Hershey Co S-3ASR, filed May 28, 2024
Hershey Co (HSY)
S-3ASR
2024-05-28
View Original
Added on
October 15, 2026
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 28, 2024
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
THE HERSHEY COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | 23-0691590 (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) | ||||
19 East Chocolate Avenue
Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
(717) 534-4200
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
James Turoff
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
The Hershey Company
19 East Chocolate Avenue
Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
(717) 534-4200
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
With copies to:
J. Steven Patterson, Esq. Courtney Cochran Butler
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
2200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. 600 Travis, Suite 4200
Washington, D.C. 20037 Houston, Texas 77002
(202) 955-1500 (713) 220-4200
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ¨
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. x
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. x
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | x | Accelerated filer | ¨ | Non-accelerated filer | ¨ | Smaller reporting company | ¨ | Emerging growth company | ¨ | ||||||||||||||||||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act. ¨
PROSPECTUS
Debt Securities
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We may offer and sell our debt securities (the “Debt Securities”) from time to time in amounts, at prices and on other terms to be determined at the time of offering. The Debt Securities may be issued in one or more series with the same or various maturities. The particular terms of the Debt Securities that may be offered from time to time will be described in the prospectus supplement related to such offering (the “Prospectus Supplement”). If indicated in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, the terms of the Debt Securities offered thereby may differ from the terms summarized in this prospectus (this “Prospectus”).
We may supplement, update or change any of the information contained in this Prospectus by incorporating information by reference in this Prospectus. Any Prospectus Supplement may also add, update, or change information contained in this Prospectus. You should read this Prospectus, any accompanying Prospectus Supplement and any incorporated documents carefully before you invest.
We may offer and sell the Debt Securities, on a continuous or delayed basis, to or through one or more underwriters, dealers, agents or other third parties or directly to purchasers, as described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. See “Plan of Distribution” for additional information.
This Prospectus may not be used to sell Debt Securities unless it is accompanied by a Prospectus Supplement.
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Investing in our Debt Securities involves risks. Before you invest in any series of our Debt Securities, you should consider carefully the risk referred to under “Risk Factors” on page 6 of this Prospectus, which risks are incorporated by reference into this Prospectus from our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In addition, the Prospectus Supplement relating to an offering of our Debt Securities may also discuss certain risks that are particular to investing in the Debt Securities offered thereby. You should carefully consider all such risks before investing in our Debt Securities.
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NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
The date of this Prospectus is May 28, 2024.
No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus, any accompanying Prospectus Supplement or any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us, which we refer to as a free writing prospectus, and, if given or made, such information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Debt Securities or an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Debt Securities in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale made under this Prospectus shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that the information contained herein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date of such information.
Unless otherwise specified or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this Prospectus to “Hershey,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company” refer to The Hershey Company and its subsidiaries.
Table of Contents
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Forward-Looking Statement Safe Harbor
We are subject to changing economic, competitive, regulatory and technological risks and uncertainties that could have a material impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations. In connection with the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, we note the following factors that, among others, could cause future results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, expectations and assumptions that we have discussed directly or implied in this Prospectus. Many of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “strategy,” “target” and similar terms, and future or conditional tense verbs like “could,” “may,” “might,” “should,” “will” and “would,” among others.
The factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results projected in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to the following:
•Our Company’s reputation or brand image might be impacted as a result of issues or concerns relating to the quality and safety of our products, ingredients or packaging, human and workplace rights, and other environmental, social or governance matters, which in turn could result in litigation or otherwise negatively impact our operating results;
•Disruption to our manufacturing operations or supply chain could impair our ability to produce or deliver finished products, resulting in a negative impact on our operating results;
•We might not be able to hire, engage and retain the talented global human capital we need to drive our growth strategies;
•Risks associated with climate change and other environmental impacts, and increased focus and evolving views of our customers, stockholders and other stakeholders on climate change issues, could negatively affect our business and operations;
•Increases in raw material and energy costs, along with the availability of adequate supplies of raw materials and our ability to successfully hedge against volatility in raw material pricing, could affect future financial results;
•Price increases may not be sufficient to offset cost increases and maintain profitability or may result in sales volume declines associated with pricing elasticity;
•Market demand for new and existing products could decline;
•Increased marketplace competition could hurt our business;
•Our financial results may be adversely impacted by the failure to successfully execute or integrate acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures;
•Our international operations may not achieve projected growth objectives, which could adversely impact our overall business and results of operations;
•We may not fully realize the expected cost savings and/or operating efficiencies associated with our strategic initiatives or restructuring programs, which may have an adverse impact on our business;
•Changes in governmental laws and regulations could increase our costs and liabilities or impact demand for our products;
•Political, economic and/or financial market conditions, including impacts on our business arising from armed conflict or geopolitical instability (such as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza strip), could negatively impact our financial results
•Disruptions, failures or security breaches of our information technology infrastructure could have a negative impact on our operations;
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•Complications with the design, implementation or usage of our new enterprise resource planning system, including the ability to support post-implementation efforts and maintain enhancements, new features or modifications, could adversely impact our business and operations; and
•Such other matters as discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2024.
Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Prospectus or as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update our forward-looking statements.
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Where You Can Find More Information
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and, in accordance therewith, file or furnish annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The SEC maintains an Internet site at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC, including us. You may also obtain a copy of any of our SEC filings, free of charge, from the Investors section of our website at www.thehersheycompany.com as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Information contained on, or that is accessible through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, and you should not consider such information as part of this Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) with respect to the Debt Securities. This Prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement, certain parts of which have been omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. Reference is made to the Registration Statement and to the exhibits relating thereto for further information with respect to us and the Debt Securities.
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Documents Incorporated by Reference
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this Prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents that we file with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this Prospectus, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the previously filed information. We incorporate by reference the following documents that we have filed with the SEC (File No. 001-00183), unless otherwise indicated herein:
(a)Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed on February 20, 2024, including the information specifically incorporated by reference in our Annual Report on Form 10-K from our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on March 26, 2024;
(b)Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, filed on May 3, 2024; and
(c)Our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed on May 3, 2024, May 6, 2024, May 8, 2024 and May 23, 2024.
We will not, however, incorporate by reference in this Prospectus any documents or portions thereof that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of our Current Reports on Form 8-K or Form 8-K/A, including any financial statements or exhibits related thereto and furnished pursuant to Item 9.01, after the date of this Prospectus unless, and except to the extent, specified in such Current Reports.
All documents we file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus so long as the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus is a part remains effective. Such documents shall be deemed to be a part of this Prospectus from the date of their filing. We may file one or more Current Reports on Form 8-K specifically in connection with an offering of the Debt Securities in order to incorporate by reference in this Prospectus or the applicable Prospectus Supplement information concerning The Hershey Company, the terms and conditions of the Debt Securities offered thereby or the offering of such Debt Securities to you. When we use the term “Prospectus” in this Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement, we are referring to this Prospectus as updated and supplemented by all information incorporated by reference herein from any Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Current Report on Form 8-K and any other documents incorporated by reference in this Prospectus as described above.
Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein or in any Prospectus Supplement modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
We will provide, without charge, a copy of any or all of the documents mentioned above to each person, including any beneficial owner, receiving this Prospectus who requests them in writing or by telephone. Requests for such copies should be addressed to The Hershey Company, Attn: Investor Relations Department, 19 East Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0810, Telephone: (717) 534-4200.
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The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 24, 1927 as a successor to a business founded in 1894 by Milton S. Hershey.
Hershey is a global confectionery leader known for bringing goodness to the world through chocolate, sweets, mints and other great tasting snacks. We are the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America, a leading snack maker in the United States and a global leader in chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery. We market, sell and distribute our products under more than 90 brand names in approximately 80 countries worldwide.
Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HSY.” Our principal executive offices are located at 19 East Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, and our telephone number is (717) 534-4200.
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Risk Factors
An investment in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider each of the risks described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on February 20, 2024 and updated in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on May 3, 2024, as such factors may be further updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, and all of the other information included or incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and any applicable Prospectus Supplement, before deciding to invest in any of our Debt Securities.
