BKD 8-K
Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (BKD)
8-K
2024-09-30
For: 2024-09-30
View Original
Added on
April 08, 2026
| UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 | |||||||||||
| FORM | |||||||||||
| CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 | |||||||||||
| Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) | |||||||||||
| (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |||||||||||||
| Registrant's telephone number, including area code | ||||||||||||||
| 111 Westwood Place, Suite 400, Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 | ||||||||||||||
| (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.) | ||||||||||||||
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): | ||||||||||||||
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | ||||||||||||||
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | ||||||||||||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | ||||||||||||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) | ||||||||||||||
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
Exchange and Subscription Agreements
On September 30, 2024, Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (the “Company”) entered into privately negotiated exchange and subscription agreements (the “Exchange and Subscription Agreements”) with certain holders (the "Investors") of the Company’s outstanding 2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the “2026 Notes”), pursuant to which the Company will issue approximately $369 million aggregate principal amount of 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029 (the “2029 New Notes”). Approximately $219 million principal amount of the 2029 New Notes will be issued in exchange for approximately $207 million principal amount of the 2026 Notes (the “Exchange Transactions”) and $150 million principal amount of the 2029 New Notes will be issued for cash (the “Subscription Transactions,” and together with the Exchange Transactions, the “Transactions”). In each case, the 2029 New Notes will be issued in private placements in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The 2029 New Notes will be issued pursuant to an indenture (the “2029 New Notes Indenture”). The Transactions are expected to close on October 3, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. Following the closing of the Transactions, approximately $23 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes will remain outstanding with the terms unchanged.
The 2029 New Notes Indenture
The 2029 New Notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of the Company, and interest will be payable semi-annually in arrears at a rate of 3.50% per annum on April 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning on April 15, 2025. The 2029 New Notes will mature on October 15, 2029, unless earlier repurchased or converted.
Prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding July 15, 2029, the 2029 New Notes will be convertible at the option of holders during certain periods, upon satisfaction of certain conditions. On or after July 15, 2029, the 2029 New Notes will be convertible at any time until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date. Upon conversion, the 2029 New Notes may be settled in shares of Company common stock, cash or a combination of cash and shares of Company common stock, at the Company’s election. Under the 2029 New Notes Indenture, the Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of common stock to any holder upon any conversion of the 2029 New Notes whereby such holder would beneficially own a number of shares of Company common stock in excess of 19.9% of the total number of shares of Company common stock issued and outstanding immediately following such conversion.
The 2029 New Notes will have an initial conversion rate of 111.1111 shares of Company common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the 2029 New Notes (subject to adjustment for certain events). This represents an initial conversion price of approximately $9.00 per share. The initial conversion price of the 2029 New Notes represents a premium of approximately 36.57% to the $6.59 per share closing price of the Company’s common stock on September 27, 2024.
The Company anticipates the net cash proceeds from the Subscription Transactions will be approximately $135 million, after subtracting fees, discounts and estimated expenses in connection with the Transactions. The Company intends to use the proceeds to fund acquisitions and for general corporate purposes.
The Company will not have the right to redeem the 2029 New Notes at its election before the maturity date.
Holders of the 2029 New Notes may require the Company to repurchase their notes upon the occurrence of certain events that constitute a fundamental change under the 2029 New Notes Indenture at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of repurchase.
Registration Rights Agreement
Upon the closing of the Transactions, the Company will enter into a Registration Rights Agreement in connection with the Transactions (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with the Investors, pursuant to which the Investors are entitled to certain registration rights. Under the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company is required to prepare and file a registration statement, or a prospectus supplement to an effective registration statement, with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 15 business days following the closing of the Transactions, with respect to the shares of common stock for which the 2029 New Notes may be converted.
Under the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company will agree to indemnify the applicable Investor and certain indemnified persons against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses resulting from any untrue statement or omission of material fact in any registration statement pursuant to which it sells the Company’s common stock, unless such liability arose from the applicable Investor's misstatement or omission, and the applicable Investor will agree to indemnify the Company against all losses caused by its misstatements or omissions. The Company will generally pay all reasonable expenses incurred in connection with registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to its performance under the Registration Rights Agreement,
other than underwriting discounts and commissions, if any, relating to the sale of its common stock under the Registration Rights Agreement.
The foregoing descriptions of the Exchange and Subscription Agreements, 2029 New Notes Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the Form of Exchange and Subscription Agreement, Form of 2029 New Notes Indenture and Form of Registration Rights Agreement, copies of which are filed as Exhibits 10.1, 4.1 and 10.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.
This Current Report on Form 8-K does not constitute an offer to sell, nor is it a solicitation of an offer to buy, any of these securities (including the shares of the Company’s common stock, if any, to which the 2029 New Notes are convertible) and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful.
Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
The information set forth above under Item 1.01 is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.
Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.
The information set forth above under Item 1.01 is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02. In the case of both Transactions, the 2029 New Notes will be offered and sold pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. The Company is relying on this exemption from registration in part based on representations made by the Investors in the 2029 New Notes in the Exchange and Subscription Agreements, including representations that such Investors are “qualified institutional buyers” as defined under Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD.
On September 30, 2024, the Company issued a press release announcing the Transactions and the Company's entering into agreements to acquire 41 currently leased communities. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.
The information furnished pursuant to this Item 7.01 (including Exhibit 99.1 hereto) shall not be considered “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be incorporated by reference into any filing by the Company under the Securities Act or under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, unless the Company expressly sets forth by specific reference in such filing that such information is to be considered “filed” or incorporated by reference therein.
SAFE HARBOR
Certain statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and include all statements that are not historical statements of fact and those regarding the Company's intent, belief, or expectations. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "would," "potential," "intend," "expect," "endeavor," "seek," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "project," "predict," "continue," "plan," "target," or other similar words or expressions, and include statements regarding the Company's expected financial and operational results. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations, and the Company's ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Although the Company believes that expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its assumptions or expectations will be attained and actual results and performance could differ materially from those projected. Factors which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's operations and future prospects or which could cause events or circumstances to differ from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to complete pending or expected transactions on agreed upon terms or at all, including in respect of the satisfaction of closing conditions, such as the ability to obtain financing or regulator approvals, and uncertainties as to the timing of closing; disruptions in the financial markets or decreases in the appraised values or performance of the Company's communities that affect the Company's ability to obtain financing or extend or refinance debt as it matures and the Company's financing costs; the Company's ability to obtain additional capital on terms acceptable to it; as well as other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in such SEC filings. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements, which reflect management's views as of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K. The Company cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and, except as required by law, it expressly disclaims any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K to reflect any change in
the Company's expectations with regard thereto or change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any statement is based.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
| (d) | Exhibits | |||||||||||||
| 4.1 | ||||||||||||||
| 10.1 | ||||||||||||||
| 10.2 | ||||||||||||||
| 99.1 | ||||||||||||||
| 104.1 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | |||||||||||||
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. | |||||||||||||||||
| Date: | September 30, 2024 | By: | /s/ Chad C. White | ||||||||||||||
| Name: | Chad C. White | ||||||||||||||||
| Title: | Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary | ||||||||||||||||
Exhibit 4.1
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC.
AND
EQUINITI TRUST COMPANY, LLC,
as Trustee
INDENTURE
Dated as of October 3, 2024
3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE 1
Definitions
Definitions
Section 1.01. Definitions........................................................................................................ 1
Section 1.02. References to Interest..................................................................................... 14
ARTICLE 2
Issue, Description, Execution, Registration and Exchange of Notes
Issue, Description, Execution, Registration and Exchange of Notes
Section 2.01. Designation and Amount................................................................................ 14
Section 2.02. Form of Notes................................................................................................. 14
Section 2.03. Date and Denomination of Notes; Payments of Interest and Defaulted Amounts.......................................................................................................... 15
Section 2.04. Execution, Authentication and Delivery of Notes........................................... 17
Section 2.05. Exchange and Registration of Transfer of Notes; Restrictions on Transfer; Depositary...................................................................................................... 17
Section 2.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes.................................................... 24
Section 2.07. Temporary Notes............................................................................................ 25
Section 2.08. Cancellation of Notes Paid, Converted, Etc................................................... 25
Section 2.09. CUSIP Numbers............................................................................................. 26
Section 2.10. Additional Notes; Repurchases...................................................................... 26
ARTICLE 3
Satisfaction and Discharge
Satisfaction and Discharge
Section 3.01. Satisfaction and Discharge............................................................................. 26
ARTICLE 4
Particular Covenants of the Company
Particular Covenants of the Company
Section 4.01. Payment of Principal and Interest.................................................................. 27
Section 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency................................................................... 27
Section 4.03. Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee’s Office....................................... 28
Section 4.04. Provisions as to Paying Agent........................................................................ 28
Section 4.05. Existence......................................................................................................... 29
Section 4.06. Rule 144A Information Requirement and Annual Reports............................. 29
Section 4.07. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.................................................................... 31
Section 4.08. Compliance Certificate; Statements as to Defaults........................................ 31
i
Section 4.09. Further Instruments and Acts......................................................................... 32
ARTICLE 5
Lists of Holders and Reports by the Company and the Trustee
Lists of Holders and Reports by the Company and the Trustee
Section 5.01. Lists of Holders............................................................................................... 32
Section 5.02. Preservation and Disclosure of Lists............................................................. 32
ARTICLE 6
Defaults and Remedies
Defaults and Remedies
Section 6.01. Events of Default............................................................................................ 32
Section 6.02. Acceleration; Rescission and Annulment....................................................... 33
Section 6.03. Additional Interest.......................................................................................... 34
Section 6.04. Payments of Notes on Default; Suit Therefor................................................. 35
Section 6.05. Application of Monies Collected by Trustee.................................................. 37
Section 6.06. Proceedings by Holders................................................................................. 38
Section 6.07. Proceedings by Trustee.................................................................................. 39
Section 6.08. Remedies Cumulative and Continuing........................................................... 39
Section 6.09. Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Holders.... 39
Section 6.10. Notice of Defaults........................................................................................... 40
Section 6.11. Undertaking to Pay Costs............................................................................... 40
ARTICLE 7
Concerning the Trustee
Concerning the Trustee
Section 7.01. Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee........................................................... 40
Section 7.02. Reliance on Documents, Opinions, Etc.......................................................... 42
Section 7.03. No Responsibility for Recitals, Etc................................................................. 43
Section 7.04. Trustee, Paying Agents, Conversion Agents, Bid Solicitation Agent or Note Registrar May Own Notes.............................................................................. 44
Section 7.05. Monies and Shares of Common Stock to Be Held in Trust............................. 44
Section 7.06. Compensation and Expenses of Trustee......................................................... 44
Section 7.07. Officer’s Certificate as Evidence.................................................................... 45
Section 7.08. Eligibility of Trustee....................................................................................... 45
Section 7.09. Resignation or Removal of Trustee................................................................ 45
Section 7.10. Acceptance by Successor Trustee................................................................... 46
Section 7.11. Succession by Merger, Etc............................................................................. 47
Section 7.12. Trustee’s Application for Instructions from the Company............................. 47
ARTICLE 8
Concerning the Holders
Concerning the Holders
Section 8.01. Action by Holders........................................................................................... 48
ii
Section 8.02. Proof of Execution by Holders....................................................................... 48
Section 8.03. Who Are Deemed Absolute Owners............................................................... 48
Section 8.04. Company-Owned Notes Disregarded............................................................. 49
Section 8.05. Revocation of Consents; Future Holders Bound............................................ 49
ARTICLE 9
Holders’ Meetings
Holders’ Meetings
Section 9.01. Purpose of Meetings....................................................................................... 50
Section 9.02. Call of Meetings by Trustee............................................................................ 50
Section 9.03. Call of Meetings by Company or Holders...................................................... 50
Section 9.04. Qualifications for Voting................................................................................ 51
Section 9.05. Regulations..................................................................................................... 51
Section 9.06. Voting............................................................................................................. 51
Section 9.07. No Delay of Rights by Meeting....................................................................... 52
ARTICLE 10
Supplemental Indentures
Supplemental Indentures
Section 10.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders................................. 52
Section 10.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders...................................... 53
Section 10.03. Effect of Supplemental Indentures................................................................ 54
Section 10.04. Notation on Notes......................................................................................... 54
Section 10.05. Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to Be Furnished Trustee............................................................................................................ 55
ARTICLE 11
Consolidation, Merger, Sale, Conveyance and Lease
Consolidation, Merger, Sale, Conveyance and Lease
Section 11.01. Company May Consolidate, Etc. on Certain Terms..................................... 55
Section 11.02. Successor Corporation to Be Substituted..................................................... 55
Section 11.03. Opinion of Counsel to Be Given to Trustee.................................................. 56
ARTICLE 12
Immunity of Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors
Immunity of Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors
Section 12.01. Indenture and Notes Solely Corporate Obligations..................................... 56
ARTICLE 13
Intentionally Omitted
Intentionally Omitted
ARTICLE 14
Conversion of Notes
Conversion of Notes
Section 14.01. Conversion Privilege.................................................................................... 57
iii
Section 14.02. Conversion Procedure; Settlement Upon Conversion.................................. 61
Section 14.03. Increased Conversion Rate Applicable to Certain Notes Surrendered in Connection with Make-Whole Fundamental Changes................................... 66
Section 14.04. Adjustment of Conversion Rate.................................................................... 68
Section 14.05. Adjustments of Prices.................................................................................... 78
Section 14.06. Shares to Be Fully Paid................................................................................ 78
Section 14.07. Effect of Recapitalizations, Reclassifications and Changes of the Common Stock............................................................................................................... 78
Section 14.08. Certain Covenants........................................................................................ 80
Section 14.09. Responsibility of Trustee.............................................................................. 80
Section 14.10. Notice to Holders Prior to Certain Actions.................................................. 81
Section 14.11. Stockholder Rights Plans.............................................................................. 82
Section 14.12. Exchange In Lieu Of Conversion................................................................. 82
ARTICLE 15
Repurchase of Notes at Option of Holders
Repurchase of Notes at Option of Holders
Section 15.01. Intentionally Omitted.................................................................................... 83
Section 15.02. Repurchase at Option of Holders Upon a Fundamental Change................ 83
Section 15.03. Withdrawal of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice............................ 86
Section 15.04. Deposit of Fundamental Change Repurchase Price.................................... 86
Section 15.05. Covenant to Comply with Applicable Laws Upon Repurchase of Notes...... 87
ARTICLE 16
[intentionally omitted]
[intentionally omitted]
ARTICLE 17
Miscellaneous Provisions
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 17.01. Provisions Binding on Company’s Successors............................................. 90
Section 17.02. Official Acts by Successor Corporation....................................................... 90
Section 17.03. Addresses for Notices, Etc............................................................................ 90
Section 17.04. Governing Law; Jurisdiction........................................................................ 91
Section 17.05. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent; Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to Trustee...................................................................... 91
Section 17.06. Legal Holidays.............................................................................................. 92
Section 17.07. No Security Interest Created........................................................................ 92
Section 17.08. Benefits of Indenture..................................................................................... 92
Section 17.09. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc................................................................. 92
Section 17.10. Authenticating Agent.................................................................................... 92
Section 17.11. Execution in Counterparts............................................................................ 94
Section 17.12. Severability................................................................................................... 94
Section 17.13. Waiver of Jury Trial.................................................................................... 94
Section 17.14. Force Majeure.............................................................................................. 94
iv
Section 17.15. Calculations.................................................................................................. 95
Section 17.16. U.S.A. PATRIOT Act.................................................................................... 95
Section 17.17. No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees or Stockholders... 95
EXHIBIT
Exhibit A Form of Note A-1
v
INDENTURE, dated as of October 3, 2024, between BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC., a Delaware corporation, as issuer (the “Company”, as more fully set forth in Section 1.01) and EQUINITI TRUST COMPANY, LLC, a New York limited liability trust company, as trustee (the “Trustee”, as more fully set forth in Section 1.01).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, for its lawful corporate purposes, the Company has duly authorized the issuance of its 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”), initially in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $369,445,000, and in order to provide the terms and conditions upon which the Notes are to be authenticated, issued and delivered, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture; and
WHEREAS, the Form of Note, the certificate of authentication to be borne by each Note, the Form of Notice of Conversion, the Form of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice and the Form of Assignment and Transfer to be borne by the Notes are to be substantially in the forms hereinafter provided; and
WHEREAS, all acts and things necessary to make the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or a duly authorized authenticating agent, as in this Indenture provided, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and this Indenture a valid agreement according to its terms, have been done and performed, and the execution of this Indenture and the issuance hereunder of the Notes have in all respects been duly authorized.
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
That in order to declare the terms and conditions upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated, issued and delivered, and in consideration of the premises and of the purchase and acceptance of the Notes by the Holders thereof, the Company covenants and agrees with the Trustee for the equal and proportionate benefit of the respective Holders from time to time of the Notes (except as otherwise provided below), as follows:
ARTICLE 1
Definitions
Definitions
Section 1.01. Definitions. The terms defined in this Section 1.01 (except as herein otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires) for all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section 1.01. The words “herein,” “hereof,” “hereunder,” and words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision. The terms defined in this Article include the plural as well as the singular.
“Additional Interest” means all amounts, if any, payable pursuant to Section 4.06(d), Section 4.06(e) and Section 6.03, as applicable.
“Additional Shares” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.03(a).
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct or cause the direction of 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. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the determination of whether one Person is an “Affiliate” of another Person for purposes of this Indenture shall be made based on the facts at the time such determination is made or required to be made, as the case may be, hereunder.
“Bid Solicitation Agent” means the Company or the Person appointed by the Company to solicit bids for the Trading Price of the Notes in accordance with Section 14.01(b)(i). The Trustee shall initially act as the Bid Solicitation Agent.
“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company or a committee of such board duly authorized to act for it 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.
“Business Day” means, with respect to any Note, any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is authorized or required by law or executive order to close or be closed.
“Capital Stock” means, for any entity, any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) stock issued by that entity.
“Cash Settlement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(a).
“Clause A Distribution” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).
“Clause B Distribution” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).
“Clause C Distribution” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).
2
“close of business” means 5:00 p.m. (New York City time).
“Combination Settlement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(a).
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Equity” of any Person means Capital Stock of such Person that is generally entitled (a) to vote in the election of directors of such Person or (b) if such Person is not a corporation, to vote or otherwise participate in the selection of the governing body, partners, managers or others that will control the management or policies of such Person.
“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share, at the date of this Indenture, subject to Section 14.07.
“Company” shall have the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Indenture, and subject to the provisions of Article 11, shall include its successors and assigns.
“Company Order” means a written order of the Company, signed by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, any President or Vice President (whether or not designated by a number or numbers or word or words added before or after the title “President” or “Vice President”) or the Company’s Treasurer, and delivered to the Trustee.
“Conversion Agent” shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.02.
“Conversion Consideration” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.12(a).
“Conversion Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(c).
“Conversion Obligation” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.01(a).
“Conversion Price” means as of any time, $1,000, divided by the Conversion Rate as of such time.
“Conversion Rate” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.01(a).
“Conversion Share Cap” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(m).
“Corporate Trust Office” means the designated office of the Trustee at which at any time this Indenture shall be administered, which office at the date hereof is located at 48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor, New York, New York 10005, Attention: Corporate Trust Department, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the designated corporate trust office of any successor trustee (or such other address as such successor trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).
3
“Custodian” means the Trustee, as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, with respect to the Global Notes, or any successor entity thereto.
“Daily Conversion Value” means, for each of the 50 consecutive Trading Days during the relevant Observation Period, 2% of the product of (a) the Conversion Rate on such Trading Day and (b) the Daily VWAP on such Trading Day.
“Daily Measurement Value” means the Specified Dollar Amount (if any), divided by 50.
“Daily Settlement Amount,” for each of the 50 consecutive Trading Days during the relevant Observation Period, shall consist of:
(a) cash in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the Daily Measurement Value and (ii) the Daily Conversion Value on such Trading Day; and
(b) if the Daily Conversion Value on such Trading Day exceeds the Daily Measurement Value, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to (i) the difference between the Daily Conversion Value and the Daily Measurement Value, divided by (ii) the Daily VWAP for such Trading Day.
“Daily VWAP” means the per share volume-weighted average price as displayed under the heading “Bloomberg VWAP” on Bloomberg page “BKD <equity> AQR” (or its equivalent successor if such page is not available) in respect of the period from the scheduled open of trading until the scheduled close of trading of the primary trading session on such Trading Day (or if such volume-weighted average price is unavailable, the market value of one share of the Common Stock on such Trading Day determined, using a volume-weighted average method, by a nationally recognized independent investment banking firm retained for this purpose by the Company). The “Daily VWAP” shall be determined without regard to after-hours trading or any other trading outside of the regular trading session trading hours.
“Default” means any event that is, or after notice or passage of time, or both, would be, an Event of Default.
“Defaulted Amounts” means any amounts on any Note (including, without limitation, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, principal and interest) that are payable but are not punctually paid or duly provided for.
“delivered” with respect to any notice to be delivered, given or mailed to a Holder pursuant to this Indenture, shall mean notice (x) given to the Depositary (or its designee) pursuant to the standing instructions from the Depositary or its designee, including by electronic mail in accordance with accepted practices or procedures at the Depositary (in the case of a Global Note) or (y) mailed to such Holder by first class mail, postage prepaid, at its address as it appears on the Note Register, in each case in accordance with Section 17.03. Notice so
4
“delivered” shall be deemed to include any notice to be “mailed” or “given,” as applicable, under this Indenture.
“Depositary” means, with respect to each Global Note, the Person specified in Section 2.05(c) as the Depositary with respect to such Notes, until a successor shall have been appointed and become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter, “Depositary” shall mean or include such successor.
“Designated Institution” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.12(a).
“Distributed Property” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).
“Effective Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.03(c), except that, as used in Section 14.04 and Section 14.05, “Effective Date” means the first date on which shares of the Common Stock trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, reflecting the relevant share split or share combination, as applicable.
“Event of Default” shall have the meaning specified in Section 6.01.
“Ex-Dividend Date” means the first date on which shares of the Common Stock trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive the issuance, dividend or distribution in question, from the Company or, if applicable, from the seller of the Common Stock on such exchange or market (in the form of due bills or otherwise) as determined by such exchange or market.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Exchange Election” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.12(a).
“Form of Assignment and Transfer” shall mean the “Form of Assignment and Transfer” attached as Attachment 3 to the Form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.
“Form of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice” shall mean the “Form of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice” attached as Attachment 2 to the Form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.
“Form of Note” shall mean the “Form of Note” attached hereto as Exhibit A.
“Form of Notice of Conversion” shall mean the “Form of Notice of Conversion” attached as Attachment 1 to the Form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.
“Fundamental Change” shall be deemed to have occurred at the time after the Notes are originally issued if any of the following occurs prior to the Maturity Date:
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(a) a “person” or “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, other than the Company, its Wholly Owned Subsidiaries and the employee benefit plans of the Company and its Wholly Owned Subsidiaries, files a Schedule TO or any schedule, form or report under the Exchange Act disclosing that such person or group has become the direct or indirect “beneficial owner,” as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, of the Common Stock representing more than 50% of the voting power of the Common Stock;
(b) the consummation of (A) any recapitalization, reclassification or change of the Common Stock (other than changes resulting from a subdivision or combination) as a result of which the Common Stock would be converted into, or exchanged for, stock, other securities, other property or assets; (B) any share exchange, consolidation or merger of the Company pursuant to which the Common Stock will be converted into cash, securities or other property or assets; or (C) any sale, lease or other transfer in one transaction or a series of transactions of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person other than one of the Company’s Wholly Owned Subsidiaries; provided, however, that a transaction described in clause (B) in which the holders of all classes of the Company’s Common Equity immediately prior to such transaction own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of all classes of Common Equity of the continuing or surviving corporation or transferee or the parent thereof immediately after such transaction in substantially the same proportions (relative to each other) as such ownership immediately prior to such transaction shall not be a Fundamental Change pursuant to this clause (b);
(c) the stockholders of the Company approve any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or
(d) the Common Stock ceases to be listed or quoted on any of The New York Stock Exchange, The Nasdaq Global Select Market or The Nasdaq Global Market (or any of their respective successors);
provided, however, that a transaction or transactions described in clause (a) or (b) above shall not constitute a Fundamental Change if at least 90% of the consideration received or to be received by the common stockholders of the Company, excluding cash payments for fractional shares and cash payments made in respect of dissenters’ statutory appraisal rights, in connection with such transaction or transactions consists of shares of common stock that are listed or quoted on any of The New York Stock Exchange, The Nasdaq Global Select Market or The Nasdaq Global Market (or any of their respective successors) or will be so listed or quoted when issued or exchanged in connection with such transaction or transactions and as a result of such transaction or transactions the Notes become convertible into such consideration, excluding cash payments for fractional shares and cash payments made in respect of dissenters’ statutory appraisal rights (subject to the provisions of Section 14.07). If any transaction in which the Common Stock is replaced by the securities of another entity occurs, following completion of any related Make-
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Whole Fundamental Change Period (or, in the case of a transaction that would have been a Fundamental Change or a Make-Whole Fundamental Change but for the proviso in the immediately preceding paragraph, following the effective date of such transaction) references to the Company in this definition shall instead be references to such other entity.
For purposes of this definition of “Fundamental Change,” any transaction that constitutes a Fundamental Change pursuant to both clause (a) and clause (b) (excluding the proviso to such clause (b)) of such definition shall be deemed a Fundamental Change solely under clause (b) of such definition (subject to such proviso).
“Fundamental Change Company Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15.02(c).
“Fundamental Change Repurchase Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15.02(a).
“Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15.02(b)(i).
“Fundamental Change Repurchase Price” shall have the meaning specified in Section 15.02(a).
“Global Note” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(b).
“Holder,” as applied to any Note, or other similar terms, shall mean any Person in whose name at the time a particular Note is registered on the Note Register.
“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or, if amended or supplemented as herein provided, as so amended or supplemented.
“Interest Payment Date” means each April 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning on April 15, 2025.
“Last Reported Sale Price” of the Common Stock on any date means the closing sale price per share (or if no closing sale price is reported, the average of the bid and ask prices or, if more than one in either case, the average of the average bid and the average ask prices) on that date as reported in composite transactions for the principal U.S. national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Stock is traded. If the Common Stock is not listed for trading on a U.S. national or regional securities exchange on the relevant date, the “Last Reported Sale Price” shall be the last quoted bid price for the Common Stock in the over-the-counter market on the relevant date as reported by OTC Markets Group Inc. or a similar organization. If the Common Stock is not so quoted, the “Last Reported Sale Price” shall be the average of the mid-point of the last bid and ask prices for the Common Stock on the relevant date from each of at least three nationally recognized independent investment banking firms selected by the
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Company for this purpose. The “Last Reported Sale Price” shall be determined without regard to after-hours trading or any other trading outside of regular trading session hours.
“Make-Whole Fundamental Change” means any transaction or event that constitutes a Fundamental Change (as defined above and determined after giving effect to any exceptions to or exclusions from such definition, but without regard to the proviso in clause (b) of the definition thereof).
“Make-Whole Fundamental Change Period” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.03(a).
“Market Disruption Event” means (a) a failure by the primary U.S. national or regional securities exchange or market on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted for trading to open for trading during its regular trading session or (b) the occurrence or existence prior to 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on any Scheduled Trading Day for the Common Stock for more than one half-hour period in the aggregate during regular trading hours of any suspension or limitation imposed on trading (by reason of movements in price exceeding limits permitted by the relevant stock exchange or otherwise) in the Common Stock or in any options contracts or futures contracts traded on any U.S. exchange relating to the Common Stock.
“Maturity Date” means October 15, 2029.
“Measurement Period” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.01(b)(i).
“Merger Event” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.07(a).
“Minimum Specified Amount” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(l).
“Note” or “Notes” shall have the meaning specified in the first paragraph of the recitals of this Indenture.
“Note Register” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(a).
“Note Registrar” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(a).
“Notice of Conversion” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(b).
“Observation Period” with respect to any Note surrendered for conversion means: (i) if the relevant Conversion Date occurs prior to July 15, 2029, the 50 consecutive Trading Day period beginning on, and including, the second Trading Day immediately succeeding such Conversion Date; and (ii) if the relevant Conversion Date occurs on or after July 15, 2029, the 50 consecutive Trading Days beginning on, and including, the 51st Scheduled Trading Day immediately preceding the Maturity Date.
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“Officer” means, with respect to the Company, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Treasurer, the Secretary, or any President or Vice President (whether or not designated by a number or numbers or word or words added before or after the title “President” or “Vice President”).
“Officer’s Certificate,” when used with respect to the Company, means a certificate that is delivered to the Trustee and that is signed by an Officer of the Company. Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 17.05 if and to the extent required by the provisions of such Section. The Officer giving an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to Section 4.08 shall be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Company.
“open of business” means 9:00 a.m. (New York City time).
“Opinion of Counsel” means an opinion in writing signed by legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company, or other counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, that is delivered to the Trustee, which opinion may contain customary exceptions and qualifications as to the matters set forth therein. Each such opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section 17.05 if and to the extent required by the provisions of such Section 17.05.
“outstanding,” when used with reference to Notes, shall, subject to the provisions of Section 8.04, mean, as of any particular time, all Notes authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this Indenture, except:
(a) Notes theretofore canceled by the Trustee or accepted by the Trustee for cancellation;
(b) Notes, or portions thereof, that have become due and payable and in respect of which monies in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent (other than the Company) or shall have been set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent);
(c) Notes that have been paid pursuant to Section 2.06 or Notes in lieu of which, or in substitution for which, other Notes shall have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.06 unless proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that any such Notes are held by protected purchasers in due course;
(d) Notes converted pursuant to Article 14 and required to be cancelled pursuant to Section 2.08; and
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(e) Notes repurchased by the Company pursuant to the penultimate sentence of Section 2.10.
“Pari Passu Indebtedness” means indebtedness under (i) any then outstanding Notes and/or 2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 and (ii) any other unsecured indebtedness in respect of borrowed money incurred by the Company and evidenced by credit agreements, bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments that ranks equally in right of payment with the Notes; provided, that Pari Passu Indebtedness shall expressly exclude, to the extent constituting indebtedness, (a) any obligations under leases (including, without limitation, lease obligations required to be treated as a finance lease or financing transaction lease and capitalized as a liability on the balance sheet), (b) any guaranty or contingent liability of the Company of indebtedness (including lease obligations) of its subsidiaries, (c) obligations incurred in respect of (including reimbursement obligations in favor of letter of credit issuers providing credit support for) workers’ compensation claims, insurance obligations (including self-insurance), healthcare licensing or facility requirements, performance, bid and surety bonds and completion guaranties, (d) cash management obligations and other indebtedness in respect of netting services, overdraft protection and similar arrangements, (e) indebtedness incurred in favor of insurance companies or their financing affiliates consisting of the financing of insurance premiums, (f) obligations under hedging arrangements entered into in the normal course of business consistent with industry practices and not for speculative purposes, (g) contingent obligations in respect of customary indemnification and purchase price adjustment obligations incurred in connection with sales of assets, acquisitions or other investments and (h) similar obligations that are routinely incurred in the ordinary course operation of the Company’s business or provided by the Company in support of its Subsidiaries.
“Paying Agent” shall have the meaning specified in Section 4.02.
“Person” means an individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a partnership, a joint venture, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated organization or a government or an agency or a political subdivision thereof.
“Physical Notes” means permanent certificated Notes in registered form issued in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and multiples thereof.
“Physical Settlement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.02(a).
“Predecessor Note” of any particular Note means every previous Note evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Note; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Note authenticated and delivered under Section 2.06 in lieu of or in exchange for a mutilated, lost, destroyed or stolen Note shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, lost, destroyed or stolen Note that it replaces.
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“Record Date” means, with respect to any dividend, distribution or other transaction or event in which the holders of Common Stock (or other applicable security) have the right to receive any cash, securities or other property or in which the Common Stock (or such other security) is exchanged for or converted into any combination of cash, securities or other property, the date fixed for determination of holders of the Common Stock (or such other security) entitled to receive such cash, securities or other property (whether such date is fixed by the Company, by statute, by contract or otherwise).
“Reference Property” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.07(a)(iv).
“Regular Record Date,” with respect to any Interest Payment Date, shall mean the April 1 or October 1 (whether or not such day is a Business Day) immediately preceding the applicable April 15 or October 15 Interest Payment Date, respectively.
“Resale Restriction Termination Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(c).
“Responsible Officer” means, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter relating to this Indenture is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who, in each case, shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
“Restricted Securities” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(c).
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 as promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Rule 144A” means Rule 144A as promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Scheduled Trading Day” means a day that is scheduled to be a Trading Day on the principal U.S. national or regional securities exchange or market on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted for trading. If the Common Stock is not so listed or admitted for trading, “Scheduled Trading Day” means a Business Day.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Settlement Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 14.02(a)(iv).
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“Settlement Method” means, with respect to any conversion of Notes, Physical Settlement, Cash Settlement or Combination Settlement, as elected (or deemed to have been elected) by the Company.
“Settlement Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 14.02(a)(ii).
“Significant Subsidiary” for purposes of Section 6.01(g)-(i), means a Subsidiary of the Company that meets the definition of “significant subsidiary” in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission (or any successor rule).
“Specified Dollar Amount” means the maximum cash amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes to be received upon conversion as specified in the Settlement Notice related to any converted Notes (or deemed specified pursuant to Section 14.02(a)).
“Spin-Off” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).
“Stock Price” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.03(c).
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, association, partnership or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers, general partners or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person; (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person; or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.
“Successor Company” shall have the meaning specified in Section 11.01(a).
“Trading Day” means, except for determining amounts due upon conversion as set forth below, a day on which (i) trading in the Common Stock (or other security for which a closing sale price must be determined) generally occurs on The New York Stock Exchange or, if the Common Stock (or such other security) is not then listed on The New York Stock Exchange, on the principal other U.S. national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Stock (or such other security) is then listed or, if the Common Stock (or such other security) is not then listed on a U.S. national or regional securities exchange, on the principal other market on which the Common Stock (or such other security) is then traded and (ii) a Last Reported Sale Price for the Common Stock (or closing sale price for such other security) is available on such securities exchange or market; provided that if the Common Stock (or such other security) is not so listed or traded, “Trading Day” means a Business Day; and provided, further, that for purposes of determining amounts due upon conversion only, “Trading Day” means a day on which (x) there is no Market Disruption Event and (y) trading in the Common Stock generally occurs on The New York Stock Exchange or, if the Common Stock is not then listed on The New York Stock Exchange, on the principal other U.S. national or regional securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed or, if the Common Stock is not then listed on a U.S. national or
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regional securities exchange, on the principal other market on which the Common Stock is then listed or admitted for trading, except that if the Common Stock is not so listed or admitted for trading, “Trading Day” means a Business Day.
“Trading Price” of the Notes on any date of determination means the average of the secondary market bid quotations obtained by the Bid Solicitation Agent for $1,000,000 principal amount of Notes at approximately 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on such determination date from three independent nationally recognized securities dealers the Company selects for this purpose; provided that if three such bids cannot reasonably be obtained by the Bid Solicitation Agent but two such bids are obtained, then the average of the two bids shall be used, and if only one such bid can reasonably be obtained by the Bid Solicitation Agent, that one bid shall be used. If the Bid Solicitation Agent cannot reasonably obtain at least one bid for $1,000,000 principal amount of Notes from a nationally recognized securities dealer on any determination date, then the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes on such determination date shall be deemed to be less than 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock and the Conversion Rate.
“transfer” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.05(c).
“Trigger Event” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).
“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, as it was in force at the date of execution of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after the date hereof, the term “Trust Indenture Act” shall mean, to the extent required by such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as so amended.
“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder.
“unit of Reference Property” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.07(a).
“Valuation Period” shall have the meaning specified in Section 14.04(c).
“Wholly Owned Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any Subsidiary of such Person, except that, solely for purposes of this definition, the reference to “more than 50%” in the definition of “Subsidiary” shall be deemed replaced by a reference to “100%”.
Section 1.02. References to Interest. Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to interest on, or in respect of, any Note in this Indenture shall be deemed to include Additional Interest if, in such context, Additional Interest is, was or would be payable pursuant to any of Section 4.06(d), Section 4.06(e) and Section 6.03. Unless the context otherwise
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requires, any express mention of Additional Interest in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Interest in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.
ARTICLE 2
Issue, Description, Execution, Registration and Exchange of Notes
Issue, Description, Execution, Registration and Exchange of Notes
Section 2.01. Designation and Amount. The Notes shall be designated as the “3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029.” The aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is initially limited to $369,445,000, subject to Section 2.10 and except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration or transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of other Notes to the extent permitted hereunder.
Section 2.02. Form of Notes. The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication to be borne by such Notes shall be substantially in the respective forms set forth in Exhibit A, the terms and provisions of which shall constitute, and are hereby expressly incorporated in and made a part of this Indenture. To the extent applicable, the Company and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby. In the case of any conflict between this Indenture and a Note, the provisions of this Indenture shall control and govern to the extent of such conflict.
Any Global Note may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text thereof such legends or recitals or changes not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture as may be required by the Custodian or the Depositary, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or any regulation thereunder or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Notes may be listed or traded or designated for issuance or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Notes are subject.
Any of the Notes may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such notations, legends or endorsements as the Officer executing the same may approve (execution thereof to be conclusive evidence of such approval) and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Notes may be listed or designated for issuance, or to conform to usage or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Notes are subject.
