorized denominations, of like aggregate principal amount, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Securityholder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
If at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series represented by one or more Securities in global form notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the Securities of such series, or if at any time the Depositary for the Securities of such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 3.03 hereof, the Company, by Company Order, shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to the Securities of such series. If a successor Depositary for the Securities of such series is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company’s election pursuant to Section 3.01 that such Securities be represented by one or more Securities in global form shall no longer be effective with respect to the Securities of such series and the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series in definitive form, in authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount, and of like terms and tenor, equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities in global form representing such series, in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form.
The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion and subject to the procedures of the Depositary determine that individual Securities of any series issued in global form shall no longer be represented by such Security or Securities in global form. In such event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series and of the same terms and tenor, will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series in definitive form, in authorized denominations, and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities in global form representing such series in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form.
If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to a series of Securities issued in global form, the Depositary for such series of Securities may surrender a Security in global form for such series of Securities in exchange in whole or in part for Securities of such series in definitive form and of like terms and tenor on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary. Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge:
(a) to each Person specified by such Depositary, a new definitive Security or Securities of the same series and of the same tenor and terms, in authorized denominations, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Security in global form; and
(b) to such Depositary, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Security in global form and the aggregate principal amount of the definitive Securities delivered to Holders pursuant to clause (a) above.
Upon the exchange of a Security in global form for Securities in definitive form, such Security in global form shall be canceled by the Trustee or an agent of the Company or the Trustee. Securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a Security in global form pursuant to this Section 3.05 shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Security in global form, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee or an agent of the Company or the Trustee in writing. The Trustee or such agent shall deliver such Securities to or as directed by the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered or to the Depositary.
Whenever any securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.
Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, redemption or payment shall (if so required by the Company or the Trustee) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing.
Unless otherwise provided in the Security to be transferred or exchanged, no service charge shall be imposed for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may (unless otherwise provided in such Security) require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.06, 9.06 and 11.07 hereof not involving any transfer.
The Company shall not be required to (i) issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any Security of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of such series selected for redemption under Section 11.03 and ending at the close of business on the date of such mailing, or (ii) register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except, in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed.
Section 3.06 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If (i) any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, or the Company and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security, and (ii) there is delivered to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company may in its discretion execute and upon request of the Company the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of like tenor, terms, series, Scheduled Maturity Date, and principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.
Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.
Every new Security issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of the same series duly issued hereunder.
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
Section 3.07 Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved. Interest on any Security which is payable and is punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date shall, if so provided in such Security, be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the applicable Record Date, notwithstanding any transfer or exchange of such Security subsequent to such Record Date and prior to such Interest Payment Date. (unless such Interest Payment Date is also the date of Maturity of such Security).
Any interest on any Security which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holder on the applicable Record Date by virtue of his, her or it having been such Holder; and, except as hereinafter provided, such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or clause (b) below:
(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names any such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each such Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 nor less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of each such Security at his, her or its address as it appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).
(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.
Interest on Securities of any series that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto at such address as shall appear in the Securities Register for such series or by such other means as may be specified in the form of such Security.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.07 and the provisions of Section 3.05 hereof, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.
Section 3.08 Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a 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 any Security is registered on the applicable Record Date(s) as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07 hereof), and any additional amounts payable with respect to such Security, and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee, nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
None of the Company, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, the Security Registrar, or any Co-Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Security in global form or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests and each of them may act or refrain from acting without liability on any information relating to such records provided by the Depositary.
Section 3.09 Cancellation. All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange, or credit against a sinking or analogous fund shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and, if not already canceled, shall be promptly canceled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Trustee. Acquisition of such Securities by the Company shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. No Security shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall dispose of all canceled Securities in accordance with its customary procedures and deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company.
Section 3.10 Computation of Interest. Unless otherwise provided as contemplated in Section 3.01, interest on the Securities shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
ARTICLE IV
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 4.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities (except as to any surviving rights of conversion or transfer or exchange of Securities of such series expressly provided for herein or in the form of Security for such series and obligations described as surviving below), and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when
(a) either
(i) all Securities of that series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (A) Securities of such series which have been destroyed, lost, or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, and (B) Securities of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 4.07) have been delivered to the Trustee canceled or for cancellation; or
(ii) all such Securities of that series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee canceled or for cancellation
(A) have become due and payable, or
(B) will, in accordance with their Scheduled Maturity Date, become due and payable within one year, or
(C) are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,
and, in any of the cases described in subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C) above, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee, as trust funds in trust for the purpose, (x) an amount in money sufficient, (y) U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money sufficient, or (z) a combination of (x) and (y) sufficient, in the opinion with respect to (y) and (z) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities with respect to principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable), or to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date, as the case may be; provided, however , that if such U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities are callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, the amount of such money, U.S. Government Obligations, and Equivalent Government Securities deposited with the Trustee must be sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness referred to above if such issuer elects to exercise such call or redemption provisions at any time prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date, as the case may be, and the Company, but not the Trustee, shall be responsible for monitoring any such call or redemption provision; and
(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Securities of such series; and
(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company under paragraph (a) of this Section 4.01 and its obligations to the Trustee with respect to that series under Section 6.07 shall survive, and the obligations of the Trustee under Sections 4.05, 4.07 and 10.03 shall survive.
Section 4.02 Discharge and Defeasance. The provisions of this Section and Section 4.04 (insofar as relating to this Section) shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 3.01. In addition to discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Section 4.01, in the case of any series of Securities with respect to which the exact amount described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04 can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in such subparagraph (a), the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the Securities of such a series as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.04 are satisfied, and the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series shall no longer be in effect (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series, (ii) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities of such series, (iii) rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive, solely from the trust fund described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04, payments of principal thereof, premium, if any, and interest, if any, thereon upon the original stated due dates or upon the Redemption Dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders of Securities of such series to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, (v) this Section 4.02, Section 4.07, Section 10.02 and Section 10.03 and (vi) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them) (hereinafter called “Defeasance”), and the Trustee at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same.