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Use of Proceeds
We currently have no plans for specific use of the net proceeds from the sale of the Debt Securities. We will specify the principal purposes for which the net proceeds from each offering will be used in the Prospectus Supplement related to such offering. Except as may be otherwise set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the net proceeds from the sale of the Debt Securities will be added to our general funds to meet capital additions and working capital requirements, to repay debt, to fund any pension liability requirements, to fund the repurchase of shares of our common stock and/or to fund acquisitions that we may make from time to time. Pending our use, we may invest such proceeds temporarily in cash equivalents and/or short-term marketable securities.
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Description of Debt Securities
Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement related to an offering, the Debt Securities offered hereby will be issuable in one or more series under the indenture dated as of May 14, 2009 (the “Indenture”) between us and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The following statements are subject to the detailed provisions of the Indenture, which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part. Wherever references are made to particular provisions of the Indenture or terms defined therein are referred to, such provisions or definitions are incorporated by reference as a part of the statements made and such statements are qualified in their entirety by such references.
General
The Indenture does not limit the amount of Debt Securities which may be issued thereunder. Except as described in “Covenants” below and as otherwise provided in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a particular series of Debt Securities and/or documents incorporated by reference, the Indenture does not limit the amount of other debt, secured or unsecured, which we may issue. We may issue the Debt Securities in one or more series, as we may authorize from time to time (Section 2.5).
Reference is made to the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Debt Securities and/or documents incorporated by reference for the following terms, where applicable, of the Debt Securities: (1) the designation, the aggregate principal amount and the authorized denominations of the Debt Securities; (2) the percentage of their principal amount at which the Debt Securities will be issued; (3) the currency or currencies (including composite currencies) in which the principal of and interest, if any, on the Debt Securities will be payable; (4) the date or dates on which the Debt Securities will mature; (5) the rate or rates at which the Debt Securities will bear interest, if any, or the method by which such rate or rates will be determined and the date or dates from which such interest will accrue; (6) the dates on which and places at which interest, if any, will be payable and the record dates for payment of such interest; (7) the terms of any mandatory or optional repayment or redemption (including any sinking fund); and (8) any other terms of the Debt Securities (Section 2.5). The Indenture provides that Debt Securities of a single series may be issued at various times, with different maturity dates and may bear interest at different rates (Section 2.5).
The Debt Securities will be our unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness and will rank on parity with all of our other unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness.
Debt Securities of a series may be issued in fully registered form or in the form of one or more global securities, (each a "Global Security") and, with regard to each series of Debt Securities in respect of which this Prospectus is being delivered or made available, in the denominations set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series and/or documents incorporated by reference. With regard to each series of Debt Securities, we will maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York and in such other place or places, if any, specified in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series and/or documents incorporated by reference, an office or agency where the Debt Securities of such series may be transferred or exchanged and may be presented for payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest; provided that if such securities are not Global Securities, at our option, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears in the register for the Debt Securities (Sections 2.2 and 3.2). No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of the Debt Securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith (Section 2.10).
Some of the Debt Securities may be issued as discounted Debt Securities (bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates) to be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. Such discounted Debt Securities will be treated as having been issued with original issue discount for United States federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 1273 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, if the discount is in excess of a minimum threshold amount. Federal income tax consequences and other special considerations applicable to any Debt Securities with original issue discount will be described in the Prospectus Supplement relating thereto and/or documents incorporated by reference.
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Definitions
“Attributable Debt” is defined, in brief, to mean, as to any lease under which any person is at the time liable, at any date as of which the amount thereof is to be determined, the total net amount of rent required to be paid by such person under such lease during the remaining term thereof (including in respect of contingent rents, amounts based on the amount thereof, if any, being paid on the date of determination and excluding amounts on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates and similar charges), discounted from the respective due dates thereof at the weighted average of the rates of interest (and Yields to Maturity, in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) borne by the Debt Securities then Outstanding, compounded annually (Section 1.1).
“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” is defined to mean the aggregate amount of assets (less applicable reserves and other properly deductible items) after deducting therefrom (a) all current liabilities (excluding any portion thereof constituting Funded Debt by reason of being renewable or extendible) and (b) all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles, all as set forth on our and our Domestic Subsidiaries’ most recent consolidated balance sheet, prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (Section 1.1).
“Debt” is defined to mean any notes, bonds, debentures or other similar evidences of indebtedness for money borrowed and does not include Attributable Debt (Section 1.1).
“Domestic Subsidiary” is defined to mean a subsidiary of ours except a subsidiary (a) which neither transacts any substantial portion of its business nor regularly maintains any substantial portion of its fixed assets within the States of the United States, or (b) the principal purpose of which is to engage in financing our operations or the operations of our subsidiaries, or both, outside the States of the United States (Section 1.1).
“Funded Debt” is defined to mean all indebtedness for money borrowed having a maturity of more than 12 months from the date as of which the amount thereof is to be determined or having a maturity of less than 12 months but by its terms being renewable or extendible beyond 12 months from such date at the option of the borrower (Section 1.1).
“Government Obligations” is defined to mean either (i) direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation of the United States of America, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof (Section 13.1).
“Mortgage” is defined to mean any pledge, mortgage, lien, encumbrance or security interest (Section 1.1).
“Original Issue Discount Security” is defined to mean any Security that provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to the Indenture (Section 1.1).
“Principal Domestic Operating Property” is defined, in brief, to mean any land or any facility (together with the land on which it is erected and fixtures comprising a part thereof) located in the United States used primarily for manufacturing, processing or production, owned or leased by us or any of our subsidiaries and having a gross book value in excess of 2% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets other than any such land, facility or portion thereof which in the opinion of our Board of Directors, is not of material importance to the total business conducted by us and our subsidiaries as an entity (Section 1.1).
“subsidiary” of our company, is defined to mean a corporation a majority of the outstanding voting stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by us and/or by one or more of our subsidiaries (Section 1.1).
Other capitalized terms used in this “Description of Debt Securities” have the meanings given them in the Indenture, unless otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise requires.
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Covenants
Limitation on Liens
If we or any Domestic Subsidiary shall incur, issue, assume or guarantee any Debt secured by a Mortgage on any Principal Domestic Operating Property or on any shares of stock or Debt, held by us or any Domestic Subsidiary, of any Domestic Subsidiary, we will secure, or cause such Domestic Subsidiary to secure, the Debt Securities equally and ratably with (or prior to) such Debt, unless after giving effect thereto the aggregate amount of all such Debt so secured together with all Attributable Debt in respect of sale and leaseback transactions involving Principal Domestic Operating Properties would not exceed 15% of our and our Domestic Subsidiaries’ Consolidated Net Tangible Assets. This restriction will not apply to, and there shall be excluded in computing secured Debt for the purpose of such restriction, Debt secured by (a) Mortgages on property of, or on any shares of stock or Debt of, any corporation existing at the time such corporation becomes a Domestic Subsidiary, (b) Mortgages in our favor or in favor of any Domestic Subsidiary, (c) Mortgages in favor of U.S. governmental bodies to secure progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or provision of any statute, (d) Mortgages on property, shares of stock or Debt existing at the time of acquisition thereof (including acquisition through merger or consolidation), purchase money Mortgages and construction cost Mortgages, and (e) any extension, renewal or refunding of any Mortgage referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) through (d), inclusive (Section 3.4). The Indenture will not restrict our or our subsidiaries’ ability to incur unsecured debt.
Merger and Consolidation
The Indenture provides that no consolidation or merger of our company with or into any other corporation and no sale or conveyance of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, may be made to another corporation if, as a result thereof, any Principal Domestic Operating Property or any shares of stock or Debt, held by us or any Domestic Subsidiary, of a Domestic Subsidiary would become subject to a Mortgage, unless either (i) the Debt Securities shall be equally and ratably secured with (or prior to) the Debt secured by such Mortgage or (ii) such Mortgage could be created pursuant to Section 3.4 (See “Limitation on Liens” above) without equally and ratably securing the Debt Securities (Section 9.3). In addition, as a result of the consolidation, merger or conveyance, either we shall be the continuing corporation or the successor corporation shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States or a state thereof and the successor corporation shall expressly assume the due and punctual payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on all Debt Securities and our obligations under the Indenture in a supplemental indenture satisfactory to the Trustee (Section 9.1).