Each Global Note shall represent such principal amount of the outstanding Notes as shall be specified therein and shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect repurchases, cancellations, conversions, transfers or exchanges permitted hereby. Any
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endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in such manner and upon instructions given by the Holder of such Notes in accordance with this Indenture. Payment of principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, a Global Note shall be made to the Holder of such Note on the date of payment, unless a record date or other means of determining Holders eligible to receive payment is provided for herein.
Section 2.03. Date and Denomination of Notes; Payments of Interest and Defaulted Amounts. (a) The Notes shall be issuable in registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and multiples thereof. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication and shall bear interest from the date specified on the face of such Note. Accrued interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of twelve 30-day months and, for partial months, on the basis of the number of days actually elapsed in a 30-day month.
(b) The Person in whose name any Note (or its Predecessor Note) is registered on the Note Register at the close of business on any Regular Record Date with respect to any Interest Payment Date shall be entitled to receive the interest payable on such Interest Payment Date. The principal amount of any Note (x) in the case of any Physical Note, shall be payable at the office or agency of the Company designated by the Company for such purposes in the contiguous United States of America, which shall initially be the Corporate Trust Office and (y) in the case of any Global Note, shall be payable by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee. The Company shall pay (or cause the Paying Agent to pay to the extent funded by the Company) interest (i) on any Physical Notes (A) to Holders holding Physical Notes having an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or less, by check mailed to the Holders of these Notes at their address as it appears in the Note Register and (B) to Holders holding Physical Notes having an aggregate principal amount of more than $5,000,000, either by check mailed to each such Holder or, upon application by such a Holder to the Note Registrar (containing the requisite information for the Trustee or Paying Agent to make such wire transfer) not later than the relevant Regular Record Date, by wire transfer in immediately available funds to that Holder’s account within the United States of America, which application shall remain in effect until the Holder notifies, in writing, the Note Registrar to the contrary or (ii) on any Global Note by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee.
(c) Any Defaulted Amounts shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant payment date but shall accrue interest per annum at the rate borne by the Notes from, and including, such relevant payment date, and such Defaulted Amounts together with such interest thereon shall be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (i) or (ii) below:
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(i) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Amounts to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective Predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Amounts, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of the Defaulted Amounts proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment (which shall be not less than 25 days after the receipt by the Trustee of such notice, unless the Trustee shall consent to an earlier date), and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Amounts or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Amounts as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Company shall fix a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Amounts which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment, and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of such special record date and the Trustee, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Amounts and the special record date therefor to be delivered to each Holder at its address as it appears in the Note Register, or by electronic means to the Depositary in the case of Global Notes, not less than 10 days prior to such special record date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Amounts and the special record date therefor having been so delivered, such Defaulted Amounts shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or their respective Predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on such special record date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (ii) of this Section 2.03(c). The Trustee shall have no responsibility whatsoever for the calculation of the Defaulted Amounts.
(ii) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Amounts in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Notes may be listed or designated for issuance, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange or automated quotation system, if, after written 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.
Section 2.04. Execution, Authentication and Delivery of Notes. The Notes shall be signed in the name and on behalf of the Company by the manual or facsimile signature of any of its Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Secretary or any of its Executive or Senior Vice Presidents.
At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Notes executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together
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with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Notes, and the Trustee in accordance with such Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Notes, without any further action by the Company hereunder; provided that the Trustee shall be entitled to receive an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel of the Company with respect to the issuance, authentication and delivery of such Notes.
Only such Notes as shall bear thereon a certificate of authentication substantially in the form set forth on the Form of Note attached as Exhibit A hereto, executed manually by an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee as provided by Section 17.10), shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose. Such certificate by the Trustee (or such an authenticating agent) upon any Note executed by the Company shall be conclusive evidence that the Note so authenticated has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the Holder is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.
In case any Officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Notes shall cease to be such Officer before the Notes so signed shall have been authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, or disposed of by the Company, such Notes nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as though the Person who signed such Notes had not ceased to be such Officer of the Company; and any Note may be signed on behalf of the Company by such persons as, at the actual date of the execution of such Note, shall be the Officers of the Company, although at the date of the execution of this Indenture any such Person was not such an Officer.
Section 2.05. Exchange and Registration of Transfer of Notes; Restrictions on Transfer; Depositary. (a) The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office a register (the register maintained in such office or in any other office or agency of the Company designated pursuant to Section 4.02, the “Note Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Notes and of transfers of Notes. Such register shall be in written form or in any form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable period of time. The Trustee is hereby initially appointed the “Note Registrar” for the purpose of registering Notes and transfers of Notes as herein provided. The Company may appoint one or more co-Note Registrars in accordance with Section 4.02.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Physical Note to the Note Registrar or any co-Note Registrar, and satisfaction of the requirements for such transfer set forth in this Section 2.05, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Physical Notes of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and bearing such restrictive legends as may be required by this Indenture.
Physical Notes may be exchanged for other Physical Notes of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Notes to be exchanged at any such office or agency maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 4.02.
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Whenever any Physical Notes are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Physical Notes that the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive, bearing registration numbers not contemporaneously outstanding. A holder of a beneficial interest in a note in a Global Note may transfer or exchange such beneficial interest in accordance with this Indenture and the applicable procedures of the Depositary.
All Notes presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange, repurchase or conversion shall (if so required by the Company, the Trustee, the Note Registrar or any co-Note Registrar) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and duly executed, by the Holder thereof or its attorney-in-fact duly authorized in writing.
No service charge shall be imposed by the Company, the Trustee, the Note Registrar, any co-Note Registrar or the Paying Agent for any exchange or registration of transfer of Notes, but the Company may require a Holder to pay a sum sufficient to cover any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or other similar governmental charge required in connection therewith as a result of the name of the Holder of new Notes issued upon such exchange or registration of transfer being different from the name of the Holder of the old Notes surrendered for exchange or registration of transfer or otherwise required by law.
None of the Company, the Trustee, the Note Registrar or any co-Note Registrar shall be required to exchange or register a transfer of (i) any Notes surrendered for conversion or, if a portion of any Note is surrendered for conversion, such portion thereof surrendered for conversion, (ii) any Notes, or a portion of any Note, surrendered for repurchase (and not withdrawn) in accordance with Article 15 or (iii) any Notes between a Regular Record Date and corresponding Interest Payment Date.
All Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes in accordance with this Indenture shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
(b) So long as the Notes are eligible for book-entry settlement with the Depositary, unless otherwise required by law, subject to the fourth paragraph from the end of Section 2.05(c) all Notes shall be represented by one or more Notes in global form (each, a “Global Note”) registered in the name of the Depositary or the nominee of the Depositary. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in a Global Note that does not involve the issuance of a Physical Note shall be effected through the Depositary (but not the Trustee or the Custodian) in accordance with this Indenture (including the restrictions on transfer set forth herein) and the procedures of the Depositary therefor.
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(c) Every Note that bears or is required under this Section 2.05(c) to bear the legend set forth in this Section 2.05(c) (together with any Common Stock issued upon conversion of the Notes that is required to bear the legend set forth in Section 2.05(d), collectively, the “Restricted Securities”) shall be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Section 2.05(c) (including those contained in the legend set forth below), unless such restrictions on transfer shall be eliminated or otherwise waived by written consent of the Company, and the Holder of each such Restricted Security, by such Holder’s acceptance thereof, agrees to be bound by all such restrictions on transfer. As used in this Section 2.05(c) and Section 2.05(d), the term “transfer” encompasses any sale, pledge, transfer or other disposition whatsoever of any Restricted Security.
Until the date (the “Resale Restriction Termination Date”) that is the later of (1) the date that is one year after the last date of original issuance of the Notes, or such shorter period of time as permitted by Rule 144 or any successor provision thereto, and (2) such later date, if any, as may be required by applicable law, any certificate evidencing such Note (and all securities issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof, other than Common Stock, if any, issued upon conversion thereof, which shall bear the legend set forth in Section 2.05(d), if applicable) shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (unless such Notes have been transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be effective at the time of such transfer, or sold pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, or unless otherwise agreed by the Company in writing, with notice thereof to the Trustee):
THIS SECURITY AND THE COMMON STOCK, IF ANY, ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS SECURITY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE ACQUIRER:
(1) REPRESENTS THAT IT AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND THAT IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT, AND
(2) AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. (THE “COMPANY”) THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THE LATER OF (X) ONE YEAR AFTER THE LAST ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF OR SUCH SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME AS PERMITTED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY
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SUCCESSOR PROVISION THERETO AND (Y) SUCH LATER DATE, IF ANY, AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EXCEPT:
(A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, OR
(B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR
(C) TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR
(D) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAUSE (2)(D) ABOVE, THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR THE COMPANY TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
FOR PURPOSES OF SECTIONS 1272, 1273 AND 1275 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED, THIS NOTE IS BEING ISSUED WITH TAX ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT (“OID”). BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. AGREES TO PROVIDE PROMPTLY TO THE HOLDER OF THIS NOTE, UPON WRITTEN REQUEST, THE ISSUE PRICE, THE AMOUNT OF OID, THE ISSUE DATE AND THE YIELD TO MATURITY. ANY SUCH WRITTEN REQUEST SHOULD BE SENT TO BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: 105 WESTWOOD PLACE, SUITE 400, BRENTWOOD, TN 37027, ATTENTION: GENERAL COUNSEL.
No transfer of any Note prior to the Resale Restriction Termination Date will be registered by the Note Registrar unless the applicable box on the Form of Assignment and Transfer has been checked.
Any Note (or security issued in exchange or substitution therefor) (i) as to which such restrictions on transfer shall have expired in accordance with their terms, (ii) that has been transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become effective or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be effective at the time of such transfer or (iii) that has been sold pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, may, upon surrender of such Note for
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exchange to the Note Registrar in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.05, be exchanged for a new Note or Notes, of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, which shall not bear the restrictive legend required by this Section 2.05(c) and shall not be assigned a restricted CUSIP number. The Company shall be entitled to instruct the Custodian in writing to so surrender any Global Note as to which any of the conditions set forth in clause (i) through (iii) of the immediately preceding sentence have been satisfied, and, upon such instruction, the Custodian shall so surrender such Global Note for exchange; and any new Global Note so exchanged therefor shall not bear the restrictive legend specified in this Section 2.05(c) and shall not be assigned a restricted CUSIP number. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing upon the occurrence of the Resale Restriction Termination Date and promptly after a registration statement, if any, with respect to the Notes or any Common Stock issued upon conversion of the Notes has been declared effective under the Securities Act. Any exchange pursuant to the foregoing paragraph shall be in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture (other than the provisions set forth in this Section 2.05(c)), a Global Note may not be transferred as a whole or in part except (i) 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 and (ii) for exchange of a Global Note or a portion thereof for one or more Physical Notes in accordance with the second immediately succeeding paragraph.
The Depositary shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act. The Company initially appoints The Depository Trust Company to act as Depositary with respect to each Global Note. Initially, each Global Note shall be issued to the Depositary, registered in the name of Cede & Co., as the nominee of the Depositary, and deposited with the Trustee as custodian for Cede & Co.
If (i) the Depositary notifies the Company at any time that the Depositary is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Global Notes and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days, (ii) the Depositary ceases to be registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days or (iii) an Event of Default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is continuing and, subject to the Depositary’s applicable procedures, a beneficial owner of any Note requests that its beneficial interest therein be issued as a Physical Note, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Officer’s Certificate and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of Notes, shall authenticate and deliver (x) in the case of clause (iii), a Physical Note to such beneficial owner in a principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Note corresponding to such beneficial owner’s beneficial interest and (y) in the case of clause (i) or (ii), Physical Notes to each beneficial owner of the related Global Notes (or a portion thereof) in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of such Global Notes in exchange for such
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Global Notes, and upon delivery of the Global Notes to the Trustee such Global Notes shall be canceled.
Physical Notes issued in exchange for all or a part of the Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, or, in the case of clause (iii) of the immediately preceding paragraph, the relevant beneficial owner, shall instruct the Trustee. Upon execution and authentication, the Trustee shall deliver such Physical Notes to the Persons in whose names such Physical Notes are so registered.
At such time as all interests in a Global Note have been converted, canceled, repurchased or transferred, such Global Note shall be, upon receipt thereof, canceled by the Trustee in accordance with standing procedures and existing instructions between the Depositary and the Custodian. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any interest in a Global Note is exchanged for Physical Notes, converted, canceled, repurchased or transferred to a transferee who receives Physical Notes therefor or any Physical Note is exchanged or transferred for part of such Global Note, the principal amount of such Global Note shall, in accordance with the standing procedures and instructions existing between the Depositary and the Custodian, be appropriately reduced or increased, as the case may be, and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note, by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, to reflect such reduction or increase.
None of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall have any responsibility or liability for the payment of amounts to owners of beneficial interest in a Global Note, for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of those interests by the Depositary, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of the Depositary relating to such beneficial ownership those interests.
(d) Until the Resale Restriction Termination Date, any stock certificate representing Common Stock issued upon conversion of such Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (unless such Common Stock has been transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be effective at the time of such transfer, or pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, or such Common Stock has been issued upon conversion of Notes that have been transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be effective at the time of such transfer, or pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, or unless otherwise agreed by the Company with written notice thereof to the Trustee and any transfer agent for the Common Stock):
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH
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THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE ACQUIRER:
(1) REPRESENTS THAT IT AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND THAT IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT, AND
(2) AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. (THE “COMPANY”) THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THE LATER OF (X) ONE YEAR AFTER THE LAST ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE OF THE SERIES OF NOTES UPON THE CONVERSION OF WHICH THIS SECURITY WAS ISSUED OR SUCH SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME AS PERMITTED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY SUCCESSOR PROVISION THERETO AND (Y) SUCH LATER DATE, IF ANY, AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EXCEPT:
(A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, OR
(B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR
(C) TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR
(D) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAUSE (2)(D) ABOVE, THE COMPANY AND THE TRANSFER AGENT FOR THE COMPANY’S COMMON STOCK RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR THE COMPANY TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
Any such Common Stock (i) as to which such restrictions on transfer shall have expired in accordance with their terms, (ii) that has been transferred pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act and that continues to be
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effective at the time of such transfer or (iii) that has been sold pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 or any similar provision then in force under the Securities Act, may, upon surrender of the certificates representing such shares of Common Stock for exchange in accordance with the procedures of the transfer agent for the Common Stock, be exchanged for a new certificate or certificates for a like aggregate number of shares of Common Stock, which shall not bear the restrictive legend set forth in this Section 2.05(d).
(e) Any Note or Common Stock issued upon the conversion or exchange of a Note that is repurchased or owned by any Affiliate of the Company (or any Person who was an Affiliate of the Company at any time during the three months immediately preceding) may not be resold by such Affiliate (or such Person, as the case may be) unless registered under the Securities Act or resold pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in a transaction that results in such Note or Common Stock, as the case may be, no longer being a “restricted security” (as defined under Rule 144). The Company shall cause any Note that is repurchased or owned by it to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation in accordance with Section 2.08.
(f) The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any securities laws or restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among Depositary participants or beneficial owners of interests in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.
(g) Neither the Trustee nor any agent shall have any responsibility or liability for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.
Section 2.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes. In case any Note shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company in its discretion may execute, and upon its written request the Trustee or an authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, a new Note, bearing a registration number not contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated Note, or in lieu of and in substitution for the Note so destroyed, lost or stolen. In every case the applicant for a substituted Note shall furnish to the Company, to the Trustee and, if applicable, to such authenticating agent such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless from any loss, liability, cost or expense caused by or connected with such substitution, and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Company, to the Trustee and, if applicable, to such authenticating agent evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Note and of the ownership thereof.
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The Trustee or such authenticating agent may authenticate any such substituted Note and deliver the same upon the receipt of such security or indemnity as the Trustee, the Company and, if applicable, such authenticating agent may require. No service charge shall be imposed by the Company, the Trustee, the Note Registrar, any co-Note Registrar or the Paying Agent upon the issuance of any substitute Note, but the Company may require a Holder to pay a sum sufficient to cover any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or other similar governmental charge required in connection therewith as a result of the name of the Holder of the new substitute Note being different from the name of the Holder of the old Note that became mutilated or was destroyed, lost or stolen. In case any Note that has matured or is about to mature or has been surrendered for required repurchase or is about to be converted in accordance with Article 14 shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company may, in its sole discretion, instead of issuing a substitute Note, pay or authorize the payment of or convert or authorize the conversion of the same (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Note), as the case may be, if the applicant for such payment or conversion shall furnish to the Company, to the Trustee and, if applicable, to such authenticating agent such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless for any loss, liability, cost or expense caused by or connected with such substitution, and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and, if applicable, any Paying Agent or Conversion Agent of the destruction, loss or theft of such Note and of the ownership thereof.
Every substitute Note issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 2.06 by virtue of the fact that any Note is destroyed, lost or stolen shall constitute an additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall be found at any time, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of (but shall be subject to all the limitations set forth in) this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Notes duly issued hereunder. To the extent permitted by law, all Notes shall be held and owned upon the express condition that the foregoing provisions are exclusive with respect to the replacement, payment, conversion or repurchase of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and shall preclude any and all other rights or remedies notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to the contrary with respect to the replacement, payment, conversion or repurchase of negotiable instruments or other securities without their surrender.
Section 2.07. Temporary Notes. Pending the preparation of Physical Notes, the Company may execute and the Trustee or an authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee shall, upon written request of the Company, authenticate and deliver temporary Notes (printed or lithographed). Temporary Notes shall be issuable in any authorized denomination, and substantially in the form of the Physical Notes but with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary Notes, all as may be determined by the Company. Every such temporary Note shall be executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee or such authenticating agent upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with the same effect, as the Physical Notes. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Trustee or such authenticating agent Physical Notes (other than any Global Note) and thereupon any or all temporary Notes (other than any Global Note) may be surrendered in
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exchange therefor, at each office or agency maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 4.02 and the Trustee or such authenticating agent shall authenticate and deliver in exchange for such temporary Notes an equal aggregate principal amount of Physical Notes. Such exchange shall be made by the Company at its own expense and without any charge therefor. Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits and subject to the same limitations under this Indenture as Physical Notes authenticated and delivered hereunder.
Section 2.08. Cancellation of Notes Paid, Converted, Etc. The Company shall cause all Notes surrendered for payment, repurchase, registration of transfer or exchange or conversion, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee (including any of the Company’s agents, Subsidiaries or Affiliates), to be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. All Notes delivered to the Trustee shall be canceled promptly by it, and, except for Notes surrendered for transfer or exchange, or as otherwise expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture, no Notes shall be authenticated in exchange therefor. The Trustee shall dispose of canceled Notes in accordance with its customary procedures and, after such disposition, shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon the Company’s written request. Except for Notes surrendered for transfer or exchange, no Notes shall be authenticated in exchange for any Notes cancelled as provided in this Indenture.
Section 2.09. CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in all notices issued to Holders as a convenience to such Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or on such notice and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the “CUSIP” numbers.
Section 2.10. Additional Notes; Repurchases. The Company may, without the consent of or notice to the Holders and notwithstanding Section 2.01, reopen this Indenture and issue additional Notes hereunder with the same terms as the Notes initially issued hereunder (other than differences in the issue date, the issue price, interest accrued prior to the issue date of such additional Notes and, if applicable, restrictions on transfer in respect of such additional Notes (including pursuant to Section 2.05 hereunder)) in an unlimited aggregate principal amount; provided that if any such additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes initially issued hereunder for U.S. federal income tax or securities law purposes, such additional Notes shall have one or more separate CUSIP numbers. Any additional Notes will be treated as a single series for all purposes under this Indenture except as set forth in the first sentence of this Section 2.10. Prior to the issuance of any such additional Notes, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee a Company Order, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, such Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel to cover such matters required by Section 17.05. In addition, the Company may, to the extent permitted by law, and directly or indirectly (regardless of whether such Notes are surrendered to the Company), repurchase Notes in the open market or otherwise, whether by the Company or its Subsidiaries or through a private or public tender or exchange
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offer or through counterparties to private agreements, including by cash-settled swaps or other derivatives, in each case, without prior written notice to Holders. The Company shall cause any Notes so repurchased (other than Notes repurchased pursuant to cash-settled swaps or other derivatives) to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation in accordance with Section 2.08 and such Notes shall no longer be considered outstanding under this Indenture upon their repurchase and, upon receipt of a Company Order and an Officer’s Certificate, the Trustee shall cancel all Notes so surrendered.
ARTICLE 3
Satisfaction and Discharge
Satisfaction and Discharge
Section 3.01. Satisfaction and Discharge. This Indenture shall upon request of the Company contained in an Officer’s Certificate cease to be of further effect, and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute such instruments reasonably requested by the Company acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when (a) (i) all Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (x) Notes which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced, paid or converted as provided in Section 2.06 and (y) Notes 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 4.04(d)) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or (ii) the Company has deposited with the Trustee or delivered to Holders, as applicable, after the Notes have become due and payable, whether on the Maturity Date, any Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, upon conversion or otherwise, cash or cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination thereof, as applicable, solely to satisfy the Conversion Obligation, sufficient, without consideration of reinvestment, to pay all of the outstanding Notes and all other sums due and payable under this Indenture by the Company; and (b) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with. Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.06 shall survive.
ARTICLE 4
Particular Covenants of the Company
Particular Covenants of the Company
Section 4.01. Payment of Principal and Interest. The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be paid the principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, each of the Notes at the places, at the respective times and in the manner provided herein and in the Notes.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture, the Company may, to the extent it is required to do so by law, deduct or withhold income or other similar taxes
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imposed by the United States of America from principal, premium or interest (including any Additional Interest) payments hereunder.
Section 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company will maintain in the contiguous United States of America an office or agency where the Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or exchange or for payment or repurchase (“Paying Agent”) or for conversion (“Conversion Agent”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office in the United States of America as a place where Notes may be presented for payment or for registration of transfer.
The Company may also from time to time designate as co-Note Registrars one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the contiguous United States of America so designated by the Trustee as a place for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency. The terms “Paying Agent” and “Conversion Agent” include any such additional or other offices or agencies, as applicable.
The Company hereby initially designates the Trustee as the Paying Agent, Note Registrar, Custodian and Conversion Agent and the Corporate Trust Office as the office or agency in the contiguous United States of America where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or exchange or for payment or repurchase or for conversion and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served; provided that the Corporate Trust Office shall not be a place for service of legal process on the Company.
Section 4.03. Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee’s Office. The Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 7.09, a Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.
Section 4.04. Provisions as to Paying Agent. (a) If the Company shall appoint a Paying Agent other than the Trustee, the Company will cause such Paying Agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 4.04:
(i) that it will hold all sums held by it as such agent for the payment of the principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, and
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accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes;
(ii) that it will give the Trustee prompt written notice of any failure by the Company to make any payment of the principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes when the same shall be due and payable; and
(iii) that at any time during the continuance of an Event of Default, upon request of the Trustee, it will forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust.
The Company shall, on or before each due date of the principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, or accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes, deposit with the Paying Agent a sum in immediately available U.S. Dollars sufficient to pay such principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) or accrued and unpaid interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any failure to take such action; provided that if such deposit is made on the due date, such deposit must be received by the Paying Agent by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date.
(b) If the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent, it will, on or before each due date of the principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes, set aside, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes a sum sufficient to pay such principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) and accrued and unpaid interest so becoming due and will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any failure to take such action and of any failure by the Company to make any payment of the principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, or accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes when the same shall become due and payable.
(c) Anything in this Section 4.04 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may, at any time, for the purpose of obtaining a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, or for any other reason, pay, cause to be paid or deliver to the Trustee all sums or amounts held in trust by the Company or any Paying Agent hereunder as required by this Section 4.04, such sums or amounts to be held by the Trustee upon the trusts herein contained and upon such payment or delivery by the Company or any Paying Agent to the Trustee, the Company or such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability but only with respect to such sums or amounts. Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Section 6.01(h) or Section 6.01(i), the Trustee shall automatically become the Paying Agent.
(d) Subject to applicable escheatment laws, any money or property deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, accrued and
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unpaid interest on and the consideration due upon conversion of any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable), interest or consideration due upon conversion has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on request of the Company contained in an Officer’s Certificate, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust and the Trustee shall have no further liability with respect to such funds; and the Holder of such Note shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money and shares of Common Stock, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease.
Section 4.05. Existence. Subject to Article 11, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence.
Section 4.06. Rule 144A Information Requirement and Annual Reports. (a) At any time the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Company shall, so long as any of the Notes or any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof shall, at such time, constitute “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act, promptly provide to the Trustee and will, upon written request, provide to any Holder, beneficial owner or prospective purchaser of such Notes or any shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such Notes, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act to facilitate the resale of such Notes or shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 144A.
(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 15 days after the same are required to be filed with the Commission (giving effect to any grace period provided by Rule 12b-25 (or any successor rule) under the Exchange Act), 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). 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 delivered to the Trustee for purposes of this Section 4.06(b) 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.
(c) Delivery of the reports and documents described in subsection (b) above to the Trustee is for informational purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely on an Officer’s Certificate).
(d) If, at any time during the six-month period beginning on, and including, the date that is six months after the last date of original issuance of the Notes, the Company fails to timely
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file any document or report that it is required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as applicable (after giving effect to all applicable grace periods thereunder and other than reports on Form 8-K), or the Notes are not otherwise freely tradable pursuant to Rule 144 by Holders other than the Company’s Affiliates or Holders that were the Company’s Affiliates at any time during the three months immediately preceding (as a result of restrictions pursuant to U.S. securities laws or the terms of this Indenture or the Notes), the Company shall pay Additional Interest on the Notes. Such Additional Interest shall accrue on the Notes at the rate of 0.50% per annum of the principal amount of the Notes outstanding for each day during such period for which the Company’s failure to file has occurred and is continuing or the Notes are not otherwise freely tradable pursuant to Rule 144 by Holders other than the Company’s Affiliates (or Holders that were the Company’s Affiliates at any time during the three months immediately preceding) as a result of restrictions pursuant to U.S. securities laws or the terms of this Indenture or the Notes. As used in this Section 4.06(d), documents or reports that the Company is required to “file” with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act does not include documents or reports that the Company furnishes to the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(e) If, and for so long as, (i) the restrictive legend on the Notes specified in Section 2.05(c) has not been removed, (ii) the Notes are assigned a restricted CUSIP number or (iii) the Notes are not otherwise freely tradable pursuant to Rule 144 by Holders other than the Company’s Affiliates or Holders that were the Company’s Affiliates at any time during the immediately preceding three months (without restrictions pursuant to U.S. securities laws or the terms of this Indenture or the Notes), then, as of the 380th day after the last date of original issuance of the Notes, the Company shall pay Additional Interest on the Notes at a rate equal to 0.50% per annum of the principal amount of Notes outstanding until the restrictive legend on the Notes has been removed in accordance with Section 2.05(c), the Notes are assigned an unrestricted CUSIP number and the Notes are freely tradable pursuant to Rule 144 by Holders other than the Company’s Affiliates (or Holders that were the Company’s Affiliates at any time during the three months immediately preceding) (as a result of restrictions pursuant to U.S. securities laws or the terms of this Indenture or the Notes). For the avoidance of doubt, for Notes that are not in certificated form, the Notes will continue to bear Additional Interest pursuant to this Section 4.06(e) until such time as they are identified by an unrestricted CUSIP number in the facilities of the Depositary or any successor depositary for the Notes, as a result of completion of the Depositary’s mandatory exchange process or otherwise.
(f) Additional Interest will be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date following accrual in the same manner as regular interest on the Notes.
(g) The Additional Interest that is payable in accordance with Section 4.06(d) or Section 4.06(e) shall be in addition to any Additional Interest that may accrue on the Notes as a result of the Company’s election pursuant to Section 6.03.
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(h) If Additional Interest is payable by the Company pursuant to Section 4.06(d) or Section 4.06(e), the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to that effect stating (i) the amount of such Additional Interest that is payable and (ii) the date on which such Additional Interest is payable. Unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee receives at the Corporate Trust Office such a certificate, the Trustee may assume without inquiry that no such Additional Interest is payable. If the Company has paid Additional Interest directly to the Persons entitled to it, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the particulars of such payment.
Section 4.07. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law that would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest on the Notes as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
Section 4.08. Compliance Certificate; Statements as to Defaults. The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company (beginning with the fiscal year ending on December 31, 2021) an Officer’s Certificate stating whether the signers thereof know of any Default or Event of Default that occurred during the previous year.
In addition, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or Default, its status and what action the Company is taking or proposing to take in respect thereof; provided that the Company will not be required to deliver such notice if such Event of Default or Default is no longer continuing or has been cured.
Section 4.09. Further Instruments and Acts. Upon written request of the Trustee, the Company will execute and deliver such further instruments and do such further acts as may be reasonably necessary or proper to carry out the purposes of this Indenture.
Section 4.10. Limitation on Pari Passu Indebtedness. The Company shall not incur Pari Passu Indebtedness at any time outstanding in aggregate principal amount exceeding $500.0 million; provided that, beginning October 15, 2027, the Company shall be permitted to incur Pari Passu Indebtedness in excess of $500.0 million for purposes of refinancing the Notes, subject to the condition that any proceeds from such incurrence be held in escrow for the benefit of the Holders.
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ARTICLE 5
Lists of Holders and Reports by the Company and the Trustee
Lists of Holders and Reports by the Company and the Trustee
Section 5.01. Lists of Holders. The Company covenants and agrees that it will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee, semi-annually, not more than 5 days after each April 1 and October 1 in each year beginning with April 1, 2025, and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 5 days after receipt by the Company of any such request (or such lesser time as the Trustee may reasonably request in order to enable it to timely provide any notice to be provided by it hereunder), a list in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders as of a date not more than 15 days (or such other date as the Trustee may reasonably request in order to so provide any such notices) prior to the time such information is furnished, except that no such list need be furnished so long as the Trustee is acting as Note Registrar.
Section 5.02. Preservation and Disclosure of Lists. The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information as to the names and addresses of the Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to it as provided in Section 5.01 or maintained by the Trustee in its capacity as Note Registrar, if so acting. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 5.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.
ARTICLE 6
Defaults and Remedies
Defaults and Remedies
Section 6.01. Events of Default. Each of the following events shall be an “Event of Default” with respect to the Notes:
(a) default in any payment of interest on any Note when due and payable, and the default continues for a period of 30 days;
(b) default in the payment of principal of any Note when due and payable on the Maturity Date, upon any required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise;
(c) failure by the Company to comply with its obligation to convert the Notes in accordance with this Indenture upon exercise of a Holder’s conversion right, and such failure continues for a period of five (5) Business Days;
(d) failure by the Company to issue (i) a Fundamental Change Company Notice when due in accordance with Section 15.02(c) and such failure continues for a period of five (5) Business Days or (ii) notice of a specified corporate transaction or event in accordance with Section 14.01(b)(ii) or (iii) when due;
(e) failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under Article 11;
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(f) failure by the Company for 60 days after written notice from the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding has been received by the Company to comply with any of its other agreements contained in the Notes or this Indenture;
(g) default by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company with respect to any mortgage, agreement or other instrument under which there may be outstanding, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any indebtedness for money borrowed in excess of $30,000,000 (or its foreign currency equivalent) in the aggregate of the Company and/or any such Significant Subsidiary, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created (i) resulting in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to its stated maturity or (ii) constituting a failure to pay the principal of any such indebtedness when due and payable (after the expiration of all applicable grace periods) at its stated maturity, upon required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise and, in each such case, such indebtedness is not discharged, or such acceleration is not otherwise cured or rescinded, within 30 days (or, in the case of clause (ii) above, within the greater of (x) 30 days or (y) the duration of any grace period or extension of time for payment applicable thereto); and
(h) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary shall commence a voluntary case or other proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company or any such Significant Subsidiary or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company or any such Significant Subsidiary or any substantial part of its property, or shall consent to any such relief or to the appointment of or taking possession by any such official in an involuntary case or other proceeding commenced against it, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or shall fail generally to pay its debts as they become due; or
(i) an involuntary case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Company or any Significant Subsidiary seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company or such Significant Subsidiary or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company or such Significant Subsidiary or any substantial part of its property, and such involuntary case or other proceeding shall remain undismissed and unstayed for a period of 30 consecutive days.
Section 6.02. Acceleration; Rescission and Annulment. If one or more Events of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (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), then, and in each and every such case (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(h) or Section 6.01(i) with respect to the Company), unless the principal of all of the Notes shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders
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of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding determined in accordance with Section 8.04, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), may declare 100% of the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, all the Notes to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall automatically be immediately due and payable, anything in this Indenture or in the Notes contained to the contrary notwithstanding. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(h) or Section 6.01(i) with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing, 100% of the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, all Notes shall become and shall automatically be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.
The immediately preceding paragraph, however, is subject to the conditions that if, at any time after the principal of the Notes shall have been so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the monies due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, the Company shall pay or shall deposit with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay installments of accrued and unpaid interest upon all Notes and the principal of any and all Notes that shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest on overdue installments of accrued and unpaid interest, and on such principal at the rate borne by the Notes at such time) and amounts due to the Trustee pursuant to Section 7.06, and if (1) rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (2) any and all existing Events of Default under this Indenture, other than the nonpayment of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on Notes that shall have become due solely by such acceleration, shall have been cured or waived pursuant to Section 6.09, then and in every such case (except as provided in the immediately succeeding sentence) the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may waive all Defaults or Events of Default with respect to the Notes and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences and 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 or rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent Default or Event of Default, or shall impair any right consequent thereon. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any Default or Event of Default resulting from (i) the nonpayment of the principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, or accrued and unpaid interest on, any Notes, (ii) a failure to repurchase any Notes when required or (iii) a failure to pay or deliver, as the case may be, the consideration due upon conversion of the Notes.
Section 6.03. Additional Interest. Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture or in the Notes to the contrary, to the extent the Company elects, the sole remedy for an Event of Default relating to the Company’s failure to comply with its obligations as set forth in Section 4.06(b) shall, for the first 360 days after the occurrence of such an Event of Default, consist exclusively of the right to receive Additional Interest on the Notes at a rate equal to (i) 0.25% per annum of the principal amount of the Notes outstanding for each day during the first 180 calendar days
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after the occurrence of such an Event of Default during which such an Event of Default is continuing (or, if earlier, the date on which such Event of Default is cured or waived as provided for in this Indenture) and (ii) 0.50% per annum of the principal amount of the Notes outstanding for each day from, and including, the 181st calendar day to, but excluding, the 360th calendar day following the occurrence of such an Event of Default, in each case, during which such Event of Default is continuing (or, if earlier, the date on which such Event of Default is cured or waived as provided for in this Indenture). Additional Interest payable pursuant to this Section 6.03 shall be in addition to, not in lieu of, any Additional Interest payable pursuant to Section 4.06(d) or Section 4.06(e). If the Company so elects, such Additional Interest shall be payable in the same manner and on the same dates as the stated interest payable on the Notes. On the 361st day after such an Event of Default (if the Event of Default relating to the Company’s failure to comply with its obligations as set forth in Section 4.06(b) is not cured or waived prior to such 361st day), the Notes shall be subject to acceleration as provided in Section 6.02. The provisions of this paragraph will not affect the rights of Holders in the event of the occurrence of any Event of Default other than the Company’s failure to comply with its obligations as set forth in Section 4.06(b). In the event the Company does not elect to pay Additional Interest following an Event of Default in accordance with this Section 6.03 or the Company elected to make such payment but does not pay the Additional Interest when due, the Notes shall be immediately subject to acceleration as provided in Section 6.02.
In order to elect to pay Additional Interest as the sole remedy during the first 360 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default relating to the Company’s failure to comply with its obligations as set forth in Section 4.06(b) in accordance with the immediately preceding paragraph, the Company must notify all Holders, the Trustee and the Paying Agent in writing of such election prior to the beginning of such 360-day period. Upon the Company’s failure to timely give such notice, the Notes shall be immediately subject to acceleration as provided in Section 6.02.
Section 6.04. Payments of Notes on Default; Suit Therefor. If an Event of Default described in clause (a) or (b) of Section 6.01 shall have occurred and be continuing, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, the whole amount then due and payable on the Notes for principal and interest, if any, with interest on any overdue principal and interest, if any, at the rate borne by the Notes at such time, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover any amounts due to the Trustee under Section 7.06. If the Company shall fail 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, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon the Notes and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon the Notes, wherever situated.
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In the event there shall be pending proceedings for the bankruptcy or for the reorganization of the Company or any other obligor on the Notes under Title 11 of the United States Code, or any other applicable law, or in case a receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization, liquidator, sequestrator or similar official shall have been appointed for or taken possession of the Company or such other obligor, the property of the Company or such other obligor, or in the event of any other judicial proceedings relative to the Company or such other obligor upon the Notes, or to the creditors or property of the Company or such other obligor, the Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of the Notes 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 pursuant to the provisions of this Section 6.04, shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise, to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, in respect of the Notes, and, in case of any judicial proceedings, to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents and to take such other actions as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceedings relative to the Company or any other obligor on the Notes, its or their creditors, or its or their property, and to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute the same after the deduction of any amounts due to the Trustee under Section 7.06; and any receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization, liquidator, custodian or similar official is hereby authorized by each of the Holders to make such payments to the Trustee, as administrative expenses, and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for reasonable compensation, expenses, advances and disbursements, including agents and counsel fees, and including any other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 7.06, incurred by it up to the date of such distribution. To the extent that such payment of reasonable compensation, expenses, advances and disbursements out of the estate in any such proceedings shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, monies, securities and other property that the Holders of the Notes may be entitled to receive in such proceedings, whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting such Holder or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the Notes, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Notes, or the production thereof at any trial or other proceeding relative thereto, and any such suit or 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
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compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes.