Section 4.03 Covenant Defeasance. The provisions of this Section and Section 4.04 (insofar as relating to this Section) shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 3.01. In the case of any series of Securities with respect to which the exact amount described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04 can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in such subparagraph (a), (i) the Company shall be released from its obligations under any covenants specified in or pursuant to Section 3.01 as being subject to Covenant Defeasance with respect to such series (except as to (a) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series and rights under Section 4.07, Section 10.02 and Section 10.03, (b) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities of such series, (c) rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive, from the Company pursuant to Section 10.01, payments of principal thereof and interest, if any, thereon upon the original stated due dates or upon the Redemption Dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders of Securities of such series to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (d) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (e) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them), and (ii) the occurrence of any event specified in Section 5.01(d) (with respect to any of the covenants specified in or pursuant to Section 3.01 as being subject to Covenant Defeasance with respect to such series) shall be deemed not to be or result in a default or an Event of Default, in each case with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.04 are satisfied (hereinafter called “Covenant Defeasance”), and the Trustee at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same. For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant (to the extent so specified in the case of Section 5.01(d)), whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and the Securities of such series shall be unaffected thereby.
Section 4.04 Conditions To Defeasance Or Covenant Defeasance. The following shall be the conditions to the application of either Section 4.02 or Section 4.03 to the Outstanding Securities:
(a) with reference to Section 4.02 or Section 4.03, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of Securities of such series (i) money in an amount, or (ii) U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii), sufficient, in the opinion (with respect to (ii) and (iii)) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund payments) of, premium, if any, and interest on, the Outstanding Securities of such series on the dates such installments of interest, premium or principal are due, including upon redemption; provided, however, that if such U.S. Government Obligations and Equivalent Government Securities are callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, the amount of such money, U.S. Government Obligations, and/or Equivalent Government Securities deposited with the Trustee must be sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness referred to above if the issuer of any such U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities elects to exercise such call or redemption provisions at any time prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date of such Securities, as the case may be. The Company, but not the Trustee, shall be responsible for monitoring any such call or redemption provision.
(b) in the case of Defeasance under Section 4.02, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel based on the fact that (x) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (y) since the date hereof, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit, Defeasance and discharge had not occurred;
(c) in the case of Covenant Defeasance under Section 4.03, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit and Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;
(d) no Event of Default or event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit, after giving effect to such deposit or, in the case of a Defeasance under Section 4.02, no Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or Section 5.01(f) shall have occurred, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit or, if longer, ending on the day following the expiration of the longest preference period applicable to the Company in respect of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period);
(e) such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest within the meaning of the TIA, assuming all Securities of a series were in default within the meaning of the TIA;
(f) such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(g) such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless the trust is registered under such Act or exempt from registration;
(h) if the Securities of such series are to be redeemed prior to their Stated Maturity Date (other than from mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments), notice of such redemption shall have been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made; and
(i) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, have been complied with.
Section 4.05 Application of Trust Money; Excess Funds. All money and U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and of the series of Securities in respect of which it was deposited, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent), as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
The Company will pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 hereof or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the Outstanding Securities.
Anything in this Article 4 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or U.S. Governmental Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 4.01 or Section 4.04, as applicable), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent satisfaction and discharge, Covenant Defeasance or Defeasance of the applicable series.
Section 4.06 Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held. Upon the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent of the Securities (other than the Trustee) shall, upon demand of the Company, be repaid to it or paid to the Trustee, and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.
Section 4.07 Return of Unclaimed Amounts. Any amounts deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any Paying Agent or then held by the Company, in trust for payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities and not applied but remaining unclaimed by the Holders of such Securities for two years after the date upon which the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities, as the case may be, shall have become due and payable, shall be repaid to the Company by the Trustee on Company Request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of any of such Securities shall thereafter look only to the Company for any payment which such Holder may be entitled to collect (until such time as such unclaimed amounts shall escheat, if at all, to the State of New York) and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee or Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once a week for two successive weeks (in each case on any day of the week) in a newspaper printed in the English language and customarily published at least once a day at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, in the City and State of New York, a notice that said amounts have not been so applied and that after a date named therein any unclaimed balance of said amounts then remaining will be promptly returned to the Company.
ARTICLE V
ARTICLE V REMEDIES
Section 5.01 Events of Default. “Event of Default”, wherever used herein, means with respect to any series of Securities any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is either inapplicable to a particular series or it is specifically deleted or modified in the manner contemplated by Section 3.01:
(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or
(b) default in the payment of the principal amount of (or premium, if any, on) any Security of such series as and when the same shall become due, either at Maturity, upon redemption, by declaration, or otherwise; or
(c) default in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due by the terms of the Securities of such series and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or
(d) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture in respect of the Securities of such series (other than a covenant or warranty in respect of the Securities of such series a default in the performance of which or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or
(e) the entry of an order for relief against the Company under the Federal Bankruptcy Act by a court having jurisdiction in the premises or a decree or order by a court having jurisdiction in the premises adjudging the Company a bankrupt or insolvent under any other applicable Federal or State law, or the entry of a decree or order approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company under the Federal Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or
(f) the consent by the Company to the institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under the Federal Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by it to the filing of any such petition or to the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in furtherance of any such action; or
(g) any other Event of Default provided for with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with Section 3.01. A default under any indebtedness of the Company other than the Securities will not constitute an Event of Default under this Indenture, and a default under one series of Securities will not constitute a default under any other series of Securities. The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of an Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer at the Corporate Trust Office has actual knowledge thereof.