Limitations on Sales and Leasebacks
Neither we nor any Domestic Subsidiary may enter into any sale and leaseback transaction involving any Principal Domestic Operating Property, completion of construction and commencement of full operation of which has occurred more than 120 days prior thereto, unless (a) we or such Domestic Subsidiary could mortgage such property pursuant to Section 3.4 (see “Limitation on Liens” above) in an amount equal to the Attributable Debt with respect to the sale and leaseback transaction without equally and ratably securing the Debt Securities or (b) we, within 120 days after completion of the sale and leaseback transaction, apply to the retirement of our Funded Debt an amount (subject to credits for certain voluntary retirements of Funded Debt) not less than the greater of (i) the net proceeds of the sale of the Principal Domestic Operating Property so leased or (ii) the fair market value of the Principal Domestic Operating Property so leased. This restriction will not apply to any sale and leaseback transaction (a) between us and a Domestic Subsidiary or between Domestic Subsidiaries or (b) involving the taking back of a lease for a period of not more than three years (Section 3.5).
Unless otherwise indicated in a Prospectus Supplement and/or documents incorporated by reference, certain of the covenants described above would not necessarily afford holders of the Debt Securities protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction involving us, such as a leveraged buyout. In this regard, however, it should be noted that voting control of our company is held by Hershey Trust Company, as trustee for the Milton Hershey School Trust. As of March 8, 2024, Hershey Trust Company, as trustee for the Milton Hershey School Trust, had the right to cast 1.41% of all of the votes entitled to be cast on matters requiring the vote of our common stock voting separately and 78.8% of all of the votes entitled to be cast on matters requiring the vote of our common stock and Class B common stock voting together. Hershey Trust Company, as trustee for the Milton Hershey School Trust, currently has three representatives who are members of the Board of Directors of the Company. These representatives, from time to time in performing their responsibilities on the Company’s Board, may exercise influence with regard to the ongoing business decisions of our Board of Directors or management. Hershey Trust Company, as trustee for the Milton Hershey School Trust, has indicated that, in its role as controlling stockholder of the Company, it intends to retain its controlling interest in The Hershey Company, and that the Company Board, not the Hershey Trust Company board, is solely responsible and accountable for the Company’s management and performance. Hershey Trust Company, as trustee for Milton Hershey School, or any successor trustee, or Milton Hershey School, as appropriate, must approve the issuance of shares of
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common stock or any other action that would result in Hershey Trust Company, as trustee for Milton Hershey School, or any successor trustee, or Milton Hershey School, as appropriate, not continuing to have voting control of our Company.
Events of Default, Waiver and Notice
Except as may otherwise be provided in the Prospectus Supplement and/or documents incorporated by reference, as to any series of Debt Securities, an Event of Default is defined in the Indenture as (a) default in the payment of any installment of interest, if any, on the Debt Securities of such series when due and the continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; (b) default in payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any of the Debt Securities of such series when due, whether at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise; (c) default in the payment of a sinking fund installment, if any, on the Debt Securities of such series when due; (d) default by us in the performance of any other covenant or agreement contained in the Indenture, other than a covenant expressly included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of series of Debt Securities other than such series, and the continuance of such default for a period of 90 days after appropriate notice; (e) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization of our company; and (f) any other Event of Default established with respect to Debt Securities of that series (Sections 2.5 and 5.1).
An Event of Default with respect to a particular series of Debt Securities issued under the Indenture does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default with respect to any other series of Debt Securities issued thereunder.
The Indenture provides that the Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default with respect to Debt Securities of any series, give all the holders of Debt Securities of such series then outstanding notice of all uncured defaults known to it (the term default to mean the events specified above, not including grace periods); provided that, except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Debt Security of any series, or in the payment of any sinking fund installment with respect to Debt Securities of any series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if it in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of all the holders of Debt Securities of such series then outstanding (Section 5.11).
The Indenture provides that if an Event of Default with respect to any series of Debt Securities shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount (calculated as provided in the Indenture) of the Debt Securities of such series then outstanding may declare the principal (or, in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities, the portion thereof as may be specified in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series and/or documents incorporated by reference) of all of the Debt Securities of such series and the interest accrued thereon, if any, to be due and payable immediately (Section 5.1).
Upon certain conditions such declarations of acceleration with respect to Debt Securities of any series may be annulled and past defaults (except for defaults in the payment of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on such Debt Securities not theretofore cured or in respect of a covenant or provision of the Indenture which cannot be amended or modified without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Debt Security of that series affected) may be waived with respect to such series by the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount (calculated as provided in the Indenture) of the Debt Securities of such series then outstanding (Section 5.10).
The Indenture requires that we file with the Trustee annually a written statement as to the presence or absence of certain defaults under the terms thereof and as to performance and fulfillment of certain covenants or agreements therein (Section 3.6).
The Indenture provides that the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount (calculated as provided in the Indenture) of the Debt Securities of any series then outstanding shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding or remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee by the Indenture with respect to defaults or Events of Default with respect to Debt Securities of such series (Section 5.9).
The Indenture provides that the Trustee shall be under no obligation, subject to the duty of the Trustee during default to act with the required standard of care, to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by the Indenture at the direction of the holders of Debt Securities unless such holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against expenses and liabilities (Section 6.2).
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Defeasance
The Indenture provides that we may terminate our obligations under Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 9.3 of the Indenture (being the restrictions described under “Covenants-Limitation on Liens” and “Covenants-Limitations on Sales and Leasebacks” and the first sentence under “Covenants-Merger and Consolidation” above) with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, on the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Indenture, by depositing in trust with the Trustee money or Government Obligations sufficient to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Debt Securities of such series and any mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments thereon, on the scheduled due dates therefor. Such deposit and termination is conditioned upon, among other things, our delivery of an opinion of counsel that the holders of the Debt Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and termination and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case had such deposit and termination not occurred. Such termination will not relieve us of our obligation to pay when due the principal of or interest on the Debt Securities of such series if the Debt Securities of such series are not paid from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee for the payment thereof (Section 13.1).
Modification of the Indenture
The Indenture contains provisions permitting us and the Trustee, with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount (calculated as provided in the Indenture) of the outstanding Debt Securities of each series affected by such modification, to modify the Indenture or any supplemental indenture or the rights of the holders of the Debt Securities of any series; provided that no such modification shall, without the consent of the holders of each Debt Security affected thereby, extend the maturity of any Debt Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon, or reduce the portion of the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security due and payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof or the portion of the principal amount thereof provable in bankruptcy, or reduce any amount payable upon redemption of any Debt Security, or reduce the overdue rate thereof, or impair any right of repayment at the option of the holder of any Debt Security or change the currency of payment of principal or interest on any Debt Security or reduce the percentage in principal amount of Outstanding Debt Securities of any series the consent of the holders of which is required for modification or amendment of the Indenture or for waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the Indenture or for waiver of certain defaults (Section 8.2).
The holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all Debt Securities of such series waive, insofar as that series is concerned, our compliance with certain restrictive provisions (Limitation on Liens and Limitations on Sales and Leasebacks) of the Indenture (Section 3.9).
The Indenture also permits us and the Trustee to amend the Indenture in certain circumstances without the consent of the holders of any Debt Securities to evidence the merger of our company or the replacement of the Trustee and for certain other purposes (Section 8.1).
Indenture Trustee
In the ordinary course of business, we and our subsidiaries are engaged, have engaged and from time to time in the future may engage in commercial banking and/or investment banking transactions with the Trustee and certain of its affiliates, for which they have in the past received, and may in the future receive, customary fees. U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., an affiliate of the Trustee, has been an underwriter in the offering and sale of certain series of our debt securities previously issued pursuant to the Indenture. The Trustee is also a lender under our existing Five-Year Credit Agreement, dated as of April 26, 2023.
The Trust Indenture Act provides that, upon the occurrence of a default under the Indenture, if the Trustee has a conflicting interest (as defined in the Trust Indenture Act), the Trustee must, within 90 days after it ascertains that it has that conflicting interest, either eliminate that conflicting interest or resign as Trustee unless the default has been cured, waived or otherwise eliminated before the end of the 90-day period. If the Trustee fails to resign in those circumstances, it is required to provide, within ten days after the 90-day period expires, notice of the conflicting interest to the holders of the Debt Securities outstanding under the Indenture. Any security holder that has been a bona fide holder of Debt Securities issued for at least six months may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to remove the Trustee and to appoint a successor trustee under the Indenture if the Trustee does not eliminate its conflicting interest or resign as Indenture Trustee upon the written request of such holder during the 90-day period described above. A security holder filing such a petition may be required by the court to undertake to pay the costs of such court action.