In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and in any proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the Trustee shall be a party) the Trustee shall be held to represent all the Holders of the Notes, and it shall not be necessary to make any Holders of the Notes parties to any such proceedings.
In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right under this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned because of any waiver pursuant to Section 6.09 or any rescission and annulment pursuant to Section 6.02 or for any other reason or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in every such case the Company, the Holders and the Trustee shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored respectively to their several positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Company, the Holders and the Trustee shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 6.05. Application of Monies Collected by Trustee. Any monies or property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article 6 with respect to the Notes shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee for the distribution of such monies, upon presentation of the several Notes, and stamping thereon 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 7.06;
Second, in case the principal of the outstanding Notes shall not have become due and be unpaid, to the payment of interest on, and any cash due upon conversion of, the Notes in default in the order of the date due of the payments of such interest and cash due upon conversion, as the case may be, with interest (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon such overdue payments at the rate borne by the Notes at such time, such payments to be made ratably to the Persons entitled thereto;
Third, in case the principal of the outstanding Notes shall have become due, by declaration or otherwise, and be unpaid to the payment of the whole amount (including, if applicable, the payment of the, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price and any cash due upon conversion) then owing and unpaid upon the Notes for principal and interest, if any, with interest on the overdue principal and, to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee, upon overdue installments of interest at the rate borne by the Notes at such time, and in case such monies shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole amounts so due and unpaid upon the Notes, then to the payment of such principal (including, if applicable, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price and any cash due upon conversion) and interest without preference or priority of principal over interest, or of interest over principal or of any installment of interest over any other installment of interest, or of any Note over any other Note, ratably to the
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aggregate of such principal (including, if applicable, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price and any cash due upon conversion) and accrued and unpaid interest; and
Fourth, to the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company.
Section 6.06. Proceedings by Holders. Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal (including, if applicable, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price) or interest when due, or the right to receive payment or delivery of the consideration due upon conversion, no Holder of any Note shall have any right by virtue of or by availing of any provision of this Indenture or the Notes to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver, trustee, liquidator, custodian or other similar official, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:
(a) such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default and of the continuance thereof, as herein provided;
(b) Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(c) such Holders shall have offered (and, if requested, provided) to the Trustee such security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense to be incurred therein or thereby;
(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of such security or indemnity, shall have neglected or refused to institute any such action, suit or proceeding; and
(e) no direction that, in the opinion of the Trustee, is inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee by the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding within such 60-day period pursuant to Section 6.09,
it being understood and intended, and being expressly covenanted by the taker and Holder of every Note with every other taker and Holder and the Trustee that no one or more Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other Holder (it being understood that the Trustee shall not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not any such direction is unduly prejudicial to any other Holder), or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such Holder, or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all Holders (except as otherwise provided herein). For the protection and enforcement of this Section 6.06, each and every Holder and the Trustee shall be entitled to such relief as can be given either at law or in equity.
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture and any provision of any Note, the right of any Holder to receive payment or delivery, as the case may be, of (x) the principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, (y) accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, and (z) the consideration due upon conversion of, such Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed or provided for in such Note or in this Indenture, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment or delivery, as the case may be, on or after such respective dates against the Company shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.
Section 6.07. Proceedings by Trustee. In case of an Event of Default, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce the rights vested in it by this Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings as are necessary to protect and enforce any of such rights, either by suit in equity or by action at law or by proceeding in bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Indenture, or to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this Indenture or by law. The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any Notes or does not produce any Notes in the proceeding.
Section 6.08. Remedies Cumulative and Continuing. Except as provided in the last paragraph of Section 2.06, all powers and remedies given by this Article 6 to the Trustee or to the Holders shall, to the extent permitted by law, be deemed cumulative and not exclusive of any thereof or of any other powers and remedies available to the Trustee or the Holders of the Notes, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this Indenture, and no delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any of the Notes to exercise any right or power accruing upon any Default or Event of Default shall impair any such right or power, or shall be construed to be a waiver of any such Default or Event of Default or any acquiescence therein; and, subject to the provisions of Section 6.06, every power and remedy given by this Article 6 or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders.
Section 6.09. Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Holders. The Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding determined in accordance with Section 8.04 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 Notes; provided, however, that (a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture, and (b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction. The Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that it determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other Holder or that would involve the Trustee in personal liability (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to determine whether any direction is prejudicial to any Holder). The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding determined in accordance with Section 8.04 may on behalf
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of the Holders of all of the Notes waive any past Default or Event of Default hereunder and its consequences except (i) a default in the payment of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, or the principal (including any Fundamental Change Repurchase Price) of, the Notes when due that has not been cured pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.01, (ii) a failure by the Company to pay or deliver, as the case may be, the consideration due upon conversion of the Notes or (iii) a default in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 10 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected. Upon any such waiver the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. Whenever any Default or Event of Default hereunder shall have been waived as permitted by this Section 6.09, said Default or Event of Default shall for all purposes of the Notes and this Indenture be deemed to have been cured and to be not continuing; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.10. Notice of Defaults. The Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence and continuance of a Default of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has been notified in writing or has actual knowledge, deliver to all Holders notice of all such Defaults, unless such Defaults shall have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice; provided that, except in the case of a Default in the payment of the principal of (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable), or accrued and unpaid interest on, any of the Notes or a Default in the payment or delivery of the consideration due upon conversion, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as it in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.
Section 6.11. Undertaking to Pay Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Note by its acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may, in its discretion, require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; provided that the provisions of this Section 6.11 (to the extent permitted by law) shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding determined in accordance with Section 8.04, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on any Note (including, but not limited to, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price with respect to the Notes being repurchased as provided in this Indenture) on or after the due date expressed or provided for in such Note or to any suit for the enforcement of the right to convert any Note in accordance with the provisions of Article 14.
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ARTICLE 7
Concerning the Trustee
Concerning the Trustee
Section 7.01. Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee. The Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has written notice or actual knowledge and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture. In the event an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has written notice or actual knowledge, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs; provided that if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered (and, if requested, provided) to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own grossly negligent action, its own grossly negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(a) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has written notice or actual knowledge and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default that may have occurred:
(i) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(ii) in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively and without liability rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any 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 that by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of any mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein);
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(b) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was grossly negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(c) 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 of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding determined as provided in Section 8.04 relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture;
(d) whether or not therein 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;
(e) the Trustee shall not be liable in respect of any payment (as to the correctness of amount, entitlement to receive or any other matters relating to payment) or notice effected by the Company or any Paying Agent or any records maintained by any co-Note Registrar with respect to the Notes;
(f) if any party fails to deliver a notice relating to an event the fact of which, pursuant to this Indenture, requires notice to be sent to the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively and without liability rely on its failure to receive such notice as reason to act as if no such event occurred;
(g) in the event that the Trustee is also acting as Custodian, Note Registrar, Paying Agent, Conversion Agent, Bid Solicitation Agent or transfer agent hereunder, the rights and protections afforded to the Trustee pursuant to this Article 7 shall also be afforded to such Custodian, Note Registrar, Paying Agent, Conversion Agent, Bid Solicitation Agent or transfer agent; and
(h) under no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable in its individual capacity for the obligations evidenced by the Notes.
None of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers.
Section 7.02. Reliance on Documents, Opinions, Etc. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.01:
(a) The Trustee may conclusively and without liability rely and shall be fully protected in acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, judgment, bond, note, coupon or other paper or document (whether in its original
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or facsimile form) believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
(b) Any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed); and any Board Resolution may be evidenced to the Trustee by a copy thereof certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on an Officer’s Certificate, Opinion of Counsel or Board Resolution.
(c) The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and require an Opinion of Counsel and any written or verbal advice of such counsel or Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or Opinion of Counsel.
(d) 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, judgment, 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 at the expense of the Company and shall incur no liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.
(e) The Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, custodians, nominees or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, custodian, nominee or attorney appointed by it with due care hereunder.
(f) The permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties.
(g) The Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder.
(h) The Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.
In no event shall the Trustee be liable for any consequential, punitive, special, incidental or indirect loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action. The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes, unless either (1) a Responsible Officer shall have actual
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knowledge of such Default or Event of Default or (2) written notice of such Default or Event of Default shall have been actually received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, from the Company or any Holder of the Notes, at the Corporate Trust Office and such notice references the Notes and/or this Indenture and states that it is a “notice of default.”
Section 7.03. No Responsibility for Recitals, Etc. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes (except in the Trustee’s certificate of authentication) shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Notes. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of any Notes or the proceeds of any Notes authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture or any money paid to the Company or upon the Company’s direction under any provision of the Indenture.
Section 7.04. Trustee, Paying Agents, Conversion Agents, Bid Solicitation Agent or Note Registrar May Own Notes. The Trustee, any Paying Agent, any Conversion Agent, Bid Solicitation Agent (if other than the Company or any Affiliate thereof) or Note Registrar, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Paying Agent, Conversion Agent, Bid Solicitation Agent or Note Registrar.
Section 7.05. Monies and Shares of Common Stock to Be Held in Trust. All monies and any shares of Common Stock received by the Trustee shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be held in trust for the purposes for which they were received. Money and shares of Common Stock held by the Trustee or its designee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds or property except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest or investment income on any money or shares of Common Stock received by it hereunder except as may be agreed from time to time by the Company and the Trustee.
Section 7.06. Compensation and Expenses of Trustee. The Company covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee, in any capacity under this Indenture, from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder in any capacity (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) as mutually agreed to in writing between the Trustee and the Company, and the Company will pay or reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any of the provisions of this Indenture in any capacity thereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel and of all Persons not regularly in its employ) except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by its gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final, non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction. The Company also covenants to indemnify the Trustee in any capacity under this Indenture and any other document or transaction entered into in connection herewith and its officers, directors, attorneys, employees and agents and any
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authenticating agent for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim (whether asserted by the Company, a Holder or any Person), damage, liability or expense incurred without gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, its officers, directors, attorneys, agents or employees, or such agent or authenticating agent, as the case may be, as determined by a final, non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, and arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Indenture or in any other capacity hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim of liability in the premises. The obligations of the Company under this Section 7.06 to compensate or indemnify the Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances shall be secured by a senior lien to which the Notes are hereby made subordinate on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except, subject to the effect of Section 6.05, funds held in trust herewith for the benefit of the Holders of particular Notes. The Trustee’s right to receive payment of any amounts due under this Section 7.06 shall not be subordinate to any other liability or indebtedness of the Company. The obligation of the Company under this Section 7.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the payment or conversion of the Notes and the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The indemnification provided in this Section 7.06 shall extend to the officers, directors, attorneys, agents and employees of the Trustee.
Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee and its agents and any authenticating agent incur expenses or render services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(h) or Section 6.01(i) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws.
Section 7.07. Officer’s Certificate as Evidence. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.01, whenever in the administration of the provisions of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or omitting any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of gross negligence and willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee, and such Officer’s Certificate, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof.
Section 7.08. Eligibility of Trustee. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act (as if, for this purpose, the Trust Indenture Act were applicable hereto) to act as such and has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If such Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of any supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.
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If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.
Section 7.09. Resignation or Removal of Trustee. (a) The Trustee may at any time resign by giving written notice of such resignation to the Company. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor trustee by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the resigning Trustee and one copy to the successor trustee. If no successor trustee shall have been so appointed and have accepted appointment within 60 days after the giving of such notice of resignation to the Company, the resigning Trustee may, upon ten Business Days’ notice to the Company and the Holders and at the expense of the Company, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor trustee, or any Holder who has been a bona fide holder of a Note or Notes for at least six months (or since the date of this Indenture) may, subject to the provisions of Section 6.11, on behalf of himself or herself and all others similarly situated, petition any such court for the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.
(b) In case at any time any of the following shall occur:
(i) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.08 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder, or
(ii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting, or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed, or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,
then, in either case, the Company may by a Board Resolution remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor trustee, or, subject to the provisions of Section 6.11, any Holder who has been a bona fide holder of a Note or Notes for at least six months (or since the date of this Indenture) may, on behalf of himself or herself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.
(c) The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, as determined in accordance with Section 8.04, may at any time remove the Trustee and nominate a successor trustee that shall be deemed appointed as successor trustee unless
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within ten days after notice to the Company of such nomination the Company objects thereto, in which case the Trustee so removed or any Holder, upon the terms and conditions and otherwise as in Section 7.09(a) provided, may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for an appointment of a successor trustee.
(d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor trustee pursuant to any of the provisions of this Section 7.09 shall become effective upon acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 7.10.
Section 7.10. Acceptance by Successor Trustee. Any successor trustee appointed as provided in Section 7.09 shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to its predecessor trustee an instrument accepting such appointment hereunder, 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, duties and obligations of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as Trustee herein; but, nevertheless, on the written request of the Company or of the successor trustee, the trustee ceasing to act shall, upon payment of any amounts then due it pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.06, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor trustee all the rights and powers of the trustee so ceasing to act. Upon request of any such successor trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments in writing for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor trustee all such rights and powers. Any trustee ceasing to act shall, nevertheless, retain a senior lien to which the Notes are hereby made subordinate on all money or property held or collected by such trustee as such, except for funds held in trust for the benefit of Holders of particular Notes, to secure any amounts then due it pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.06.
No successor trustee shall accept appointment as provided in this Section 7.10 unless at the time of such acceptance such successor trustee shall be eligible under the provisions of Section 7.08.
Upon acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee as provided in this Section 7.10, each of the Company and the successor trustee, at the written direction and at the expense of the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered notice of the succession of such trustee hereunder to the Holders. If the Company fails to deliver such notice within ten days after acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall cause such notice to be delivered at the expense of the Company.
Section 7.11. Succession by Merger, Etc. Any corporation or other entity into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation or other entity resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation or other entity succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee (including the administration of this Indenture), shall be the successor to the Trustee hereunder without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act
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on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided that in the case of any corporation or other entity succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee such corporation or other entity shall be eligible under the provisions of Section 7.08.
In case at the time such successor to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture, any of the Notes shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee or authenticating agent appointed by such predecessor trustee, and deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee or an authenticating agent appointed by such successor trustee may authenticate such Notes either in the name of any predecessor trustee hereunder or in the name of the successor trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Notes or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have; provided, however, that the right to adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee or to authenticate Notes in the name of any predecessor trustee shall apply only to its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.
Section 7.12. Trustee’s Application for Instructions from the Company. Any application by the Trustee for written instructions from the Company (other than with regard to any action proposed to be taken or omitted to be taken by the Trustee that affects the rights of the Holders of the Notes under this Indenture) may, at the option of the Trustee, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Trustee under this Indenture and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Trustee in accordance with a proposal included in such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than three Business Days after notice to the Company has been deemed to have been given pursuant to Section 17.03, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to any earlier date), unless, prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of any omission), the Trustee shall have received written instructions in accordance with this Indenture in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
ARTICLE 8
Concerning the Holders
Concerning the Holders
Section 8.01. Action by Holders. Whenever in this Indenture it is provided that the Holders of a specified percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes may take any action (including the making of any demand or request, the giving of any notice, consent or waiver or the taking of any other action), the fact that at the time of taking any such action, the Holders of such specified percentage have joined therein may be evidenced (a) by any instrument or any number of instruments of similar tenor executed by Holders in person or by agent or proxy appointed in writing, or (b) by the record of the Holders voting in favor thereof at any meeting of Holders duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 9, or (c) by a combination of such instrument or instruments and any such record of such a meeting of
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Holders. Whenever the Company or the Trustee solicits the taking of any action by the Holders of the Notes, the Company or the Trustee may fix, but shall not be required to, in advance of such solicitation, a date as the record date for determining Holders entitled to take such action. The record date if one is selected shall be not more than fifteen days prior to the date of commencement of solicitation of such action.
Section 8.02. Proof of Execution by Holders. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, Section 7.02 and Section 9.05, proof of the execution of any instrument by a Holder or its agent or proxy shall be sufficient if made in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Trustee or in such manner as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee. The holding of Notes shall be proved by the Note Register or by a certificate of the Note Registrar. The record of any Holders’ meeting shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 9.06.
Section 8.03. Who Are Deemed Absolute Owners. The Company, the Trustee, any authenticating agent, any Paying Agent, any Conversion Agent and any Note Registrar may deem the Person in whose name a Note shall be registered upon the Note Register to be, and may treat it as, the absolute owner of such Note (whether or not such Note shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing thereon made by any Person other than the Company or any Note Registrar) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal (including any Fundamental Change Repurchase Price) of and (subject to Section 2.03) accrued and unpaid interest on such Note, for conversion of such Note and for all other purposes under this Indenture; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Paying Agent nor any Conversion Agent nor any Note Registrar shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. The sole registered holder of a Global Note shall be the Depositary or its nominee. All such payments or deliveries so made to any Holder for the time being, or upon its order, shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sums or shares of Common Stock so paid or delivered, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for monies payable or shares deliverable upon any such Note. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Indenture or the Notes following an Event of Default, any owner of a beneficial interest in a Global Note may directly enforce against the Company, without the consent, solicitation, proxy, authorization or any other action of the Depositary or any other Person, such holder’s right to exchange such beneficial interest for a Physical Note in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
Section 8.04. Company-Owned Notes Disregarded. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite aggregate principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, consent, waiver or other action under this Indenture, Notes that are owned by the Company, by any Subsidiary thereof or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company or any Subsidiary thereof shall be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding for the purpose of any such determination; provided that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, consent, waiver or other action, only Notes with respect to which a Responsible Officer has received written notice that such Notes are so owned shall be so disregarded. Notes so owned that have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as
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outstanding for the purposes of this Section 8.04 if the pledgee shall establish to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right to so act with respect to such Notes and that the pledgee is not the Company, a Subsidiary thereof or a Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company or a Subsidiary thereof. In the case of a dispute as to such right, any decision or indecision by the Trustee taken upon the advice of counsel shall be full protection to the Trustee. Upon request of the Trustee, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officer’s Certificate listing and identifying all Notes, if any, known by the Company to be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above described Persons; and, subject to Section 7.01, the Trustee shall be entitled to accept such Officer’s Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and of the fact that all Notes not listed therein are outstanding for the purpose of any such determination.
Section 8.05. Revocation of Consents; Future Holders Bound. At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in Section 8.01, of the taking of any action by the Holders of the percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes specified in this Indenture in connection with such action, any Holder of a Note that is shown by the evidence to be included in the Notes the Holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing written notice with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office and upon proof of holding as provided in Section 8.02, revoke such action so far as concerns such Note. Except as aforesaid, any such action taken by the Holder of any Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners of such Note and of any Notes issued in exchange or substitution therefor or upon registration of transfer thereof, irrespective of whether any notation in regard thereto is made upon such Note or any Note issued in exchange or substitution therefor or upon registration of transfer thereof.
ARTICLE 9
Holders’ Meetings
Holders’ Meetings
Section 9.01. Purpose of Meetings. A meeting of Holders may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to the provisions of this Article 9 for any of the following purposes:
(a) to give any notice to the Company or to the Trustee or to give any directions to the Trustee permitted under this Indenture, or to consent to the waiving of any Default or Event of Default hereunder (in each case, as permitted under this Indenture) and its consequences, or to take any other action authorized to be taken by Holders pursuant to any of the provisions of Article 6;
(b) to remove the Trustee and nominate a successor trustee pursuant to the provisions of Article 7;
(c) to consent to the execution of an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pursuant to the provisions of Article 10; or
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(d) to take any other action authorized to be taken by or on behalf of the Holders of any specified aggregate principal amount of the Notes under any other provision of this Indenture or under applicable law.
Section 9.02. Call of Meetings by Trustee. The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders to take any action specified in Section 9.01, to be held at such time and at such place as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of the Holders, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting and the establishment of any record date pursuant to Section 8.01, shall be delivered to Holders of such Notes. Such notice shall also be delivered to the Company. Such notices shall be delivered not less than 20 nor more than 90 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.
Any meeting of Holders shall be valid without notice if the Holders of all Notes then outstanding are present in person or by proxy or if notice is waived before or after the meeting by the Holders of all Notes then outstanding, and if the Company and the Trustee are either present by duly authorized representatives or have, before or after the meeting, waived notice.
Section 9.03. Call of Meetings by Company or Holders. In case at any time the Company, pursuant to a Board Resolution, or the Holders of at least 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of Holders, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have delivered the notice of such meeting within 20 days after receipt of such request, then the Company or such Holders may determine the time and the place for such meeting and may call such meeting to take any action authorized in Section 9.01, by delivering notice thereof as provided in Section 9.02.
Section 9.04. Qualifications for Voting. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders a Person shall (a) be a Holder of one or more Notes on the record date pertaining to such meeting or (b) be a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy by a Holder of one or more Notes on the record date pertaining to such meeting. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel and any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.
Section 9.05. Regulations. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders, in regard to proof of the holding of Notes and of the appointment of proxies, and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall think fit.
The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders as provided in
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Section 9.03, in which case the Company or the Holders calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented at the meeting and entitled to vote at the meeting.
Subject to the provisions of Section 8.04, at any meeting of Holders each Holder or proxyholder shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes held or represented by him or her; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Note challenged as not outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote other than by virtue of Notes held by it or instruments in writing as aforesaid duly designating it as the proxy to vote on behalf of other Holders. Any meeting of Holders duly called pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.02 or Section 9.03 may be adjourned from time to time by the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of Notes represented at the meeting, whether or not constituting a quorum, and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.
Section 9.06. Voting. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders shall be by written ballot on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders or of their representatives by proxy and the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Notes held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in duplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record in duplicate of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more Persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was delivered as provided in Section 9.02. The record shall show the aggregate principal amount of the Notes voting in favor of or against any resolution. The record shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one of the duplicates shall be delivered to the Company and the other to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting.
Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.
Section 9.07. No Delay of Rights by Meeting. Nothing contained in this Article 9 shall be deemed or construed to authorize or permit, by reason of any call of a meeting of Holders or any rights expressly or impliedly conferred hereunder to make such call, any hindrance or delay in the exercise of any right or rights conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders under any of the provisions of this Indenture or of the Notes. Nothing contained in this Article 9 shall be deemed or construed to limit any Holder’s actions pursuant to the applicable procedures of the Depositary so long as the Notes are Global Notes.
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ARTICLE 10
Supplemental Indentures
Supplemental Indentures
Section 10.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holder, the Company and the Trustee, at the Company’s expense, may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for one or more of the following purposes:
(a) to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;
(b) to provide for the assumption by a Successor Company of the obligations of the Company under this Indenture pursuant to Article 11;
(c) to add guarantees with respect to the Notes;
(d) to secure the Notes;
(e) to add to the covenants or Events of Default of the Company for the benefit of the Holders or surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company under this Indenture or the Notes;
(f) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder under this Indenture or the Notes, as determined by the Company in good faith;
(g) to increase the Conversion Rate as provided in this Indenture;
(h) to provide for the appointment of and acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee pursuant to Section 7.09 or to facilitate the administration of the trusts under this Indenture by more than one trustee;
(i) to irrevocably elect a Settlement Method or a Specified Dollar Amount or a Minimum Specified Amount, or eliminate the Company’s right to elect a Settlement Method; provided that no such election or elimination will affect any Settlement Method theretofore elected (or deemed to be elected) with respect to any Note pursuant to the provisions in Section 14.02;
(j) to conform the provisions of this Indenture or the Notes to any provision of the pricing term sheet delivered to holders on or about September 30, 2024, as certified by the Company in an Officer’s Certificate;
(k) to make provisions with respect to conversion rights of the Holders pursuant to Section 14.07 in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture; or
(l) to comply with the rules of the Depositary.
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Upon the written request of the Company, the Trustee is hereby authorized to, and shall join with the Company in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained, except that the Trustee shall not be obligated to, but may in its discretion, enter into any supplemental indenture that affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section 10.01 may be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent of the Holders of any of the Notes at the time outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 10.02.
Section 10.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent (evidenced as provided in Article 8) of the Holders of at least a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (determined in accordance with Article 8 and including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a repurchase of, or tender or exchange offer for, the Notes), the Company and the Trustee, at the Company’s expense, 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, the Notes or any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders; provided, however, that, without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected, no such supplemental indenture shall:
(a) reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment;
(b) reduce the rate of or extend the stated time for payment of interest on any Note;
(c) reduce the principal of or extend the Maturity Date of any Note;
(d) make any change that adversely affects the conversion rights of any Notes;
(e) reduce the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price of any Note or amend or modify in any manner adverse to the Holders the Company’s obligation to make such payments, whether through an amendment or waiver of provisions in the covenants, definitions or otherwise;
(f) make any Note payable in money, or at a place of payment, other than that stated in the Note;
(g) change the ranking of the Notes;
(h) impair the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal and interest on such Holder’s Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Note; or
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(i) make any change in this Article 10 that requires each Holder’s consent or in the waiver provisions in Section 6.02 or Section 6.09.
Upon the written request of the Company, and upon the delivery to the Trustee of evidence of the consent of the requisite Holders as aforesaid and subject to Section 10.05, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities 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.
Holders do not need under this Section 10.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture. It shall be sufficient if such Holders approve the substance thereof. After any such supplemental indenture becomes effective, the Company shall deliver to the Holders (with a copy to the Trustee) a notice briefly describing such supplemental indenture. However, the failure to give such notice to all the Holders, or any defect in the notice, will not impair or affect the validity of the supplemental indenture.
Section 10.03. Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article 10, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith and the respective rights, limitation of rights, obligations, duties and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company and the Holders shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments and all the terms and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.
Section 10.04. Notation on Notes. Notes authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article 10 may, at the Company’s request and expense, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company or the Trustee shall so determine, new Notes 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, at the Company’s expense, be prepared and executed by the Company, authenticated upon receipt of a Company Order by the Trustee (or an authenticating agent duly appointed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 17.10) and delivered in exchange for the Notes then outstanding, upon surrender of such Notes then outstanding.
Section 10.05. Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to Be Furnished Trustee. In addition to the documents required by Section 17.05, the Trustee shall receive an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant hereto complies with the requirements of this Article 10 and is permitted or authorized by this Indenture and that the supplemental indenture constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms.
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ARTICLE 11
Consolidation, Merger, Sale, Conveyance and Lease
Consolidation, Merger, Sale, Conveyance and Lease
Section 11.01. Company May Consolidate, Etc. on Certain Terms. Subject to the provisions of Section 11.02, the Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or sell, convey, transfer or lease in one transaction or a series of transactions all or substantially all of the consolidated properties and assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to another Person (other than any such sale, conveyance, transfer or lease to one or more of the Company’s Wholly Owned Subsidiaries), unless:
(a) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Company”), if not the Company, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, and the Successor Company (if not the Company) shall expressly assume, by supplemental indenture all of the obligations of the Company under the Notes and this Indenture; and
(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing under this Indenture.
For purposes of this Section 11.01, the sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of one or more Subsidiaries of the Company to another Person, which properties and assets, if held by the Company instead of such Subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company on a consolidated basis, shall be deemed to be the sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company to another Person.
Section 11.02. Successor Corporation to Be Substituted. In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease (other than any such sale, conveyance, transfer or lease to one or more of the Company’s Wholly Owned Subsidiaries) and upon the assumption by the Successor Company, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, of all of the obligations of the Company under the Notes and this Indenture, such Successor Company (if not the Company) shall succeed to and, except in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of the Company’s properties and assets, shall be substituted for the Company, with the same effect as if it had been named herein as the party of the first part, and may thereafter exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture. Such Successor Company thereupon may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Company any or all of the Notes issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such Successor Company instead of the Company and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver, or cause to be authenticated and delivered, any Notes that previously shall have been signed and delivered by the Officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and any Notes that such Successor Company thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All the Notes so
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issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Notes theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Notes had been issued at the date of the execution hereof. In the event of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or transfer (but not in the case of a lease), upon compliance with this Article 11 the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Indenture (or any successor that shall thereafter have become such in the manner prescribed in this Article 11) may be dissolved, wound up and liquidated at any time thereafter and, except in the case of a lease, such Person shall be released from its liabilities as obligor and maker of the Notes and from its obligations under this Indenture and the Notes.
In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Notes thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.
Section 11.03. Opinion of Counsel to Be Given to Trustee. No such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease shall be effective unless the Trustee shall receive an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease and any such assumption and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture, complies with the provisions of this Article 11.
ARTICLE 12
Immunity of Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors
Immunity of Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors
Section 12.01. Indenture and Notes Solely Corporate Obligations. No recourse for the payment of the principal of or accrued and unpaid interest on any Note, nor for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture or in any supplemental indenture or in any Note, nor because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, employee, agent, Officer or director or Subsidiary, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Company or any 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 all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issue of the Notes.
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ARTICLE 13
Intentionally Omitted
Intentionally Omitted
ARTICLE 14
Conversion of Notes
Conversion of Notes
Section 14.01. Conversion Privilege. (a) Subject to and upon compliance with the provisions of this Article 14, each Holder of a Note shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to convert all or any portion (if the portion to be converted is $1,000 principal amount or a multiple thereof) of such Note (i) subject to satisfaction of the conditions described in Section 14.01(b), at any time prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding July 15, 2029 under the circumstances and during the periods set forth in Section 14.01(b), and (ii) regardless of the conditions described in Section 14.01(b), on or after July 15, 2029 and prior to the close of business on the second Scheduled Trading Day immediately preceding the Maturity Date, in each case, at an initial conversion rate of 111.1111 shares of Common Stock (subject to adjustment as provided in this Article 14, the “Conversion Rate”) per $1,000 principal amount of Notes (subject to, and in accordance with, the settlement provisions of Section 14.02, the “Conversion Obligation”).
(b) (i) Prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding July 15, 2029, a Holder may surrender all or any portion of its Notes for conversion at any time during the five Business Day period immediately after any ten consecutive Trading Day period (the “Measurement Period”) in which the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, as determined following a written request by a Holder of Notes in accordance with this Section 14.01(b)(i), for each Trading Day of the Measurement Period was less than 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock and the Conversion Rate on each such Trading Day. The Trading Prices shall be determined by the Bid Solicitation Agent pursuant to this Section 14.01(b)(i) and the definition of Trading Price set forth in this Indenture. The Bid Solicitation Agent (if other than the Company) shall have no obligation to determine the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes unless the Company has requested such determination in writing, and the Company shall have no obligation to make such request (or, if the Company is acting as Bid Solicitation Agent, the Company shall have no obligation to determine the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes) unless a Holder of at least $2,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes provides the Company with reasonable evidence that the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes would be less than 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock and the Conversion Rate, at which time the Company shall instruct the Bid Solicitation Agent in writing (if other than the Company) to determine, or if the Company is acting as Bid Solicitation Agent, the Company shall determine the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes beginning on the next Trading Day and on each successive Trading Day until the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes is greater than or equal to 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock and the Conversion Rate. At such time as the Company directs the Bid Solicitation Agent in writing to solicit bid quotations, the Company shall provide the Bid
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Solicitation Agent with the names and contact details of the three independent nationally recognized securities dealers selected by the Company, and the Company shall direct those security dealers to provide bids to the Bid Solicitation Agent. Any such determination will be conclusive absent manifest error. If (x) the Company is not acting as Bid Solicitation Agent, and the Company does not, when the Company is required to, instruct the Bid Solicitation Agent to obtain bids, or if the Company so instructs the Bid Solicitation Agent to obtain bids and the Bid Solicitation Agent fails to make such determination, or (y) the Company is acting as Bid Solicitation Agent and the Company fails to make such determination. then, in either case, the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes shall be deemed to be less than 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock and the Conversion Rate on each Trading Day of such failure. If the Trading Price condition set forth above has been met, the Company shall so notify the Holders, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) in writing. If, at any time after the Trading Price condition set forth above has been met, the Trading Price per $1,000 principal amount of Notes is greater than or equal to 98% of the product of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock and the Conversion Rate for such date, the Company shall so notify the Holders, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) in writing, and thereafter neither the Company nor the Bid Solicitation Agent (if other than the Company) shall be required to solicit bids (or determine the Trading Price of the Notes as set forth in this Indenture) again until a new Holder request is made pursuant to this Section 14.01(b)(i).
(ii) If, prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding July 15, 2029, the Company elects to:
(A) issue to all or substantially all holders of the Common Stock any rights, options or warrants (other than in connection with a stockholder rights plan) entitling them, for a period of not more than 45 calendar days after the announcement date of such issuance, to subscribe for or purchase shares of the Common Stock at a price per share that is less than the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Common Stock for the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of announcement of such issuance; or
(B) distribute to all or substantially all holders of the Common Stock the Company’s assets, securities or rights to purchase securities of the Company (other than in connection with a stockholder rights plan prior to the separation of such rights from the Common Stock), which distribution has a per share value, as reasonably determined by the Company, exceeding 10% of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day preceding the date of announcement for such distribution,
then, in either case, the Company shall notify the Holders of the Notes, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) in writing at least 60 Scheduled Trading Days prior
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to the Ex-Dividend Date for such issuance or distribution. Once the Company has given such notice, a Holder may surrender all or any portion of its Notes for conversion at any time until the earlier of (1) the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Ex-Dividend Date for such issuance or distribution and (2) the Company’s announcement that such issuance or distribution will not take place, even if the Notes are not otherwise convertible at such time.
(iii) If (A) a transaction or event that constitutes (x) a Fundamental Change or (y) a Make-Whole Fundamental Change occurs prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding July 15, 2029, regardless of whether a Holder has the right to require the Company to repurchase the Notes pursuant to Section 15.02, or (B) if the Company is a party to a consolidation, merger, binding share exchange, or transfer or lease of all or substantially all of its assets that occurs prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding July 15, 2029, in each case pursuant to which the Common Stock would be converted into cash, securities or other assets (other than a merger effected solely to change the Company’s jurisdiction of incorporation that does not otherwise constitute a Make-Whole Fundamental Change or a Fundamental Change), then, in each case, all or any portion of a Holder’s Notes may be surrendered for conversion at any time from or after the effective date of the transaction or event until 35 Trading Days after the actual effective date of such transaction or event (or, if the Company gives notice of such transaction or event after the effective date of such transaction or event, until 35 Trading Days after the date that the Company gives such notice) or, if such transaction or event also constitutes a Fundamental Change, until the related Fundamental Change Repurchase Date. The Company shall notify Holders, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) in writing as promptly as practicable following the date the Company publicly announces such transaction or event.
(iv) Prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding July 15, 2029, a Holder may surrender all or any portion of its Notes for conversion at any time during any calendar quarter commencing after the calendar quarter ending on December 31, 2024 (and only during such calendar quarter), if the Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock for at least 20 Trading Days (whether or not consecutive) during the period of 30 consecutive Trading Days ending on, and including, the last Trading Day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the Conversion Price on each applicable Trading Day.
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Section 14.02. Conversion Procedure; Settlement Upon Conversion.
(a) Subject to this Section 14.02, Section 14.03(b) and Section 14.07(a), upon conversion of any Note, the Company shall satisfy its Conversion Obligation by paying or delivering, as the case may be, to the converting Holder, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes being converted, cash (“Cash Settlement”), shares of Common Stock, together with cash, if applicable, in lieu of delivering any fractional share of Common Stock in accordance with subsection (j) of this Section 14.02 (“Physical Settlement”) or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, together with cash, if applicable, in lieu of delivering any fractional share of Common Stock in accordance with subsection (j) of this Section 14.02 (“Combination Settlement”), at its election, as set forth in this Section 14.02.
(i) All conversions for which the relevant Conversion Date occurs on or after July 15, 2029, shall be settled using the same Settlement Method.
(ii) Except for any conversions for which the relevant Conversion Date occurs on or after July 15, 2029, the Company shall use the same Settlement Method for all conversions occurring on the same Conversion Date, but the Company shall not have any obligation to use the same Settlement Method with respect to conversions that occur on different Conversion Dates.
(iii) If, in respect of any Conversion Date (or of the period described in the third immediately succeeding set of parentheses, as the case may be), the Company elects a Settlement Method, the Company shall deliver a written notice (the “Settlement Notice”) of the Settlement Method so elected in respect of such Conversion Date (or such period, as the case may be) to converting Holders no later than the close of business on the Trading Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date (or, in the case of any conversions of Notes for which the relevant Conversion Date occurs on or after July 15, 2029, no later than the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding July 15, 2029). If the Company does not timely elect a Settlement Method prior to the deadline set forth in the immediately preceding sentence, the Company shall no longer have the right to elect Cash Settlement or Physical Settlement for such conversion or during such period and the Company shall be deemed to have elected Combination Settlement in respect of its Conversion Obligation, and the Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes shall be equal to $1,000 (the “Default Settlement Method”). Such Settlement Notice shall specify the relevant Settlement Method and in the case of an election of Combination Settlement, the relevant Settlement Notice shall indicate the Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes. If the Company delivers a Settlement Notice electing Combination Settlement in respect of its Conversion Obligation but does not timely notify converting Holders of the Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes in such Settlement Notice, the Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes shall be deemed to be $1,000.