Section 5.02 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission, and Annulment. If any Event of Default described in Section 5.01 above (other than Events of Default described in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f)) shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to any series, then and in each and every such case, unless the principal of all the Securities of such series shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 51% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding hereunder, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), may declare the principal amount (or, if the Securities of such series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of all the Securities of such series and any and all accrued interest thereon to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be immediately due and payable, any provision of this Indenture or the Securities of such series to the contrary notwithstanding. If an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or Section 5.01(f) occurs, the principal amount of the Securities of such series and any and all accrued interest thereon shall immediately become and be due and payable without any declaration or other act on the party of the Trustee or any Holder. No declaration of acceleration by the Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall constitute a declaration of acceleration by the Trustee with respect to any other series of Securities, and no declaration of acceleration by the Holders of at least 51% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall constitute a declaration of acceleration or other action by any of the Holders of any other series of Securities, in each case whether or not the Event of Default on which such declaration is based shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to more than one series of Securities, and whether or not any Holders of the Securities of any such affected series shall also be Holders of Securities of any other such affected series.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration has been made with respect to the Securities of any series and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to such series of Securities, other than the nonpayment of the principal of the Securities of such series which have become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13, if such cure or waiver does not conflict with any judgment or decree set forth in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f) and if all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel have been paid.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 5.03 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if:
(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on any Security of any series when such interest becomes due and payable, or
(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof, or
(c) default is made in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due by the terms of the Securities of any series, and
(d) any such default continues for any period of grace provided in relation to such default pursuant to Section 5.01, then, with respect to the Securities of such series, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holder of any such Security (or the Holders of any such series in the case of clause (c) above), the whole amount then due and payable on any such Security (or on the Securities of any such series in the case of clause (c) above) for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, with interest (to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable) upon the overdue principal (and premium, if any) and upon overdue installments of interest, if any, at such rate or rates as may be prescribed therefor by the terms of any such Security (or of Securities of any such series in the case of clause (c) above); and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series and collect the money adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.
If an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
Section 5.04 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition, or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise,
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal (or, with respect to Original Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities), premium, if any, and interest, if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities, and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary and advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements, and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07) and of the Securityholders allowed in such judicial proceedings, and
(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar official) in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Securityholder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and its agent and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07 hereof.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Securityholder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Securityholder in any such proceeding.
Section 5.05 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities of any series may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities of such series or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities, of the series in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
Section 5.06 Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee with respect to a series of Securities pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, upon presentation of the Securities of such series and the notation thereon of the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof, if fully paid:
First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07 hereof.
Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities of that series for principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, and additional amounts, if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind.
Section 5.07 Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless
(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series;
(b) the Holders of not less than 51 % in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;
(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request, and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series; it being understood and intended that no one or more Holders of Securities of such series shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other Holders of Securities of such series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and proportionate benefit of all the Holders of all Securities of such series.
Section 5.08 Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Receive Principal, Premium, and Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal, premium, if any, and (subject to Section 3.07) interest, if any (and additional amounts, if any), on such Security on or after the respective payment dates expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on the Redemption Date or Repayment Date, as the case may be) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective date, and such right shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.
Section 5.09 Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Securityholder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and the Securityholders shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Securityholders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 5.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative. No right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Securityholders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right or remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
Section 5.11 Delay or Omission Not a Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Securityholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Securityholders, as the case may be.
Section 5.12 Control by Securityholders. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that
(a) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that the action so directed may not lawfully be taken or would conflict with this Indenture or if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer, determine that the proceedings so directed would involve it in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders not taking part in such direction, and
(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.
Section 5.13 Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series, waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default not theretofore cured:
(a) in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security of such series, or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation with respect to the Securities of such series, or
(b) in respect of a covenant or provision in this Indenture which, under Article Nine hereof, cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series.
Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 5.14 Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by such Holder’s acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Securityholder or group of Securityholders holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series to which the suit relates, or to any suit instituted by any Securityholder for the enforcement of the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security on or after the respective payment dates expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date or Repayment Date).
Section 5.15 Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law (other than any bankruptcy law) wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
ARTICLE VI
THE TRUSTEE
Section 6.01 Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee.
(a) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities,
(i) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(ii) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may, with respect to Securities of such series, conclusively rely upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform on their face to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of calculations or other facts stated therein).
(b) If an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise, with respect to the Securities of such series, such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his, her or its own affairs.
(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that
(i) this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of Subsection (a) of this Section;
(ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series relating to the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series; and
(iv) no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.
Section 6.02 Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after receipt of notice of the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Securityholders of such series, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, notice of such default hereunder known to the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security of such series or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund installment or analogous obligation with respect to Securities of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Securityholders of such series and; provided, further, that, in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Securityholders of such series shall be given until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default”, with respect to Securities of any series, means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.
Section 6.03 Certain Rights of Trustee. Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.01 above:
(a) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;
(b) any request, direction or order of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;
(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel or both, and shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith reliance on such certificate or opinion;
(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice or opinion of such counsel as to matters of law shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;
(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Securityholders pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Securityholders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;
(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney; and
(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.
Section 6.04 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.
Section 6.05 May Hold Securities. The Trustee or any Paying Agent, Security Registrar, or other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 6.08 and 6.13 hereof, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar, or such other agent.
Section 6.06 Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company.
Section 6.07 Compensation and Reimbursement. The Company covenants and agrees
(a) to pay the Trustee from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);
(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the reasonable expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith; and
(c) to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder.
Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f) above, such expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and compensation for such services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or other similar law.
The Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by it as such for any amount owing to it or any predecessor Trustee pursuant to this Section 6.07, except with respect to funds held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of particular Securities.
The provisions of this Section shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
Section 6.08 Disqualification; Conflicting Interests. If the Trustee has or shall acquire any conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, it shall either eliminate such interest or resign as Trustee with respect to one or more series of Securities, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. To the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to Securities of more than one series.
Section 6.09 Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder with respect to each series of Securities that shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority and having its principal office and place of business in the City of New York, if there be such a corporation having its principal office and place of business in said City and willing to act as Trustee on customary and usual terms. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.
Section 6.10 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.
(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee under Section 6.11.
(b) The Trustee may resign with respect to any one or more series of Securities at any time by giving at least 60 days’ written notice thereof to the Company. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(c) The Trustee may be removed with respect to any series of Securities at any time by Act of the Holders of 66 2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, delivered to the Trustee and to the Company.
(d) If at any time:
(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 6.08 above with respect to any series of Securities after written request therefor by the Company or by any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of that series for at least six months, or
(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.09 above with respect to any series of Securities and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Securityholder, or
(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or
(iv) the Trustee shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,
then, in any such case (A) the Company may remove the Trustee, with respect to the series or, in the case of clause (iv), with respect to all series, or (B) subject to Section 5.14, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least 6 months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the series or, in the case of clause (iv), with respect to all series.