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Plan of Distribution
We may sell Debt Securities to or through underwriters or dealers and also may sell Debt Securities directly to one or more other purchasers or through agents. The Prospectus Supplement and/or documents incorporated by reference will set forth the names of any underwriters or agents involved in the sale of the Debt Securities and any applicable commission or discounts.
The distribution of Debt Securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
Each series of Debt Securities will be a new issue with no established trading market. We may elect to list any series of Debt Securities on an exchange, but we will not be obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a series of Debt Securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Therefore, we can give no assurance as to the liquidity of the trading market for Debt Securities.
If Debt Securities are sold by means of an underwritten offering, we anticipate such sale will be pursuant to the form of Underwriting Agreement (the “Form Underwriting Agreement”) and the form of Pricing Agreement (“Form Pricing Agreement”), filed as Exhibits 1.1 and 1.2, respectively to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part. Under the Form Pricing Agreement, each underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase its allocated amount of Debt Securities. The Form Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase Debt Securities are subject to approval of certain legal matters by counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are committed to take and pay for all Debt Securities to be offered, if any are taken. In the event of a default by any underwriter, the Form Underwriting Agreement provides that, in certain circumstances, the purchase commitments of the non-defaulting underwriters may be increased or the Form Underwriting Agreement may be terminated.
In connection with the sale of Debt Securities, underwriters may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of Debt Securities for whom they may act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell Debt Securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of Debt Securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of Debt Securities by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Any such underwriter or agent will be identified, and any such compensation received from us will be described in the Prospectus Supplement and/or documents incorporated by reference.
Agents, underwriters and dealers may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us and our subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business.
Under agreements which we may enter into, we may be required to indemnify the underwriters and agents who participate in the distribution of Debt Securities against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute to payments that they may be required to make in respect of any such liabilities. The Form Underwriting Agreement provides for such an indemnity in favor of the underwriters.
If so indicated in the Prospectus Supplement and/or documents incorporated by reference, we will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase Debt Securities from us pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions with which such contracts may be made include commercial savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others, but in all cases we must approve such institutions. The obligations of any purchaser under any such contract will be subject to the condition that the purchase of the Offered Securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is subject. The underwriters and such other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.
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Legal Matters
The validity of, and certain other legal matters with respect to, the Debt Securities will be passed upon for us by Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Houston, Texas. Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, New York, New York.
Experts
The consolidated financial statements and schedule of The Hershey Company appearing in The Hershey Company’s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the effectiveness of The Hershey Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
The following table lists the expenses expected to be incurred in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement, including amendments thereto, and the printing and distribution of the prospectus contained therein, all of which will be paid by the registrant.
| Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee | (1) | ||||
Printing and duplicating expenses | (2) | ||||
Rating agency fees | (2) | ||||
Trustee fees and expenses | (2) | ||||
Accounting fees and expenses | (2) | ||||
Legal fees and expenses | (2) | ||||
| Total | (2) | ||||
(1) Deferred in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act. SEC registration fees are determined based upon the aggregate initial offering price of the securities being offered from time to time. As of the date of this registration statement, the Section 6(b) fee rate applicable to the registration of securities is $147.60 per million.
(2) These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and, accordingly, cannot be estimated at this time.
ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) grants each corporation organized thereunder the power to indemnify any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation or enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, other than an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of being or having been in any such capacity, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful.
Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL enables a corporation in its certificate of incorporation or an amendment thereto to eliminate or limit the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL (providing for liability of directors for unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock purchases or redemptions) or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
The Sixth Article of the registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, no director of the registrant shall be personally liable to the registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director.
Article VI of the Bylaws of the registrant provides that the registrant shall indemnify, in the manner and to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, any person who is, was or is threatened to be made a defending party to any proceeding (including any pending or threatened civil or criminal action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation or administrative hearing) by reason of the fact that such person is or was (i) a director or officer of the registrant or its subsidiaries, or (ii) a director, officer or employee of the registrant and is or was serving, at the request of the registrant, as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary for another enterprise. The registrant will pay in advance of final disposition all expenses incurred by a director or officer in defending a proceeding which is subject to indemnification. The registrant has the burden of proving that a director or officer was not entitled to indemnification.
The registrant’s directors and officers are insured against losses arising from any claim against them as such for wrongful acts or omissions, subject to certain limitations.
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ITEM 16. EXHIBITS.
The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement.
Exhibit Number | Description of Exhibits | |||||||
Form of Pricing Agreement (included as part of Exhibit 1.1) | ||||||||
Form of Debt Security (included as part of Exhibit 4.1) | ||||||||
Consent of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1) | ||||||||
Powers of Attorney (included on signature pages to this Registration Statement) | ||||||||
(1) Filed herewith.
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
1.To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(a)To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”);
(b)To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
(c)To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
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Provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is a part of the registration statement.
2.That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
3.To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
4.That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:
(a)Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(b)Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
5.That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(a)Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(b)Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(c)The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(d)Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
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6.That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
7.Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Township of Derry, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on May 28, 2024.
| THE HERSHEY COMPANY | ||||||||
| By: | /s/ STEVEN E. VOSKUIL | |||||||
| Name: | Steven E. Voskuil | |||||||
| Title: | Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer | |||||||
S-1
SIGNATURES AND POWERS OF ATTORNEY
Each of the directors and/or officers of The Hershey Corporation, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Steven E. Voskuil, James Turoff and Bjork Hupfeld, or any of them, his or her attorneys-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement (including post-effective amendments), and to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by this registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(e) promulgated under the Securities Act, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorneys-in-fact, or his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This Power of Attorney may be signed in several counterparts.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
Signature | Title | Date | ||||||||||||
| /s/ MICHELE G. BUCK | Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Michele G. Buck | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||||||||||||
| /s/ STEVEN E. VOSKUIL | Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Steven E. Voskuil | (Principal Financial Officer) | |||||||||||||
| /s/ JENNIFER L. MCCALMAN | Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Jennifer L. McCalman | (Principal Accounting Officer) | |||||||||||||
| /s/ VICTOR L. CRAWFORD | Lead Independent Director | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Victor L. Crawford | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ MARY KAY HABEN | Director | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Mary Kay Haben | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ M. DIANE KOKEN | Director | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| M. Diane Koken | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ HUONG MARIA T. KRAUS | Director | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Huong Maria T. Kraus | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ ROBERT M. MALCOLM | Director | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Robert M. Malcolm | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ KEVIN M. OZAN | Director | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Kevin M. Ozan | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ ANTHONY J. PALMER | Director | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Anthony J. Palmer | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ JUAN R. PEREZ | Director | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Juan R. Perez | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ CORDEL ROBBIN-COKER | Director | May 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Cordel Robbin-Coker | ||||||||||||||
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Exhibit 1.1
The Hershey Company
Debt Securities
Debt Securities
———————————
Form of Underwriting Agreement
The Underwriters listed on Schedule I
to the applicable Pricing Agreement
(as defined herein)
to the applicable Pricing Agreement
(as defined herein)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
From time to time The Hershey Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to enter into one or more Pricing Agreements (each a “Pricing Agreement”) in the form of Annex I hereto, with such additions and deletions as the parties thereto may determine, and, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and therein, to issue and sell to the firms named in Schedule I to the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms constituting the “Underwriters” with respect to such Pricing Agreement and the securities specified therein) certain of its debt securities (the “Securities”) specified in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement (with respect to such Pricing Agreement, the “Designated Securities”).
The terms of any particular issuance of Designated Securities and the rights of the holders of such Designated Securities shall be as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto and in or pursuant to the indenture (the “Indenture”) identified in such Pricing Agreement. References in this Agreement to the “Pricing Agreement” are to the applicable Pricing Agreement relating to the particular issuance and sale of Designated Securities specified therein.
1.Introduction. Particular sales of Designated Securities may be made from time to time to the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, for whom the firms designated as representatives of the Underwriters of such Designated Securities in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto will act as representatives (the “Representatives”). The term “Representatives” also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of the Underwriters and to Underwriters who act without any firm being designated as their representative. This Agreement shall not be construed as an obligation of the Company to sell any of the Designated Securities or as an obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase the Designated Securities. The obligation of the Company to issue and sell any of the Securities and the obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase any of the Securities shall be evidenced by the Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities specified therein. Each Pricing Agreement shall specify the aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities, the initial public offering price of such Designated Securities, the purchase price to the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the names of the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the names of the Representatives of such Underwriters and the principal amount of such Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter and shall set forth the date, time and manner of delivery of such Designated Securities and payment therefor. The Pricing Agreement shall also specify (to the extent not set forth in the Indenture and the registration statement and prospectus with respect thereto) the terms of such Designated Securities. A Pricing Agreement shall be in the form of an executed writing (which may be in counterparts), and may be evidenced by an exchange of telegraphic communications or any other rapid transmission device designed to produce a written record of communications transmitted. The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be several and not joint.