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(iv) The cash, shares of Common Stock or combination of cash and shares of Common Stock in respect of any conversion of Notes (the “Settlement Amount”) shall be computed as follows:
(A) if the Company elects to satisfy its Conversion Obligation in respect of such conversion by Physical Settlement, the Company shall deliver to the converting Holder in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes being converted a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Conversion Date;
(B) if the Company elects to satisfy its Conversion Obligation in respect of such conversion by Cash Settlement, the Company shall pay to the converting Holder in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes being converted cash in an amount equal to the sum of the Daily Conversion Values for each of the 50 consecutive Trading Days during the related Observation Period; and
(C) if the Company elects (or is deemed to have elected) to satisfy its Conversion Obligation in respect of such conversion by Combination Settlement, the Company shall pay or deliver, as the case may be, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes being converted, a Settlement Amount equal to the sum of the Daily Settlement Amounts for each of the 50 consecutive Trading Days during the related Observation Period.
(v) The Daily Settlement Amounts (if applicable) and the Daily Conversion Values (if applicable) shall be determined by the Company promptly following the last day of the Observation Period. Promptly after such determination of the Daily Settlement Amounts or the Daily Conversion Values, as the case may be, and the amount of cash payable in lieu of delivering any fractional share of Common Stock, the Company shall notify the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) of the Daily Settlement Amounts or the Daily Conversion Values, as the case may be, and the amount of cash payable in lieu of delivering fractional shares of Common Stock. The Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) shall have no responsibility for any such determination.
(b) Subject to Section 14.02(e), before any Holder of a Note shall be entitled to convert a Note as set forth above, such Holder shall (i) in the case of a Global Note, comply with the procedures of the Depositary in effect at that time for converting a beneficial interest in a Global Note and, if required, pay funds equal to interest payable on the next Interest Payment Date to which such Holder is not entitled as set forth in Section 14.02(h) (and, if required, pay all transfer or similar taxes, if any, as set forth in Section 14.02(d) and Section 14.02(e)) and (ii) in the case of a Physical Note (1) complete, manually sign and deliver an irrevocable notice to the Conversion Agent as set forth in the Form of Notice of Conversion (or a facsimile, PDF or other
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electronic transmission thereof) (a “Notice of Conversion”) at the office of the Conversion Agent and state in writing therein the principal amount of Notes to be converted and the name or names (with addresses) in which such Holder wishes the certificate or certificates for any shares of Common Stock to be delivered upon settlement of the Conversion Obligation to be registered, (2) surrender such Notes, duly endorsed to the Company or in blank (and accompanied by appropriate endorsement and transfer documents), at the office of the Conversion Agent, (3) if required, furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and (4) if required, pay funds equal to interest payable on the next Interest Payment Date to which such Holder is not entitled as set forth in Section 14.02(h). The Trustee (and, if different, the Conversion Agent) shall notify the Company of any conversion pursuant to this Article 14 on the Conversion Date for such conversion. No Notes may be surrendered for conversion by a Holder thereof if such Holder has also delivered a Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice to the Company in respect of such Notes and has not validly withdrawn such Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice in accordance with Section 15.03.
If more than one Note shall be surrendered for conversion at one time by the same Holder, the Conversion Obligation with respect to such Notes shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (or specified portions thereof to the extent permitted thereby) so surrendered.
(c) A Note shall be deemed to have been converted immediately prior to the close of business on the date (the “Conversion Date”) that the Holder has complied with the requirements set forth in subsection (b) above. Except as set forth in Section 14.03(b) and Section 14.07(a), the Company shall pay or deliver, as the case may be, the consideration due in respect of the Conversion Obligation on the second Business Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date, if the Company elects Physical Settlement, or on the second Business Day immediately following the last Trading Day of the relevant Observation Period, in the case of any other Settlement Method; provided that, with respect to any Conversion Date occurring after the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the Maturity Date, the Company will settle any such conversion for which Physical Settlement is applicable on the Maturity Date). If any shares of Common Stock are due to converting Holders, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued, and deliver to such Holder, or such Holder’s nominee or nominees, certificates or a book-entry transfer through the Depositary for the full number of shares of Common Stock to which such Holder shall be entitled in satisfaction of the Company’s Conversion Obligation.
(d) In case any Note shall be surrendered for partial conversion, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to or upon the written order of the Holder of the Note so surrendered a new Note or Notes in authorized denominations in an aggregate principal amount equal to the unconverted portion of the surrendered Note, without payment of any service charge by the converting Holder but, if required by the Company or Trustee, with payment of a sum sufficient to cover any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or similar governmental charge required by law or that may be imposed in connection therewith as
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a result of the name of the Holder of the new Notes issued upon such conversion being different from the name of the Holder of the old Notes surrendered for such conversion.
(e) If a Holder submits a Note for conversion, the Company shall pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax or other similar governmental charge due on any issuance of any shares of Common Stock upon conversion, unless the tax is due because the Holder requests any such shares to be issued in a name other than the Holder’s name, in which case the Holder shall pay that tax. The Conversion Agent may refuse to deliver the certificates representing the shares of Common Stock being issued in a name other than the Holder’s name until the Trustee receives a sum sufficient to pay any tax that is due by such Holder in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence.
(f) Except as provided in Section 14.04, no adjustment shall be made for dividends on any shares of Common Stock issued upon the conversion of any Note as provided in this Article 14.
(g) Upon the conversion of an interest in a Global Note, the Trustee, or the Custodian at the direction of the Trustee, shall make a notation on such Global Note as to the reduction in the principal amount represented thereby. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of any conversion of Notes effected through any Conversion Agent other than the Trustee.
(h) Upon conversion, a Holder shall not receive any separate cash payment for accrued and unpaid interest, if any, except as set forth below. The Company’s settlement of the full Conversion Obligation shall be deemed to satisfy in full its obligation to pay the principal amount of the Note and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the relevant Conversion Date. As a result, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the relevant Conversion Date shall be deemed to be paid in full rather than cancelled, extinguished or forfeited. Upon a conversion of Notes into a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, accrued and unpaid interest will be deemed to be paid first out of the cash paid upon such conversion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Notes are converted after the close of business on a Regular Record Date and on or prior to the open of business on the corresponding Interest Payment Date, Holders of such Notes as of the close of business on such Regular Record Date will receive the full amount of interest payable on such Notes on the corresponding Interest Payment Date notwithstanding the conversion. Notes surrendered for conversion during the period from the close of business on any Regular Record Date to the open of business on the immediately following Interest Payment Date must be accompanied by funds equal to the amount of interest payable on the Notes so converted (regardless of whether the converting Holder was the Holder of record on the corresponding Regular Record Date); provided that no such payment shall be required (1) for conversions following the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the Maturity Date; (2) if the Company has specified a Fundamental Change Repurchase Date that is after a Regular Record Date and on or prior to the Business Day immediately succeeding the corresponding Interest Payment Date; or (3) to the extent of any overdue interest, if any overdue interest exists at the time of conversion with respect to such
65
Note. Therefore, for the avoidance of doubt, all Holders of record on the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the Maturity Date shall receive the full interest payment due on the Maturity Date in cash regardless of whether their Notes have been converted following such Regular Record Date.
(i) The Person in whose name the certificate for any shares of Common Stock delivered upon conversion is registered shall be deemed to be the holder of record of such shares of Common Stock as of the close of business on the relevant Conversion Date (if the Company elects to satisfy the related Conversion Obligation by Physical Settlement) or the last Trading Day of the relevant Observation Period (if the Company elects to satisfy the related Conversion Obligation by Combination Settlement), as the case may be. Upon a conversion of Notes, such Person shall no longer be a Holder of such Notes surrendered for conversion.
(j) The Company shall not issue any fractional share of Common Stock upon conversion of the Notes and shall instead pay cash in lieu of delivering any fractional share of Common Stock issuable upon conversion based on the Daily VWAP on the relevant Conversion Date (in the case of Physical Settlement) or based on the Daily VWAP on the last Trading Day of the relevant Observation Period (in the case of Combination Settlement). For each Note surrendered for conversion, if the Company has elected (or is deemed to have elected) Combination Settlement, the full number of shares that shall be issued upon conversion thereof shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate Daily Settlement Amounts for the relevant Observation Period and any fractional shares remaining after such computation shall be paid in cash.
(k) If a Holder converts more than one Note on a Conversion Date, then the consideration due upon such conversion will (in the case of any Global Note, to the extent permitted by, and practicable under, the applicable procedures of the Depositary) be computed based on the total principal amount of Notes converted on such Conversion Date by that Holder.
(l) In addition, the Company may, by notice to Holders, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent, irrevocably elect Combination Settlement with a $1,000 Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes or may irrevocably elect that any Specified Dollar Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes will be at or above a specific amount (the “Minimum Specified Amount”) set forth in such notice. If the Company makes such an irrevocable election, then such election will apply to all conversions of Notes with a Conversion Date that is on or after the date the Company sends such notice. For the avoidance of doubt, no such irrevocable election will affect any Settlement Method theretofore elected (or deemed to be elected) with respect to any Note pursuant to this Section 14.02(l) or Section 10.01(i) and such an irrevocable election, if made, will be effective without the need to amend the Indenture or the Notes, including pursuant to Article 10. However, the Company may nonetheless choose to execute such an amendment at its option.
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(m) Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture to the contrary, the Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Common Stock to any Holder upon any conversion of a Note such that such Holder would beneficially own a number of shares of Common Stock in excess of the Conversion Share Cap immediately following any conversion. To the extent any conversion of a Note would otherwise result in the Company, if the Company were to elect or be deemed to elect Physical Settlement, being required to deliver any shares of Common Stock to any Holder such that such converting Holder would beneficially own a number of shares of Common Stock in excess of 19.9% of the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately following such conversion (the “Conversion Share Cap”), such conversion shall instead be deemed to be a partial conversion pursuant to Section 14.02(d), such that the principal amount of Notes being converted would require the Company, if the Company were to elect or be deemed to elect Physical Settlement, to deliver the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that would not result in such converting Holder beneficially owning in excess of the Conversion Share Cap. For purposes hereof (including the calculation of the Conversion Share Cap), each Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as set forth in the Company’s most recent annual report filed with the Commission, or any report filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent thereto, in each case, unless the Company has confirmed to such Holder the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as provided in the next sentence (in which case such Holder may rely upon such confirmation). Upon the written request of a Holder, the Company shall, within two (2) Trading Days, confirm orally and in writing to such Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. Upon any conversion of a Note by a Holder in accordance with Section 14.02(b), such Holder will be deemed to have made a representation that such Holder has evaluated the limitation set forth in this paragraph and determined that the issuance of the full number of shares of Common Stock requested in such conversion is permitted under this Section 14.02(m).
Section 14.03. Increased Conversion Rate Applicable to Certain Notes Surrendered in Connection with Make-Whole Fundamental Changes Period. (a) If the Effective Date of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change occurs prior to the Maturity Date and a Holder elects to convert its Notes in connection with such Make-Whole Fundamental Change the Company shall, under the circumstances described below, increase the Conversion Rate for the Notes so surrendered for conversion by a number of additional shares of Common Stock (the “Additional Shares”), as described below. A conversion of Notes shall be deemed for these purposes to be “in connection with” such Make-Whole Fundamental Change if the relevant Notice of Conversion is received by the Conversion Agent from, and including, the Effective Date of the Make-Whole Fundamental Change up to, and including, the Business Day immediately prior to the related Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (or, in the case of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change that would have been a Fundamental Change but for the proviso in clause (b) of the definition thereof, the 35th Trading Day immediately following the Effective Date of such Make-Whole Fundamental Change) (such period, the “Make-Whole Fundamental Change Period”).
(b) Upon surrender of Notes for conversion in connection with a Make-Whole Fundamental Change pursuant to Section 14.01(b)(iii), the Company shall, at its option, satisfy
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the related Conversion Obligation by Physical Settlement, Cash Settlement or Combination Settlement in accordance with Section 14.02 based on the Conversion Rate as increased to reflect the Additional Shares pursuant to the table below; provided, however, that if, the Reference Property in any Make-Whole Fundamental Change described in clause (b) of the definition of Fundamental Change is composed entirely of cash, for any conversion of Notes following the Effective Date of such Make-Whole Fundamental Change, the Conversion Obligation shall be calculated based solely on the Stock Price for the transaction and shall be deemed to be an amount of cash per $1,000 principal amount of converted Notes equal to the Conversion Rate (including any increase to reflect the Additional Shares), multiplied by such Stock Price. In such event, the Conversion Obligation shall be determined and paid to Holders in cash on the second Business Day following the Conversion Date. The Company shall notify the Holders, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) in writing of the Effective Date of any Make-Whole Fundamental Change no later than five Business Days after such Effective Date.
(c) The number of Additional Shares, if any, by which the Conversion Rate shall be increased for conversions during the Make-Whole Fundamental Change Period shall be determined by reference to the table below, based on the date on which the Make-Whole Fundamental Change occurs or becomes effective (the “Effective Date”) and the price (the “Stock Price”) paid (or deemed to be paid) per share of Common Stock in the Make-Whole Fundamental Change as set forth in this Section 14.03. If the holders of the Common Stock receive in exchange for their Common Stock only cash in a Make-Whole Fundamental Change described in clause (b) of the definition of Fundamental Change, the Stock Price shall be the cash amount paid per share. In the case of any other Make-Whole Fundamental Change, the Stock Price shall be the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the five consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Effective Date of the Make-Whole Fundamental Change.
(d) The Stock Prices set forth in the column headings of the table below shall be adjusted as of any date on which the Conversion Rate for the Notes is otherwise adjusted. The adjusted Stock Prices shall equal the Stock Prices applicable immediately prior to such adjustment, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the Conversion Rate immediately prior to such adjustment giving rise to the Stock Price adjustment and the denominator of which is the Conversion Rate as so adjusted. The number of Additional Shares set forth in the table below shall be adjusted in the same manner and at the same time as the Conversion Rate as set forth in Section 14.04.
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(e) The following table sets forth the number of Additional Shares by which the Conversion Rate shall be increased per $1,000 principal amount of Notes pursuant to this Section 14.03 for each Stock Price and Effective Date set forth below:
Stock Price | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Effective Date | $6.59 | $7.00 | $7.50 | $8.00 | $8.50 | $9.00 | $10.00 | $11.00 | $12.00 | $14.00 | $16.00 | $18.00 | $36.00 | $72.00 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10/03/2024 | 37.6749 | 36.9943 | 33.2040 | 29.9900 | 27.2412 | 24.8711 | 21.0160 | 18.0391 | 15.6908 | 12.2643 | 9.9200 | 8.2361 | 2.7117 | 0.7625 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10/15/2025 | 37.6749 | 36.8286 | 32.6893 | 29.2100 | 26.2600 | 23.7400 | 19.6960 | 16.6309 | 14.2583 | 10.8821 | 8.6469 | 7.0867 | 2.2761 | 0.6446 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10/15/2026 | 37.6749 | 35.9314 | 31.3880 | 27.6125 | 24.4482 | 21.7800 | 17.5780 | 14.4782 | 12.1417 | 8.9421 | 6.9263 | 5.5789 | 1.7675 | 0.5024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10/15/2027 | 37.6749 | 34.6029 | 29.4787 | 25.2838 | 21.8306 | 18.9722 | 14.6040 | 11.5191 | 9.3000 | 6.4536 | 4.8081 | 3.7878 | 1.2236 | 0.3497 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10/15/2028 | 37.6749 | 32.5571 | 26.4093 | 21.4938 | 17.5682 | 14.4378 | 9.9520 | 7.0936 | 5.2550 | 3.2436 | 2.2963 | 1.7906 | 0.6411 | 0.1851 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10/15/2029 | 37.6749 | 31.7457 | 22.2213 | 13.8888 | 6.5353 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The exact Stock Prices and Effective Dates may not be set forth in the table above, in which case:
(i) if the Stock Price is between two Stock Prices in the table above or the Effective Date is between two Effective Dates in the table above, the number of Additional Shares by which the Conversion Rate shall be increased shall be determined by a straight-line interpolation between the number of Additional Shares set forth for the higher and lower Stock Prices and the earlier and later Effective Dates, based on a 365-day year;
(ii) if the Stock Price is greater than $72.00 per share (subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Stock Prices set forth in the column headings of the table above pursuant to subsection (d) above), no Additional Shares shall be added to the Conversion Rate; and
(iii) if the Stock Price is less than $6.59 per share (subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Stock Prices set forth in the column headings of the table above pursuant to subsection (d) above), no Additional Shares shall be added to the Conversion Rate.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Conversion Rate per $1,000 principal amount of Notes exceed 148.7860 shares of Common Stock, subject to adjustment in the same manner as the Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 14.04.
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(f) Nothing in this Section 14.03 shall prevent an adjustment to the Conversion Rate that would otherwise be required pursuant to Section 14.04.
Section 14.04. Adjustment of Conversion Rate. The Conversion Rate shall be adjusted from time to time by the Company if any of the following events occurs, except that the Company shall not make any adjustments to the Conversion Rate if Holders of the Notes participate (other than in the case of (x) a share split or share combination or (y) a tender or exchange offer), at the same time and upon the same terms as holders of the Common Stock and solely as a result of holding the Notes, in any of the transactions described in this Section 14.04, without having to convert their Notes, as if they held a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate, multiplied by the principal amount (expressed in thousands) of Notes held by such Holder.
(a) If the Company exclusively issues shares of Common Stock to all or substantially all holders of the Common Stock as a dividend or distribution on shares of the Common Stock, or if the Company effects a share split or share combination, the Conversion Rate shall be adjusted based on the following formula:
where,
CR0 = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date of such dividend or distribution, or immediately prior to the open of business on the Effective Date of such share split or share combination, as applicable;
CR' = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date or Effective Date;
OS0 = the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date or Effective Date (before giving effect to any such dividend, distribution, share split or share combination); and
OS' = the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such dividend, distribution, share split or share combination.
Any adjustment made under this Section 14.04(a) shall become effective immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such dividend or distribution, or immediately after the open of business on the Effective Date for such share split or share combination, as
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applicable. If any dividend or distribution of the type described in this Section 14.04(a) is declared but not so paid or made, the Conversion Rate shall be immediately readjusted, effective as of the date the Company determines not to pay such dividend or distribution, to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such dividend or distribution had not been declared.
(b) If the Company issues to all or substantially all holders of Common Stock any rights, options or warrants entitling them, for a period of not more than 45 calendar days after the announcement date of such issuance, to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock at a price per share that is less than the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of Common Stock for the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of announcement of such issuance, the Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:
where,
CR0 = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such issuance;
CR' = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date;
OS0 = the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date;
X = the total number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to such rights, options or warrants; and
Y = the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the aggregate price payable to exercise such rights, options or warrants, divided by the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of announcement of the issuance of such rights, options or warrants.
Any increase made under this Section 14.04(b) shall be made successively whenever any such rights, options or warrants are issued and shall become effective immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such issuance. To the extent that shares of the Common Stock are not delivered after the expiration of such rights, options or warrants, the Conversion
71
Rate shall be decreased to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect had the increase with respect to the issuance of such rights, options or warrants been made on the basis of delivery of only the number of shares of Common Stock actually delivered. If such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Conversion Rate shall be decreased to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such Ex-Dividend Date for such issuance had not occurred.
For purposes of this Section 14.04(b) and Section 14.01(b)(ii)(A), in determining whether any rights, options or warrants entitle the holders of Common Stock to subscribe for or purchase shares of the Common Stock at less than such average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Common Stock for the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of announcement of such issuance, and in determining the aggregate offering price of such shares of Common Stock, there shall be taken into account any consideration received by the Company for such rights, options or warrants and any amount payable on exercise or conversion thereof, the value of such consideration, if other than cash, to be determined by the Company.
(c) If the Company distributes shares of its Capital Stock, evidences of its indebtedness, other assets or property of the Company or rights, options or warrants to acquire its Capital Stock or other securities of the Company, to all or substantially all holders of the Common Stock, excluding (i) dividends, distributions or issuances as to which an adjustment was effected pursuant to Section 14.04(a) or Section 14.04(b), (ii) dividends or distributions paid exclusively in cash as to which the provisions set forth in Section 14.04(d) shall apply, (iii) distributions of Reference Property issued upon conversion of, or in exchange for, the Common Stock in a transaction described in Section 14.07 and (iv) Spin-Offs as to which the provisions set forth below in this Section 14.04(c) shall apply (any of such shares of Capital Stock, evidences of indebtedness, other assets or property or rights, options or warrants to acquire Capital Stock or other securities, the “Distributed Property”), then the Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:
where,
CR0 = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution;
CR' = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date;
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SP0 = the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period ending on, and including, the Trading Day immediately preceding the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution; and
FMV = the fair market value (as determined by the Company) of the Distributed Property with respect to each outstanding share of the Common Stock on the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution.
Any increase made under the portion of this Section 14.04(c) above shall become effective immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such distribution. If such distribution is not paid or made, the Conversion Rate shall be decreased to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such distribution had not been declared. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if “FMV” (as defined above) is equal to or greater than “SP0” (as defined above), in lieu of the foregoing increase, each Holder of a Note shall receive, in respect of each $1,000 principal amount thereof, at the same time and upon the same terms as holders of the Common Stock receive the Distributed Property, the amount and kind of Distributed Property such Holder would have received if such Holder owned a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Ex-Dividend Date for the distribution.
With respect to an adjustment pursuant to this Section 14.04(c) where there has been a payment of a dividend or other distribution on the Common Stock of shares of Capital Stock of any class or series, or similar equity interest, of or relating to any Subsidiary or other business unit of the Company, that are, or, when issued, will be, listed or admitted for trading on a U.S. national securities exchange (a “Spin-Off”), the Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:
where,
CR0 = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the end of the Valuation Period;
CR' = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the end of the Valuation Period;
FMV0 = the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Capital Stock or similar equity interest distributed to holders of the Common Stock applicable to one share of the Common Stock (determined by reference to the definition of Last Reported Sale Price as set forth in Section 1.01 as if references therein to Common Stock were to
73
such Capital Stock or similar equity interest) over the first 10 consecutive Trading Day period after, and including, the Ex-Dividend Date of the Spin-Off (the “Valuation Period”); and
MP0 = the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the Valuation Period.
The adjustment to the Conversion Rate under the preceding paragraph shall occur at the close of business on the last Trading Day of the Valuation Period; provided that (x) in respect of any conversion of Notes for which Physical Settlement is applicable, if the relevant Conversion Date occurs during the Valuation Period, references to “10” in the portion of this Section 14.04(c) related to Spin-Offs shall be deemed replaced with such lesser number of Trading Days as have elapsed from, and including, the Ex-Dividend Date of such Spin-Off to, and including, the Conversion Date in determining the Conversion Rate and (y) in respect of any conversion of Notes for which Cash Settlement or Combination Settlement is applicable, for any Trading Day that falls within the relevant Observation Period for such conversion and within the Valuation Period, references to “10” in the portion of this Section 14.04(c) related to Spin-Offs shall be deemed replaced with such lesser number of Trading Days as have elapsed from, and including, the Ex-Dividend Date of such Spin-Off to, and including, such Trading Day in determining the Conversion Rate as of such Trading Day. If any dividend or distribution that constitutes a Spin-Off is declared but not so paid or made, the Conversion Rate shall be immediately decreased, effective as of the date the Company determines not to pay or make such dividend or distribution, to the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such dividend or distribution had not been declared or announced.
For purposes of this Section 14.04(c) (and subject in all respect to Section 14.11), rights, options or warrants distributed by the Company to all holders of the Common Stock entitling them to subscribe for or purchase shares of the Company’s Capital Stock, including Common Stock (either initially or under certain circumstances), which rights, options or warrants, until the occurrence of a specified event or events (“Trigger Event”): (i) are deemed to be transferred with such shares of the Common Stock; (ii) are not exercisable; and (iii) are also issued in respect of future issuances of the Common Stock, shall be deemed not to have been distributed for purposes of this Section 14.04(c) (and no adjustment to the Conversion Rate under this Section 14.04(c) will be required) until the occurrence of the earliest Trigger Event, whereupon such rights, options or warrants shall be deemed to have been distributed and an appropriate adjustment (if any is required) to the Conversion Rate shall be made under this Section 14.04(c). If any such right, option or warrant, including any such existing rights, options or warrants distributed prior to the date of this Indenture, are subject to events, upon the occurrence of which such rights, options or warrants become exercisable to purchase different securities, evidences of indebtedness or other assets, then the date of the occurrence of any and each such event shall be deemed to be the date of distribution and Ex-Dividend Date with respect to new rights, options or warrants with such rights (in which case the existing rights, options or warrants shall be deemed to terminate and expire on such date without exercise by any of the holders thereof). In addition,
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in the event of any distribution (or deemed distribution) of rights, options or warrants, or any Trigger Event or other event (of the type described in the immediately preceding sentence) with respect thereto that was counted for purposes of calculating a distribution amount for which an adjustment to the Conversion Rate under this Section 14.04(c) was made, (1) in the case of any such rights, options or warrants that shall all have been redeemed or purchased without exercise by any holders thereof, upon such final redemption or purchase (x) the Conversion Rate shall be readjusted as if such rights, options or warrants had not been issued and (y) the Conversion Rate shall then again be readjusted to give effect to such distribution, deemed distribution or Trigger Event, as the case may be, as though it were a cash distribution, equal to the per share redemption or purchase price received by a holder or holders of Common Stock with respect to such rights, options or warrants (assuming such holder had retained such rights, options or warrants), made to all holders of Common Stock as of the date of such redemption or purchase, and (2) in the case of such rights, options or warrants that shall have expired or been terminated without exercise by any holders thereof, the Conversion Rate shall be readjusted as if such rights, options and warrants had not been issued.
For purposes of Section 14.04(a), Section 14.04(b) and this Section 14.04(c), if any dividend or distribution to which this Section 14.04(c) is applicable also includes one or both of:
(A) a dividend or distribution of shares of Common Stock to which Section 14.04(a) is applicable (the “Clause A Distribution”); or
(B) a dividend or distribution of rights, options or warrants to which Section 14.04(b) is applicable (the “Clause B Distribution”),
then, in either case, (1) such dividend or distribution, other than the Clause A Distribution and the Clause B Distribution, shall be deemed to be a dividend or distribution to which this Section 14.04(c) is applicable (the “Clause C Distribution”) and any Conversion Rate adjustment required by this Section 14.04(c) with respect to such Clause C Distribution shall then be made, and (2) the Clause A Distribution and Clause B Distribution shall be deemed to immediately follow the Clause C Distribution and any Conversion Rate adjustment required by Section 14.04(a) and Section 14.04(b) with respect thereto shall then be made, except that, if determined by the Company (I) the “Ex-Dividend Date” of the Clause A Distribution and the Clause B Distribution shall be deemed to be the Ex-Dividend Date of the Clause C Distribution and (II) any shares of Common Stock included in the Clause A Distribution or Clause B Distribution shall be deemed not to be “outstanding immediately prior to the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date or Effective Date” within the meaning of Section 14.04(a) or “outstanding immediately prior to the open of business on such Ex-Dividend Date” within the meaning of Section 14.04(b).
(d) If any cash dividend or distribution is made to all or substantially all holders of the Common Stock, the Conversion Rate shall be adjusted based on the following formula:
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where,
CR0 = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such dividend or distribution;
CR' = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such dividend or distribution;
SP0 = the Last Reported Sale Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the Ex-Dividend Date for such dividend or distribution; and
C = the amount in cash per share the Company distributes to all or substantially all holders of the Common Stock.
Any increase pursuant to this Section 14.04(d) shall become effective immediately after the open of business on the Ex-Dividend Date for such dividend or distribution. If such dividend or distribution is not so paid, the Conversion Rate shall be decreased, effective as of the date the Company determines not to make or pay such dividend or distribution, to be the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such dividend or distribution had not been declared. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if “C” (as defined above) is equal to or greater than “SP0” (as defined above), in lieu of the foregoing increase, each Holder of a Note shall receive, for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes it holds, at the same time and upon the same terms as holders of shares of the Common Stock, the amount of cash that such Holder would have received if such Holder owned a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Ex-Dividend Date for such cash dividend or distribution.
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(e) If the Company or any of its Subsidiaries make a payment in respect of a tender or exchange offer for the Common Stock (other than any odd-lot tender offer), to the extent that the cash and value of any other consideration included in the payment per share of the Common Stock exceeds the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period commencing on, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the last date on which tenders or exchanges may be made pursuant to such tender or exchange offer, the Conversion Rate shall be increased based on the following formula:
where,
CR0 = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately prior to the close of business on the 10th Trading Day immediately following, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires;
CR' = the Conversion Rate in effect immediately after the close of business on the 10th Trading Day immediately following, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires;
AC = the aggregate value of all cash and any other consideration (as determined by the Company) paid or payable for shares of Common Stock purchased in such tender or exchange offer;
OS0 = the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the date such tender or exchange offer expires (prior to giving effect to the purchase of all shares of Common Stock accepted for purchase or exchange in such tender or exchange offer);
OS' = the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after the date such tender or exchange offer expires (after giving effect to the purchase of all shares of Common Stock accepted for purchase or exchange in such tender or exchange offer); and
SP' = the average of the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Common Stock over the 10 consecutive Trading Day period commencing on, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires.
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The adjustment to the Conversion Rate under this Section 14.04(e) shall occur at the close of business on the 10th Trading Day immediately following, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the date such tender or exchange offer expires; provided that (x) in respect of any conversion of Notes for which Physical Settlement is applicable, if the relevant Conversion Date occurs during the 10 Trading Days immediately following, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the expiration date of any tender or exchange offer, references to “10” or “10th” in this Section 14.04(e) shall be deemed replaced with such lesser number of Trading Days as have elapsed from, and including, the trading day next succeeding the expiration date of such tender or exchange offer to, and including, such Conversion Date in determining the Conversion Rate and (y) in respect of any conversion of Notes for which Cash Settlement or Combination Settlement is applicable, for any Trading Day that falls within the relevant Observation Period for such conversion and within the 10 Trading Days immediately following, and including, the Trading Day next succeeding the expiration date of any tender or exchange offer, references to “10” or “10th” in this Section 14.04(e) shall be deemed replaced with such lesser number of Trading Days as have elapsed from, and including, the trading day next succeeding the expiration date of such tender or exchange offer to, and including, such Trading Day in determining the Conversion Rate as of such Trading Day.
If the Company is obligated to purchase shares of Common Stock pursuant to any such tender or exchange offer described in this Section 14.04(e) but is permanently prevented by applicable law from effecting any such purchase or all such purchases are rescinded, the applicable Conversion Rate will be readjusted to be the Conversion Rate that would then be in effect if such tender or exchange offer had not been made or had been made only in respect of the purchases that have been made.
(f) Notwithstanding this Section 14.04 or any other provision of this Indenture or the Notes, if a Conversion Rate adjustment becomes effective on any Ex-Dividend Date, and a Holder that has converted its Notes on or after such Ex-Dividend Date and on or prior to the related Record Date would be deemed to be the record holder of the shares of Common Stock as of the related Conversion Date as described under Section 14.02(i) based on an adjusted Conversion Rate for such Ex-Dividend Date, then, notwithstanding the Conversion Rate adjustment provisions in this Section 14.04, the Conversion Rate adjustment relating to such Ex-Dividend Date shall not be made for such converting Holder. Instead, such Holder shall be treated as if such Holder were the record owner of the shares of Common Stock on an unadjusted basis and participate in the related dividend, distribution or other event giving rise to such adjustment.
(g) Except as stated herein, the Company shall not adjust the Conversion Rate for the issuance of shares of the Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of the Common Stock or the right to purchase shares of the Common Stock or such convertible or exchangeable securities.
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(h) In addition to those adjustments required by clauses (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) of this Section 14.04, and subject to the applicable listing standards of The New York Stock Exchange, the Company from time to time may increase the Conversion Rate by any amount for a period of at least 20 Business Days if the Company determines that such increase would be in the Company’s best interest. In addition, subject to the applicable listing standards of The New York Stock Exchange, the Company may (but is not required to) increase the applicable Conversion Rate to avoid or diminish income tax to holders of Common Stock or rights to purchase shares of Common Stock in connection with a dividend or distribution of shares of Common Stock (or rights to acquire shares of Common Stock) or similar event.
(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article 14, the Conversion Rate shall not be adjusted:
(i) upon the issuance of any shares of Common Stock pursuant to any present or future plan providing for the reinvestment of dividends or interest payable on the Company’s securities and the investment of additional optional amounts in shares of Common Stock under any plan;
(ii) upon the issuance of any shares of Common Stock or options or rights to purchase those shares pursuant to any present or future employee, director or consultant benefit or incentive plan or program of or assumed by the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries;
(iii) upon the issuance of any shares of Common Stock pursuant to any option, warrant, right or exercisable, exchangeable or convertible security not described in clause (ii) of this subsection and outstanding as of the date the Notes were first issued
(iv) upon the repurchase of shares of Common Stock pursuant to an open-market share repurchase program or other buy-back transaction that is not a tender offer or exchange offer of the nature described in Section 14.04(e);
(v) solely for a change in the par value of the Common Stock; or
(vi) for accrued and unpaid interest, if any.
(j) The Company shall not be required to make an adjustment pursuant to clauses (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) of this Section 14.04 unless such adjustment would result in a change of at least 1% of the then effective Conversion Rate. However, the Company shall carry forward any adjustment that the Company would otherwise have to make and take that adjustment into account in any subsequent adjustment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all such carried-forward adjustments shall be made with respect to the Notes (i) where the aggregate of all such carried-forward adjustments equals or exceeds 1% of the Conversion Rate and (ii) regardless of whether the aggregate adjustment is less than 1% of the Conversion Rate, (x) on the Conversion Date for any Notes (in the case of Physical Settlement) and (y) on each Trading Day of any Observation
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Period with respect to any Notes (in the case of Cash Settlement or Combination Settlement). All calculations and other determinations under this Article 14 shall be made by the Company and shall be made to the nearest one-ten thousandth (1/10,000th) of a share.
(k) Whenever the Conversion Rate is adjusted as herein provided, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Trustee (and the Conversion Agent if not the Trustee) an Officer’s Certificate setting forth (i) the adjusted Conversion Rate, (ii) the subsection of this Section 14.04 pursuant to which such adjustment has been made, showing in reasonable detail the facts upon which such adjustment is based and (iii) the date as of which such adjustment is effective (which certificates shall be conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such adjustment absent manifest error). Unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received such Officer’s Certificate, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any adjustment of the Conversion Rate and may assume without inquiry that the last Conversion Rate of which it has knowledge is still in effect. Promptly after delivery of such certificate, the Company shall prepare a notice of such adjustment of the Conversion Rate setting forth the adjusted Conversion Rate and the date on which each adjustment becomes effective and shall deliver such notice of such adjustment of the Conversion Rate to each Holder. Failure to deliver such notice shall not affect the legality or validity of any such adjustment.
(l) For purposes of this Section 14.04, the number of shares of Common Stock at any time outstanding shall not include shares of Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company so long as the Company does not pay any dividend or make any distribution on shares of Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company, but shall include shares of Common Stock issuable in respect of scrip certificates issued in lieu of fractions of shares of Common Stock.
Section 14.05. Adjustments of Prices. Whenever any provision of this Indenture requires the Company to calculate the Last Reported Sale Prices, the Daily VWAPs, the Daily Conversion Values or the Daily Settlement Amounts over a span of multiple days (including, without limitation, an Observation Period and the period, if any, for determining the Stock Price for purposes of a Make-Whole Fundamental Change), the Company shall make appropriate adjustments in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner to each to account for any adjustment to the Conversion Rate that becomes effective, or any event requiring an adjustment to the Conversion Rate where the Ex-Dividend Date, Effective Date or expiration date of the event occurs, at any time during the period when the Last Reported Sale Prices, the Daily VWAPs, the Daily Conversion Values or the Daily Settlement Amounts are to be calculated.
Section 14.06. Shares to Be Fully Paid. The Company shall provide, free from preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued shares or shares held in treasury, sufficient shares of Common Stock to provide for conversion of the Notes from time to time as such Notes are presented for conversion (assuming delivery of the maximum number of Additional Shares pursuant to Section 14.03 and that at the time of computation of such number of shares, all such Notes would be converted by a single Holder and that Physical Settlement is applicable).
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Section 14.07. Effect of Recapitalizations, Reclassifications and Changes of the Common Stock.
(a) In the case of:
(i) any recapitalization, reclassification or change of the Common Stock (other than changes resulting from a subdivision or combination),
(ii) any consolidation, merger or combination or similar transaction involving the Company,
(iii) any sale, lease or other transfer to a third party of the consolidated assets of the Company and the Company’s Subsidiaries substantially as an entirety or
(iv) any statutory share exchange,
in each case, as a result of which the Common Stock would be converted into, or exchanged for, stock, other securities, other property or assets (including cash or any combination thereof) (any such event, a “Merger Event”), then, at and after the effective time of such Merger Event, the right to convert each $1,000 principal amount of Notes shall be changed into a right to convert such principal amount of Notes into the kind and amount of shares of stock, other securities or other property or assets (including cash or any combination thereof) that a holder of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate immediately prior to such Merger Event would have owned or been entitled to receive (the “Reference Property”, with each “unit of Reference Property” meaning the kind and amount of Reference Property that a holder of one share of Common Stock is entitled to receive) upon such Merger Event and, prior to or at the effective time of such Merger Event, the Company or the successor or acquiring corporation, as the case may be, shall execute with the Trustee a supplemental indenture permitted under Section 10.01(k) providing for such change in the right to convert each $1,000 principal amount of Notes; provided, however, that at and after the effective time of the Merger Event (A) the Company shall continue to have the right to determine the form of consideration to be paid or delivered, as the case may be, upon conversion of Notes in accordance with Section 14.02 and (B) (I) any amount payable in cash upon conversion of the Notes in accordance with Section 14.02 shall continue to be payable in cash, (II) any shares of Common Stock that the Company would have been required to deliver upon conversion of the Notes in accordance with Section 14.02 shall instead be deliverable in the amount and type of Reference Property that a holder of that number of shares of Common Stock would have received in such Merger Event and (III) the Daily VWAP shall be calculated based on the value of a unit of Reference Property.