(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee with respect to any series of Securities for any cause, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee for that series of Securities. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to such series of Securities shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of 66 2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor Trustee with respect to such series and supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company with respect to such series. If no successor Trustee with respect to such series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Securityholders of such series and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any Securityholder who has been bona fide Holder of a Security of that series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.
(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Securities of that series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its principal Corporate Trust Office.
Section 6.11 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. Every successor Trustee appointed hereunder with respect to all series of Securities shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the predecessor Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the predecessor Trustee shall become effective, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to any such series; but, on request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such predecessor Trustee shall, upon payment of its reasonable charges, if any, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the predecessor Trustee, and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such predecessor Trustee hereunder.
In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the predecessor Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any applicable series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to transfer and to conform to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and (2) if the predecessor Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the predecessor Trustee is not being succeeded shall continue to be vested in the predecessor Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be Trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; and, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.
Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in the first or second preceding paragraph, as the case may be.
No successor Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible with respect to that series under this Article.
Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Company’s obligations under Section 6.07 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.
Section 6.12 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor Trustee by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.
Section 6.13 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company. If and when the Trustee shall be or shall become a creditor, of the Company (or of any other obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or against any such other obligor, as the case may be).
Section 6.14 Appointment of Authenticating Agent. At any time when any of the Securities remain Outstanding the Trustee, with the approval of the Company, may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as an Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.
Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.
An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and, if other than the Company, to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and, if other than the Company, to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee, with the approval of the Company, may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.
The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.
If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in the following form:
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
[ ], as Trustee
By:
As Authenticating Agent:
By:
Authorized Officer:
ARTICLE VII
SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
Section 7.01 Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders. The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee:
(a) semiannually, not more than 15 days after January 1 and July 1 in each year, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, a list of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities of each series as of such date, and
(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished, provided that if the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar for such series, such list shall not be required to be furnished.
Section 7.02 Preservation of Information; Communications to Securityholders.
(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders of Securities contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 7.01 and the names and addresses of Holders of Securities received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 7.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.
(b) If three or more Holders of Securities of any series (hereinafter referred to as “applicants”) apply in writing to the Trustee, and furnish to the Trustee reasonable proof that each such applicant has owned a Security of such series for a period of at least six months preceding the date of such application, and such application states that the applicants desire to communicate with other Holders of Securities of such series or with the Holders of all Securities with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under such Securities and is accompanied by a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which such applicants propose to transmit, then the Trustee shall, within five Business Days after the receipt of such application, at its election, either:
(i) afford such applicants access to the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), or
(ii) inform such applicants as to the approximate number of Holders of Securities of such series or all Securities, as the case may be, whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), and as to the approximate cost of mailing to such Securityholders the form of proxy or other communication, if any, specified in such application.
If the Trustee shall elect not to afford such applicants access to such information, the Trustee shall, upon the written request of such applicants, mail to each Holder of a Security of such series or to all Securityholders, as the case may be, whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02 (a), a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which is specified in such request, with reasonable promptness after a tender to the Trustee of the material to be mailed and of payment, or provision for the payment, of the reasonable expenses of mailing, unless within five days after such tender, the Trustee shall mail to such applicants and file with the Commission, together with a copy of the material to be mailed, a written statement to the effect that, in the opinion of the Trustee, such mailing would be contrary to the best interests of the Holders of Securities of such series or all Securityholders, as the case may be, or would be in violation of applicable law. Such written statement shall specify the basis of such opinion. If the Commission, after opportunity for a hearing upon the objections specified in the written statement so filed, shall enter an order refusing to sustain any of such objections or if, after the entry of an order sustaining one or more of such objections, the Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that all the objections so sustained have been met and shall enter an order so declaring, the Trustee shall mail copies of such material to all Securityholders of such series or all Securityholders, as the case may be, with reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the renewal of such tender; otherwise the Trustee shall be relieved of any obligation or duty to such applicants respecting their application.
(c) Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 7.02(b), regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 7.02(b).
Section 7.03 Reports by Trustee.
(a) The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. If required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall, within 60 days after each June 1 following the date of this Indenture, deliver to each Holder, as provided in Trust Indenture Act Section 313(c), a brief report dated as of such June 1, which complies with the provisions of such Section 313(a).
(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company as required by Trust Indenture Act Section 313(d). The Company will promptly notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange.
Section 7.04 Reports by Company. The Company will:
(a) file with the Trustee, within 30 days after the same are required to be filed with the Commission (giving effect to any grace period provided by Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act or any successor rule), copies of any documents or reports that the Company is required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any such information, documents or reports, or portions thereof, subject to confidential treatment and any correspondence with the Commission); provided, however, that any such document or report that the Company files with the Commission via the Commission’s EDGAR system (or any successor thereto) shall be deemed to be filed with the Trustee for purposes of this Section 7.04(a) at the time such documents are filed via the EDGAR system (or any successor thereto), it being understood that the Trustee shall not be responsible for determining whether such filings have been made;
(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and
(c) transmit by mail to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.
ARTICLE VIII
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER
Section 8.01 Company May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or convey or transfer all or substantially all of its properties and assets and the properties and assets of the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person, unless;
(a) either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State or the District of Columbia, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all the Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;
(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and
(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that any such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and any assumption permitted or required by this Article complies with the provisions of this Article.
Section 8.02 Successor Corporation Substituted. Upon any consolidation or merger, or any conveyance or transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person to which such conveyance or transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor corporation had been named as the Company herein and the Company shall thereupon be released from all obligations hereunder and under the Securities. Such successor corporation thereupon may cause to be signed and may issue any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor corporation, instead of the Company, and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor corporation thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All of the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.
In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.