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2.Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”) on Form S-3 (File No. 333- ) not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof in respect of the Securities; such registration statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered or to be delivered to the Representatives and, excluding exhibits thereto but including all documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained therein, to the Representatives for each of the other Underwriters, became effective under the Act upon filing with the Commission and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement, any post-effective amendment thereto, or any part thereof, or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, each as defined herein, has been issued and no proceeding for any of those purposes has been initiated or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission, and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act has been received by the Company (the base prospectus filed as part of such registration statement, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities, is hereinafter called the “Base Prospectus”; any preliminary prospectus (including any preliminary prospectus supplement) relating to the Designated Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the Base Prospectus, as amended or supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 2(d) herein), including, without limitation, the last Preliminary Prospectus filed prior to the Applicable Time, is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus”; the various parts of such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto (other than Forms T-1) and any prospectus supplement relating to the Designated Securities that is filed with the Commission and deemed by Rule 430B under the Act to be part of such registration statement, each as amended at the time such part of such registration statement became effective, is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement”; the form of the final prospectus (including the final prospectus supplement) relating to the Designated Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any reference herein to the Base Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date of such prospectus; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement and any documents filed after the date of such Base Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus, Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and incorporated by reference in such Base Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus, Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any prospectus supplement relating to the Designated Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and any documents filed after the date of such Base Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Exchange Act, and incorporated by reference in such Base Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; any reference to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to only such registration statement, as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto, pursuant to which the Designated Securities
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were registered; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Act) relating to the Designated Securities is hereinafter referred to as an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”);
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus relating to such Designated Securities;
(c) The Registration Statement, as of the date on which it first became effective, conforms and any further post‑effective amendments to the Registration Statement, as of the dates on which they become effective, and the Prospectus, as of its date, and any further supplements to the Prospectus, as of the dates on which they are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform, in all material respects, to the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and do not and will not, (i) as of the applicable effective dates as to the Registration Statement and any post‑effective amendments thereto, contain an 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 and (ii) as of its date as to each of the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and the Prospectus as of the Time of Delivery (as defined below), contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use therein;
(d) (i) With respect to any issue of Designated Securities, the “Applicable Time” will be such time and date as is specified in Schedule II to the applicable Pricing Agreement as the Applicable Time, and the “Pricing Disclosure Package” will be the Pricing Prospectus together with (A) the Final Term Sheet (as defined in Section 5(a) hereof) prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof and (B) such other Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, as may be listed in Schedule III(a) to such Pricing Agreement, taken together; (ii) with respect to each such issue of Designated Securities, the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; and (iii) with respect to each such issue of Designated Securities, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including those listed in Schedule III(a) to the applicable Pricing Agreement and any electronic road show, will not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus and, taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, will not include any untrue statement
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of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; provided, however, that the representations and warranties in clauses (ii) and (iii) of this Section 2(d) shall not apply to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use therein;
(e) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the Act) made any offer relating to the Designated Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the Act, and (iv) at the time the Pricing Agreement is executed (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (iv)), the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act);
(f) The Company was not, at the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act), and is not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act);
(g) With respect to an issuance of Designated Securities, the Company has not made and will not make, prior to the later of the Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) for such Designated Securities and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of such Designated Securities, any offer that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act), without the prior consent of the Representatives; and the Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any such free writing prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending;
(h) The Company maintains a consolidated system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a‑15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting; and the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in any Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto;
(i) The Company has established and maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that are designed to ensure that information (both financial and non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and regulations of the Commission, and that all such information required to be disclosed is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company required under the Exchange Act with respect to such reports;
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(j) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than the conversion of up to 2,500,000 shares of the Company’s Class B Common Stock (the “Class B Common Stock”) to Common Stock, including in connection with the adoption of one or more 10b5-1 trading plans, or issuances or repurchases in connection with employee stock incentive plans or repurchases pursuant to the Company’s share repurchase program announced during May 2021, or other similar share repurchase programs disclosed in writing to the Representatives prior to the date hereof, if any, or the repurchase of Common Stock from the Milton Hershey School Trust) or increases in the consolidated long‑term debt of the Company and any of its subsidiaries (exclusive of increases of $1 billion or less of long‑term debt other than capitalized lease obligations, increases attributable to new capitalized lease obligations aggregating $5 million or less and increases related to the translation of foreign currency indebtedness at rates of exchange different from those in effect on the respective dates as of which information is so given) or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(k) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(l) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(m) The Indenture dated as of May 14, 2009 between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company National Association (successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association) has been duly authorized and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, at the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities, the Indenture will constitute a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; the Designated Securities have been duly authorized, and, when the Designated Securities are issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities, such Designated Securities will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and the Indenture conforms, and the Designated Securities will conform, to the descriptions thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package;
(n) The issue and sale of the Designated Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Designated Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, the result of which will have a material adverse change or effect on the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any
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statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Designated Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Pricing Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the Time of Delivery, obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Designated Securities by the Underwriters;
(o) Other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries would, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(p) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith;
(q) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the best knowledge of the Company, any of its or their directors, officers, agents, employees or affiliates is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities carried out or to be carried out in any jurisdiction subject to U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC; and
(r) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Designated Securities.
3. Offer and Sale of Designated Securities. Upon the execution of the Pricing Agreement applicable to the Designated Securities and authorization by the Representatives of the release of such Designated Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer such Designated Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Payment and Settlement for Designated Securities. Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in global form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such name or names as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours’ prior notice to the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives, for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by such Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer in immediately available funds (or such other funds as specified in the Pricing Agreement), payable to the order of the Company, all at the place and time and date specified in the Pricing Agreement or at such other place and time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time and date being herein called the “Time of Delivery” for such Designated Securities.
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5. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities:
(a) (i) To prepare the Prospectus in relation to the Designated Securities in a form approved by the Representatives and the Company and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b) under the Act; (ii) to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus or the Prospectus after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities and prior to the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities which shall be reasonably disapproved in writing by the Representatives for such Designated Securities promptly after reasonable notice thereof (provided, however, this clause (ii) shall, in the case of any periodic or current report that the Company is required to file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c) or Section 15(d) under the Exchange Act prior to or at the Time of Delivery, apply to the extent practicable in the light of the circumstances, but in any event, the Representatives shall be notified in advance of any such filing that will be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus); (iii) to advise the Representatives promptly of any such amendment or supplement after such Time of Delivery and furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; (iv) to file by the filing deadlines prescribed by the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, subsequent to the date of the Prospectus, for so long as the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required in connection with the offering or sale of such Designated Securities; (v) to prepare a final term sheet relating to the Designated Securities containing only a description of the Designated Securities, substantially in the form of Schedule III(b) to the Pricing Agreement, and to comply with the requirements of Rule 164 and 433 under the Act applicable to such term sheet, including timely filing thereof with the Commission, legending and retention where required (such term sheet, the “Final Term Sheet”); (vi) to file within the time period prescribed by Rule 433(d) under the Act all other material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; (vii) for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of Designated Securities (including in circumstances where such requirement can be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Act), to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Designated Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of such Designated Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, of the receipt from the Commission of any notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act for the registration of the offer and sale of the Designated Securities, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and (viii) in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order or notice preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Designated Securities or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify such Designated Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and secondary transactions therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of such Designated Securities, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
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(c) To furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in such quantities as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request, and if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time in connection with the offering or sale of the Designated Securities (including in circumstances where such requirement can be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Act) and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus or, prior to the filing of the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason, it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify the Representatives and upon their request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), consolidated statements of income of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including at the option of the Company Rule 158 under the Act); and
(e) To not make without the prior written consent of the Representatives, any offer relating to the Designated Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 under the Act; provided that the prior written consent of the Representatives hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule III(a) to the Pricing Agreement and any road show presentation prepared with the assistance of the Representatives; each such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”; the Company agrees that (i) each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus will constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (ii) has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 under the Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing thereof with the Commission, legending and retention where required.
6. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Company and each other Underwriter that:
(a) Such Underwriter has not made, and will not make (other than as permitted by Section 6(b) hereof), any offer relating to the Designated Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act), without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives; and
(b) Such Underwriter has not used, and will not use, any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Designated Securities unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Act, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, provided, however, that each of the Underwriters may use one or more term sheets relating to the Designated Securities containing customary information, including Bloomberg email announcement, price talk guidance, comparable bond pricing and final pricing terms, not inconsistent with the
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form of the Final Term Sheet attached as Schedule III(b) to Pricing Agreement, without the prior consent of the Company or the Representatives.
7. Payment of Expenses. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Pricing Agreement, the Indenture, any Blue Sky Memorandum and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Designated Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Designated Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (iv) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the Designated Securities; (v) any filing fees incident to any required review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Designated Securities; (vi) the cost of preparing the Designated Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of any Trustee and any agent of any Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for any Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Designated Securities; (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any road show undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Designated Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show and expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, up to an amount separately agreed; and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 7. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section 7 and Sections 9 and 12 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Designated Securities by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
8. Conditions of the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters of the Designated Securities under the Pricing Agreement shall be subject, in the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company in or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities are, at and as of the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; the Final Term Sheet contemplated by Section 5(a) hereof, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods required for such filings by Rule 433 under the Act; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued or initiated, as the case may be, and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act for the registration of the offer and sale of the Designated Securities shall have been received by the Company; and
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all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Representatives’ reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Counsel for the Underwriters shall have furnished to the Representatives such opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities, with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of the Indenture, the Designated Securities, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) Counsel for the Company satisfactory to the Representatives or the Company’s General Counsel shall have furnished to the Representatives a written opinion dated the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(iii) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge and other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and, to such counsel’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(iv) This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(v) The Designated Securities have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and the Designated Securities and the Indenture conform to the descriptions thereof in the Pricing Disclosure Package;
(vi) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto and constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;
(vii) The issue and sale of the Designated Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Designated Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities, and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated, will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under,
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any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, the result of which will have a material adverse change or effect on the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, nor will such actions result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation known to such counsel of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties;
(viii) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Designated Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Pricing Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Designated Securities by the Underwriters;
(ix) The documents incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements or other financial or accounting data included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to believe that any of such documents, when they became effective or were so filed, as the case may be, contained, (A) in the case of a registration statement which became effective under the Act, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (B) in the case of other documents which were filed under the Act or the Exchange Act with the Commission, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made when such documents were so filed, not misleading;
(x) The Registration Statement as of the date on which it first became effective and the Prospectus as of its date (other than the financial statements or other financial or accounting data included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) appeared on their faces to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. In addition, in such opinion or in a separate letter such counsel shall state that such counsel has no reason to believe that (A) the Registration Statement (other than the financial statements or other financial or accounting data included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no belief) as of its most recent effective date as determined in accordance with Rule 430B under the Act, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (B) as of the Applicable Time, the Pricing Disclosure Package (other than the financial statements or other financial or accounting data included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no belief), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading; and (C) the Prospectus (other than the financial statements or other financial or accounting data included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no belief) as of its date and the Time of Delivery, contained or contains an
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untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading; and
(xi) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, there is no amendment to the Registration Statement that is required to be filed and no contracts or other documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be incorporated by reference into the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus which are not so filed or incorporated by reference or described.
(d) (i) On or prior to the Applicable Time, the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company that has certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter, dated the date of delivery thereof, to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto, and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and (ii) the Representatives shall have received a letter, at the Time of Delivery, from the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company that has certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, stating, as of the date of such letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which financial information is given in the Registration Statement, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date of such letter), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by its letter referred to in subsection (i) of this Section and confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in such prior letter;
(e) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than the conversion of up to 2,500,000 shares of Class B Common Stock to Common Stock, including in connection with the adoption of one or more 10b5-1 trading plans, or issuances or repurchases in connection with employee stock incentive plans or repurchases pursuant to the Company’s share repurchase program announced during May 2021, or other similar share repurchase programs disclosed in writing to the Representatives prior to the date hereof, if any, or the repurchase of Common Stock from the Milton Hershey School Trust) or increases in the consolidated long‑term debt of the Company and any of its subsidiaries (exclusive of increases of $1 billion or less of long‑term debt other than capitalized lease obligations, increases attributable to new capitalized lease obligations aggregating $5 million or less and increases related to the translation of foreign currency indebtedness at rates of exchange different from those in effect on the respective dates as of which information is so given) or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the effect of which is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(f) On or after the Applicable Time relating to the Designated Securities (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) and (ii) neither Moody’s nor S&P shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities;
12
(g) On or after the Applicable Time relating to the Designated Securities, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the securities of the Company or in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; or (iii) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified in this clause (iii), in the judgment of the Representatives, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus; and
(h) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representatives at the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities a certificate or certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the Representatives as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at, or prior to, such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section 8 and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request.
9. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement to any thereof, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and, subject to subsection (c) below, will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement to any thereof, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in any thereof.
(b) Each Underwriter severally will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement to any thereof, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement to any thereof, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for
13
use therein; and, subject to subsection (c) below, will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection and only to the extent such indemnifying party has been prejudiced by such omission so to notify. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) above shall only be liable for the legal expenses of one counsel for all indemnified parties in each jurisdiction in which any claim or action is brought. An indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above shall not enter into a settlement of any litigation in respect of which a claim is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection unless such settlement is effected with the consent of the indemnifying party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated Securities on the other from the offering of the Designated Securities to which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated Securities on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and such Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from such offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriters. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omissions to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or such Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
14
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the applicable Designated Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The obligations of the Underwriters of Designated Securities in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations with respect to such securities and not joint.
(de) The obligations of the Company under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of any Underwriter and to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act, and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
10. Defaulting Underwriters. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Designated Securities which it has agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities, the Representatives may in their discretion arrange for themselves or another party or other parties to purchase such Designated Securities on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter, the Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of such Designated Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Designated Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed period, the Representatives notify the Company that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Designated Securities, or the Company notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Designated Securities, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in the reasonable opinion of the Representatives may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section 10 with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the Designated Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement) of the Designated Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
15
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of Designated Securities which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the Designated Securities, as referred to in subsection (b) above, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 9 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
11. Survival. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any officer or director or controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Designated Securities.
12. Termination. If the Pricing Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter with respect to the Designated Securities covered by the Pricing Agreement except as provided in Section 7 and Section 9 hereof; but, if for any other reason the Designated Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the Representatives, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of such Designated Securities, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter with respect to such Designated Securities except as provided in Section 7 and Section 9 hereof.
13. Nature of Underwriters’ Obligations. The Company acknowledges and agrees that, in connection with all aspects of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (a) the Company and the Underwriters have an arms-length business relationship that creates no fiduciary duty on the part of any Underwriter, and each expressly disclaims any fiduciary relationship and (b) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person.
14. Authority of Representatives. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters of the Designated Securities shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.
15. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. (a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
16
(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
For the purposes of this Section 15:
“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
“Covered Entity” means any of the following:
(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
16. Notices. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, e-mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail, e-mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice to any Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, e-mail or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters’ Questionnaire, or e-mail constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by the Representatives. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
17. Persons Entitled to the Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Section 9 and Section 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company or any Underwriter and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement or the Pricing Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Designated Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
18. Time of Essence. Time shall be of the essence of the Pricing Agreement. As used herein, “business day” shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.
17
19. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE PRICING AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
20. Counterparts. This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto and thereon in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. The words “execute,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Agreement, the Pricing Agreement or in any other certificate, agreement or document related to this Agreement, if any, shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf,” “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including, without limitation, DocuSign, AdobeSign and any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law). The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by 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 applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]
18
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us the enclosed counterpart hereof.
Very truly yours,
The Hershey Company
By:
Name:
Title:
Name:
Title:
By:
Name:
Title:
Name:
Title:
19
Accepted as of the date hereof (with respect to, but subject to the terms of, the Pricing Agreement to which the undersigned is or is deemed to be a signatory):
[ ]
By:
Name:
Title:
Name:
Title:
20
ANNEX I
FORM OF PRICING AGREEMENT
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
As Representative[s] of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
c/o [ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
As Representative[s] of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
c/o [ ]
[ ]
[ ]
, 20
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Hershey Company , a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Underwriting Agreement, dated (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between the Company, on the one hand, and you, as parties which are signatories or deemed to be signatories to the Underwriting Agreement, on the other hand, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) the Securities specified in Schedule II hereto (the “Designated Securities”).