If the Merger Event causes the Common Stock to be converted into, or exchanged for, the right to receive more than a single type of consideration (determined based in part upon any form of stockholder election), then (i) the Reference Property into which the Notes will be convertible shall be deemed to be the weighted average of the types and amounts of consideration actually received by the holders of Common Stock, and (ii) the unit of Reference Property for purposes of
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the immediately preceding paragraph shall refer to the consideration referred to in clause (i) attributable to one share of Common Stock. If the holders of the Common Stock receive only cash in such Merger Event, then for all conversions for which the relevant Conversion Date occurs after the effective date of such Merger Event (A) the consideration due upon conversion of each $1,000 principal amount of Notes shall be solely cash in an amount equal to the Conversion Rate in effect on the Conversion Date (as may be increased by any Additional Shares pursuant to Section 14.03), multiplied by the price paid per share of Common Stock in such Merger Event and (B) the Company shall satisfy the Conversion Obligation by paying cash to converting Holders on the second Business Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date. The Company shall notify Holders, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) in writing of such weighted average as soon as practicable after such determination is made.
Such supplemental indenture described in the second immediately preceding paragraph shall provide for anti-dilution and other adjustments that are as nearly equivalent as practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Article 14. If, in the case of any Merger Event, the Reference Property includes shares of stock, securities or other property or assets of a Person other than the Company or the successor or purchasing corporation (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, cash paid by such surviving company, successor or purchaser corporation, as the case may be, in such Merger Event), then such supplemental indenture shall also be executed by such other Person and shall contain such additional provisions to protect the interests of the Holders as the Company reasonably considers necessary by reason of the foregoing, including the provisions providing for the purchase rights set forth in Article 15.
(b) When the Company executes a supplemental indenture pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 14.07, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate briefly stating the reasons therefor, the kind or amount of cash, securities or property or asset that will comprise a unit of Reference Property after any such Merger Event, any adjustment to be made with respect thereto and that all conditions precedent have been complied with, and shall promptly deliver or cause to be delivered notice thereof to all Holders. The Company shall cause notice of the execution of such supplemental indenture to be delivered to each Holder within 20 days after execution thereof. Failure to deliver such notice shall not affect the legality or validity of such supplemental indenture.
(c) The Company shall not become a party to any Merger Event unless its terms are consistent with this Section 14.07. None of the foregoing provisions shall affect the right of a holder of Notes to convert its Notes into cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, as applicable, as set forth in Section 14.01 and Section 14.02 prior to the effective date of such Merger Event.
(d) The above provisions of this Section shall similarly apply to successive Merger Events.
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Section 14.08. Certain Covenants. (a) The Company covenants that all shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion of Notes will be fully paid and non-assessable by the Company and free from all taxes, liens and charges with respect to the issue thereof.
(b) The Company covenants that, if any shares of Common Stock to be provided for the purpose of conversion of Notes hereunder require registration with or approval of any governmental authority under any federal or state law before such shares of Common Stock may be validly issued upon conversion, the Company will, to the extent then permitted by the rules and interpretations of the Commission, secure such registration or approval, as the case may be.
(c) The Company further covenants that if at any time the Common Stock shall be listed on any national securities exchange or automated quotation system the Company will list and keep listed, so long as the Common Stock shall be so listed on such exchange or automated quotation system, any Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes.
Section 14.09. Responsibility of Trustee. The Trustee and any other Conversion Agent shall not at any time be under any duty or responsibility to any Holder to determine the Conversion Rate (or any adjustment thereto) or whether any facts exist that may require any adjustment (including any increase) of the Conversion Rate, or with respect to the nature or extent or calculation of any such adjustment when made, or with respect to the method employed, or herein or in any supplemental indenture provided to be employed, in making the same. The Trustee and any other Conversion Agent shall not be responsible for determining whether the Conversion Share Cap is applicable to any conversion or for calculating or verifying the calculations of any adjustments to the amount of notes being converted as the result of a Conversion Share Cap. The Trustee and any other Conversion Agent shall not be accountable with respect to the validity or value (or the kind or amount) of any shares of Common Stock, or of any securities, property or cash that may at any time be issued or delivered upon the conversion of any Note; and the Trustee and any other Conversion Agent make no representations with respect thereto. Neither the Trustee nor any Conversion Agent shall be responsible for any failure of the Company to issue, transfer or deliver any shares of Common Stock or stock certificates or other securities or property or cash upon the surrender of any Note for the purpose of conversion or to comply with any of the duties, responsibilities or covenants of the Company contained in this Article. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, neither the Trustee nor any Conversion Agent shall be under any responsibility to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in any supplemental indenture entered into pursuant to Section 14.07 relating either to the kind or amount of shares of stock or securities or property (including cash) receivable by Holders upon the conversion of their Notes after any event referred to in such Section 14.07 or to any adjustment to be made with respect thereto, but, subject to the provisions of Section 7.01, may accept (without any independent investigation) as conclusive evidence of the correctness of any such provisions, and shall be protected in conclusively relying upon, the Officer’s Certificate (which the Company shall be obligated to deliver to the Trustee prior to the execution of any such supplemental indenture) with respect thereto. Neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall be responsible for determining
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whether any event contemplated by Section 14.01(b) has occurred that makes the Notes eligible for conversion or no longer eligible therefor until the Company has delivered to the Trustee and the Conversion Agent the notices referred to in Section 14.01(b) with respect to the commencement or termination of such conversion rights, on which notices the Trustee and the Conversion Agent may conclusively rely, and the Company agrees to deliver such notices to the Trustee and the Conversion Agent immediately after the occurrence of any such event or at such other times as shall be provided for in Section 14.01(b). Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, neither the Trustee nor any other agent acting under this Indenture (other than the Company, if acting in such capacity) shall have any obligation to make any calculation or to determine whether the Notes may be surrendered for conversion pursuant to this Indenture, or to notify the Company or the Depositary or any of the Holders if the Notes have become convertible pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
Section 14.10. Notice to Holders Prior to Certain Actions. In case of any:
(a) action by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries that would require an adjustment in the Conversion Rate pursuant to Section 14.04 or Section 14.11;
(b) Merger Event; or
(c) voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
then, in each case (unless notice of such event is otherwise required pursuant to another provision of this Indenture), the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee) and to be delivered to each Holder, as promptly as possible but in any event at least 20 days prior to the applicable date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (i) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such action by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or, if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of Common Stock of record are to be determined for the purposes of such action by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, or (ii) the date on which such Merger Event, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up is expected to become effective or occur, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their Common Stock for securities or other property deliverable upon such Merger Event, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up. Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such action by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, Merger Event, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up.
Section 14.11. Stockholder Rights Plans. If the Company has a stockholder rights plan in effect upon conversion of the Notes, each share of Common Stock, if any, issued upon such conversion shall be entitled to receive the appropriate number of rights, if any, and the certificates representing the Common Stock issued upon such conversion shall bear such legends, if any, in each case as may be provided by the terms of any such stockholder rights plan, as the
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same may be amended from time to time. However, if, prior to any conversion of Notes, the rights have separated from the shares of Common Stock in accordance with the provisions of the applicable stockholder rights plan so that the Holders would not be entitled to receive any rights in respect of Common Stock, if any, issuable upon conversion of the Notes, the Conversion Rate shall be adjusted at the time of separation as if the Company distributed to all or substantially all holders of the Common Stock Distributed Property as provided in Section 14.04(c), subject to readjustment in the event of the expiration, termination or redemption of such rights.
Section 14.12. Exchange In Lieu Of Conversion. (a) When a Holder surrenders its Notes for conversion, the Company may, at its election, direct the Conversion Agent to surrender, on or prior to the Business Day immediately following the relevant Conversion Date, such Notes to one or more financial institutions designated by the Company (each, a “Designated Institution”) for exchange in lieu of conversion (an “Exchange Election”). In order to accept any Notes surrendered for conversion for exchange in lieu of conversion, the Designated Institution(s) must agree to timely pay or deliver, as the case may be, in exchange for such Notes, cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, at the Company’s election, that would otherwise be due upon conversion as described in Section 14.02 above or such other amount agreed to by the converting Holder and the Designated Institution(s) (the “Conversion Consideration”). If the Company makes the election described above, the Company shall, by the close of business on the Business Day following the relevant Conversion Date, notify in writing the Holder surrendering Notes for conversion, the Trustee and the Conversion Agent (if other than the Trustee), that it has made such election, and the Company shall notify the Designated Institution(s) of the relevant deadline for delivery of the Conversion Consideration and the type of Conversion Consideration to be paid and/or delivered (unless the form of Conversion Consideration has been otherwise agreed by the Holder and the Designated Institution(s) as set forth in this Section 14.12. Any Notes exchanged by any Designated Institution will remain outstanding, subject to applicable procedures of the Depositary.
(b) If any Designated Institution agrees to accept any Notes for exchange but does not timely pay and/or deliver, as the case may be, the related Conversion Consideration to the Conversion Agent, or if such Designated Institution does not accept such Notes for exchange, the Company shall, within the time period specified in Section 14.02(c), pay or deliver, as the case may be, the Conversion Consideration in accordance with the provisions of Section 14.02 as if the Company had not made the Exchange Election.
(c) For the avoidance of doubt, in no event will the Company’s designation of a Designated Institution pursuant to this Section 14.12 require such Designated Institution to accept any Notes for exchange.
ARTICLE 15
Repurchase of Notes at Option of Holders
Repurchase of Notes at Option of Holders
Section 15.01. Intentionally Omitted.
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Section 15.02. Repurchase at Option of Holders Upon a Fundamental Change. (a) If a Fundamental Change occurs at any time prior to the Maturity Date, each Holder shall have the right, at such Holder’s option, to require the Company to repurchase for cash all of such Holder’s Notes, or any portion of the principal amount thereof properly surrendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to Section 15.03 that is equal to $1,000 or a multiple of $1,000, on the date (the “Fundamental Change Repurchase Date”) specified by the Company that is not less than 20 or more than 35 Business Days following the date of the Fundamental Change Company Notice at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (the “Fundamental Change Repurchase Price”), unless the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date falls after a Regular Record Date but on or prior to the Interest Payment Date to which such Regular Record Date relates, in which case the Company shall instead pay on the relevant Interest Payment Date the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest to the Holder of record as of such Regular Record Date, and the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount of Notes to be repurchased pursuant to this Article 15. Any Notes so repurchased by the Company shall be paid for in cash. The Fundamental Change Repurchase Date shall be subject to postponement in order to allow the Company to comply with applicable law as a result of changes to such applicable law occurring after the date of this Indenture.
(b) Repurchases of Notes under this Section 15.02 shall be made, at the option of the Holder thereof, upon:
(i) delivery to the Paying Agent by a Holder of a duly completed written notice (the “Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice”) in the form set forth in Attachment 2 to the Form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A, if the Notes are Physical Notes, or in compliance with the Depositary’s procedures for surrendering interests in Global Notes, if the Notes are Global Notes, in each case on or before the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date; and
(ii) delivery of the Notes, if the Notes are Physical Notes, to the Paying Agent at any time after delivery of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice (together with all necessary endorsements for transfer) at the Corporate Trust Office of the Paying Agent, or book-entry transfer of the Notes, if the Notes are Global Notes, in compliance with the procedures of the Depositary, in each case such delivery being a condition to receipt by the Holder of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price therefor.
The Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice in respect of any Notes to be repurchased shall state:
(i) in the case of Physical Notes, the certificate numbers of the Notes to be delivered for repurchase;
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(ii) the portion of the principal amount of Notes to be repurchased, which must be $1,000 or a multiple thereof; and
(iii) that the Notes are to be repurchased by the Company pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Notes and this Indenture;
provided, however, that if the Notes are Global Notes, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice must comply with appropriate Depositary procedures.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Holder delivering to the Paying Agent the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice contemplated by this Section 15.02 shall have the right to withdraw, in whole or in part, such Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice at any time prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date by delivery of a written notice of withdrawal to the Paying Agent in accordance with Section 15.03.
The Paying Agent shall promptly notify the Company of the receipt by it of any Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice or written notice of withdrawal thereof.
(c) On or before the 20th Business Day after the occurrence of the effective date of a Fundamental Change, the Company shall provide to all Holders, the Trustee, the Conversion Agent and the Paying Agent (in the case of a Paying Agent other than the Trustee) a written notice (the “Fundamental Change Company Notice”) of the occurrence of the effective date of the Fundamental Change and of the resulting repurchase right at the option of the Holders arising as a result thereof. In the case of Physical Notes, such notice shall be by first class mail or, in the case of Global Notes, such notice shall be delivered in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary. Each Fundamental Change Company Notice shall specify:
(i) the events causing the Fundamental Change;
(ii) the effective date of the Fundamental Change;
(iii) the last date on which a Holder may exercise the repurchase right pursuant to this Article 15;
(iv) the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price;
(v) the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date;
(vi) the name and address of the Paying Agent and the Conversion Agent, if applicable;
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(vii) if applicable, the Conversion Rate and any adjustments to the Conversion Rate as a result of such Fundamental Change (or related Make-Whole Fundamental Change);
(viii) that the Notes with respect to which a Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice has been delivered by a Holder may be converted only if the Holder validly withdraws the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; and
(ix) the procedures that Holders must follow to require the Company to repurchase their Notes.
No failure of the Company to give the foregoing notices and no defect therein shall limit the Holders’ repurchase rights or affect the validity of the proceedings for the repurchase of the Notes pursuant to this Section 15.02.
At the Company’s written request, given at least five days prior to the date the Fundamental Change Company Notice is to be sent, the Trustee shall give such notice in the Company’s name and at the Company’s expense; provided, however, that, in all cases, the text of such Fundamental Change Company Notice shall be prepared by the Company.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Notes may be repurchased by the Company on any date at the option of the Holders upon a Fundamental Change if the principal amount of the Notes has been accelerated, and such acceleration has not been rescinded, on or prior to such date (except in the case of an acceleration resulting from a Default by the Company in the payment of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price with respect to such Notes). The Paying Agent will promptly return to the respective Holders thereof any Physical Notes held by it during the acceleration of the Notes (except in the case of an acceleration resulting from a Default by the Company in the payment of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price with respect to such Notes), or any instructions for book-entry transfer of the Notes in compliance with the procedures of the Depositary shall be deemed to have been cancelled, and, upon such return or cancellation, as the case may be, the Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice with respect thereto shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.
(e) The Company shall not be required to repurchase or make an offer to repurchase Notes upon the occurrence of a Fundamental Change otherwise required under this Section 15.02 if a third party makes such an offer to purchase Notes in the same manner, at the same time and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company as set forth in this Indenture and such third party purchases all Notes properly surrendered and not validly withdrawn under such offer to purchase.
Section 15.03. Withdrawal of Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice. (a) A Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice may be withdrawn (in whole or in part) by means of a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the Paying Agent in accordance with this Section 15.03
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at any time prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the relevant Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, specifying:
(i) the principal amount of the Notes with respect to which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted, which must be $1,000 or a multiple thereof,
(ii) if Physical Notes have been issued, the certificate numbers of the Notes in respect of which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted, and
(iii) the principal amount, if any, of such Notes that remains subject to the original Fundamental Change Repurchase Notice, which portion must be in principal amounts of $1,000 or a multiple of $1,000;
provided, however, that if the Notes are Global Notes, the notice must comply with appropriate procedures of the Depositary.
Section 15.04. Deposit of Fundamental Change Repurchase Price. (a) The Company will deposit with the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company, or if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 4.04) on or prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date an amount of money sufficient to repurchase all of the Notes to be repurchased at the appropriate Fundamental Change Repurchase Price. Subject to receipt of funds and/or Notes by the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company), payment for Notes surrendered for repurchase (and not withdrawn prior to the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date) will be made on the later of (i) the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date (provided the Holder has satisfied the conditions in Section 15.02) and (ii) the time of book-entry transfer or the delivery of such Note to the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company) by the Holder thereof in the manner required by Section 15.02 by mailing checks for the amount payable to the Holders of such Notes entitled thereto as they shall appear in the Note Register; provided, however, that payments to the Depositary shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee. The Trustee shall, promptly after such payment and upon written demand by the Company, return to the Company any funds in excess of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price.
(b) If by 11:00 a.m. New York City time, on the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company) holds money sufficient to pay the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price of the Notes to be repurchased on the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date, then, with respect to the Notes that have been properly surrendered for repurchase to the Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company) and have not been validly withdrawn in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, (i) such Notes will cease to be outstanding, (ii) interest will cease to accrue on such Notes (whether or not book-entry transfer of the Notes has been made or the Notes have been delivered to the
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Trustee (or other Paying Agent appointed by the Company)) and (iii) all other rights of the Holders of such Notes will terminate (other than the right to receive the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price).
(c) Upon surrender of a Note that is to be repurchased in part pursuant to Section 15.02, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder a new Note in an authorized denomination equal in principal amount to the unrepurchased portion of the Note surrendered.
Section 15.05. Covenant to Comply with Applicable Laws Upon Repurchase of Notes. In connection with any repurchase offer pursuant to this Article 15, the Company will, if required:
(a) comply with the provisions of any tender offer rules under the Exchange Act that may then be applicable;
(b) file a Schedule TO or any other required schedule under the Exchange Act; and
(c) otherwise comply with all federal and state securities laws in connection with any offer by the Company to repurchase the Notes;
in each case, so as to permit the rights and obligations under this Article 15 to be exercised in the time and in the manner specified in this Article 15.
ARTICLE 16
[intentionally omitted]
[intentionally omitted]
ARTICLE 17
Miscellaneous Provisions
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 17.01. Provisions Binding on Company’s Successors. All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements of the Company contained in this Indenture shall bind its successors and assigns whether so expressed or not.
Section 17.02. Official Acts by Successor Corporation. Any act or proceeding by any provision of this Indenture authorized or required to be done or performed by any board, committee or Officer of the Company shall and may be done and performed with like force and effect by the like board, committee or officer of any corporation or other entity that shall at the time be the lawful sole successor of the Company.
Section 17.03. Addresses for Notices, Etc. Any notice or demand that by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee or by the Holders on the Company shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes if given or served by being deposited postage prepaid by registered or certified mail in a post office
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letter box addressed (until another address is delivered by the Company to the Trustee) to Brookdale Senior Living Inc., 105 Westwood Place, Suite 400, Brentwood, TN 37027, Attention: General Counsel. Any notice, direction, request or demand hereunder to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, if given or served by being deposited postage prepaid by registered or certified mail in a post office letter box addressed to the Corporate Trust Office or sent electronically in PDF format. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture, notices to the Trustee shall only be deemed received upon actual receipt thereof by a Responsible Officer.
The Trustee, by notice to the Company, may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
Any notice or communication delivered or to be delivered to a Holder of Physical Notes shall be mailed to it by first class mail, postage prepaid, at its address as it appears on the Note Register and shall be sufficiently given to it if so mailed within the time prescribed. Any notice or communication delivered or to be delivered to a Holder of Global Notes shall be delivered in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary and shall be sufficiently given to it if so delivered within the time prescribed.
Failure to mail or deliver a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders. If a notice or communication is mailed or delivered, as the case may be, in the manner provided above, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.
In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice to Holders by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.
Section 17.04. Governing Law; Jurisdiction. THIS INDENTURE AND EACH NOTE, AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS INDENTURE AND EACH NOTE, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
The Company irrevocably consents and agrees, for the benefit of the Holders from time to time of the Notes and the Trustee, that any legal action, suit or proceeding against it with respect to obligations, liabilities or any other matter arising out of or in connection with this Indenture or the Notes may be brought in the courts of the State of New York or the courts of the United States located in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City, New York and, until amounts due and to become due in respect of the Notes have been paid, hereby irrevocably consents and submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of each such court in personam, generally and unconditionally with respect to any action, suit or proceeding for itself in respect of its properties, assets and revenues.
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The Company irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any of the aforesaid actions, suits or proceedings arising out of or in connection with this Indenture brought in the courts of the State of New York or the courts of the United States located in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City, New York and hereby further irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such action, suit or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section 17.05. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent; Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to Trustee. Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and, if requested by the Trustee, an Opinion of Counsel stating that such action is permitted by the terms of this Indenture and that all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with; provided that no Opinion of Counsel shall be required to be delivered in connection with the removal of the restricted CUSIP of the Restricted Securities to an unrestricted CUSIP pursuant to the applicable procedures of the Depositary upon the Notes becoming freely tradable by non-Affiliates of the Company under Rule 144, unless either a new Note is to be issued and authenticated (in which case the Opinion of Counsel required by Section 2.04 shall be delivered); provided further that no Opinion of Counsel shall be required to be delivered in connection with a request by the Company that the Trustee deliver a notice to Holders under the Indenture where the Trustee receives an Officer’s Certificate with respect to such notice. With respect to matters of fact, an Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officer’s Certificate or certificates of public officials.
Each Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel provided for, by or on behalf of the Company in this Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with this Indenture (other than the Officer’s Certificates provided for in Section 4.08) shall include (a) a statement that the person signing such certificate is familiar with the requested action and this Indenture; (b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statement contained in such certificate is based; (c) a statement that, in the judgment of such person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him or her to express an informed judgment as to whether or not such action is permitted by this Indenture; and (d) a statement as to whether or not, in the judgment of such person, such action is permitted by this Indenture and that all conditions precedent thereto have been complied with.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 17.05, if any provision in this Indenture specifically provides that the Trustee shall or may receive an Opinion of Counsel in connection with any action to be taken by the Trustee or the Company hereunder, the Trustee shall be entitled to such Opinion of Counsel.
Section 17.06. Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Fundamental Change Repurchase Date or Maturity Date is not a Business Day, then any action
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to be taken on such date need not be taken on such date, but may be taken on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if taken on such date, and no interest shall accrue on such payment in respect of the delay.
Section 17.07. No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in the Notes, expressed or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect, in any jurisdiction.
Section 17.08. Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in the Notes, expressed or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the Holders, the parties hereto, any Paying Agent, any Conversion Agent, any authenticating agent, any Note Registrar and their successors hereunder, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.
Section 17.09. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. The table of contents and the titles and headings of the articles and sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
Section 17.10. Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent that shall be authorized to act on its behalf and subject to its direction in the authentication and delivery of Notes in connection with the original issuance thereof and transfers and exchanges of Notes hereunder, including under Section 2.04, Section 2.05, Section 2.06, Section 2.07, Section 10.04 and Section 15.04 as fully to all intents and purposes as though the authenticating agent had been expressly authorized by this Indenture and those Sections to authenticate and deliver Notes. For all purposes of this Indenture, the authentication and delivery of Notes by the authenticating agent shall be deemed to be authentication and delivery of such Notes “by the Trustee” and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an authenticating agent shall be deemed to satisfy any requirement hereunder or in the Notes for the Trustee’s certificate of authentication. Such authenticating agent shall at all times be a Person eligible to serve as trustee hereunder pursuant to Section 7.08.
Any corporation or other entity into which any authenticating agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation or other entity resulting from any merger, consolidation or conversion to which any authenticating agent shall be a party, or any corporation or other entity succeeding to the corporate trust business of any authenticating agent, shall be the successor of the authenticating agent hereunder, if such successor corporation or other entity is otherwise eligible under this Section 17.10, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the parties hereto or the authenticating agent or such successor corporation or other entity.
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Any authenticating agent may at any time resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of any authenticating agent by giving written notice of termination to such authenticating agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time any authenticating agent shall cease to be eligible under this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor authenticating agent (which may be the Trustee), shall give written notice of such appointment to the Company.
The Company agrees to pay to the authenticating agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services although the Company may terminate the authenticating agent, if it determines such agent’s fees to be unreasonable.
The provisions of Section 7.02, Section 7.03, Section 7.04, Section 8.03 and this Section 17.10 shall be applicable to any authenticating agent.
If an authenticating agent is appointed pursuant to this Section 17.10, the Notes may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternative certificate of authentication in the following form:
__________________________,
as Authenticating Agent, certifies that this is one of the Notes described
in the within-named Indenture.
as Authenticating Agent, certifies that this is one of the Notes described
in the within-named Indenture.
By: ____________________
Authorized Signatory
Authorized Signatory
Section 17.11. Execution in Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, PDF or other electronic transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, PDF or such other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes. Unless otherwise provided in this Indenture or in any Note, the words “execute,” “execution,” “signed” and “signature” and words of similar import used in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Indenture, any Note or any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including amendments, waivers, consents and other modifications) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures and the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature in ink or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as applicable, to the fullest extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided
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that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Trustee is not under any obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format except for facsimile or .PDF unless expressly agreed to by the Trustee pursuant to procedures approved by the Trustee.
Section 17.12. Severability. In the event any provision of this Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then (to the extent permitted by law) the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.
Section 17.13. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
Section 17.14. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee or any of the agents be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, any act or provision of any present or future law or regulation or governmental authority, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, pandemics, epidemics, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services or the unavailability of the Federal Reserve Bank wire or telex or other wire or communication facility; it being understood that the Trustee or any of the agents, as the case may be, shall use reasonable efforts that are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
Section 17.15. Calculations. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Company shall be responsible for making all calculations called for under the Notes. These calculations include, but are not limited to, determinations of the Stock Price, the Last Reported Sale Prices of the Common Stock, the Daily VWAPs, the Daily Conversion Values, the Conversion Share Cap (subject to the provisions of Section 14.02(m)), the Daily Settlement Amounts, accrued interest payable on the Notes (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Additional Interest payable under this Indenture), the Conversion Rate and the Conversion Price of the Notes. The Company shall make all these calculations in good faith and, absent manifest error, the Company’s calculations shall be final and binding on Holders. The Company shall provide a schedule of its calculations to each of the Trustee and the Conversion Agent, and each of the Trustee and Conversion Agent is entitled to rely conclusively upon the accuracy of the Company’s calculations without independent verification. The Trustee will forward the Company’s calculations to any registered Holder upon the written request of that Holder at the sole cost and expense of the Company. Neither the Trustee nor the Conversion Agent shall have any responsibility to make calculations under this Indenture nor shall either of them have any responsibility to monitor the Company’s stock or trading price, determine whether the conditions
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to convertability of the Notes have been met or determine whether the circumstances requiring changes to the Conversion Rate have occurred.
Section 17.16. U.S.A. PATRIOT Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act, the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act.
Section 17.17. No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees or Stockholders. None of the Company’s past, present or future directors, officers, employees or stockholders, as such, shall have any liability for any of the Company’s obligations under the Notes or this Indenture or for any claim based on, or in respect or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder waives and releases all such liability. This waiver and release is part of the consideration for the Notes.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. | |||||
| By: | |||||
Name: | |||||
Title: | |||||
EQUINITI TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Trustee | |||||
| By: | |||||
Name: | |||||
Title: | |||||
EXHIBIT A
[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]
[INCLUDE FOLLOWING LEGEND IF A GLOBAL NOTE]
[UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT HEREUNDER IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]
[INCLUDE FOLLOWING LEGEND IF A RESTRICTED SECURITY]
[THIS SECURITY AND THE COMMON STOCK, IF ANY, ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS SECURITY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE. BY ITS ACQUISITION HEREOF OR OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN, THE ACQUIRER:
(1) REPRESENTS THAT IT AND ANY ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT IS ACTING IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND THAT IT EXERCISES SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION WITH RESPECT TO EACH SUCH ACCOUNT, AND
(2) AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. (THE “COMPANY”) THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL, PLEDGE OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY OR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THE LATER OF (X) ONE YEAR AFTER THE LAST ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF OR SUCH SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME AS PERMITTED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY SUCCESSOR PROVISION THERETO AND (Y) SUCH LATER DATE, IF ANY, AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EXCEPT:
(A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, OR
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(B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH HAS BECOME EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR
(C) TO A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR
(D) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.
PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAUSE (2)(D) ABOVE, THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR THE COMPANY TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.]
[FOR PURPOSES OF SECTIONS 1272, 1273 AND 1275 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED, THIS NOTE IS BEING ISSUED WITH TAX ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT (“OID”). BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. AGREES TO PROVIDE PROMPTLY TO THE HOLDER OF THIS NOTE, UPON WRITTEN REQUEST, THE ISSUE PRICE, THE AMOUNT OF OID, THE ISSUE DATE AND THE YIELD TO MATURITY. ANY SUCH WRITTEN REQUEST SHOULD BE SENT TO BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: 105 WESTWOOD PLACE, SUITE 400, BRENTWOOD, TN 37027, ATTENTION: GENERAL COUNSEL.]
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Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
3.50% Convertible Senior Note due 2029
3.50% Convertible Senior Note due 2029
No. [__] [Initially]1 $[_________]
CUSIP No. [_______]2
Brookdale Senior Living Inc., a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company,” which term includes any successor corporation or other entity under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof), for value received hereby promises to pay to [CEDE & CO.]3 [_______]4, or registered assigns, the principal sum [as set forth in the “Schedule of Exchanges of Notes” attached hereto]5 [of $[_______]]6, which amount, taken together with the principal amounts of all other outstanding Notes, shall not, unless permitted by the Indenture, exceed $369,445,000 in aggregate at any time, in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Depositary, on October 15, 2029, and interest thereon as set forth below.
This Note shall bear interest at the rate of 3.50% per year from and including October 3, 2024, or from and including the most recent date to which interest has been paid or provided for to, but excluding, the next scheduled Interest Payment Date until October 15, 2029. Accrued interest on this Note shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of twelve 30-day months and, for partial months, on the basis of the number of days actually elapsed in a 30-day month. Interest is payable semi-annually in arrears on each April 15 and October 15, commencing on April 15, 2025, to Holders of record at the close of business on the preceding April 1 and October 1 (whether or not such day is a Business Day), respectively. Additional Interest will be payable as set forth in Section 4.06(d), Section 4.06(e) and Section 6.03 of the within-mentioned Indenture, and any reference to interest on, or in respect of, any Note therein shall be deemed to include Additional Interest if, in such context, Additional Interest is, was or would be payable pursuant to any of such Section 4.06(d), Section 4.06(e) or Section 6.03, and any express mention of the payment of Additional Interest in any provision therein shall not be construed as excluding Additional Interest in those provisions thereof where such express mention is not made.
1 Include if a global note.
2 This Note will be deemed to be identified by CUSIP No. [•] from and after such time when the Company delivers, pursuant to Section 2.05(c) of the within-mentioned Indenture, written notice to the Trustee of the occurrence of the Resale Restriction Termination Date and the removal of the restrictive legend affixed to this Note in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary.
3 Include if a global note.
4 Include if a physical note.
5 Include if a global note.
6 Include if a physical note.
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Any Defaulted Amounts shall accrue interest per annum at the rate borne by the Notes, from, and including, the relevant payment date to, but excluding, the date on which such Defaulted Amounts shall have been paid by the Company, at its election, in accordance with Section 2.03(c) of the Indenture.
The Company shall pay the principal of and interest on this Note, if and so long as such Note is a Global Note, in immediately available funds in lawful money of the United States at the time to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered Holder of such Note. As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Company shall pay the principal of any Notes (other than Notes that are Global Notes) at the office or agency designated by the Company for that purpose. The Company has initially designated the Trustee as its Paying Agent and Note Registrar in respect of the Notes and its Corporate Trust Office in the contiguous United States of America, as a place where Notes may be presented for payment or for registration of transfer and exchange.
Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof, including, without limitation, provisions giving the Holder of this Note the right to convert this Note into cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, as applicable, on the terms and subject to the limitations set forth in the Indenture. Such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.
This Note, and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Note, shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York.
In the case of any conflict between this Note and the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall control and govern.
This Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been signed manually by the Trustee or a duly authorized authenticating agent under the Indenture.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be duly executed.
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. | |||||
| By: | |||||
Name: | |||||
Title: | |||||
Dated:
TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
EQUINITI TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Trustee, certifies that this is one of the Notes described in the within-named Indenture.
EQUINITI TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Trustee, certifies that this is one of the Notes described in the within-named Indenture.
By:_______________________________
Authorized Signatory
Authorized Signatory
[FORM OF REVERSE OF NOTE]
Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
3.50% Convertible Senior Note due 2029
3.50% Convertible Senior Note due 2029
This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Notes of the Company, designated as its 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”), initially limited to the aggregate principal amount of $369,445,000 , all issued or to be issued under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of October 3, 2024 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, as trustee (the “Trustee”), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the Holders of the Notes. Additional Notes may be issued in an unlimited aggregate principal amount, subject to certain conditions specified in the Indenture. Capitalized terms used in this Note and not defined in this Note shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Indenture.
In case certain Events of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of, and interest on, all Notes may be declared, by either the Trustee or Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, and upon said declaration shall become, due and payable, in the manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions and certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the Indenture, the Company will make all payments and deliveries in respect of the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price on the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date and the principal amount on the Maturity Date, as the case may be, to the Holder who surrenders a Note to a Paying Agent to collect such payments in respect of the Note. The Company will pay cash amounts in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.
The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the Trustee in certain circumstances, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, and in certain other circumstances, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, evidenced as in the Indenture provided, to execute supplemental indentures modifying the terms of the Indenture and the Notes as described therein. It is also provided in the Indenture that, subject to certain exceptions, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive any past Default or Event of Default under the Indenture and its consequences.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay or deliver, as the case may be, the principal (including the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price, if applicable) of, accrued and unpaid interest on, and the consideration due upon conversion of, this Note at the place, at the respective times, at the rate and in the lawful money herein prescribed.
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The Notes are issuable in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $1,000 principal amount and integral multiples in excess thereof. At the office or agency of the Company referred to on the face hereof, and in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture, Notes may be exchanged for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of other authorized denominations, without payment of any service charge but, if required by the Company or Trustee, with payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer or similar tax that may be imposed in connection therewith as a result of the name of the Holder of the new Notes issued upon such exchange of Notes being different from the name of the Holder of the old Notes surrendered for such exchange.
The Notes shall not be redeemable at the Company’s option. No sinking fund is provided for the Notes.
Upon the occurrence of a Fundamental Change, the Holder has the right, at such Holder’s option, to require the Company to repurchase for cash all of such Holder’s Notes or any portion thereof (in principal amounts of $1,000 or multiples thereof) on the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date at a price equal to the Fundamental Change Repurchase Price.
Subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder hereof has the right, at its option, during certain periods and upon the occurrence of certain conditions specified in the Indenture, prior to the close of business on the second Scheduled Trading Day immediately preceding the Maturity Date, to convert any Notes or portion thereof that is $1,000 or a multiple thereof, into cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, as applicable, at the Conversion Rate specified in the Indenture, as adjusted from time to time as provided in the Indenture.
Terms used in this Note and defined in the Indenture are used herein as therein defined.
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ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription of the face of this Note, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN COM = as tenants in common
UNIF GIFT MIN ACT = Uniform Gifts to Minors Act
CUST = Custodian
TEN ENT = as tenants by the entireties
JT TEN = joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.
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SCHEDULE A7
SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF NOTES
Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029
Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029
The initial principal amount of this Global Note is _______ DOLLARS ($[_________]). The following increases or decreases in this Global Note have been made:
| Date of exchange | Amount of decrease in principal amount of this Global Note | Amount of increase in principal amount of this Global Note | Principal amount of this Global Note following such decrease or increase | Signature of authorized signatory of Trustee or Custodian | ||||||||||
7 Include if a global note.
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ATTACHMENT 1
[FORM OF NOTICE OF CONVERSION]
To: Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
To: Equiniti Trust Company, LLC
48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor
48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor
New York, New York 10005
Attn: Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (3.50% Convertible Notes due 2029)
The undersigned registered owner of this Note hereby exercises the option to convert this Note, or the portion hereof (that is $1,000 principal amount or a multiple thereof) below designated, into cash, shares of Common Stock or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, as applicable, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture referred to in this Note, and directs that any cash payable and any shares of Common Stock issuable and deliverable upon such conversion, together with any cash for any fractional share, and any Notes representing any unconverted principal amount hereof, be issued and delivered to the registered Holder hereof unless a different name has been indicated below. If any shares of Common Stock or any portion of this Note not converted are to be issued in the name of a Person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay all documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer taxes, if any in accordance with Section 14.02(d) and Section 14.02(e) of the Indenture. Any amount required to be paid to the undersigned on account of interest accompanies this Note. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Indenture.
Dated: _____________________ ________________________________
________________________________
Signature(s)
___________________________
Signature Guarantee
Signature(s) must be guaranteed
by an eligible Guarantor Institution
(banks, stock brokers, savings and
loan associations and credit unions)
with membership in an approved
signature guarantee medallion program
pursuant to Securities and Exchange
by an eligible Guarantor Institution
(banks, stock brokers, savings and
loan associations and credit unions)
with membership in an approved
signature guarantee medallion program
pursuant to Securities and Exchange
1
Commission Rule 17Ad-15 if shares
of Common Stock are to be issued, or
Notes are to be delivered, other than
to and in the name of the registered holder.