ARTICLE IX
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
Section 9.01 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders. Without the consent of the Holders of any Securities, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as in force at the date of execution thereof), in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:
(a) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Company, or successive successions, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company pursuant to Article 8 hereof; or
(b) to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants, restrictions or conditions for the protection of the Holders of the Securities of any or all series as the Company and the Trustee shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders of the Securities of any or all series or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company (and if such covenants or the surrender of such right or power are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included or such surrenders are expressly being made solely for the benefit of one or more specified series); or
(c) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein or in any supplemental indenture, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture that do not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect; or
(d) to add to this Indenture such provisions as may be expressly permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, excluding, however, the provisions referred to in Section 316(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act as in effect at the date as of which this instrument is executed or any corresponding provision in any similar federal statute hereafter enacted; or
(e) to add guarantors or co-obligors with respect to any series of Securities; or
(f) to secure any series of Securities; or
(g) to establish any form of Security, as provided in Article 2 hereof, and to provide for the issuance of any series of Securities, as provided in Article 3 hereof, and to set forth the terms thereof, and/or to add to the rights of the Holders of the Securities of any series; or
(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by another corporation as a successor Trustee hereunder with respect to one or more series of Securities and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to Section 6.11 hereof; or
(i) to add any additional Events of Default in respect of the Securities of any or all series (and if such additional Events of Default are to be in respect of less than all series of Securities, stating that such Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of one or more specified series); or
(j) to comply with the requirements of the Commission in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or
(k) to make any change in any series of Securities that does not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the Holders of such Securities.
Section 9.02 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture or indentures, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each such series under this Indenture; provided, however , that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby:
(a) change the Scheduled Maturity Date or the stated payment date of any payment of premium or interest payable on any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or any amount of interest or premium payable thereon, or
(b) change the method of computing the amount of principal of any Security or any interest payable thereon on any date, or change any Place of Payment where, or the coin or currency in which, any Security or any payment of premium or interest thereon is payable, or
(c) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment described in clauses (a) or (b) on or after the same shall become due and payable, whether at Maturity or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date or the Repayment Date, as the case may be; or
(d) change or waive the redemption or repayment provisions of any series; or
(e) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences, provided for in this Indenture; or
(f) modify any of the provisions of this Section or Section 5.13, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 6.11 and 9.01(h); or
(g) adversely affect the ranking or priority of any series; or
(h) release any guarantor or co-obligor from any of its obligations under its guarantee of the Securities or this Indenture, except in compliance with the terms of this Indenture; or
(i) waive any Event of Default pursuant to Section 5.01(a), Section 5.01(b) or Section 5.01(c) hereof with respect to such Security.
A supplemental indenture that changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture that has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or that modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.
It shall not be necessary for any Act of Securityholders under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.
Section 9.03 Execution of Supplemental Indentures. Upon request of the Company and upon filing with the Trustee of evidence of an Act of Securityholders as aforementioned, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, powers, trusts, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.
Section 9.04 Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and the respective rights, limitation of rights, duties, powers, trusts and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company, and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be determined, exercised and enforced thereunder to the extent provided therein.
Section 9.05 Conformity With Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.
Section 9.06 Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities.
ARTICLE X
COVENANTS
Section 10.01 Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest. With respect to each series of Securities, the Company will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities in accordance with their terms and this Indenture, and will duly comply with all the other terms, agreements and conditions contained in the Indenture for the benefit of the Securities of such series.
Section 10.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency. So long as any of the Securities remain outstanding, the Company will maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment where Securities may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and of any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain such office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
Section 10.03 Money or Security Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent for any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium, or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Holders of such Securities or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it will, on or prior to each due date of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Securities of such series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium, or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities entitled to the same and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
The Company will cause each Paying Agent other than the Trustee for any series of Securities to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will:
(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Holders of such Securities or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;
(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any such payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of such series; and
(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.
The Company may, at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent in respect of each and every series of Securities as to which it seeks to discharge this Indenture or, if for any other purpose, all sums so held in trust by the Company in respect of all Securities, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.
Section 10.04 Certificate to Trustee. The Company will deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, an Officers’ Certificate, one of whose signatories shall be the Company’s principal executive, accounting or financial officer, stating that in the course of the performance by the signers of their duties as officers of the Company they would normally have knowledge of any default by the Company in the performance of any of its covenants, conditions or agreements contained herein (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder), stating whether or not they have knowledge of any such default and, if so, specifying each such default of which the signers have knowledge and the nature thereof.
Section 10.05 Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 8 the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence.
ARTICLE XI
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
Section 11.01 Applicability of Article. The Company may reserve the right to redeem and pay before the Scheduled Maturity Date all or any part of the Securities of any series, either by optional redemption, sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation or otherwise, by provision therefor in the form of Security for such series established and approved pursuant to Section 2.02 and 2.03 or as otherwise provided in Section 3.01, and on such terms as are specified in such form or in the indenture supplemental hereto with respect to Securities of such series as provided in Section 3.01. Redemption of Securities of any series shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and, to the extent that this Article does not conflict with such terms, the succeeding Sections of this Article.
Section 11.02 Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities (a) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.
Section 11.03 Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed. If fewer than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate, which may include provision for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series. Unless otherwise provided in the terms of a particular series of Securities, the portions of the principal of Securities so selected for partial redemption shall be equal to the minimum authorized denomination of the Securities of such series, or an integral multiple thereof, and the principal amount which remains outstanding shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Security selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.
For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.
Section 11.04 Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not fewer than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at his or her address appearing in the Security Register on the applicable Record Date.
All notices of redemption shall state:
(1) the Redemption Date;
(2) the Redemption Price, or if not then ascertainable, the manner of calculation thereof;
(3) if fewer than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the respective principal amounts) of the Securities to be redeemed, from the Holder to whom the notice is given and that on and after the date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of the same series in the aggregate principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in accordance with Section 11.07;
(4) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Security, and that interest, if any, thereon shall cease to accrue from and after said date;
(5) the place where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price, which shall be the office or agency maintained by the Company in the Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof; and
(6) that the redemption is on account of a sinking or purchase fund, or other analogous obligation, if that be the case.
Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, made at least five business days prior to the date on which notice is to be given, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.
Section 11.05 Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money, in immediately available funds, sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date.
Section 11.06 Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of Redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of such Securities for redemption in accordance with the notice, such Securities shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price. Any installment of interest due and payable on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities registered as such on the relevant Record Date according to the terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 above; unless, with respect to an Interest Payment Date that falls on a Redemption Date, such Securities provide that interest due on such date is to be paid to the Person to whom principal is payable.