Each of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a part of this Pricing Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein; and each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the Applicable Time as set forth in Schedule II to this Pricing Agreement, except that each representation and warranty which refers to the Prospectus in Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation or warranty as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as therein defined) and also a representation and warranty as of the Applicable Time in relation to the Prospectus relating to the Designated Securities. Each reference to the Representatives herein and in the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference shall be deemed to refer to you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined.
The Prospectus (including a prospectus supplement relating to the Designated Securities), in all material respects in the form heretofore delivered to you, is now proposed to be filed with the Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto, the principal amount of Designated Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us the enclosed counterpart hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereto, including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the Company. It is
ANNEX I-1
understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on the part of the Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.
[Signature pages to follow]
ANNEX I-2
Very truly yours,
The Hershey Company
By
Name:
Title:
Name:
Title:
By
Name:
Title:
Name:
Title:
ANNEX I-3
Accepted as of the date hereof:
[ ]
By:
Name:
Title:
Name:
Title:
[ ]
By:
Name:
Title:
Name:
Title:
[ ]
By:
Name:
Title:
Name:
Title:
For themselves and as Representative[s]
of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
ANNEX I-4
SCHEDULE I
Principal Amount of Designated Securities to be Purchased | |||||
Underwriter | |||||
[Names of Co-Representatives] | $ | ||||
[Names of other Underwriters] | |||||
Total | $ | ||||
SCHEDULE I – Page 1
SCHEDULE II
Title of Designated Securities:
% Notes due [ ] (together “Designated Securities”)
Aggregate Principal Amount:
of the Designated Securities.
Price to Public:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from .
Purchase Price to Underwriters:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from ; and the selling concession shall be % and the reallowance concession shall be %, in each case of the principal amount of the Designated Securities.
Indenture:
Indenture dated as of May 14, 2009, between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company National Association (successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as Trustee.
Maturity:
.
Interest Rate:
% from and including the original issue date.
Interest Payment Dates:
and of each year, commencing on .
Interest Payment Record Dates:
and of each year, commencing on .
Redemption Provisions:
[No provisions for redemption.]
[The Designated Securities may be redeemed, otherwise than through the sinking fund, in whole or in part at the option of the Company, in the amount of [$] or an integral multiple thereof.]
SCHEDULE II – Page 1
[On or after , at the following redemption prices (expressed in percentages of principal amount). If [redeemed on or before , %, and if] redeemed during the 12-month period beginning .
Year | Redemption Price | ||||
and thereafter at 100% of their principal amount, together in each case with accrued interest to the redemption date.]
[On any interest payment date falling on or after , at the election of the Company, at a redemption price equal to the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest to the date of redemption.]
[Other possible redemption provisions, such as mandatory redemption upon occurrence of certain events or redemption for changes in tax law.]
[Restriction on refunding.]
Sinking Fund Provisions:
[No sinking fund provisions.]
[The Designated Securities are entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund to retire [$] principal amount of Designated Securities on in each of the years through at 100% of their principal amount plus accrued interest] [, together with [cumulative] [noncumulative] redemptions at the option of the Company to retire an additional [$] principal amount of Designated Securities in the years through at 100% of their principal amount plus accrued interest].
[If Securities are extendable debt Securities, insert—
Extendable provisions:
Securities are repayable on , [insert date and years], at the option of the holder, at their principal amount with accrued interest, initial annual interest rate will be %, and thereafter annual interest rate will be adjusted on , and
to a rate not less than % of the effective annual interest rate on U.S. Treasury obligations with -year maturities as of the [insert date 15 days prior to maturity date] prior to such [insert maturity date].]
[If Securities are Floating Rate debt Securities, insert—
Floating rate provisions:
Initial annual interest rates will be [LIBOR plus [ ] %] [ %] through [and thereafter will be adjusted [quarterly] [on each , , and ] [to an annual rate of LIBOR plus [ ] %] [to an annual rate of % above the average rate for -year [month] [securities] [certificates of
SCHEDULE II – Page 2
deposit] issued by and [insert names of banks], [and the annual interest rate [thereafter] [from through ] will be the interest yield equivalent of the weekly average per annum market discount rate for -month Treasury bills plus % of Interest Differential (the excess, if any, of (i) then current weekly average per annum second market yield for -month certificates of deposit over (ii) then current interest yield equivalent of the weekly average per annum market discount rate for -month Treasury bills); [from and thereafter the rate will be the then current interest yield equivalent plus % of Interest Differential].]
Defeasance provisions:
.
Other Provisions:
[As to be set forth in the Prospectus.]
Time of Delivery:
[a.m.] [p.m.], .
Closing Location:
.
Names and addresses of Representatives:
Address for Notices:
Applicable Time:
(For purposes of the Underwriting Agreement):
[a.m.] [p.m.], .
Other Matters:
SCHEDULE II – Page 3
SCHEDULE III(a)
•Final Term Sheet, dated , 20 , substantially in the form of Schedule III(b) hereto.
• [ ]
SCHEDULE III(a) – Page 1
SCHEDULE III(b)
FORM OF FINAL TERM SHEET
FINAL TERM SHEET
Dated , 20
Dated , 20
THE HERSHEY COMPANY
% NOTES DUE 20
% NOTES DUE 20
Name of Issuer: The Hershey Company
Title of Securities:
Aggregate Principal Amount:
Issue Price (Price to Public): % of principal amount
Maturity:
Coupon (Interest Rate):
[Benchmark Treasury: ]
[Spread to Benchmark Treasury: basis points ( %)]
[Benchmark Treasury Price and Yield: %]
Yield to Maturity: %
Interest Payment Dates: and of each year, commencing on
Interest Payment Record Dates: and of each year
Redemption Provisions:
Sinking Fund Provisions:
Other Provisions:
Legal Format: SEC Registered
Proceeds to The Hershey Company:
Settlement Date: T + days;
Booking-Running Manager[s]:
Co-Managers:
SCHEDULE III(b) – Page 1
CUSIP:
ISIN:
Listing:
The offer and sale of the Securities to which this final term sheet relates have been registered by The Hershey Company by means of a registration statement on Form S-3 (SEC File No. 333- ).
———————————
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling [ ] toll-free at [xx-xxx-xxxx].
SCHEDULE III(b) – Page 2
ANNEX II
Pursuant to Section 8(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the independent registered public accounting firm that has certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall furnish a letter to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(1)They are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary financial information and schedules (and, if applicable, prospective financial statements and/or pro forma financial information) audited by them and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related published rules and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in accordance with standards established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) of the consolidated interim financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial information, prospective financial statements and/or condensed financial statements derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which have been furnished to the representatives of the Underwriters (the “Representatives”);
(iii) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included or incorporated by reference in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act as it applies to Form 10-Q and the related published rules and regulations thereunder or are not in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the audited consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included or incorporated by reference in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(B) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements;
(C) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the capital stock, or any increases in the consolidated total debt
(including short-term debt, current portion of long-term debt and long-term debt of the Company and any of its subsidiaries), or increase in consolidated net current liabilities, or any decreases in consolidated stockholders’ equity of the Company, or any increases in any items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes, increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(D) for the period from the date of the latest financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to the specified date referred to in Clause (C) there were any decreases in consolidated net revenues or the total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with the comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period of corresponding length as the Representatives may reasonably request, except in each case for increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(iv) In addition to the audit referred to in their report included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other Procedures referred to in paragraphs (ii) and (iii) above, they have carried out certain specified procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the Representatives which are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by reference), or in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the Representatives or in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by the Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages and financial information with the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.
All references in this Annex II to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered on the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated Securities for purposes of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities.
Exhibit 5.1
 | HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP 600 TRAVIS STREET, SUITE 4200 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002 TEL 713 - 220 - 4200 FAX 713 - 220 - 4285 HUNTONAK.COM | ||||
FILE NO: 085287.0010001 | |||||
May 28, 2024
The Hershey Company
19 East Chocolate Avenue
Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to The Hershey Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation of a registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) to be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on May 28, 2024 pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Registration Statement relates to the offering from time to time, as set forth in the Registration Statement, the form of prospectus contained therein (the “Prospectus”) and one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each, a “Prospectus Supplement”), of an indeterminate amount of the Company’s debt securities (the “Securities”).