Fill in for registration of shares if
to be issued, and Notes if to
be delivered, other than to and in the
name of the registered holder:
to be issued, and Notes if to
be delivered, other than to and in the
name of the registered holder:
_________________________
(Name)
_________________________
(Street Address)
_________________________
(City, State and Zip Code)
Please print name and address
Principal amount to be converted (if less than all): $______,000
NOTICE: The above signature(s) of the Holder(s) hereof must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.
_________________________
Social Security or Other Taxpayer
Identification Number
Identification Number
2
ATTACHMENT 2
[FORM OF FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE REPURCHASE NOTICE]
To: Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
To: Equiniti Trust Company, LLC
48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor
48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor
New York, New York 10005
Attn: Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (3.50% Convertible Notes due 2029)
The undersigned registered owner of this Note hereby acknowledges receipt of a notice from Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (the “Company”) as to the occurrence of a Fundamental Change with respect to the Company and specifying the Fundamental Change Repurchase Date and requests and instructs the Company to pay to the registered holder hereof in accordance with Section 15.02 of the Indenture referred to in this Note (1) the entire principal amount of this Note, or the portion thereof (that is $1,000 principal amount or a multiple thereof) below designated, and (2) if such Fundamental Change Repurchase Date does not fall during the period after a Regular Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Interest Payment Date, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to, but excluding, such Fundamental Change Repurchase Date. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Indenture.
In the case of Physical Notes, the certificate numbers of the Notes to be repurchased are as set forth below:
Dated: _____________________
________________________________
Signature(s)
_________________________
Social Security or Other Taxpayer
Identification Number
Identification Number
Principal amount to be repurchased (if less than all): $______,000
NOTICE: The above signature(s) of the Holder(s) hereof must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.
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ATTACHMENT 3
[FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND TRANSFER]
Equiniti Trust Company, LLC
48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor
48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor
New York, New York 10005
Attn: Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (3.50% Convertible Notes due 2029)
For value received ____________________________ hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto _________________ (Please insert social security or Taxpayer Identification Number of assignee) the within Note, and hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints _____________________ attorney to transfer the said Note on the books of the Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.
In connection with any transfer of the within Note occurring prior to the Resale Restriction Termination Date, as defined in the Indenture governing such Note, the undersigned confirms that such Note is being transferred:
□ To Brookdale Senior Living Inc. or a subsidiary thereof; or
□ Pursuant to a registration statement that has become or been declared effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; or
□ Pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; or
□ Pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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Dated: ________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Signature(s)
_____________________________________
Signature Guarantee
Signature(s) must be guaranteed by an
eligible Guarantor Institution (banks, stock
brokers, savings and loan associations and
credit unions) with membership in an approved
signature guarantee medallion program pursuant
to Securities and Exchange Commission
Rule 17Ad-15 if Notes are to be delivered, other
than to and in the name of the registered holder.
eligible Guarantor Institution (banks, stock
brokers, savings and loan associations and
credit unions) with membership in an approved
signature guarantee medallion program pursuant
to Securities and Exchange Commission
Rule 17Ad-15 if Notes are to be delivered, other
than to and in the name of the registered holder.
NOTICE: The signature on the assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.
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Exhibit 10.1
September 30, 2024
Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
111 Westwood Place, Suite 400
Brentwood, TN 37027
Attention: Chad C. White
Re: Exchange and/or Subscription for Brookdale Senior Living Inc. Convertible Senior Notes due 2029
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Brookdale Senior Living Inc., a Delaware corporation, (the “Company”), is offering a new series of its Convertible Senior Notes due 2029 (the “New Notes”). The New Notes will be convertible into cash, shares (“Underlying Shares”) of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), or a combination of cash and Underlying Shares, at the Company’s election, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture (as defined below).
The undersigned (the “Investor”) has agreed with the Company to:
(1) exchange 2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (CUSIP: 112463 AC8 and ISIN: US112463AC82) of the Company (the “Old Notes”) for an amount of New Notes determined as set forth herein (the “Exchange”); and/or
(2) subscribe for and purchase from the Company New Notes for cash (the “Subscription” and, together with the Exchange and the exchange of Old Notes for New Notes pursuant to the Other Noteholder Exchange Agreements (as defined below), the “Notes Transactions”),
in each case, pursuant and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this agreement (the “Exchange/Subscription Agreement” or this “Agreement”). Contemporaneously with execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company and certain holders of Old Notes (the “Other Noteholders” and, together with the Investor, the “Noteholders”) are entering into exchange agreements (the “Other Noteholder Exchange Agreements”) pursuant to which the Other Noteholders are exchanging Old Notes for New Notes.
The Investor understands that the New Notes are being offered and sold in the Notes Transactions without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or any securities laws of any state of the United States or of any other jurisdiction, and that the Notes Transactions are only being made available to investors who are institutional “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act that are also “qualified institutional buyers” (within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act) in reliance upon an exemption from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. In connection with the Notes Transactions, the Company will enter into an Indenture, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit E (the “Indenture”), on the Closing Date (as defined below) between the Company and Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, as Trustee (the “New Notes Trustee” and, together with this Agreement, the Other Noteholder Exchange Agreements, the Indenture, the New Notes and the Registration Rights Agreement, the “Transaction Documents”).
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to such term in Section 29.
1.The Exchange. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Exchange/Subscription Agreement, the Investor hereby agrees, at the Closing, to deliver, assign and transfer to the Company all right, title and interest in the aggregate principal amount of Old Notes held by the Investor set forth opposite the Investor’s name in column 4 of Exhibit A attached hereto (such principal amount of Old Notes, the “Exchanged Old Notes”) in exchange for New Notes having the aggregate principal amount set forth opposite the Investor’s name in column 5 of Exhibit A attached hereto (such aggregate principal amount of New Notes, the “Exchanged New Notes”), and the Company agrees to issue and deliver such Exchanged New Notes to the Investor on the Closing Date in exchange for such Exchanged Old Notes. For the avoidance of doubt, Exchanged New Notes will be issued in denominations of $1,000 principal amount and integral multiples thereof, and the Company will not make any separate cash payment in respect of any accrued and unpaid interest as of the Closing Date for the Exchanged Old Notes. The Exchanged Old Notes shall be deemed cancelled and retired.
2.The Subscription. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Exchange/Subscription Agreement, if the Investor is participating in the Subscription, the Investor hereby agrees to purchase from the Company, and the Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Investor, New Notes (the “Purchased New Notes”) having the aggregate principal amount set forth opposite the Investor’s name in column 4 of Exhibit B attached hereto, for the aggregate purchase price in cash in respect of such Purchased New Notes set forth opposite the Investor’s name in column 5 of Exhibit B attached hereto (such aggregate cash purchase price, the “Cash Purchase Price”).
3.The Closing. The closing of the Notes Transactions with respect to which the Investor is a party (the “Closing”) shall take place electronically at 10:00 AM, New York City time, on October 3, 2024, or at such other time and place as the Company and the Investor may mutually agree (the “Closing Date”); provided that the Closing Date cannot be later than October 4, 2024 without the prior written consent of the Investor.
4.Closing Mechanics.
a.The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) will act as securities depositary for the New Notes.
Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions specified in Section 7, at or prior to the times set forth in the Exchange/Subscription Procedures set forth in Exhibit C attached hereto (the “Exchange/Subscription Procedures”), the Investor shall:
i.if participating in the Exchange only, deliver and/or cause its prime broker to deliver the Exchanged Old Notes, by book entry transfer through the facilities of DTC, to Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, in its capacity as trustee of the Old Notes (in such capacity, the “Old Notes Trustee”), for the account/benefit of the Company for cancellation as instructed in the Exchange/Subscription Procedures;
ii.if participating in both the Exchange and the Subscription: (A) deliver, and/or cause its prime broker to deliver, the Exchanged Old Notes, by book entry transfer through the facilities of DTC, to the Old Notes Trustee, for the account/benefit of the Company for cancellation as instructed in the Exchange/Subscription Procedures and (B) transfer the Cash Purchase Price by wire in immediately available funds to the account of the Company designated in the Exchange/Subscription Procedures.
b.On the Closing Date, subject to satisfaction of the conditions precedent specified in Section 7, and (i) the receipt by the Old Notes Trustee from the Investor of the Exchanged Old Notes, if the Investor is participating in the Exchange only pursuant to clause (a)(i) above, and (ii) the receipt by the Old Notes Trustee from the Investor of the Exchanged Old Notes to be submitted for exchange by the Investor and the receipt by the Company of the Cash Purchase Price (in each case, on the Closing Date) if the Investor is participating in both the Exchange and the Subscription pursuant to clause (a)(ii) above:
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i.the Company shall execute and deliver the Indenture, dated as of the Closing Date, between the Company and the New Notes Trustee;
ii.the Company shall execute, shall issue and shall cause the New Notes Trustee to authenticate and cause to be delivered to the DTC account(s) specified by the Investor in Exhibit D attached hereto, the Exchanged New Notes and the Purchased New Notes (if the Investor is participating in the Subscription), as the case may be; and
iii.the Company shall pay to the Investor additional consideration (the “Additional Exchange Consideration”) in an amount equal to 1.95% of the aggregate principal amount of the Exchanged New Notes and the Purchased New Notes, in cash by wire in immediately available to the account of the bank account specified therefor in Exhibit D attached hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Investor is participating in the Subscription, it may elect to deduct the Additional Exchange Consideration (or any portion thereof) from the Cash Purchase Price, in which case the amount payable by the Investor to the Company at the Closing shall equal the Cash Purchase Price less the amount of the Additional Exchange Consideration.
c.Within one Business Day of receiving the interest payment in respect of the Exchanged Old Notes with an Interest Payment Date (as defined by the indenture governing the Old Notes) of October 15, 2024 and subject to the satisfaction of the Company’s obligations in Section 4(b) above and, for the avoidance of doubt, subject to the Investor having received such interest payment on October 15, 2024 in respect of the Exchanged Old Notes, the Investor shall pay to the Company in cash (by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company) [•]1. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company acknowledges and agrees that if the Investor is the holder of the Exchanged Old Notes as of the Regular Record Date (as defined by the indenture governing the Old Notes) occurring on October 1, 2024, then the Investor shall be entitled to receive (and the Company shall cause to be paid in accordance with the indenture governing the Exchanged Old Notes) all interest payable in respect of the Exchanged Old Notes on the Interest Payment Date of October 15, 2024.
5.Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Investor, except, solely for purposes of the SEC Document Qualified Representations, as described in the SEC Documents filed with or furnished to the Commission after December 31, 2023 and at least five (5) Business Days prior to the date hereof (but excluding any cautionary or predictive disclosures that do not expressly relate to specific prior occurrences at the Company or any Subsidiary set forth under the headings “Risk Factors” or disclosure of risks set forth in any “forward-looking statements” disclaimer, or disclosures in any other statements that are similarly cautionary or predictive in nature) and provided that the Non-SEC Document Qualified Representations shall not be qualified by any disclosures in the SEC Documents, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, that:
a.Organization. Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership or other form, as applicable, and is in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable in the relevant jurisdictions) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation, as applicable. Each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries (i) has full power and authority (and all Authorizations) to (A) own its properties and conduct its business, and (B) with respect to the Company, to (x) issue the New Notes and the Underlying Shares (collectively, the “Securities”) in accordance with the Transaction Documents, (y) enter into, execute, deliver and perform its obligations under, the Transaction Documents, including, the issuance of the New Notes and the reservation for issuance of the Underlying Shares, and (z) consummate the Notes Transactions, and (ii) is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership, as applicable, and licensed and in good standing, under the laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license, except, in each case of this Section 5(a),
1 To be the excess of (i) the interest payment received in respect of the Exchanged Old Notes on October 15, 2024 over (ii) the amount of accrued and unpaid interest as of the Closing Date.
3
where the failure to be so qualified, licensed or in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
b.Due Authorization. This Exchange/Subscription Agreement has been and upon the execution and delivery thereof, each other Transaction Document will be, duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. This Exchange/Subscription Agreement constitutes and, upon the execution and delivery thereof, each other Transaction Document (in the case of (i) the New Notes, assuming due authentication of the New Notes by the New Notes Trustee and (ii) the Indenture, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the New Notes Trustee thereto) will constitute, the valid and binding obligation of the Company and is (or in the case of any Transaction Document other than this Agreement will be) enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”). The maximum number of Underlying Shares initially issuable upon conversion of the New Notes (assuming settlement solely in shares of Common Stock and taking into account the maximum make-whole adjustment under the Indenture) have been duly and validly authorized and reserved for issuance by the Company and, when issued upon conversion of the New Notes in accordance with the terms of the New Notes, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of any Underlying Shares will not be subject to any preemptive, participation, rights of first refusal or similar rights. At the Closing, the Underlying Shares shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuances.
c.Governmental Authorizations. Except in each case, as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) each of the Company and each Subsidiary possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses (collectively, “Required Authorizations”), none of the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Required Authorizations, and all Required Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect, and (ii) no Authorization of, or registration, notice or filing with, any Governmental Authority is required for (A) the execution, delivery and performance of any of the Transaction Documents, and (B) the consummation by the Company of the Notes Transactions, except (x) for such as have already been obtained or made prior to the Closing Date that are in full force and effect, (y) pursuant to applicable federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations that are expressly contemplated by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or (z) for filings expressly contemplated or required by the Transaction Documents.
d.Exemption from Registration. Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Investor and each other investor executing an Exchange/Subscription Agreement, (i) each of the offer and issuance of the Exchanged New Notes in connection with the Exchange and/or the offer, sale and issuance of the Purchased New Notes in connection with the Subscription, as the case may be, pursuant to this Exchange/Subscription Agreement is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act; and (ii) the Indenture is not required to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
e.New Class. The New Notes, when issued, will not be of the same class as securities listed on a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act or quoted in a U.S. automated inter-dealer quotation system, within the meaning of Rule 144A(d)(3)(i) under the Securities Act.
f.No Conflicts. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and thereunder (including the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, the issuance of the New Notes hereunder and under the Other Noteholder Exchange Agreements, and the issuance of the Underlying Shares under the Indenture) will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, impose any Lien upon any
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property or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Organizational Documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any judgment, order, decree, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or federal, state, local or foreign Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets, except, with respect to clauses (i) and (iii), conflicts, breaches, violations, impositions or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, business or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or a Material Adverse Effect on the performance by the Company of its obligations under any Exchange/Subscription Agreement, the indenture governing the Old Notes, the Indenture or the New Notes or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
g.No Default. No default or event of default under the Old Notes will exist immediately following the Closing Date or will result from the consummation of the Notes Transactions.
h.Solvency. On the Closing Date (both before and after giving effect to the Notes Transactions), each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries (i) is Solvent and (ii) has not taken action, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no action has been taken by a third party, for the winding up, dissolution or liquidation or similar executory or judicial proceeding in respect of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or for the appointment of a liquidator, custodian, receiver, trustee, administrator or other similar officer for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any or all of their assets or revenues.
i.Exchange. The Company acknowledges that the terms of the Notes Transactions pursuant to this Agreement have been mutually negotiated between the parties.
j.Litigation. There are no legal or governmental proceedings or regulatory investigations pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened (i) against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to which any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) that purports to affect or pertain to the Transaction Documents, the Notes Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. No injunction, writ, temporary restraining order or any order of any nature has been issued by any court or other Governmental Authority purporting to enjoin or restrain the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document or directing that the Notes Transactions or any other transactions provided for herein or therein not be consummated as herein or therein provided.
k.Real and Personal Property. Except in each case, as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each of the Company and each Subsidiary, as applicable, has good and marketable title in fee simple to real property owned by them, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens, and as disclosed in the SEC Documents and (ii) any buildings held under lease by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is held by it under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases.
l.Intellectual Property. Except in each case, as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns, licenses or otherwise has the right to use, all Material IP that is necessary for the operation of its businesses as currently conducted, (ii) all of the registered Material IP owned by the Company, or applications for such registration, are maintained in good standing (other than intentional abandonment of trademark and patent applications that are no longer deemed by Company to be material to its business as currently conducted) and, to the Company’s knowledge, such Material IP is valid and enforceable, (iii) the use by the Company and its Subsidiaries of its Intellectual Property does not infringe any Intellectual Property owned by any other Person, (iv) each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have not transferred
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ownership of, entered any agreement, or granted any exclusive license with respect to, any Material IP. The Company has not entered any agreement or license to Material IP that materially limits the right of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to develop, license, market or sell their services or products as currently conducted or proposed to be conducted (other than any license agreement for Material IP entered into in connection with a court order, settlement, compromise or other resolution of a litigation, arbitration or other dispute). To the knowledge of the Company, other than as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, no other Person has contested any right, title or interest of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in, or relating to, any Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any Subsidiary. The Company further represents and warrants that (A) there are no pending (or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing) Proceedings affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to its Intellectual Property, (B) there is no judgment or order regarding any such claim described in subsection (A) that has been rendered by any competent Governmental Authority with respect to any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ Intellectual Property, and (C) there is no settlement agreement or similar agreement that has been entered into by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any such infringement of any Intellectual Property owned by any other Person or that would limit, cancel or question the validity of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ rights in any Intellectual Property owned by the Company or a Subsidiary, in each case of (A)-(C) other than as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
m.Taxes. All U.S. federal, state and local income and franchise and other material Tax returns required to be filed by each of the Company and each Subsidiary have been timely filed (taking into account applicable extensions) with the appropriate Governmental Authorities, and all Taxes, whether or not reflected therein, have been timely paid (taking into account applicable extensions),except for those contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves are maintained on the books of the Company or the Subsidiary (as applicable) in accordance with GAAP or to the extent that failure to file such Tax returns or pay such Taxes would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
n.Compliance with Health Care Laws. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all applicable Health Care Laws.
o.SEC Documents. Since January 1, 2023, the Company has filed, through the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (or successor thereto), all of the SEC Documents within the time frames prescribed by the Commission for the filing of such SEC Documents such that each filing was timely filed with the Commission. As of their respective dates, each of the SEC Documents filed on or prior to the date hereof complied, in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and/or the Exchange Act (as applicable) and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents.
p.Financial Statements; Financial Condition. As of their respective dates, the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries included in the SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the Commission (including Regulation S-X) with respect thereto. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (subject, in the case of unaudited quarterly financial statements, to normal year-end adjustments and absence of certain footnote disclosures), and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and the consolidated results of their operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders equity for the periods specified. Other than (i) the liabilities assumed or created pursuant to this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, (ii) liabilities accrued for in the latest balance sheet included in the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 (the date of such balance sheet, the “Latest Balance Sheet Date”), and (iii) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since the Latest Balance Sheet Date, the Company and its Subsidiaries do not have any off balance sheet obligations or other contingent obligations. Since the Latest Balance Sheet Date, (A) there has been no Material Adverse Effect or any event or circumstance that would reasonably be expected,
6
individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, (B) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sold any material assets, or entered into any material transactions, outside of the ordinary course of business, and (C) the Company has not declared, paid or made any dividends or other distributions to holders of its Stock.
q.Accounting Controls. The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset and liability accountability, (iii) access to assets or incurrence of liability is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets and liabilities is compared with the existing assets and liabilities at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain disclosure controls and procedures required by Rule 13a-15 or Rule 15d-15 under the Exchange Act; such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company and its Subsidiaries in the reports that they file with or submit to the Commission (A) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported accurately within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and (B) is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s (and, to the extent applicable, its Subsidiaries’) management, including its or their principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company's internal control over financial reporting required by Rule 13a-15 or Rule 15d-15 under the Exchange Act as of December 31, 2023 did not contain any material weaknesses, and there has not been any change in the Company’s internal controls that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to have a material effect, on the Company’s internal controls.
r.Subsidiaries. (i) Each Subsidiary of the Company as of the date of filing of the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 ("2023 Form 10-K") is set forth in Exhibit 21 to the 2023 Form 10-K, (ii) the Stock of each of the Company’s Subsidiaries is duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (to the extent applicable thereto), and (iii) none of the Stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries constitutes Margin Stock. Other than as disclosed in the SEC documents or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (i) all outstanding Stock of each Subsidiary of the Company is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company, free and clear of all Liens other than Liens in favor of secured lenders pursuant to security agreements and (ii) there are no pre-emptive rights, rights to purchase, options, warrants or other similar rights, or other understandings to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party with respect to (including any restriction on) the issuance, voting, disposition or pledge of any Stock of any such Person.
s.Shares of Stock. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company and its Subsidiaries are duly authorized and duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities that have not been waived in writing. Upon the issuance in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents (including the New Notes), the holders of the New Notes will be entitled to the rights set forth in the New Notes. The Company has reserved from its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting conversions of New Notes in accordance with the Indenture, a number of shares of Common Stock that reflects the full amount of the Underlying Shares issuable upon the conversion of the New Notes, without regard to any limitation or restriction on the conversion thereof. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, other than as disclosed in the SEC Documents or as a result of awards under equity incentive plans adopted by the Board of Directors and either approved by the Company’s stockholders or subject to an exception to the stockholder approval requirements pursuant to Section 303A.08 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, there are no (i)
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outstanding shares of Stock, (ii) Stock options or other Stock incentive plans, employee Stock purchase plans or other plans, programs or arrangements of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under which Stock options, Stock or other Stock-based or Stock-linked awards are issued or issuable to officers, directors, employees, consultants or other Persons,(iii) outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any Stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their Stock or other securities under the Securities Act (except the Registration Rights Agreement), (v) outstanding Stock or other securities or instruments of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that contain any redemption (mandatory or otherwise) or similar provisions, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (vi) Stock or other securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that may be triggered by the issuance of securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (vii) stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plans or agreements to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is otherwise subject or bound. Other than as disclosed in the SEC Documents, there are no (A) stockholders’ agreements, voting agreements or similar agreements to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is otherwise subject or bound, (B) preemptive rights or any other similar rights to which any Stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, or (C) any material restrictions upon the voting or transfer of any Stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than restrictions on transfer imposed by U.S. federal and state securities laws). The Company has received all required consents of its equity holders, warrant holders and other security holders to waive any applicable anti-dilution provision or other adjustment of any other class or series of Stock of the Company and of any outstanding warrants or Convertible Securities, if any, that would otherwise be triggered by reason of the issuance of the Securities. The issuance and delivery of the New Notes does not and, assuming full conversion of the New Notes the issuance of the Underlying Shares will not: (x) require approval from any Governmental Authority; (y) obligate the Company to offer to issue, or issue, shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Investor); and (C) result in a right of any holder of the Company’s securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under, and will not result in any other adjustments (automatic or otherwise) under, any securities of the Company. The Company has filed with the Commission correct and complete copies of the Company’s Organizational Documents and any amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications thereto, and all other documents, agreements and instruments containing the terms of all Stock and other securities of the Company, including Stock convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock or other Stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.
t.Environmental Matters. Except as described in the SEC Documents or would not, reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (iii) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-
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up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Authority, against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
u.Investment Company Act. None of the Company, any Person controlling the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company is (i) an “investment company,” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company,” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Investment Company Act”), or otherwise registered or required to be registered under, or subject to restrictions imposed, by the Investment Company Act, or (ii) a “business development company” (as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act).
v.Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its Subsidiaries will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
w.Disclosure. None of the SEC Documents, as of the date of such filings, omitted any statement of material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
x.No Unlawful Payments. None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
y.Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its Subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Authority (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or Governmental Authority involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
z.No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, or to the knowledge of the Company any directors, officers or employees, any agent, or controlled Affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently subject to any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State (“OFAC”) and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its Subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions, including,
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without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Crimea, Donetsk People’s Republic, and Luhansk People’s Republic regions of Ukraine, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan (each, a “Sanctioned Country”). For the past five years, the Company and its Subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any Person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.
aa.Securities Law and Principal Market Matters.
i.The Company and its Subsidiaries are in all material respects in compliance with applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
ii.The Company is not, and never has been, a “shell company” (as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act) and is not an issuer of a type identified in, or subject to, Rule 144(i)(1) under the Securities Act. The Company is a “Well-Known Seasoned Issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and is eligible to register the Underlying Shares for resale by the holders thereof on a registration statement on Form S-3ASR under the Securities Act. The Commission has never issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
iii.Neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf, has engaged or will engage in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act) in connection with the offer, sale or exchange, or issuance of the Securities.
iv.Neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made, or will make, any offers or sales of any Stock or other securities, or solicited or will solicit any offers to buy any Stock or other securities, under circumstances that would require registration of any of the New Notes under the Securities Act or cause the Notes Transaction to be integrated with any other offerings by the Company for purposes of any applicable stockholder approval provisions of the Principal Market or any other authority.
v.The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any action designed to terminate, or that is likely to have the effect of terminating, the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act; nor has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
vi.The Company has not, and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of its respective officers, directors or Affiliates and anyone acting on any such Person’s behalf has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock of any other security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities.
vii.(A) Since October 11, 2005, the Common Stock has approved for listing or designated for quotation, as applicable, on the Principal Market, (B) since January 1, 2024, trading in the Common Stock has not been suspended by the Commission or the Principal Market, and (C) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any communication, written or oral, from the Commission or the Principal Market regarding the suspension or termination of trading of the Common Stock on the Principal Market. The Notes Transactions,
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and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, do not contravene, or require stockholder approval pursuant to, the rules and regulations of the Principal Market.
viii.The New Notes will be, on or prior to the Closing Date, and the Common Stock is (and as of the Closing Date will be) eligible for clearing through the DTC, through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) system, and the Company is eligible for and participating in the Direct Registration System (DRS) of DTC with respect to the New Notes. The New Notes Trustee and the Company’s transfer agent, are participants in, and the New Notes and Common Stock are eligible for transfer pursuant to, DTC’s Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program. The Common Stock is not, and has not at any time since January 1, 2024, been, subject to any DTC “chill,” “freeze” or similar restriction with respect to any DTC services, including the clearing of transactions in shares of Common Stock through DTC.
bb. Rights Agreement. The Company has not adopted a stockholders rights plan (or “poison pill”) or similar arrangement relating to accumulations of beneficial ownership of the Common Stock or a change in control of the Company.
cc. Brokers Fees. Other than any fees to be paid to J. Wood Capital Advisors LLC as financial advisor to the Company (the “Financial Advisor”), there are no fees, costs, expenses and commissions of any placement agent, broker or financial adviser relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents that will be payable by the Company or any of its Affiliates with respect to the Notes Transactions.
dd. Acquisition Agreements. The acquisition agreements described in the Press Release (as defined below) have been entered into by the parties thereto and in full force and effect.
6.Representations and Warranties of the Investor. The Investor hereby represents and warrants to and covenants with the Company that:
a.The Investor is a corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company or other entity, as the case may be, duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation.
b.If the Investor is participating in the Exchange, the Investor has all requisite corporate, limited partnership, limited liability company or other applicable entity power and authority to deliver, assign and transfer the Exchanged Old Notes in exchange for the Exchanged New Notes pursuant to this Agreement and to enter into this Exchange/Subscription Agreement and perform all obligations required to be performed by the Investor hereunder. This Agreement, when executed and delivered, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Investor and constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Investor and any other Investor, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions.
c.The Investor is the current beneficial owner of (or otherwise has sole discretionary management authority with respect to) the Exchanged Old Notes. When the Exchanged Old Notes are exchanged, the Company will acquire good, marketable and unencumbered title thereto, free and clear of all Liens, adverse claims, rights or proxies, other than restrictions on transfer and resale under federal, state and/or foreign securities laws.
d.Participation in the Notes Transactions will not contravene (i) any law, rule, regulation or governmental or judicial decrees, injunctions or orders binding on the Investor or any investment guideline or restriction applicable to the Investor, (ii) the Organizational Documents of the Investor or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Investor is a
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party or by which the Investor or any of its respective assets are bound, in the cases of clauses (i) and (iii), except as would not reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect such Investor’s ability to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents or consummate the Exchange and Subscription on a timely basis.
e.The Investor is a resident of the jurisdiction set forth in Exhibit D attached hereto and, unless otherwise set out in Exhibit A or Exhibit B attached hereto, as applicable, is not acquiring the Exchanged New Notes or the Purchased New Notes as a nominee or agent or otherwise for any other Person.
f.The Investor will comply with all applicable laws and regulations in effect in any jurisdiction in which the Investor purchases or acquires New Notes pursuant to the Exchange or Subscription, and will obtain any consent, approval or permission, as required for such purchase or acquisition under the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.
g.Without in any way limiting Investor’s right to rely on the Company’s representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement or any of the other Transactions Document, the Investor has received a copy of the Transaction Documents. The Investor acknowledges that: (i) no person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representation concerning the Notes Transactions or the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than as contained in this Agreement or the Transaction Documents or in the information given by the Company’s duly authorized officers and employees in connection with the Investor’s examination of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the terms of the Notes Transactions, and (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries do not take any responsibility for, and cannot provide any assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that may have been provided to the Investor. The Investor hereby acknowledges that the Financial Advisor does not take any responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, the information set forth in the Transaction Documents or any such other information provided or deemed provided to the Investor by the Company.
h.The Investor understands and accepts that acquiring the New Notes in the Notes Transactions involves risks. The Investor has such knowledge, skill and experience in business, financial and investment matters that the Investor is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the Notes Transactions and an investment in the New Notes. With the assistance of its own professional advisors (to the extent the Investor has deemed appropriate), the Investor has made its own legal, tax, accounting and financial evaluation of the merits and risks of an investment in the New Notes and the consequences of the Notes Transactions and this Agreement. The Investor has considered the suitability of the New Notes as an investment in light of its own circumstances and financial condition, and the Investor is able to bear the risks associated with an investment in the New Notes. The Investor understands that it should consult with its own tax advisors, and the Investor is not relying on the Company, any Subsidiary or the Financial Advisor for tax or legal advice, in order to determine the U.S. federal, state and local tax consequences of the Exchange (if participating in the Exchange) as well as the ownership and disposition of the New Notes, in light of the Investor's particular circumstances.
i.The Investor confirms that it is not relying on any communication (written or oral) of the Company or the Financial Advisor or any of their respective agents or Affiliates as investment advice or as a recommendation to participate in the Notes Transactions and receive the New Notes pursuant to the terms hereof. It is understood that information provided in the Transaction Documents, or by the Company or the Financial Advisor or any of their respective agents or Affiliates, shall not be considered investment advice or a recommendation with respect to the Notes Transactions, and that none of the Company,
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the Financial Advisor or any of their respective agents or Affiliates is acting or has acted as an advisor to the Investor in deciding whether to participate in the Notes Transactions.
j.The Investor confirms that neither the Company nor the Financial Advisor has (i) given any guarantee or representation as to the potential success, return, effect or benefit (either legal, regulatory, tax, financial, accounting or otherwise) of an investment in the New Notes; or (ii) made any representation to the Investor regarding the legality of an investment in the New Notes under applicable investment guidelines, laws or regulations. In deciding to participate in the Notes Transactions, the Investor is not relying on the advice or recommendations of the Company or the Financial Advisor, and the Investor has made its own independent decision that the investment in the New Notes is suitable and appropriate for the Investor.
k.The Investor is a sophisticated participant in the transactions contemplated hereby and has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the New Notes, is experienced in investing in capital markets and is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the New Notes. The Investor is familiar with the business and financial condition and operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries and has conducted its own investigation of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the New Notes and has consulted with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby. The Investor has had access to the Company filings with the Commission and such other information concerning the Company and its Subsidiaries and the New Notes as it deems necessary to enable it to make an informed investment decision concerning the Notes Transactions. The Investor has been offered the opportunity to ask questions of the Company and its representatives and has received answers thereto as the Investor deems necessary to enable it to make an informed investment decision concerning the Notes Transactions and the New Notes. However, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, neither the Investor’s review or inquiries in respect of the New Notes or the Company, nor any due diligence investigation conducted by the Investor or any of the Investor’s professional advisors, nor anything else contained herein, shall modify, limit or otherwise affect Investor’s right to rely on the Company’s representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement or any of the other Transactions Document.
l.The Investor understands that no federal, state, local or foreign agency has passed upon the merits or risks of an investment in the New Notes or made any finding or determination concerning the fairness or advisability of such investment.
m.The Investor is an institutional “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act as well as a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Prior to the Closing, the Investor agrees to furnish any additional information reasonably requested by the Company or any of its affiliates to assure compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws in connection with the Notes Transactions.
n.The Investor is not directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controlling or controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, the Company and is not, and has not been for the immediately preceding three months, an “affiliate” (within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act) of the Company.
o.The Investor is acquiring the New Notes solely for the Investor’s own beneficial account, or for an account with respect to which the Investor exercises sole investment discretion, and not with a view to, or for resale in connection with, any distribution of the New Notes in violation of the Securities Act; provided, however, that by making the representations herein the Investor does not agree to hold any of the Securities for any minimum or other
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specific term and reserves the right to assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of the Securities at any time pursuant to an effective registration statement under, or an exemption from the registration requirements of, the Securities Act. The Investor understands that the offer and sale of the New Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws by reason of specific exemptions under the provisions thereof that depend in part upon the accuracy of the representations made by the Investor in this Agreement.
p.The Investor understands that the Company is relying upon the representations and agreements contained in this Agreement (and any supplemental information) for the purpose of determining whether the Investor’s participation in the Notes Transactions meets the requirements for the exemptions referenced in Section 6(o) above. In addition, the Investor acknowledges and agrees that any hedging transactions engaged in by the Investor after such Investor was wall crossed and prior to filing of the Announcing Form 8-K (as defined below) in connection with the issuance and sale of the New Notes have been and will be conducted in compliance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
q.The Investor acknowledges that the Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act. As a result, the New Notes, and if converted to Underlying Shares, the Underlying Shares, may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons, except pursuant to an effective registration statement (including a registration statement contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement) or an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act as described in the Indenture (including, but not limited to, Section 2 thereof), and the Investor hereby agrees that it will not sell the Securities other than in compliance with such transfer restrictions. Further, the Investor acknowledges that the New Notes and if converted to the Underlying Shares, the Underlying Shares may carry a restrictive legend and will be designated with a restricted CUSIP number until such time as the restrictive legend can be removed, except as otherwise provided in the Registration Rights Agreement.
r.The Investor acknowledges that the terms of the Notes Transactions pursuant to this Agreement have been mutually negotiated between the Investor, and the Company. The Investor was given a meaningful opportunity to negotiate the terms of the Notes Transactions on behalf of itself.
s.The Investor understands that, unless the Investor notifies the Company in writing to the contrary prior to the Closing, each of the Investor’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement will be deemed to have been reaffirmed and confirmed as of the Closing, taking into account all information received by the Investor.
t.The participation in the Notes Transactions by the Investor was not conditioned by the Company on the Investor’s exchange of a minimum principal amount of Exchanged Old Notes. The Investor’s participation in the Notes Transactions was not conditioned upon a minimum aggregate principal amount of New Notes issued for cash in the Subscription.
u.The Investor acknowledges that it had a sufficient amount of time to consider whether to participate in the Notes Transactions and that neither the Company nor the Financial Advisor has placed any pressure on the Investor to respond to the opportunity to participate in the Notes Transactions. The Investor acknowledges that it did not become aware of the Notes Transactions through any form of general solicitation or advertising within the meaning of Rule 502 under the Securities Act.
v.The operations of the Investor have been conducted in material compliance with the rules and regulations administered or conducted by OFAC, FCPA and the Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The Investor has performed due diligence necessary to reasonably
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determine that its beneficial owners are not named on the lists of denied parties or blocked Persons administered by OFAC, resident in or organized under the laws of a country that is the subject of Sanctions, are not otherwise the subject of Sanctions and have not been found to be in violation or under suspicion of violating OFAC, FCPA or Anti-Money Laundering Laws and regulations.
w.Either:
i.The Investor is a “United States person” (as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)); or
ii.In the case the Investor is not a “United States person” (as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code):
1.The Old Notes being exchanged by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement are eligible for the exception from withholding under Section 1445 of the Code pursuant to U.S. Treasury Regulations Section 1.1445-2(c)(2).
2.On each date on which the Investor acquired any Old Notes (each, a “Relevant Date”), the fair market value of the Old Notes acquired on the Relevant Date, plus the fair market value, as of the applicable Relevant Date, of any other Old Notes or Common Stock held by the Investor and any related Persons, did not exceed the fair market value, on the applicable Relevant Date, of five percent (5%) of the total shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Relevant Date (the “Five Percent Threshold”).
3.The Investor (or any related Persons) has not acquired any interest (within the meaning of Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code) in the Company (other than Common Stock, Old Notes, or “interests solely as a creditor” within the meaning of Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii)) of the Code) with a principal purpose of preventing the value of any interest in the Company (other than “interests solely as a creditor”) held by the Investor (and any related Persons) from exceeding the Five Percent Threshold.
4.No Person related to the Investor (other than another Investor) owns or has owned Old Notes.
iii.For purposes of the representations in Section 6(x)(ii), two parties are “related” if they are “related” within the meaning of U.S. Treasury Regulations Section 1.897-1(i) or Section 1.897-9T(b).