If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate borne by the Security, or as otherwise provided in such Security.
Section 11.07 Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Security that is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at the office or agency maintained by the Company in the Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof with respect to that series (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of the same series, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holders in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.
Section 11.08 Provisions with Respect to any Sinking Funds. Unless the form or terms of any series of Securities shall provide otherwise, in lieu of making all or any part of any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to such series of Securities in cash, the Company may at its option (a) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities of such series theretofore acquired by the Company, or (b) receive credit for any Securities of such series (not previously so credited) acquired or redeemed by the Company (other than through operation of a mandatory sinking fund) and theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, and if it does so then (i) Securities so delivered or credited shall be credited at the applicable sinking fund Redemption Price with respect to Securities of such series, and (ii) on or before the 60th day next preceding each sinking fund Redemption Date with respect to such series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee (A) an Officers’ Certificate specifying the portions of such sinking fund payment to be satisfied by payment of cash and by the delivery or credit of Securities of such series acquired or redeemed by the Company, and (B) such Securities, to the extent not previously surrendered. Such Officers’ Certificate shall also state the basis for any such credit and that the Securities for which the Company elects to receive credit have not been previously so credited and were not acquired by the Company through operation of the mandatory sinking fund, if any, provided with respect to such Securities and shall also state that no Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series has occurred and is continuing. All Securities so delivered to the Trustee shall be canceled by the Trustee and no Securities shall be authenticated in lieu thereof.
If the sinking fund payment or payments (mandatory or optional) with respect to any series of Securities made in cash plus any unused balance of any preceding sinking fund payments with respect to Securities of such series made in cash shall exceed $50,000 (or a lesser sum if the Company shall so request), unless otherwise provided by the terms of such series of Securities, that cash shall be applied by the Trustee on the sinking fund Redemption Date with respect to Securities of such series next following the date of such payment to the redemption of Securities of such series at the applicable sinking fund Redemption Price with respect to Securities of such series, together with accrued interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption, with the effect provided in Section 11.06. The Trustee shall select, in the manner provided in Section 11.03, for redemption on such sinking fund Redemption Date a sufficient principal amount of Securities of such series to utilize that cash and shall thereupon cause notice of redemption of the Securities of such series for the sinking fund to be given in the manner provided in Section 11.04 (and with the effect provided in Section 11.06) for the redemption of Securities in part at the option of the Company. Any sinking fund moneys not so applied or allocated by the Trustee to the redemption of Securities of such series shall be added to the next cash sinking fund payment with respect to Securities of such series received by the Trustee and, together with such payment, shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of this Section 11.08. Any and all sinking fund moneys with respect to Securities of any series held by the Trustee at the Maturity of Securities of such series, and not held for the payment or redemption of particular Securities of such series, shall be applied by the Trustee, together with other moneys, if necessary, to be deposited sufficient for the purpose, to the payment of the principal of the Securities of such series at Maturity.
On or before each sinking fund Redemption Date provided with respect to Securities of any series, the Company shall pay to the Trustee in cash a sum equal to all accrued interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption on Securities to be redeemed on such sinking fund Redemption Date pursuant to this Section 11.08.
The Trustee shall not redeem any Securities with sinking fund moneys or give any notice of redemption of Securities by operation of the applicable sinking fund during the continuance of a default in payment of interest on Securities of such series or of any Event of Default with respect to such series, except that if the notice of redemption of any Securities shall theretofore have been mailed in accordance with the provisions hereof, the Trustee shall redeem such Securities if cash sufficient for that purpose shall be deposited with the Trustee for that purpose in accordance with the terms of this Article 11. Except as aforesaid, any moneys in the sinking fund with respect to Securities of any series at the time when any such default or Event of Default with respect to such series shall occur, and any moneys thereafter paid into such sinking fund shall, during the continuance of such default or Event of Default with respect to such series, be held as security for the payment of all Securities of such series; provided, however, that in case such default or Event of Default with respect to such series shall have been cured or waived as provided herein, such moneys shall thereafter be applied on the next sinking fund payment date on which such moneys may be applied pursuant to the provisions of this Section 11.08.
ARTICLE XII
REPAYMENT AT OPTION OF HOLDERS
Section 12.01 Applicability of Article. Repayment of Securities of any series before their Scheduled Maturity Date at the option of Holders thereof shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.
Section 12.02 Repayment of Securities. Securities of any series subject to repayment in whole or in part at the option of the Holders thereof will, unless otherwise provided in the terms of such Securities, be repaid at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest thereon accrued to the Repayment Date specified in the terms of such Securities. On or before the Repayment Date, the Company will deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money, in immediately available funds, sufficient to pay the Repayment Price of all the Securities which are to be repaid on such date.
Section 12.03 Exercise of Option. Securities of any series subject to repayment at the option of the Holders thereof will contain an “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Securities. To be repaid at the option of the Holder, any Security so providing for such repayment, with the “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Security duly completed by the Holder, must be received by the Company at the Place of Payment therefor specified in the terms of such Security (or at such other place or places of which the Company shall from time to time notify the Holders of such Securities) not earlier than 30 days nor later than 15 days prior to the Repayment Date. If less than the entire principal amount of such Security is to be repaid in accordance with the terms of such Security, the principal amount of such Security to be repaid, in increments of $1,000 unless otherwise specified in the terms of such Security, and the denomination or denominations of the Security or Securities to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the principal amount of such Security surrendered that is not to be repaid, must be specified. The principal amount of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof may not be repaid in part, if, following such repayment, the unpaid principal amount of such Security would be less than the minimum authorized denomination of Securities of the series of which such Security to be repaid is a part. Except as otherwise may be provided by the terms of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof, exercise of the repayment option by the Holder shall be irrevocable unless waived by the Company.
Section 12.04 When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable. If Securities of any series providing for repayment at the option of the Holders thereof shall have been surrendered as provided in this Article and as provided by the terms of such Securities, such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid shall become due and payable and shall be paid by the Company on the Repayment Date therein specified, and on and after such Repayment Date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities on such Repayment Date) interest on such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, shall cease to accrue.