7.Conditions to Obligations of the Investor and the Company.
a.The obligations of the Investor to deliver the Exchanged Old Notes (if applicable) and the Cash Purchase Price (if applicable) shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver by the Investor of the following conditions on or prior to the Closing Date:
i.Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 5 shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than the representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, which shall true and correct in all respects) on the date hereof and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made as of the Closing Date, and the Company shall have performed all applicable covenants and agreements and
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satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date.
ii.No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the consummation of the Notes Transactions; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the consummation of the Notes Transactions, including, but not limited to, the issuance of the New Notes pursuant thereto.
iii.Legal Opinion. The Investor shall have received a customary legal opinion from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, as counsel to the Company, in the form of Exhibit G attached hereto.
iv.Officer’s Certificate. The Investor shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of an executive officer of the Company who has specific knowledge of the Company’s financial matters and is satisfactory to the Investor (or its counsel) (A) confirming that such officer has carefully reviewed the Transaction Documents and, to the knowledge of such officer, all representations and warranties made by the Company and set forth in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date, and (B) that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date.
v.Secretary’s Certificate. With respect to the Indenture, the Investor shall have received:
vi.Good Standing. The Investor shall have received on the date hereof and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and certain of its Subsidiaries, as mutually agreed upon by the parties, in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Investors may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.
vii.Transaction Documents. The Indenture, in substantially the same form as the draft attached hereto as Exhibit E, the Registration Rights Agreement, in substantially the same form as the draft attached hereto as Exhibit F, and each of the other Transaction Documents shall have been validly entered into by, and be binding upon, all parties thereto (including, but not limited to, the Company and the New Notes Trustee, as applicable) and shall be in full force and effect, and the Investor shall have received evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Investor to such effect.
viii.DTC. The New Notes shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.
b.The obligation of the Company to deliver the New Notes to be issued by it on the Closing Date to the Investor shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions on or prior to the Closing Date:
i.The representations and warranties of the Investor contained in Section 6 shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than the representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, which shall true and correct in all respects) on the date hereof and on and as of the
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Closing Date, and such Investor shall have performed all applicable covenants and agreements and satisfied all conditions to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date.
ii.No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the consummation of the Notes Transactions; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the consummation of the Transactions, including the issuance of the New Notes pursuant thereto.
8.Agreements of the Company.
a.Reservation of Shares. From and after the date hereof, the Company shall at all times reserve and keep available (free of preemptive or similar rights) from its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting conversions of the New Notes in accordance with the Indenture, such number of shares of Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of the entire amount of the New Notes convertible under the Indenture (without giving effect to the Conversion Share Cap or any other restriction or limitation on conversion or exercise contained in the Indenture); and if at any time the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock shall not be sufficient to effect the conversion of the entire amount of the New Notes convertible under the Indenture (without giving effect to the Conversion Share Cap or any other restriction or limitation on conversion or exercise contained in the Indenture), the Company will use reasonable best efforts to take such corporate action as may be necessary to increase its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to at least such number of shares as shall be sufficient for such purpose.
b.Certain Stockholders' Rights Plans. If at any time any New Notes remain outstanding, the Company adopts any poison pill or similar anti-takeover agreement or plan, the Company shall take such actions as shall be necessary such that the Investor shall not be deemed to hold a number of shares in excess of the requisite percentage set forth in such plan to the extent resulting from the Investor’s beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the New Notes.
c.Listing. The Company shall submit a supplemental listing application to the New York Stock Exchange for the listing of the Underlying Shares, and shall take all necessary action to cause the Underlying Shares to be approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
d.Disclosure; No MNPI.
i.At or prior to 8:30 a.m. (New York City time) on the date of this Agreement, the Company shall file with the Commission a Form 8-K describing the material terms of the Transaction Documents and the Notes Transactions, including filing as exhibits to such Form 8-K this Agreement, the form Indenture (including the form of New Notes), the form Registration Rights Agreement and furnishing as an exhibit to such Form 8-K the press release (the “Press Release”), substantially in the form furnished to the Investor prior to the date hereof, announcing the execution of this Agreement and the acquisition transactions described therein, in each case without redaction (such Form 8-K, the “Announcing Form 8-K”), in the form last provided to the Investor on or prior to the date hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not (and the Company shall not permit any of its Affiliates to) issue any press releases or any other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated by any Transaction
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Document disclosing the name of the Investor or any of its Affiliates without the Investor’s prior consent; provided, however, that the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of the Investor, to make any press release or other public disclosure with respect to such transactions (A) in substantial conformity with the Announcing Form 8-K and contemporaneously therewith (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include filing signature pages and any other portions of the Transaction Documents filed as exhibits to the Announcing Form 8-K) and (B) as is required by Applicable Laws (provided that the Investor shall be consulted by the Company in connection with any such press release or other public disclosure prior to its release and shall be provided with a copy thereof).
ii.No later than 5:30 p.m. on the earlier of the first Business Day following (A) the Closing Date and (B) the date of any termination of this Agreement, the Company shall file with the Commission a Form 8-K disclosing the occurrence of the Closing Date and the consummation of the Notes Transactions or, if applicable, disclosing such termination of this Agreement (the “Closing Form 8-K”).
iii.Upon the filing of the Announcing Form 8-K, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall have publicly disclosed all material, non-public information (if any) regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their securities, any of their Affiliates or any other Person (“MNPI”) provided or made available to the Investor or any of its Affiliates, attorneys, agents or representatives by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of its employees, officers, directors (or equivalent Persons), attorneys, agents or representatives on or prior to the Closing Date. The Company and its Subsidiaries shall not, and shall cause each of their employees, officers, directors (or equivalent Persons), Affiliates, attorneys, agents and representatives to not, provide any Investor or any of its Affiliates, attorneys, agents or representatives with any MNPI from and after the filing of the Announcing Form 8-K with the Commission without the express prior written consent of the Investor.
iv.The Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that, following the filing of the Announcing Form 8-K, the Investor (nor any of the Investor’s Affiliates, attorneys, agents or representatives) shall not have any duty of trust or confidence (including any obligation under any confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement entered into between the Investor and the Company prior to the date of the Closing Form 8-K) or contractual obligation not to trade in the Common Stock or any other securities of the Company. The Company understands and acknowledges that the Investor, its Affiliates and Persons acting on their behalf will rely on the representations, warranties, covenants, provisions and agreements set forth in this Section 8(d) in effecting transactions in the Securities and other securities of the Company and of other Persons.
v.Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any Transaction Document, with respect to the Investor, the provisions of this Section 8(c) shall survive the settlement and consummation of the Notes Transactions, the repayment or other satisfaction of the obligations under the Indenture, the termination of the Indenture and thereafter for so long as the Investor holds any Securities.
e.Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the proceeds from the Subscription to fund acquisitions and for general corporate purposes.
9.Covenant of the Investor. No later than one (1) business day after the date hereof, the Investor agrees to deliver settlement instructions to the Company substantially in the form of Exhibit D attached hereto.
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10.Financial Advisor Fee. The Company and the Investor acknowledge that the Company intends to pay an advisory fee to the Financial Advisor.
11.Waiver, Amendment. No provision of this Agreement may be waived or amended except in a written instrument signed by the Company and the Investor. No waiver of any breach or default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent breach or default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.
12.Assignability. No party hereunder may assign its rights or obligations hereunder without, in the case of the Investor, the consent of the Company, and in the case of the Company, the consent of the Investor, except that the Investor may, without the consent of the Company, assign its rights hereunder to any Related Fund (as defined below) of the Investor and/or to any assignee or transferee of the Securities; provided, that no such assignment shall relieve the Investor of its obligations hereunder. “Related Fund” of the Investor means any investment fund or managed account that is managed on a discretionary basis by the same investment manager as the Investor.
13.Taxation
a.The Company and its agents shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any consideration payable pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as may be required (as determined by the Company in good faith) to be deducted or withheld under applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Investor (i) is a “United States person” (as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code), the Investor shall deliver to the Company (or its designated agent), at least one (1) business day prior to Closing, an accurately completed and duly executed IRS Form W-9 (or any successor form) certifying that the Investor is exempt from backup withholding or (ii) is not a “United States person” (as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code), the Investor shall deliver to the Company (or its designated agent), at least one (1) business day prior to Closing, either (A) in the case of the Investor, which is the beneficial owner of the Exchanged New Notes or the Purchased New Notes, an accurately completed and duly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or any successor form), establishing an exemption from withholding under Sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code and either (x) properly establishing an exemption from or reduction in U.S. federal withholding under the “interest” provision of a tax treaty with the United States or (y) together with a Form of Tax Certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit D-1 attached hereto or (B) in the case of the Investor, which is not the beneficial owner of the Exchanged New Notes or the Purchased New Notes, (x) an accurately completed and duly executed IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor form) accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members: (a) an IRS Form W-9 (or any successor form), or (b) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable (or any successor form), establishing an exemption from withholding under Sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code and properly establishing an exemption from or reduction in U.S. federal withholding under the “interest” provision of a tax treaty with the United States (or else such partner/member shall have provided a Form of Tax Certificate, substantially in the form of Exhibit D-2 attached hereto (or, if such partner/member is not the beneficial owner of the Exchanged New Notes or the Purchased New Notes, an IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor form) together with the foregoing from each of its partners/members)). To the extent any amounts are withheld and remitted to the appropriate taxing authority (including, for the avoidance of doubt, due to the failure of the Investor), to comply with the obligations set forth in this Section 13), such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Investor, to whom such amounts otherwise would have been paid. Any forms, certificates and other documents required to be delivered to the Company pursuant to this Section 13 shall be delivered in accordance with Section 21; provided that such communication shall be made via electronic mail.
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b. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Company intends to treat (1) any exchange of Old Notes for New Notes pursuant to this Agreement as a “recapitalization” described in section 368(a)(1)(E) of the Code and (2) in connection with the recapitalization, the Additional Exchange Consideration and any amount described in Code Section 356(d)(2)(B) as “boot” payable to the Investor. For the avoidance of doubt, no portion of the Additional Exchange Consideration is being paid in exchange for services.
14.Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTOR IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS EXCHANGE/SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT.
15.Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF ANY LAW OTHER THAN THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
16.Submission to Jurisdiction. Each of the Company and the Investor (a) agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted exclusively in the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York; (b) waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding; and (c) irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Each of the Company and the Investor agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.
17.Venue. Each of the Company and the Investor irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to in Section 16. Each of the Company and the Investor irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
18.Service of Process. Each of the Company and the Investor irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 21. Nothing in this Exchange/Subscription Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
19.Section and Other Headings. The section and other headings contained in this Exchange/Subscription Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Exchange/Subscription Agreement. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction will be applied against any party. Unless the context otherwise requires, (a) all references to Sections or Exhibits are to Sections or Exhibits contained in or attached to this Agreement, (b) words in the singular or plural include the singular and plural, and pronouns stated in either the masculine, the feminine or neuter gender shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter, (c) the use of the word “include”, “includes” and “including” in this Agreement shall be by way of example rather than limitation, and (d) the word “or” is not exclusive (i.e., “or” shall mean “and/or”).
20.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed, either manually or by way of a digital signature provided by DocuSign (or similar digital signature provider), by one or more of the parties hereto in any number of separate counterparts (including by facsimile or other electronic means, including telecopy, email or otherwise), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Exchange/Subscription Agreement (whether executed manually or by way of a digital signature as described herein this Section 20) by facsimile or other electronic transmission (e.g., email of a “pdf” or “tif” format) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.
21.Notices. All notices and other communications to the Company provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if delivered personally or sent by registered
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or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid to the following addresses, or, in the case of the Investor, the address provided on Exhibit D attached hereto (or such other address as either party shall have specified by notice in writing to the other):
| If to the Company prior to September 30, 2024: | Brookdale Senior Living Inc. 111 Westwood Place, Suite 400 Brentwood, TN 37027 Attention: General Counsel Email: [email protected] | ||||
| If to the Company on and after September 30, 2024: | Brookdale Senior Living Inc. 105 Westwood Place, Suite 400 Brentwood, TN 37027 Attention: General Counsel Email: [email protected] | ||||
22.Binding Effect. The provisions of this Exchange/Subscription Agreement shall be binding upon and accrue to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
23.Notification of Changes. The Investor hereby covenants and agrees to notify the Company upon the occurrence of any event prior to the Closing that would cause any representation, warranty, or covenant of the Investor contained in this Agreement to be false or incorrect in any material respect.
24.Reliance by Financial Advisor. The Financial Advisor may rely on each representation and warranty of the Company and the Investor made herein or pursuant to the terms hereof (including, without limitation, in any officer’s certificate delivered pursuant to the terms hereof) with the same force and effect as if such representation or warranty were made directly to the Financial Advisor. The Financial Advisor shall be a third party beneficiary to this Exchange/Subscription Agreement to the extent provided in this Section 24.
25.Severability. If any term or provision (in whole or in part) of this Exchange/Subscription Agreement is invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other term or provision of this Exchange/Subscription Agreement or invalidate or render unenforceable such term or provision in any other jurisdiction.
26.Termination. In the event that the Notes Transactions shall not have occurred with respect to the Investor on or before October 4, 2024 due to the Company’s or the Investor’s failure to satisfy any of the conditions required to be satisfied by it in Section 7 (and the nonbreaching party’s failure to waive such unsatisfied condition(s)), the nonbreaching party shall have the option to terminate this Agreement with respect to such breaching party at the close of business on such date. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Investor and as to the Investor on an individual basis, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date (a) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the Principal Market, (b) trading of any securities issued by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, or (c) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities.
27.Nature of Obligations and Rights of the Investor.
a.The respective obligations of the Investor under this Agreement and the Transaction Documents are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Investor or Noteholder, and no Noteholder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Noteholder under the Transaction Documents. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by the Noteholders pursuant thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Noteholders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Investor and any other Noteholders are in any way acting in concert or as a group with
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respect to such obligations or any of the Notes Transactions or any other transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as otherwise provided in the Transaction Documents, the Investor shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including the rights arising out of the Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Noteholder to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. The decision of the Investor to acquire the New Notes in connection with the Notes Transactions has been made by the Investor, independently of any other Noteholder. The Investor acknowledges that no other Noteholder has acted as agent for the Investor in connection with making its investment hereunder and that the Investor will not be acting as agent of the Noteholders in connection with monitoring its investment in the New Notes, or enforcing its rights under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. The Company acknowledges that the Investor has been provided with the same Indenture for the purpose of closing a transaction and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Noteholder.
b.The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the Investor is acting at arm’s length from any other Noteholder with respect to this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, (b) the Investor will not, by virtue of this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents or any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby, be or otherwise is an Affiliate of, or have any agency, tenancy or joint venture relationship with, the Company, (c) the Investor has not acted, or is or will be acting, as a financial advisor to, or fiduciary (or in any similar capacity) of, or has any fiduciary or similar duty to, the Company with respect to, or in connection with, this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and the Company agrees not to assert, and hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted under Applicable Law, any claim that the Investor has any fiduciary duty to the Company, (d) any advice given by the Investor or any of its representatives or agents in connection with this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to the Investor’s performance of its obligations hereunder and thereunder (including, in the case the Investor, its acquisition of the New Notes), and (e) the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents have been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives.
c.The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Investor has not been asked to agree, and the Investor has not agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, Stock or other securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities or Stock based on Stock or other securities issued by the Company or to hold the New Notes for any specified term; and the Investor shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counterparty in any “derivative” transaction. The Company further acknowledges and agrees that (a) the Investor may engage in hedging and/or trading activities at various times during the period that the New Notes are outstanding, (b) such hedging and/or trading activities, if any, can reduce the value of the shares of Common Stock or other Stock held by the existing holders of shares of Common Stock or other Stock of the Company, both at and after the time the hedging and/or trading activities are being conducted, (c) any such hedging and/or trading activities shall not constitute a breach of any Transaction Document or affect any of the rights of the Investor under any Transaction Document, and (d) the obligations under the Indenture are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any right of set off, counterclaim, delay or reduction, regardless of the effect of any such dilution or any claim the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may have against the Investor and regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership of the other stockholders of the Company.
28.Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the other Transaction Documents and the Expense Reimbursement Agreement, constitute the entire agreement, and supersede all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings, both oral and written, among the Investors and the Company with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof; provided,
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however, that the reference to $250,000 in the Expense Reimbursement Agreement shall hereby be deemed amended to refer to $300,000.
29.Definitions. Wherever used in this Agreement or related exhibits, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms have the meanings assigned to such terms in this Section 29. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person.
“Applicable Laws” means, with respect to any Person, the common law and any federal, provincial, state, territorial, local, foreign, multinational or international laws, statutes, codes, treaties, rules and regulations, ordinances, orders, judgments, writs, injunctions, decrees or settlement agreements (including administrative or judicial precedents or authorities) and the interpretation or administration thereof by, and other determinations, directives, requirements or requests of, any Governmental Authority, including all Health Care Laws, in each case having the force of law and, in each case, that are applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.
“Authorizations” means, with respect to any Person, any permits, approvals, authorizations, licenses, registrations, certificates, clearances, concessions, grants, franchises, variances or permissions from, and any other contractual obligations with, any Governmental Authority, in each case, applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject, and any supplements or amendments with respect to the foregoing.
“Board of Directors” means the Company’s board of directors.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Convertible Securities” means warrants, options, evidence of indebtedness, shares of stock or other securities that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, and subscription or similar rights that entitle the holder to purchase or subscribe for, shares of Common Stock or other Convertible Securities, in each case, with or without payment of additional consideration, either immediately or upon the arrival of a specified date or the happening of a specified event.
“Copyrights” means, collectively, all of the following: all copyrights, rights and interests in copyrights, works of authorship, unregistered copyright rights, copyright registrations and copyright applications.
“Expense Reimbursement Agreement” means that certain expense reimbursement agreement, by and between the Company and an Affiliate of the Investor, dated as of September 15, 2024.
“Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any entity succeeding to any of its principal functions.
“FDA” means the United States Food and Drug Administration or any successor entity.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States consistently applied, as are in effect from time to time.
“Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, foreign or international government, regulatory or administrative agency, any state or other political subdivision thereof having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, any central bank (or similar
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monetary or regulatory authority) thereof and any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government. For the avoidance of doubt, Governmental Authority shall include the Commission, the Principal Market, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and any agency, branch or other governmental body, entity or panel charged with the responsibility and/or vested with the authority to administer and/or enforce any Health Care Laws, including any Medicare or Medicaid administrators, contractors, intermediaries or carriers.
“Governmental Payor” means Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, CHAMPVA, any state health plan adopted pursuant to Title XIX of the Social Security Act, any other state or federal health care program and any other Governmental Authority that presently or in the future maintains a Third Party Payor Program.
“Health Care Laws” means all Applicable Laws relating to the provision and/or administration of, and/or payment for, health care services, items and supplies including Applicable Laws related to: (a) fraud and abuse, including the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. §1320a-7b(b)), the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act of 2018 (18 U.S.C. § 220), the Stark Law (42 U.S.C. §1395nn), the civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 et seq.), the criminal False Claims Act 18 U.S.C. § 287, the False Statements Relating to Health Care Matters Act (18 U.S.C. § 1035), the Health Care Fraud Act (18 U.S.C. § 1347), the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3801-3812), the Anti-Kickback Act of 1986 (41 U.S.C. §§ 51-58), the Laws regarding Exclusion and Civil Monetary Penalties (42 U.S.C. §§ 1320a-7, 1320a-7a and 1320a-7b), and any state, commonwealth or local laws similar to any of the foregoing; (b) Governmental Payors; (c) billing, coding or the submission or payment of claims or collection of accounts receivable or refund of overpayments; (d) HIPAA; (e) state kickback, false claims, or self-referral prohibitions; (f) the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.), to the extent such provisions are currently enforced by the FDA pursuant to its policy of enforcement discretion with regard to laboratory developed tests, and any related state laws and regulations; (g) the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and the regulations promulgated thereunder and similar state laws; (h) laws and regulations regulating the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal and other handling of medical or radioactive waste; and (i) any and all other applicable health care laws and regulations, and enforceable guidance having the force of law, as each of clauses (a) through (i) may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time and any successor statutes thereto and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.
“HIPAA” means the (a) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996; (b) the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (Title XIII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009); and (c) any federal, state and local laws regulating the privacy and/or security of individually identifiable health information, including, state laws providing for notification of breach of privacy or security of individually identifiable health information, in each case with respect to the Applicable Laws described in clauses (a), (b) and (c) of this definition, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, any successor statutes thereto, any and all rules or regulations promulgated from time to time thereunder.
“Intellectual Property” means, collectively, in the United States and all countries or jurisdictions foreign thereto, (a) all inventions (whether patentable or unpatentable and whether or not reduced to practice), all improvements thereto, and all Patents, (b) all Trademarks, all goodwill associated therewith, and all applications, registrations, and renewals in connection therewith, (c) all Copyrights in any work and all moral rights associated therewith, (d) all trade secrets and confidential business information (including confidential ideas, research and development, know-how, methods, formulas, compositions, manufacturing and production processes and techniques, technical and other data, designs, drawings, specifications, customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost information, and business and marketing plans and proposals), (e) all websites, social
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media accounts (including login credentials), Internet Domain Names, computer software and firmware (including source code, executable code, data, databases, user interfaces and related documentation) (collectively, “Software”), (f) all other proprietary and intellectual property rights, (vii) all copies and tangible embodiments of any of the foregoing (in whatever form or medium), (viii) the exclusive right to use, display, reproduce, and create derivative works based on any of the foregoing and (ix) all IP Ancillary Rights relating thereto.
“Internet Domain Name” means all right, title and interest arising under any law or regulation in or relating to internet domain names.
"knowledge of the Company” (or similar language) means the knowledge of the executive officers and directors of the Company.
“IP Ancillary Rights” means, with respect to any Intellectual Property, as applicable, all applications, registrations, and renewals of such Intellectual Property and all income, royalties, damages, payments, proceeds and Liabilities at any time due or payable or asserted under or with respect to any of the foregoing or otherwise with respect to such Intellectual Property, including all rights to sue or recover at law or in equity for any past, present or future infringement, misappropriation, dilution, violation or other impairment thereof.
“Liabilities” means all claims, actions, suits, judgments, damages, losses, liabilities, obligations, responsibilities, fines, penalties, sanctions, costs, fees, Taxes, commissions, charges, disbursements and expenses (including those incurred upon any appeal or in connection with the preparation for and/or response to any subpoena or request for document production relating thereto), in each case of any kind or nature (including interest accrued thereon or as a result thereof and fees, charges and disbursements of financial, legal and other advisors and consultants), whether joint or several, and whether direct, indirect, contingent, consequential, actual, punitive, treble or otherwise.
“Lien” means any lien, pledge, preferential arrangement, mortgage, security interest, deed of trust, charge, assignment, hypothecation, title retention or other encumbrance on or with respect to property or interest in property having the practical effect of constituting a security interest.
“Margin Stock” means “margin stock” as such term is defined in Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (b) the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of any provision of any Transaction Document, or (c) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under any Transaction Document as and when due.
“Material IP” means all Intellectual Property material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether currently owned or licensed, or acquired, developed or otherwise licensed or obtained after the date hereof.
“Medicaid” means, collectively, the health care assistance program established by Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) and any statutes succeeding thereto.
“Medicare” means, collectively, the health insurance program for the aged and disabled established by Title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) and any statutes succeeding thereto.
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“Non-SEC Document Qualified Representations” means the representations and warranties made by the Company other than the SEC Document Qualified Representations.
“Options” means any rights, warrants or options to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities.
“Organizational Documents” means (a) for any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation, memorandum and/or articles of association, the bylaws, the constitution, any certificate of designation or instrument relating to the rights of holders or preferred stock of such corporation, and any shareholder agreement, (b) for any partnership, the partnership agreement and, if applicable, certificate of limited partnership, (c) for any limited liability company, the operating or limited liability company agreement and articles or certificate of formation or (d) for any other entity, any other document setting forth the manner of election or duties of the officers, directors, managers or other similar or equivalent persons or Persons, or the designation, amount or relative rights, limitations and preference of the Stock of such entity.
“Patents” means, collectively, all of the following: (a) all letters patent and pending applications for patents of the United States and all countries and jurisdictions foreign thereto; and (b) all reissues, divisions, continuations, renewals, extensions and continuations-in-part of any of the foregoing.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, company, voluntary association, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or Governmental Authority or other entity of whatever nature.
“Permitted Liens” means taxes not yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith.
“Principal Market” means the New York Stock Exchange.
“Proceeding” means any investigation, inquiry, litigation, review, hearing, suit, claim, audit, arbitration, proceeding or action (in each case, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or informal) commenced, brought, conducted or heard by or before, or otherwise involving, any Governmental Authority or arbitrator.
“Real Estate” means any real property owned, leased, subleased or otherwise operated or occupied by the Company or any Subsidiary.
“Registration Rights Agreement” means a Registration Rights Agreement to be entered into by the Company and the Noteholders in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit F.
“SEC Documents” means all annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements, registration statements, prospectuses and other material schedules, forms, statements and other material documents filed with or to be filed with the Commission by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to the Securities Act or the Exchange Act since January 1, 2023 (including all financial statements and schedules included therein, all exhibits thereto and all documents incorporated by reference therein).
“SEC Document Qualified Representations” means the representations and warranties made by the Company in Sections 5(j), 5(k), 5(l), 5(m), 5(n), 5(q), 5(r), 5(s) and 5(t).
“Solvent” means, with respect to any Person, as of any date of determination, that, as of such date, (a) the value of the assets of such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (both at fair value and present fair saleable value) is greater than the total amount of liabilities (including
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contingent and unliquidated liabilities) of such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) such Person and its Subsidiaries are able to pay all liabilities of such Person and its Subsidiaries as such liabilities mature and (c) such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, do not have unreasonably small capital in relation to such Person’s and its Subsidiaries’ business as contemplated as of such date. In computing the amount of contingent or unliquidated liabilities at any time, such liabilities shall be computed at the amount that, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.
“Stock” means (a) all shares of capital stock (whether denominated as common stock or preferred stock), equity interests, beneficial, partnership or membership interests (or units thereof), joint venture interests, participations or other ownership or profit interests in or equivalents (regardless of how designated) of or in a Person (other than an individual), whether voting or non-voting; and (b) all securities convertible into or exchangeable for any other Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to purchase, subscribe for or otherwise acquire any other Stock, whether or not presently convertible, exchangeable or exercisable; provided that the Old Notes and the New Notes shall not constitute Stock.
“Subsidiary” means, a "significant subsidiary" of the Company as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, stamp or other duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by a Governmental Authority, together with any interest, additions to tax, or penalties applicable thereto.
“Third Party Payor” means any Governmental Payor, private insurers, managed care plans, and any other Person that presently or in the future maintains Third Party Payor Programs.
“Third Party Payor Programs” means all payment or reimbursement programs sponsored or maintained by any Third Party Payor.
“Trademarks” means, in the United States and all countries and jurisdictions foreign thereto, registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademark and service mark applications, unregistered or common law trademarks and service marks, registered trade names and unregistered or common law trade names, corporate names, fictitious names, trade dress, logos, slogans, and indicia of origin, together with all translations, adaptations, derivations, combinations and renewals thereof.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Investor has executed this Exchange/Subscription Agreement as of the date first written above.
Legal Name of Executing Investor: | |||||||||||
| By | |||||||||||
| Name: | |||||||||||
| Title: | |||||||||||
| Legal Name: | |||||||||||
[Signature Page to Exchange/Subscription Agreement]
ACCEPTED AND AGREED:
| Brookdale Senior Living Inc. | |||||
By | |||||
Name: | |||||
Title: | |||||
[Signature Page to Exchange/Subscription Agreement]
Exhibit 10.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of October 3, 2024, by and among Brookdale Senior Living Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and each of the Investors from time to time signatory hereto.
WHEREAS:
A. In accordance with (i) the Exchange and Subscription Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2024, by and between the Company and Deerfield Partners, L.P. (“Deerfield Partners”) and (ii) each Exchange Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2024, by and among the Company and the investors party thereto (such investors, together with Deerfield Partners, being referred to as the “Initial Investors”) (each of the agreements described in clauses (i) and (ii), as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms, collectively, the “Exchange Agreements” and each an “Exchange Agreement”), the Initial Investors are on the date hereof acquiring $369,445,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”). The Notes are being issued pursuant to the Indenture (as defined below).
B. To induce each Initial Investor to execute and deliver the Exchange Agreement to which such Initial Investor is a party and consummate the transactions contemplated thereby, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the “Securities Act”), and applicable state securities laws.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Initial Investor hereby agree as follows:
1.DEFINITIONS.
a. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (all capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein having the respective meanings set forth in the Exchange Agreements):
(i)“Additional Filing Deadline” means, with respect to any Registration Statements that may be required pursuant to Section 2(a)(ii), (A) the thirtieth (30th) day following the first date on which such Registrable Securities may then be included in a Registration Statement if such Registration Statement is required to be filed because the SEC shall have notified the Company in writing that certain Registrable Securities were not eligible for inclusion in a previously filed Registration Statement, or (B) if such additional Registration Statement is required for a reason other than as described in (A) above, the thirtieth (30th) day following the date on which the Company first knows, or reasonably should have known, that such additional Registration Statement is required.
(ii)“Additional Registration Deadline” means, with respect to any additional Registration Statement(s) required to be filed pursuant to Section 2(a)(ii), the thirtieth (30th) day following the applicable Additional Filing Deadline.
(iii)“Closing Date” means October 3, 2024.
(iv) “Deerfield Holders” means Deerfield Partners together with any investment funds and/or managed accounts that are managed on a discretionary basis by the same investment manager as Deerfield Partners that holds Registrable Securities.
(v)“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and any successor statute.
(vi)“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (or successor thereto).
(vii)“Filing Deadline” for the Registration Statement required pursuant to Section 2(a)(i), shall mean that date that is fifteen (15) Business Days following the date of this Agreement (the “Initial Filing Deadline”), and for each Registration Statement required pursuant to Section 2(a)(ii), shall mean the Additional Filing Deadline.
(viii) “Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of the date hereof, among the Company, as issuer, and Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, as trustee (as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms), pursuant to which the Company is issuing the Notes.
(ix)“Investor” means any Initial Investor and any transferee or assignee who agrees in writing to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with Section 10 hereof.
(x)“Person” means and includes any natural person, partnership, joint venture, corporation, trust, limited liability company, limited company, joint stock company, unincorporated organization, government entity or any political subdivision or agency thereof, or any other entity.
(xi)“Prospectus” means (A) any prospectus (preliminary or final) included in any Registration Statement, as may be amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement and by all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus, and (B) any “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act relating to any offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement.
(xii)“Register,” “Registered,” and “Registration” refer to a registration effected by preparing and filing a Registration Statement(s) in compliance with the Securities Act and pursuant to Rule 415, and such Registration Statement becoming effective under the Securities
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Act (whether automatically or by being declared effective by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)).
(xiii)“Registrable Securities” means (A) any shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon conversion of or otherwise pursuant to or in respect of, any Notes acquired by any of the Investors pursuant to the Exchange Agreement (disregarding for such purpose any condition to the exercise of conversion rights under the Indenture, and without giving effect to the Conversion Share Cap (as defined in the Indenture) or any other limitation on conversion thereof, and assuming for such purpose that all conversions of the Notes will be settled by Physical Settlement (as defined in the Indenture)), and (B) any shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend, distribution, recapitalization, reorganization, reclassification or similar event with respect to any of the foregoing; provided that any securities that would otherwise qualify as Registrable Securities but (x) have been sold pursuant to a Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 144 or (y) may be immediately sold to the public without registration or restriction (including without limitation as to volume by each holder thereof) and without compliance with any “current public information” requirement, pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act and do not bear any restrictive legend (and are not subject to any stop transfer or similar instruction) pertaining to restrictions on transfer under the Securities Act, shall cease to be a “Registrable Security”.
(xiv)“Registration Deadline” shall mean, for purposes of any Registration Statement required pursuant to Section 2(a)(i), the date that is the earlier of (A) five (5) Business Days after (x) the SEC advises the Company that it does not have any further comments on the Registration Statement (or the date that all such comments are otherwise cleared or resolved) or (y) the SEC notifies the Company that such Registration Statement will not be subject to review by the SEC, and (B) sixty (60) days after the applicable Filing Deadline, and with respect to any Registration Statement required pursuant to Section 2(a)(ii), the Additional Registration Deadline. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company is a WKSI (as defined in Section 3(a)) at the time the Company is required hereunder to file a Registration Statement (or amended Registration Statement) hereunder, the Registration Deadline shall mean, for purposes of such Registration Statement (or amended Registration Statement), the Filing Deadline for such Registration Statement.
(xv)“Registration Statement(s)” means any registration statement(s) of the Company filed under the Securities Act that covers the resale of any of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including any prospectus included therein and all amendments and supplements to such Registration Statement(s), including post-effective amendments, and all exhibits to, and all material incorporated by reference in, such Registration Statement(s).
(xvi) “Required Investors” means, as of any date of determination, holders of a majority in interest of then-outstanding Registrable Securities, provided that for so long as the Deerfield Holders hold at least 25% of the Registrable Securities held by the Deerfield Holders as of the date hereof, the “Required Investors” must include the Deerfield Holders.
(xvii)“Rule 415” means Rule 415 under the Securities Act or any successor rule providing for the offering of securities on a continuous basis.
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(xviii)“Stock Event” means a stock split, stock combination, reclassification, payment of stock dividend, recapitalization or other similar transaction of such character that the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or become exchangeable for a larger or small number of shares of Common Stock.
2.REGISTRATION.
a. MANDATORY REGISTRATION. (i) Following the date of this Agreement, the Company shall prepare, and, on or prior to the applicable Filing Deadline, file with the SEC a Registration Statement (the “Mandatory Registration Statement”) on Form S-3 (or, if Form S-3 is not then available, on such form of Registration Statement as is then available to effect a Registration of all of the Registrable Securities, subject to the consent of the Required Investors, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), or file one or more prospectus supplements to an effective Shelf Registration Statement of the Company, covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities, which Registration Statement (or prospectus supplement), to the extent allowable under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including Rule 416), shall state that such Registration Statement (or prospectus supplement) also covers such indeterminate number of additional shares of Common Stock as may become issuable upon conversion (as applicable) of or otherwise pursuant to or in respect of the Notes to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends, stock issuances or similar transactions. The number of shares of Common Stock initially included in such Registration Statement (or prospectus supplement) shall be no less than 54,968,244, subject to adjustment for any Stock Event occurring prior to the effective date of such Registration Statement.
(i)If for any reason, despite the Company’s use of its reasonable best efforts to include all of the Registrable Securities requested or required to be included in any Registration Statement (or prospectus supplement) filed pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) (and subject to Section 3(j) below), the SEC does not permit all such Registrable Securities to be included in such Registration Statement, or for any other reason any such Registrable Securities are not then included in a Registration Statement (or prospectus supplement), then the Company shall prepare, and, as soon as practicable but in no event later than the Additional Filing Deadline, file with the SEC an additional Registration Statement on Form S-3 (or, if Form S-3 is not then available, on such form of Registration Statement as is then available to effect a Registration of the Registrable Securities) covering the resale of all Registrable Securities requested or required to be included in such Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a)(i) and not already covered by an existing and effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415.
(ii)Subject to any SEC comments, any Registration Statement pursuant to this Section 2(a) shall include a “plan of distribution” in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. If requested by the holders of a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities to be included in such Registration Statement, the Company shall incorporate in the "plan of distribution" such information as such holders may reasonably request to have included therein. No Investor shall be named as an “underwriter” in the Registration Statement without the Investor’s prior written consent. Each Registration Statement (and each amendment or supplement thereto, and each
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request for acceleration of effectiveness thereof) shall be provided to the Required Investors and Legal Counsel (as defined below) prior to its filing or other submission.