Section 12.05 Securities Repaid in Part. Upon surrender of any Security which is to be repaid in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security, without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of the same series, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, of any authorized denomination specified by the Holder, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the portion of the principal of such Security so surrendered which is not to be repaid.
( signature page follows )
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
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State of
ss.:
County of
On the [ ] day of [ ], 20[ ] before me personally came [ ] to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that (s)he resides at [ ]; that (s)he is the [ ] of [ ], one of the parties described in and which executed the above instrument; that (s)he knows the corporate seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to that instrument is such corporate seal; that it was affixed by authority of the board of directors of said corporation; and that (s)he signed his or her name thereto by like authority.
Name
Notary Public
State of
ss.:
County of
On the [ ] day of [ ], 20[ ] before me personally came [ ], to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that (s)he resides at [ ]; that (s)he is the [ ] of Bel Fuse Inc., one of the parties described in and which executed the above instrument; that (s)he knows the corporate seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to that instrument is such corporate seal; that it was affixed by authority of the board of directors of said corporation; and that (s)he signed his or her name thereto by like authority.
Name
Notary Public
Exhibit 5.1
OPINION OF LOWENSTEIN SANDLER LLP
June 15, 2020
Bel Fuse Inc.
206 Van Vorst Street
Jersey City, New Jersey 07302
Re: Shelf Registration Statement of Bel Fuse Inc. on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Bel Fuse Inc., a New Jersey corporation (the “Company”), in connection with its filing of a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”), including the prospectus constituting a part thereof (the “Prospectus”), to which this opinion is attached, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). We have been requested by the Company to render this opinion in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement.
The Prospectus provides that it will be supplemented in the future by one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each a “Prospectus Supplement”). The Prospectus, as supplemented by various Prospectus Supplements, will provide for the registration by the Company of up to $140,000,000 aggregate offering price of (i) secured or unsecured debt securities, in one or more series, which may be either senior debt securities, senior subordinated debt securities, subordinated debt securities or junior subordinated securities (the “Debt Securities”) to be issued pursuant to an Indenture between the Company and a trustee or bank to be named (the “Trustee”), which may be supplemented for any series of Debt Securities (the “Indenture”), (ii) shares of preferred stock, no par value per share, in one or more series or classes (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.10 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), (iv) shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.10 per share (“Class B Common Stock” and together with the Class A Common Stock, the “Common Stock"), (v) warrants to purchase Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”), (vi) depositary shares (evidenced by depositary receipts) representing fractional interests in shares of Preferred Stock (the “Depositary Shares”), or (vii) units composed of the foregoing (the “Units”). The Debt Securities, Preferred Stock, Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock, Warrants, Depositary Shares and Units are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.” Any Debt Securities may be exchangeable and/or convertible into shares of Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or Preferred Stock or Depository Shares. The Preferred Stock may also be exchangeable for and/or convertible into shares of Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or another series of Preferred Stock. The Units may be exchangeable and/or settled into the Securities comprising the Units.
In rendering our opinion, we have reviewed the Registration Statement and the exhibits thereto. We have also reviewed such corporate documents and records of the Company, such certificates of public officials and officers of the Company and such other matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion.
Except to the extent we opine as to the binding effect of certain documents as set forth in paragraphs 1, 4, 5 and 6 below, we have assumed that all documents referenced below are the valid and binding obligations of and enforceable against the parties thereto. We have also assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures, the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or photostatic copies and the legal capacities of all natural persons.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
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(a) When the Debt Securities have been duly established in accordance with the Indenture (including, without limitation, the adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution duly authorizing the issuance and delivery of the Debt Securities), duly authenticated by the Trustee and duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Indenture and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (b) when the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement (s) required by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (c) assuming that the terms of the Debt Securities as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (d) assuming that the Debt Securities as executed and delivered do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (e) assuming that the Debt Securities as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (f) assuming that the Debt Securities are then issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), then the Debt Securities (including any Debt Securities issued in exchange or in settlement of Units that are exchangeable or settled into Debt Securities) will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company. |
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(a) When a new class or series of Preferred Stock has been duly established in accordance with the terms of the restated certificate of incorporation of the Company, as amended (“Charter”), the by-laws of the Company, as amended (“Bylaws”) and applicable law (in the event that the Preferred Stock is a new class or series of Preferred Stock), and upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law, and (b) assuming that appropriate certificates of amendment to the Company’s Charter relating to such class or series of Preferred Stock have been duly approved by the Company’s Board of Directors and been filed with and accepted for record by the State of New Jersey, and (c) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment(s) thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement (s) required by applicable laws have become effective under the Securities Act, and (d) assuming that upon the issuance of such Preferred Stock, the total number of issued and outstanding shares of the applicable class or series of Preferred Stock will not exceed the total number of shares of Preferred Stock or the number of shares of such class or series of Preferred Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under its Charter, then upon issuance and delivery of and payment for such shares in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and by such resolution, such shares of such class or series of Preferred Stock (including any Preferred Stock duly issued upon (i) the exchange or conversion of any shares of Preferred Stock that are exchangeable or convertible into another class or series of Preferred Stock, (ii) the exercise of any duly issued Warrants exercisable for Preferred Stock, (iii) the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Preferred Stock or (iv) the exchange or settlement of Units that are exchangeable or able to be settled for Preferred Stock), will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
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(a) Upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law authorizing the issuance and sale of Class A Common Stock, and (b) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment(s) thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have become effective under the Securities Act, and (c) assuming that upon the issuance of such Class A Common Stock, the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock plus the number of shares of Class A Common Stock reserved for issuance will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock or the number of shares of Class A Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under its Charter, then upon issuance and delivery of and payment for such shares in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and by such resolution, such shares of Class A Common Stock being issued by the Company (including any Class A Common Stock duly issued upon (i) the exchange or conversion of any shares of Preferred Stock that are exchangeable or convertible into Class A Common Stock, (ii) the exercise of any duly issued Warrants exercisable for Class A Common Stock, (iii) the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Class A Common Stock, or (iv) the exchange or settlement of Units that are exchangeable or able to be settled for Class A Common Stock), will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. (d) Upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law authorizing the issuance and sale of Class B Common Stock, and (e) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment(s) thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have become effective under the Securities Act, and (f) assuming that upon the issuance of such Class B Common Stock, the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock plus the number of shares of Class B Common Stock reserved for issuance will not exceed the total number of shares of the Company’s common stock or the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under its Charter, then upon issuance and delivery of and payment for such shares in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and by such resolution, such shares of Class B Common Stock being issued by the Company (including any Class B Common Stock duly issued upon (I) the exchange or conversion of any shares of Preferred Stock that are exchangeable or convertible into Class B Common Stock, (II) the exercise of any duly issued Warrants exercisable for Class B Common Stock, (III) the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Class B Common Stock, or (IV) the exchange or settlement of Units that are exchangeable or able to be settled for Class B Common Stock), will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
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(a) When a warrant agreement relating to the Warrants has been duly authorized (the “Warrant Agreement”), executed and delivered and the Warrants and the securities of the Company for which the Warrants will be exercisable have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors, and (b) assuming that the terms of the Warrants and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Company’s Charter and Bylaws and the Warrant Agreement, and (c) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (d) assuming that the terms of the Warrants as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (e) assuming that the Warrants, as executed and delivered, do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (f) assuming that the Warrants as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (g) assuming that the Warrants are then issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement(s), then upon issuance of and delivery of and payment for such Warrants in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement and the Warrant Agreement and by such resolution, the Warrants (including any Warrants issued upon the exchange or settlement of Units that are exchangeable or able to be settled for Warrants) will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company. |
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(a) When a depositary agreement relating to the Depositary Shares has been duly authorized (the “Depositary Agreement”), executed and delivered and the Depositary Shares have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors, and (b) assuming that the terms of the Depositary Shares and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Company’s Charter and Bylaws and the Depositary Agreement, and (c) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (d) assuming that the terms of the Depositary Shares as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (e) assuming that the Depositary Shares, as executed and delivered, do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (f) assuming that the Depositary Shares as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (g) assuming the depositary receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares have been duly issued against the deposit of the Preferred Stock in accordance with the Depositary Agreement and issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement(s), then upon issuance of and delivery of and payment for such Depositary Shares in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement and by such resolution, the depositary receipts evidencing Depositary Shares (including any depositary receipts evidencing Depositary Shares issued upon the exchange or settlement of Units exchangeable or able to be settled for Depositary Shares) will be legally issued, and will entitle holders thereof to the rights specified in the Depositary Agreement.
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(a) When a unit agreement relating to the Units has been duly authorized (the “Unit Agreement”), executed and delivered and the Units have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors, and (b) assuming that the terms of the Units and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Unit Agreement, and (c) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (d) assuming that the terms of the Units as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (e) assuming that the Units, as executed and delivered, do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (f) assuming that the Units as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (g) assuming that the Units are then issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement(s), then upon issuance of and delivery of and payment for such Units in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement and the Unit Agreement and by such resolution, the Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company. |
The opinions set forth in paragraphs 1, 4, 5 and 6 above are subject to (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity (including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief and other equitable remedies), regardless of whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity and (iii) the effect of public policy considerations that may limit the rights of the parties to obtain further remedies. Furthermore, we express no opinion with respect to the enforceability of provisions relating to choice of law, choice of venue, jurisdiction or waivers of jury trial, and we express no opinion with respect to the enforceability of any waiver of any usury defense.
To the extent that the obligations of the Company with respect to the Securities may be dependent on such matters, we assume for purposes of this opinion that the other party under the Indenture for any Debt Securities, under the Warrant Agreement for any Warrants, under the Unit Agreement for any Units and under the Deposit Agreement for any Depository Shares, namely, the Trustee, the warrant agent, the unit agent or the depositary, respectively, is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; that such other party is duly qualified to engage in the activities contemplated by such Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Unit Agreement or Deposit Agreement, as applicable; that such Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Unit Agreement or Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such other party and constitutes the legally valid, binding and enforceable obligation of such other party, enforceable against such other party in accordance with its terms; that such other party is in compliance, generally and with respect to performance of its obligations under such Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Unit Agreement, or Deposit Agreement, as applicable, with all applicable laws and regulations; and that such other party has the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under such Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Unit Agreement or Deposit Agreement, as applicable.
Our opinion is limited to the federal laws of the United States, the laws of the State of New Jersey and the laws of the State of New York. We express no opinion as to the effect of the law of any other jurisdiction. Our opinion is rendered as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to advise you of changes in law or fact (or the effect thereof on the opinions expressed herein) that hereafter may come to our attention.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act and to the use of our name therein and in the related Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Legal Matters.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Lowenstein Sandler LLP
LOWENSTEIN SANDLER LLP
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated March 24, 2020, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Bel Fuse Inc. and subsidiaries, and the effectiveness of Bel Fuse Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Bel Fuse Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2019. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Registration Statement.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
New York, New York
June 15, 2020
Exhibit 24.1
POWER OF ATTORNEY
WHEREAS, the undersigned officers and directors of Bel Fuse Inc. desire to authorize Daniel Bernstein and Craig Brosious to act as their attorneys-in-fact and agents, for the purpose of executing and filing the Registration Statement described below, including all amendments and supplements thereto,
NOW, THEREFORE,
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Daniel Bernstein and Craig Brosious, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to sign the Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Bel Fuse Inc. registering Class A common stock, Class B common stock, preferred stock, warrants, debt securities, depositary shares and units for sale pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and any and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this power of attorney in the following capacities as of June 15, 2020.
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/s/ Daniel Bernstein |
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Director, President and Chief Executive Officer |
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Daniel Bernstein |
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/s/Thomas E. Dooley |
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Director |
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Thomas E. Dooley |
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/s/ Peter Gilbert |
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Director |
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Peter Gilbert |
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/s/ Eric Nowling |
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Director |
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Eric Nowling |
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/s/ Mark Segall |
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Director |
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Mark Segall |
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/s/ Rita V. Smith |
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Director |
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Rita V. Smith |
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/s/ John F Tweedy |
Director |
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John F. Tweedy |
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/s/ Vincent Vellucci |
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Director |
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Vincent Vellucci |
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/s/ Craig Brosious |
Vice President of Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |
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Craig Brosious |
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