3.OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY. In connection with any Registration of the Registrable Securities hereunder, the Company shall have the following obligations:
a. The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC no later than the applicable Filing Deadline, such Registration Statements (or prospectus supplement) with respect to the Registrable Securities as provided in Section 2(a), and thereafter use its reasonable best efforts to cause each such Registration Statement relating to Registrable Securities to become effective as soon as possible after such filing, but in any event shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause each such Registration Statement relating to Registrable Securities to become effective no later than the applicable Registration Deadline, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Registration Statement current and effective pursuant to Rule 415 at all times after its effective date until such date as is the earlier of (i) the date on which all of the Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to such Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 144, (ii) the date upon which there are no Notes or Registrable Securities held by Investors and (iii) the first date following the first anniversary of the Closing Date on which all of the Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in the opinion of counsel to the Investors) may be immediately sold to the public without registration or restriction (including without limitation as to volume by each holder thereof), and without compliance with any “current public information” requirement, pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (the “Registration Period”), which Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto and Prospectuses contained therein or related thereto), except for information provided in writing by an Investor pursuant to Section 4(a), shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. In the event that Form S-3 is not available for the registration of the resale of any Registrable Securities hereunder (but, for the avoidance of doubt, without in any way affecting the Company’s obligation to Register the resale of the Registrable Securities on such other form as is available, as provided in Section 2(a)), (A) the Company shall undertake to file, within twenty (20) days of such time as such form is available for such Registration, a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement then in effect, or otherwise file a Registration Statement on Form S-3, registering such Registrable Securities on Form S-3; provided that the Company shall maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement then in effect until such time as a Registration Statement (or post-effective amendment) on Form S-3 covering such Registrable Securities has been declared effective by the SEC, and (B) the Company shall provide that any Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed hereunder shall incorporate documents by reference (including by way of forward incorporation by reference) to the maximum extent possible. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, to the extent the Company is a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined in Rule 405) (a “WKSI”) at a time when it is required to file a Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall file such Registration Statement as an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) on Form S-3 (an “Automatic Registration Statement”) in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act
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that covers the Registrable Securities. The Company represents and warrants that, as of the date of this Agreement, the Company is a WKSI and is eligible to use Form S-3.
b. The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to each Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection with each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep each Registration Statement current and effective at all times during the Registration Period, and, during the Registration Period, shall comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities of the Company covered by each Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable Securities have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set forth in such Registration Statement. Without limiting the foregoing, if at any time following the filing of a Registration Statement at which the Company is required to re-evaluate its Form S-3 eligibility or WKSI status for purposes of such Registration Statement the Company determines that it is not eligible to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 or is not a WKSI, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to (i) as promptly as practicable, (A) if the Registration Statement is an Automatic Registration Statement, post-effectively amend the Registration Statement to a Registration Statement that is not automatically effective, or file a new Registration Statement on Form S-3, covering all of the Registrable Securities, or (B) if the Company is not eligible at such time to file a Registration Statement on Form S-3, post-effectively amend the Registration Statement to a Registration Statement on Form S-1, or file a new Registration Statement on Form S-1, covering all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) have such post-effective amendment or Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC; and (iii) keep such Registration Statement effective during the Registration Period. In addition, prior to the expiration of an Automatic Shelf Registration, the Company shall file a new Registration Statement (which shall be on Form S-3 and shall be an Automatic Registration Statement, in each case to the extent the Company is eligible to do so) covering the Registrable Securities. In the event that on any Trading Day (as defined below) (the “Registration Trigger Date”) the number of shares available under the Registration Statements filed pursuant to this Agreement is insufficient to cover all of the Registrable Securities, including all of the Registrable Securities issued or issuable upon conversion of, or otherwise pursuant to or in respect of, the Notes (disregarding for such purpose any condition to the exercise of conversion rights under the Indenture, and without giving effect to the Conversion Share Cap or any other limitation on conversion of the Notes, and assuming for such purpose that all conversions of the Notes will be settled by Physical Settlement), the Company shall amend the Registration Statements, or file a new Registration Statement (on the short form available therefor, if applicable), or both, so as to cover the total number of Registrable Securities so issued or issuable (disregarding for such purpose any condition to the exercise of conversion rights under the Indenture, and without giving effect to the Conversion Share Cap or any other limitation on conversion of the Notes, and assuming for such purpose that all conversions of the Notes will be settled by Physical Settlement), as of the Registration Trigger Date as soon as practicable, but in any event within twenty (20) days after the Registration Trigger Date. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such amendment and/or new Registration Statement to become effective as soon as practicable following the filing thereof, but in any event the Company shall cause such amendment and/or new Registration Statement to become effective within sixty (60) days of the Registration
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Trigger Date or as promptly as practicable in the event the Company is required to increase its authorized shares. “Trading Day” shall mean any day on which the Common Stock is traded for any period on the New York Stock Exchange or, if not the New York Stock Exchange, the principal securities exchange or other securities market on which the Common Stock is then being traded.
c. Upon request, the Company shall furnish to each Investor and Legal Counsel (i) promptly after the same is prepared and publicly distributed, filed with the SEC or received by the Company, one copy of each Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, each preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, and, each letter written by or on behalf of the Company to the SEC or the staff of the SEC, and each item of correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC, in each case relating to such Registration Statement (other than any portion thereof which contains information for which the Company has sought or intends to seek confidential treatment or which contains or reflects any material non-public information with respect to the Company or its securities), and (ii) such number of copies of a Prospectus, including a preliminary Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto and such other documents as an Investor may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Investor; provided that the Company may provide any such copies in electronic form only. The Company will promptly notify each of the Investors by electronic mail of the effectiveness of each Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto. The Company will promptly respond to any and all comments received from the SEC with respect to any Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement, with a view towards causing each Registration Statement or any amendment thereto to become effective (to the extent required, by declaration or ordering of effectiveness, of such Registration Statement or amendment by the SEC) as soon as practicable, and, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than two (2) Business Days, following the resolution or clearance of all SEC comments or, if applicable, following notification by the SEC that any such Registration Statement or any amendment thereto will not be subject to review, shall file a request for acceleration of effectiveness of such Registration Statement (to the extent required for such Registration Statement or amendment to become effective, by declaration or ordering of effectiveness, of such Registration Statement or amendment by the SEC) to a time and date not later than two (2) Business Days after the submission of such request. No later than the first Business Day after the Registration Statement becomes effective, the Company shall file with the SEC the final Prospectus included in the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 424 (or successor thereto) under the Securities Act.
d. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to (i) register and qualify, in any jurisdiction where registration and/or qualification is required, the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statements under such other securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Required Investors shall reasonably request, (ii) prepare and file in those jurisdictions such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be reasonably necessary to maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, and (iii) take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities during the Registrable Period; except that in no event shall the Company be required to qualify to do
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business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction where it would not, but for the requirements of this paragraph (d), be required to be so qualified, to subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction or to consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction, except where the Company is then already required to be so qualified, already subject to taxation or required to consent to general service of process.
e. As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event, the Company shall notify each Investor that holds Registrable Securities of the happening of any event, of which the Company has knowledge, as a result of which the Prospectus included in any Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and, subject to Section 3(k), shall use its reasonable best efforts to promptly prepare a supplement or amendment to any Registration Statement to correct such untrue statement or omission, and deliver such number of copies of such supplement or amendment to each Investor as such Investor may reasonably request.
f. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of any Registration Statement and, if such an order is issued, to obtain the withdrawal of such order as promptly as reasonably practicable and to notify each Investor that holds Registrable Securities (and, in the event of an underwritten offering, the managing underwriters) of the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof, in each case as promptly as reasonably practicable.
g. The Company shall permit one outside legal counsel designated by the Required Investors (which shall be Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP (Attn: Mark D. Wood) or such other counsel as shall have been designated by the Required Investors) (“Legal Counsel”) to review such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements thereto (as well as all requests for acceleration or effectiveness thereof but excluding the Company’s filings under the Exchange Act), a reasonable period of time prior to their filing with the SEC (not less than two (2) Business Days prior to such filing) and not file any documents in a form to which Legal Counsel reasonably objects.
h. So long as any Registrable Securities are held by Investors, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause all the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange on which securities of the same class or series issued by the Company are then listed.
i. The Company shall cooperate with each Investor that holds Registrable Securities being offered to facilitate the timely (i) preparation and delivery of certificates (not bearing any restrictive legends) representing Registrable Securities to be offered pursuant to such Registration Statement and enable such certificates to be registered in such names and in such denominations or amounts, as the case may be, or (ii) crediting of the Registrable Securities to be offered pursuant to a Registration Statement to the applicable account (or accounts) with The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) system, in any such case as such Investor may reasonably request. Without limiting the foregoing, in connection with any sale of Registrable Securities, the Company shall deliver, and
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if required by the transfer agent, shall cause legal counsel selected by the Company to deliver, to the transfer agent for the Registrable Securities (with copies to each Investor) an appropriate instruction and an opinion of such counsel in the form required by the transfer agent in order to issue or transfer (as applicable) the Registrable Securities free of restrictive legends. If required by the FINRA Corporate Financing Department, the Company shall cooperate with the Investors in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA.
j. If at any time the SEC advises the Company in writing that the offering of some or all of the Registrable Securities in a Registration Statement is not eligible to be made on a delayed or continuous basis under the provisions of Rule 415 under the Securities Act, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to persuade the SEC that the offering contemplated by a Registration Statement is a bona fide secondary offering and not an offering “by or on behalf of the issuer” as defined in Rule 415 and that none of the Investors is an “underwriter.” No such written submission shall be made to the SEC to which any Investor’s counsel reasonably objects. In the event that, despite the Company’s reasonable best efforts and compliance with the terms of this Section 3(j), the SEC refuses to alter its position, the Company shall remove from the Registration Statement such portion of the Registrable Securities as the SEC requires in writing be removed therefrom. Any such cut-back imposed by the SEC as contemplated by this Section 3(j) shall be imposed on a pro rata basis (based upon the Registrable Securities held by each of the Investors), except to the extent otherwise required by the SEC.
k. At any time after the effective date of the applicable Registration Statement, the Company may suspend the use of any prospectus forming a part of such Registration Statement if the Company determines that it would otherwise be required to disclose material non-public information concerning the Company, the disclosure of which (i) is not otherwise required and which the Company has a bona fide business purpose for preserving in confidence and (ii) at the time is not, in the good faith opinion of the Board of Directors of the Company and its counsel, in the best interests of the Company (the period of such suspension, a “Grace Period”); provided, that the Company shall (A) promptly notify the Investors in writing of the existence of material non-public information giving rise to a Grace Period (provided that in each notice the Company shall not disclose the content of such material non-public information to any Investor unless otherwise requested in writing by such Investor) and the date on which the Grace Period will begin, and (B) as soon as such date may be determined, promptly notify the Investors in writing of the date on which the Grace Period ends; and, provided, further, that (x) no Grace Period shall exceed thirty (30) consecutive days, (y) during any three hundred sixty-five (365) day period, such Grace Periods shall not exceed an aggregate of sixty (60) days, and (z) the first day of any Grace Period must be at least five (5) days after the last day of any prior Grace Period (each Grace Period that satisfies all of the requirements of this Section 3(k) being referred to as an “Allowable Grace Period”). For purposes of determining the length of a Grace Period above, the Grace Period shall begin on and include the date the Investors receive the notice referred to in clause (i) and shall end on and include the later of the date the Investors receive the notice referred to in clause (ii) and the date referred to in such notice. The provisions of Section 3(e) hereof shall not be applicable during the period of any Allowable Grace Period. Upon expiration of the Grace Period, the Company shall again be bound by the first sentence of Section 3(e) with
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respect to the information giving rise thereto unless such material non-public information is no longer applicable.
l. At all times during the Registration Period, (i) the Common Stock shall be eligible for clearing through DTC, through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) system; and (ii) the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Common Stock to not at any time be subject to any DTC “chill,” “freeze” or similar restriction with respect to any DTC services, including the clearing of shares of Common Stock through DTC, and, in the event the Common Stock becomes subject to any DTC “chill,” “freeze” or similar restriction with respect to any DTC services, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause any such “chill,” “freeze” or similar restriction to be removed at the earliest possible time.
4.OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTORS. In connection with the Registration of the Registrable Securities, each Investor shall have the following obligations:
a. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company to complete the Registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Registrable Securities of an Investor that such Investor shall furnish to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities held by it as shall be reasonably required to effect the Registration of such Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request. At least five (5) Business Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of a Registration Statement, the Company shall notify each Investor of the information the Company requires from such Investor. Any such information shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
b. Each Investor, by such Investor’s acceptance of the Registrable Securities, agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration Statement hereunder, unless such Investor has notified the Company in writing of such Investor’s election to exclude all of the Investor’s Registrable Securities from such Registration Statement.
5.EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION. All reasonable expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, incurred in connection with Registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Section 2, including all registration, listing and qualification fees, printers and accounting fees, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company shall be borne by the Company. The Company shall also reimburse the Investors for the reasonable fees and disbursements of Legal Counsel in the aggregate amount of up to $25,000 per Registration in connection with Registrations pursuant to Section 2 or 3 of this Agreement.
6.INDEMNIFICATION. In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a Registration Statement under this Agreement:
a. The Company will indemnify, hold harmless and defend (i) each Investor and (ii) the directors, officers, partners, managers, members, employees and agents of each Investor, and
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each Person who controls any Investor within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, if any, (each, an “Indemnified Person”), against any joint or several losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (collectively, together with actions, proceedings or inquiries by any regulatory or self-regulatory organization, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof, “Claims”) to which any of them may become subject insofar as such Claims arise out of or are based upon: (A) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact in any Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (B) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading (the matters in the foregoing clauses (A) through (B) being, collectively, “Violations”). The Company shall reimburse the Indemnified Person, promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any reasonable legal fees and other reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a) shall not apply to a Claim arising out of or based upon a Violation to the extent that such Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with the preparation of such Registration Statement or related Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or to any amounts paid in settlement of any Claim effected without the prior written consent of the Company. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by any of the Investors pursuant to Section 9.
b. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action (including any governmental action), such Indemnified Person shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company under this Section 6, deliver to the Company a written notice of the commencement thereof, and the Company shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the Company so desires, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the Company and the Indemnified Person, as the case may be; provided, however, that an Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the reasonable fees and expenses to be paid by the Company, if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for such Indemnified Person, the representation by such counsel of the Indemnified Person and the Company would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such Indemnified Person and any other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. The Company shall pay for only one separate legal counsel (plus one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction) for the Indemnified Persons, and such legal counsel shall be selected by the Required Investors. The failure to deliver written notice to the Company within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve the Company of any liability to the Indemnified Person under this Section 6, except to the extent that the Company is actually prejudiced by such failure in its ability to defend such action, and shall not relieve the Company of any liability to the Indemnified Person otherwise than pursuant to this Section 6. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified
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Persons, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise with respect to any Claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be or has been sought hereunder (whether or not any such Indemnified Person is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to the Indemnified Persons of a full release from all liability with respect to such Claim or which includes any admission as to fault, culpability or failure to act on the part of any Indemnified Person. The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as any expense, loss, damage or liability is incurred.
c. Each Investor, severally and not jointly, will indemnify, hold harmless and defend (i) the Company, and (ii) the directors, officers, partners, managers, members, employees and agents of the Company, if any (including the Company, each, a “Company Indemnified Person”), against any Claims to which any of them may become subject insofar as such Claims arise out of or are based upon any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any other law, including any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder relating to the offer or sale of the Registrable Securities, which occurs due to the inclusion by the Company in a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, of false or misleading information about such Investor, where such information was furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of such Investor expressly for the purpose of inclusion in such Registration Statement or Prospectus. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(c) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior written consent of the Required Investors, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed; and provided, further, however, that an Investor shall be liable under this Section 6(c) for only that amount of a Claim as does not exceed the net amount of proceeds received by such Investor as a result of the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.
d. Promptly after receipt by the Company Indemnified Person under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action (including any governmental action), such Company Indemnified Person shall, if a Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any Investor under this Section 6, deliver to such Investor a written notice of the commencement thereof, and such Investor shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent such Investor so desires, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to such Investor and such Company Indemnified Person; provided, however, that the Company Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the reasonable fees and expenses to be paid by the Investor, if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel of such Company Indemnified Person, the representation by such counsel of such Company Indemnified Person and the Investor would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such Company Indemnified Person and any other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. The investor shall pay for only one separate legal counsel (plus one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction) for such Company Indemnified Person, and such legal counsel shall be selected by the such Company Indemnified Person. The failure to deliver written notice to the Investor within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve the Investor of any
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liability to such Company Indemnified Person under this Section 6, except to the extent that the Investor is actually prejudiced by such failure in its ability to defend such action, and shall not relieve the Investor of any liability to the Company Indemnified Person otherwise than pursuant to this Section 6. The Investor shall not, without the prior written consent of such Company Indemnified Persons, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise with respect to any Claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be or has been sought hereunder (whether or not such Company Indemnified Person is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Company Indemnified Persons of a full release from all liability with respect to such Claim or which includes any admission as to fault, culpability or failure to act on the part of the Company Indemnified Person. The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as any expense, loss, damage or liability is incurred.
7.CONTRIBUTION. If for any reason the indemnification provided for in Section 6(a) or 6(c) (as applicable) is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or Company Indemnified Person (as applicable) or insufficient to hold it harmless, other than as expressly specified therein, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Indemnified Person or Company Indemnified Person (as applicable) as a result of the Claim in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnified Person or Company Indemnified Person (as applicable) and the indemnifying party (provided that the relative fault of any Company Indemnified Person shall be deemed to include the fault of all other Company Indemnified Persons), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from any Person not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. In no event shall the contribution obligation of an Investor be greater in amount than the net amount of proceeds received by such Investor as a result of the sale of Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution obligation pursuant to the applicable Registration Statement (net of the aggregate amount of any damages or other amounts such Investor has otherwise been required to pay (pursuant to Section 6(c) or otherwise) by reason of such Investor’s untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission).
8.REPORTS UNDER THE 1934 ACT. With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act or any other similar rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit the Investors to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration, the Company agrees to:
a. make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144;
b. file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Exchange Act so long as the Company remains subject to such requirements and the filing of such reports and other documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144; and
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c. so long as any of the Investors owns Registrable Securities, as soon as reasonably practicable upon request, furnish to such Investor a written statement by the Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act as required for applicable provisions of Rule 144.
9.ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS. No Investor may assign or delegate such Investor’s rights, duties or obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the Company. The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder, except (A) to a Successor Company (within the meanings of the Indenture) that has assumed the Company’s obligations under the Indenture and (B) after obtaining the prior written consent of the Required Investors.
10.AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS. Provisions of this Agreement may be amended and the observance thereof may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), only with written consent of the Company and the Required Investors. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be binding upon each of the Investors and the Company.
11.MISCELLANEOUS.
a. A Person is deemed to hold, and be a holder of, shares of Common Stock or other Registrable Securities whenever such Person owns of record or beneficially through a “street name” holder such shares of Common Stock or other Registrable Securities (or the Notes upon conversion of which such Registrable Securities are directly or indirectly issuable, disregarding for such purpose any condition to the exercise of conversion rights under the Indenture, and without giving effect to the Conversion Share Cap or any other limitation on conversion of the Notes, and assuming for such purpose that all conversions of the Notes will be settled by Physical Settlement), and solely for purposes hereof, Registrable Securities shall be deemed outstanding to the extent they are directly or indirectly issuable upon conversion of the Notes, disregarding for such purpose any condition to the exercise of conversion rights under the Indenture, and without giving effect to the Conversion Share Cap or any other limitation on conversion of the Notes, and assuming for such purpose that all conversions of the Notes will be settled by Physical Settlement. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or elections from two or more Persons with respect to the same Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or election received from the registered owner of such Registrable Securities (or the Notes).
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b. Any notices required or permitted to be given under the terms hereof shall be delivered personally or by courier (including a recognized overnight delivery service) or by electronic mail and shall be effective upon receipt, in each case addressed to a party. The addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
105 Westwood Place, Suite 400
Brentwood, TN 37027
Attention: General Counsel
Email: [email protected]
With a copy to:
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
One Manhattan West
New York, NY 10001
Attention: Michael Schwartz
Email: [email protected]
If to an Investor, to the address set forth in such Investor’s signature page to this Agreement and, in each case, with a copy to:
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
525 W. Monroe Street
Chicago, Illinois 60661
Attention: Mark D. Wood and Jonathan D. Weiner
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
The Company shall provide notice to each Investor, and each Investor shall provide notice to the Company, of any change in such party’s address.
c. Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
d. Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof that would result in the application of the substantive laws of any other jurisdiction. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan (and, in each case, the applicable state and federal appeals courts sitting in the City
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of New York or, if not available or applicable, the State of New York). Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. The parties hereby waive all rights to a trial by jury.
e. This Agreement, the Notes, the Exchange Agreement, the Indenture and the other Transaction Documents (as defined in the Exchange Agreement) (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”), constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents (including all schedules and exhibits hereto and thereto) supersede all prior agreements and understandings among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.
f. Subject to the requirements of Section 9 hereof, this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties hereto, and the provisions of Sections 6 and 7 hereof shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, each Indemnified Person and Company Indemnified Person (as applicable).
g. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
h. This Agreement and any amendments hereto may be executed and delivered in two or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party hereto and delivered to the other parties hereto, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature to this Agreement or any amendment hereto is delivered by facsimile transmission, by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file or by other electronic means, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile, “.pdf” or other electronic signature page were an original thereof. No party hereto shall raise the use of a facsimile machine, e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file or other electronic means to deliver a signature to this Agreement or any amendment hereto or the fact that such signature was transmitted or communicated through the use of a facsimile machine, e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file or other electronic means as a defense to the formation or enforceability of a contract, and each party hereto forever waives any such defense.
i. The Company shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the Investors may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
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j. Each party recognizes and acknowledges that any breach of covenants or other commitments contained in this Agreement may cause the other party to sustain injury or irreparable harm for which it would not have an adequate remedy at law for monetary damages. Therefore, each party agrees that in the event of any such breach, the other party shall be entitled to the remedy of specific performance of such covenants or commitments and preliminary and permanent injunctive and other equitable relief in addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled, at law or in equity, and the parties further agree to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with the obtaining of any such injunctive or other equitable relief.
k. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction will be applied against any party.
l. In the event that any provision of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of law, then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the extent that it may conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform with such statute or rule of law. Any provision hereof which may prove invalid or unenforceable under any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision hereof.
m. There shall be no oral modifications or amendments to this Agreement. This Agreement may be modified or amended only in writing signed by the Company and the Required Investors, and any amendment or modification so adopted shall be binding upon all of the Investors.
n. The obligations of each Investor hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Investor, and no provision of this Agreement (or any other Transaction Document) is intended to confer any obligations on any Investor vis-à-vis any other Investor. Nothing contained herein (or in any Transaction Document), and no action taken by any Investor pursuant hereto (or thereto), shall be deemed to constitute the Investors as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Investors are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated herein (or therein).
o. When a reference is made in this Agreement to a Section, such reference shall be to a Section of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. Whenever the words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement unless the context requires otherwise. The words “date hereof’ when used in this Agreement shall refer to the date of this Agreement. The terms “or,” “any” and “either” are not exclusive. The word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” shall mean the degree to which a subject or other thing extends, and such phrase shall not mean simply “if.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” All terms defined in this Agreement shall have the defined meanings when used in any document made or delivered pursuant hereto unless
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otherwise defined therein. The definitions contained in this Agreement are applicable to the singular as well as the plural forms of such terms and to the masculine as well as to the feminine and neuter genders of such term. Any agreement, instrument or statute defined or referred to herein or in any agreement or instrument that is referred to herein means such agreement, instrument or statute as from time to time amended, modified or supplemented, including (in the case of agreements or instruments) by waiver or consent and (in the case of statutes) by succession of comparable successor statutes and references to all attachments thereto and instruments incorporated therein. Unless otherwise specifically indicated, all references to “dollars” or “$” shall refer to, and all payments hereunder shall be made in, the lawful money of the United States. References to a Person are also to its successors and permitted assigns. When calculating the period of time between which, within which or following which any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to this Agreement, the date that is the reference date in calculating such period shall be excluded (and, unless otherwise required by law, if the last day of such period is not a Business Day, the period in question shall end on the next succeeding Business Day).
[Remainder of page left intentionally blank]
[Signature page follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Investors and the Company have caused this Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
COMPANY: BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC. By: Name: Title: | |||||
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Investors and the Company have caused this Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
INVESTORS: DEERFIELD PARTNERS, L.P. By: Deerfield Mgmt, L.P., Its General Partner By: J.E. Flynn Capital, LLC, Its General Partner By: ______________________________________ Name: David Clark Title: Authorized Signatory | |||||
Deerfield Partners, L.P.
345 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
Attn: David J. Clark
E-mail: [email protected]
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
525 West Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60661
Attn: Mark D. Wood and Jonathan D. Weiner
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Investors and the Company have caused this Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
INVESTORS: [●] ______________________________________ Name: Title: | |||||
[●]
[●]
[●]
Attn: [●]
E-mail: [●]
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Investors and the Company have caused this Registration Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
INVESTORS: [●] ______________________________________ Name: Title: | |||||
[●]
[●]
[●]
Attn: [●]
E-mail: [●]
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT]
Exhibit 99.1
Brookdale Senior Living to acquire 41 currently leased communities
Announces private convertible senior notes transaction through exchange and new subscription agreements
Transactions accretive to 2025 Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Free Cash Flow
Nashville, Tenn., September 30, 2024 - Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE: BKD) ("Brookdale" or the "Company") announced today that in a financing led by Deerfield Management, the Company is successfully addressing 83% of all 2026 debt maturities and is securing capital to support immediately accretive acquisition opportunities. The Company also announced the successful refinancing of its 2025 agency debt maturity at a favorable rate.
TRANSACTIONS HIGHLIGHTS
Acquisition Transactions
•Through a series of privately negotiated, off-market transactions, Brookdale entered into agreements to acquire 41 communities (2,789 units) from three current triple-net lease portfolios for a combined purchase price of $610 million.
•With aggregate weighted average occupancy above Company average and positive trailing-twelve month lease coverage, ownership of acquired communities enables Brookdale to fully capitalize on the unprecedented multi-year senior living growth opportunity, and provides immediate value-creation through a more favorable capital structure.
•Acquisitions are expected to be funded through an assumption of existing below-market rate debt, net proceeds from the sale of a newly issued series of convertible senior notes, proceeds from non-recourse mortgage financing on certain of the assets, and cash on hand.
•The Company expects these transactions to reduce 2025 cash lease payments by $47 million, to improve 2025 Adjusted EBITDA1 by $33 million, and after giving effect to expected financings, to improve 2025 Adjusted Free Cash Flow1 by an estimated $15 million.
•By acquiring these portfolios, Brookdale will realize predictable high-yield returns from improved capitalization terms.
•Subsequent to these transactions, Brookdale will own 66% of its consolidated units, marking another significant step in the Company’s ongoing efforts to increase its owned real estate portfolio.
Financing Transactions
Convertible Senior Notes
•The Company has entered into privately negotiated agreements with certain of the holders of its Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the “2026 Notes”) to exchange an aggregate of approximately $207 million of its existing 2026 Notes for a newly issued series of 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029 (the “2029 New Notes”).
oThese agreements opportunistically extend a substantial portion of the 2026 debt maturities to 2029 with an approximate $9.00 conversion price for the 2029 New Notes compared to the approximate $8.10 conversion price for the 2026 Notes.
•In a private transaction with Deerfield Management Company and Flat Footed, LLC, the Company will also sell $150 million principal amount of 2029 New Notes to partially fund the acquisition transactions set forth above.
oThis efficiently priced capital will support meaningful value-creating opportunities through these acquisitions.
2025 Mortgage Debt Maturity
•The Company completed a $182 million agency financing transaction and proactively repaid $197 million of debt which was scheduled to mature in September 2025.
oThe closing of this transaction will result in no remaining debt maturities without extension options through June 2026.
The forward-twelve month annualized leverage impact from these transactions is not expected to be material.
1 Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Free Cash Flow are financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with GAAP. See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" for the Company's definition of such measures and other important information regarding the reconciliations of the Company's non-GAAP financial measures.
Page 1
“As a result of continued proactive management of our portfolio and capital structure, I am incredibly proud to announce our planned acquisition of 41 leased communities. The immediate and long-term benefits of these real estate transactions are wide-ranging, including future portfolio flexibility that comes through asset ownership, the opportunity to fully realize the long-term benefits of the powerful senior housing outlook, and following closing, the expected immediate improvement in Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Free Cash Flow from a lower-cost capital structure,” said Lucinda ("Cindy") Baier, Brookdale’s President and CEO. “We appreciate Welltower, their JV partners, and DHC for their partnership on these transactions as they highlight the importance of maintaining collaborative relationships with our REIT partners as we continually strive to further enhance shareholder value.”
“We are also grateful to Deerfield and Flat Footed, who have been strong supporters of Brookdale for years, for their continued confidence in Brookdale and our long-term growth outlook. With the demonstrated commitment from these and other shareholders, we proactively addressed a significant portion of our 2026 debt maturities and secured funding for value-creating acquisitions at an attractive rate,” said Baier.
“Over the next decade, there will be an extraordinary rise in the number of people who are aged 80 or older while the supply of senior living communities continues to remain relatively static,” commented Vince Mellet, Partner at Deerfield. “The need for high-quality operators such as Brookdale Senior Living is apparent and its growth to support future demand is essential. We are pleased to be able to play a role in strengthening the company’s position.”
TRANSACTIONS DETAILS
The Company has entered into definitive agreements to acquire three portfolios of senior living communities that are currently leased by the Company. Through ownership of these communities, the Company will gain portfolio management flexibility that is not present in a leased structure, providing additional opportunities to further enhance shareholder value. These transactions are expected to close by year-end, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions for real estate transactions.
International JV / Welltower Portfolio Acquisition
The Company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 11 senior living communities (1,228 units) from a joint venture between Welltower Inc. and its joint venture partners for a purchase price of $300 million. As part of this transaction, the Company will assume $195 million of existing 4.92% fixed rate agency debt which is scheduled to mature in March 2027. Currently, these communities are held in a triple-net lease with annualized current cash rent payments of $22 million and a current maturity of August 31, 2028. This portfolio of communities is largely on the west coast, including several communities in and around Seattle (WA) as well as a highly affluent Bay Area (CA) community. The portfolio is comprised of 470 independent living units, 723 assisted living units, and 36 memory care units with weighted average portfolio occupancy of approximately 80%. In 2019, these communities operated at a weighted average occupancy of 88%, reflecting an opportunity to enhance long-term value creation for the benefit of the Company and its shareholders.
Welltower Portfolio Acquisition
The Company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire five senior living communities (686 units) from Welltower Inc. for a purchase price of $175 million. Currently, these communities are held in a triple-net lease with annualized current cash rent payments of $13 million and a current maturity of December 31, 2024. This portfolio of communities is largely located in affluent or very affluent markets, including Nashville (TN), Overland Park (KS), and Denver (CO). In total, the portfolio is comprised of 270 independent living units, 170 assisted living units, 152 memory care units, and 94 skilled nursing units with weighted average portfolio occupancy greater than 90%. The acquisition purchase price, including the benefit of a favorable purchase option discount, also reflects a significant discount to the Company’s estimate of replacement cost.
Diversified Healthcare Trust Portfolio Acquisition
The Company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 25 senior living communities (875 units) from Diversified Healthcare Trust for a purchase price of $135 million. Currently, these communities are held in a triple-net lease with annualized current cash rent payments of $10 million and a current maturity of December 31, 2032. This portfolio’s communities are diversely located, range in size from 19 units to 92 units, and include a total of 556 assisted living units and 319 memory care units with weighted average portfolio occupancy of approximately 80%.
Convertible Senior Notes
The privately negotiated agreements with certain holders of the 2026 Notes provide that the Company will issue approximately $369 million principal amount of the 2029 New Notes. Approximately $219 million principal amount of the 2029 New Notes will be issued in exchange for approximately $207 million principal amount of the 2026 Notes and $150 million principal amount of the 2029 New Notes will
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be issued for cash. The issuance of the 2029 New Notes is expected to close on October 3, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. Following the closing, approximately $23 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes will remain outstanding with the terms unchanged.
The 2029 New Notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of the Company, and interest will be payable semi-annually in arrears at a rate of 3.50% per annum. The 2029 New Notes will mature on October 15, 2029, unless earlier repurchased or converted. The conversion price for the 2029 New Notes will initially be approximately $9.00, which represents a premium of approximately 37% over the closing price of the Company’s common stock on September 27, 2024.
The Company anticipates the net cash proceeds from the issuance of the 2029 New Notes will be approximately $135 million, after subtracting fees, discounts, and estimated expenses in connection with the financings. The Company intends to use the proceeds to fund the acquisitions noted above and for general corporate purposes.
Additional information regarding this announcement may be found in a Current Report on Form 8-K that the Company intends to file today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
This announcement is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities (including the shares of Company common stock, if any, to which the 2029 New Notes are convertible) and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation, or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale is unlawful.
The 2029 New Notes and any shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the 2029 New Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.
2025 Mortgage Debt Maturity
In September 2024, the Company obtained $182.5 million of debt secured by first priority mortgages on 16 communities. The loan bears interest at a fixed rate of 5.67% and is interest only for the first two years. The debt matures in October 2029. At the closing, the Company repaid $197.1 million of outstanding mortgage debt, which was scheduled to mature in September 2025, using proceeds from the $182.5 million debt and cash on hand. The closing of this transaction results in no remaining debt maturities without extension options through June 2026.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
This press release contains the financial measures Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Free Cash Flow, which are not calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). Presentations of these non-GAAP financial measures are intended to aid investors in better understanding the factors and trends affecting the Company’s performance and liquidity. However, investors should not consider these non-GAAP financial measures as a substitute for financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP, including net income (loss), income (loss) from operations, or net cash provided by (used in) operating activities. The Company cautions investors that amounts presented in accordance with the Company’s definitions of these non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similar measures disclosed by other companies because not all companies calculate non-GAAP measures in the same manner.
Reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures included in this press release to the most comparable GAAP financial measure is not available without unreasonable effort due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting the timing or amounts of items required to reconcile Adjusted EBITDA from the Company's net income (loss) and Adjusted Free Cash Flow to net cash provided (used in) operating activities. Variability in the timing or amounts of items required to reconcile the measure may have a significant impact on the Company's future GAAP results.
Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP performance measure that the Company defines as net income (loss) excluding: benefit/provision for income taxes, non-operating income/expense items, and depreciation and amortization; and further adjusted to exclude income/expense associated with non-cash, non-operational, transactional, cost reduction, or organizational restructuring items that management does not consider as part of the Company’s underlying core operating performance and that management believes impact the comparability of performance between periods. In recent periods, such other items include non-cash impairment charges, operating lease expense adjustment, non-cash stock-based compensation expense, and transaction and organizational restructuring costs. Transaction costs include those directly related to acquisition, disposition, financing, and leasing activity, and are primarily comprised of legal, finance,
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consulting, professional fees, and other third-party costs. Organizational restructuring costs include those related to the Company’s efforts to reduce general and administrative expense and its senior leadership changes, including severance.
Adjusted EBITDA has material limitations as a performance measure, including: (i) excluded interest and income tax are necessary to operate the Company’s business under its current financing and capital structure; (ii) excluded depreciation, amortization, and impairment charges may represent the wear and tear and/or reduction in value of the Company’s communities, goodwill, and other assets and may be indicative of future needs for capital expenditures; and (iii) the Company may incur income/expense similar to those for which adjustments are made, such as gain/loss on sale of assets, facility operating lease termination, or debt modification and extinguishment, non-cash stock-based compensation expense, and transaction and other costs, and such income/expense may significantly affect the Company’s operating results.
Adjusted Free Cash Flow
Adjusted Free Cash Flow is a non-GAAP liquidity measure that the Company defines as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities before: distributions from unconsolidated ventures from cumulative share of net earnings, changes in prepaid insurance premiums financed with notes payable, changes in operating lease assets and liabilities for lease termination, cash paid/received for gain/loss on facility operating lease termination, and lessor capital expenditure reimbursements under operating leases; plus: property and casualty insurance proceeds and proceeds from refundable entrance fees, net of refunds; less: non-development capital expenditures and payment of financing lease obligations. Non-development capital expenditures are comprised of corporate and community-level capital expenditures, including those related to maintenance, renovations, upgrades, and other major building infrastructure projects for the Company’s communities and is presented net of lessor reimbursements. Non-development capital expenditures do not include capital expenditures for: community expansions, major community redevelopment and repositioning projects, and the development of new communities.
Adjusted Free Cash Flow has material limitations as a liquidity measure, including: (i) it does not represent cash available for dividends, share repurchases, or discretionary expenditures since certain non-discretionary expenditures, including mandatory debt principal payments, are not reflected in this measure; (ii) the cash portion of non-recurring charges related to gain/loss on facility lease termination generally represent charges/gains that may significantly affect the Company’s liquidity; and (iii) the impact of timing of cash expenditures, including the timing of non-development capital expenditures, limits the usefulness of the measure for short-term comparisons.
ABOUT BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING
Brookdale Senior Living Inc. is the nation’s premier operator of senior living communities. The Company is committed to its mission of enriching the lives of the people it serves with compassion, respect, excellence, and integrity. The Company, through its affiliates, operates independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities. Through its comprehensive network, Brookdale helps to provide seniors with care, connection, and services in an environment that feels like home. The Company’s expertise in healthcare, hospitality, and real estate provides residents with opportunities to improve wellness, pursue passions, make new friends, and stay connected with loved ones. Brookdale, through its affiliates, operates and manages 649 communities in 41 states as of June 30, 2024, with the ability to serve approximately 59,000 residents. Brookdale's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BKD. For more information, visit brookdale.com or connect with Brookdale on Facebook at facebook.com/brookdaleseniorliving or YouTube at youtube.com/BrookdaleLiving.
SAFE HARBOR
Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and include all statements that are not historical statements of fact and those regarding the Company's intent, belief, or expectations. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "would," "potential," "intend," "expect," "endeavor," "seek," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "project," "predict," "continue," "plan," "target," or other similar words or expressions, and include statements regarding the Company's expected financial and operational results. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations, and the Company's ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Although the Company believes that expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its assumptions or expectations will be attained and actual results and performance could differ materially from those projected. Factors which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's operations and future prospects or which could cause events or circumstances to differ from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to complete pending or expected transactions on agreed upon terms or at all, including in respect of the satisfaction of closing conditions, such as the ability to obtain financing or regulatory approvals, and uncertainties as to the timing of
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closing; disruptions in the financial markets or decreases in the appraised values or performance of the Company's communities that affect the Company's ability to obtain financing or extend or refinance debt as it matures and the Company's financing costs; the Company's ability to obtain additional capital on terms acceptable to it; as well as other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in such SEC filings. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements, which reflect management's views as of the date of this press release. The Company cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and, except as required by law, it expressly disclaims any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any statement is based.
CONTACT
Jessica Hazel
VP Investor Relations
(615) 564-8104
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