The Securities will be issued under the Indenture dated as of May 14, 2009 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association (successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time.
This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in the Registration Statement or the Indenture, as the case may be.
In rendering the opinion set forth herein, we have examined and relied on originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following: (i) the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Restated Certificate of Incorporation”); (ii) the Company’s Bylaws, as amended (the “Bylaws”); (iii) the Registration Statement and the exhibits thereto; (iv) the Prospectus; (v) an executed copy of the Indenture and (vi) other instruments and other certificates of public officials, officers and representatives of the Company and such other persons as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinion expressed below.
In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies. With respect to any document executed by means of any electronic signature, we have assumed that (a) the parties to such document have agreed to use electronic signatures
and electronic records in connection with the transactions evidenced thereby, (b) the person executing such document by means of an electronic signature did so with the intent to sign such document and to be bound thereby, and (c) any such electronic signature is affixed to or logically associated with such document. As to any facts material to the opinions and statements expressed herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied, to the extent we deem appropriate, upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company
In rendering the opinion expressed below with respect to the Securities, we have assumed that:
(i) the Company will be validly existing and in good standing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware at the time of authorization and issuance of the Security;
(ii) the Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws will not have been amended in any manner that would affect any legal conclusion set forth herein;
(iii) the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto will have become and remain effective and will not be subject to any stop order;
(iv) the Indenture will continue to be a valid and binding obligation of the Company and the Trustee and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended;
(v) no “Event of Default” (as that term is defined in the Indenture) and no event of the types described in the definition of “Event of Default” in the Indenture, which with the giving of notice, the passage of time or both, would result in the occurrence of an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing, and the terms and conditions of the Securities and of their issuance and sale will not result in a default under or a breach or violation of any agreement, document or instrument then binding on the Company;
(vi) any supplemental indenture to the Indenture executed and delivered, and any Resolution certified and delivered pursuant to the Indenture, in any such case, in or pursuant to which the terms of any Securities are established and pursuant to which such Securities are issued, will comply with the Indenture as theretofore amended or supplemented, and the form and terms of such Securities will comply with the Indenture as then and theretofore amended or supplemented (including by any such supplemental indenture) and any such Resolution (and any officer’s certificate delivered pursuant thereto); and
(vii) the form and terms of any Securities, when established, the issuance, sale and delivery thereof by the Company, and the incurrence and performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder or in respect thereof (including, without limitation, its obligations under the Indenture) in accordance with the terms thereof, will comply with, and will not violate, the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or any applicable law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree, award, or agreement binding upon the Company, or to which the issuance, sale and delivery of such Securities, or the incurrence and performance of such obligations, may be subject, or violate any applicable public policy, or be subject to any defense in law or equity, and (without limiting the generality of the foregoing) Section 5-501.6.b of the New York General Obligations Law will apply in the case of all such Securities. In addition, we have assumed the receipt by each person to whom or for whose benefit a Security is to be issued (collectively, the
“Beneficial Holders”) of a certificate for such Security or the receipt by The Depository Trust Company, acting as agent, on behalf of all Beneficial Holders of the class or series of Securities of which such Security is one, of a global security then evidencing such Securities, and the issuance and sale of and payment for the Securities so acquired, in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the board of directors of the Company and the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus Supplement).
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that, with respect to the Securities of a series offered and sold in reliance upon the Registration Statement, when (a) the Company and the Trustee, have each duly authorized and validly executed and delivered the applicable supplement, if any, to the Indenture or the Company has duly authorized and validly executed and delivered the applicable Resolution and a duly authorized officer of the Company has validly executed and delivered an officer’s certificate, in each case, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, as theretofore amended or supplemented, (b) the Company has taken all necessary corporation action to authorize and approve the issuance and establish, in accordance with the Indenture, the form and terms of such series of Securities, (c) such Securities have been duly executed, authenticated and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and, if applicable, any additional supplemental indenture thereto or any Resolution or officer’s certificate, and (d) such Securities are offered, issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus Supplement) and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the board of directors of the Company, upon payment (or delivery) of the consideration therefor provided for therein, the Securities of such series will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.
Our opinion set forth above is subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or transfer and other similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), including, without limitation, (a) the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief or any other equitable remedy, and (b) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and we express no opinion herein with respect to provisions relating to severability or separability.
We do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of New York and the Delaware General Corporation Law.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the heading “Legal Matters” therein. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Commission.
Sincerely,
/s/ Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in this Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of The Hershey Company for the registration of debt securities and to the incorporation by reference therein of our reports dated February 20, 2024, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of The Hershey Company, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of The Hershey Company, included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 28, 2024
Exhibit 25.1
_________________________________________________________________________________
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
__________________________
FORM T-1
STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER
THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A
CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE
Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility of
a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) ☐
_______________________________________________________
U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
(Exact name of Trustee as specified in its charter)
91-1821036
I.R.S. Employer Identification No.
800 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, Minnesota | 55402 | ||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | ||||
Michael Judge
U.S. Bank National Association
Two Liberty Place, 50 S. 16th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215)761-9326
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
The Hershey Company
(Issuer with respect to the Securities)
| Delaware | 23-0691590 | ||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||||
19 East Chocolate Drive Hershey, PA | 17033 | ||||
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) | ||||
Debt Securities
(Title of the Indenture Securities)
FORM T-1
Item 1. GENERAL INFORMATION. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee.
a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.
Comptroller of the Currency
Washington, D.C.
b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.
Yes
Item 2. AFFILIATIONS WITH THE OBLIGOR. If the obligor is an affiliate of the Trustee, describe each such affiliation.
None
Items 3-15 Items 3-15 are not applicable because to the best of the Trustee's knowledge, the obligor is not in default under any Indenture for which the Trustee acts as Trustee.
Item 16. LIST OF EXHIBITS: List below all exhibits filed as a part of this statement of eligibility and qualification.
1. A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee, attached as Exhibit 1.
2. A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to commence business, attached as Exhibit 2.
3. A copy of the authorization of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers, included as Exhibit 2.
4. A copy of the existing bylaws of the Trustee, attached as Exhibit 4.
5. A copy of each Indenture referred to in Item 4. Not applicable.
6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, attached as Exhibit 6.
7. Report of Condition of the Trustee as of March 31, 2024, published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, attached as Exhibit 7.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the Trustee, U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility and qualification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in City of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania on the 28th of May, 2024.
| By: | /s/ Michael Judge | ||||
| Michael Judge | |||||
| Vice President | |||||
Exhibit 1
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF
U. S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
For the purpose of organizing an association (the “Association”) to perform any lawful activities of national banks, the undersigned enter into the following Articles of Association:
FIRST. The title of this Association shall be U. S. Bank Trust Company, National Association.
SECOND. The main office of the Association shall be in the city of Portland, county of Multnomah, state of Oregon. The business of the Association will be limited to fiduciary powers and the support of activities incidental to the exercise of those powers. The Association may not expand or alter its business beyond that stated in this article without the prior approval of the Comptroller of the Currency.
THIRD. The board of directors of the Association shall consist of not less than five nor more than twenty-five persons, the exact number to be fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of a majority of the full board of directors or by resolution of a majority of the shareholders at any annual or special meeting thereof. Each director shall own common or preferred stock of the Association or of a holding company owning the Association, with an aggregate par, fair market, or equity value of not less than $1,000, as of either (i) the date of purchase, (ii) the date the person became a director, or (iii) the date of that person's most recent election to the board of directors, whichever is more recent. Any combination of common or preferred stock of the Association or holding company may be used.
Any vacancy in the board of directors may be filled by action of a majority of the remaining directors between meetings of shareholders. The board of directors may increase the number of directors up to the maximum permitted by law. Terms of directors, including directors selected to fill vacancies, shall expire at the next regular meeting of shareholders at which directors are elected, unless the directors resign or are removed from office. Despite the expiration of a director's term, the director shall continue to serve until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until there is a decrease in the number of directors and his or her position is eliminated.
Honorary or advisory members of the board of directors, without voting power or power of final decision in matters concerning the business of the Association, may be appointed by resolution of a majority of the full board of directors, or by resolution of shareholders at any annual or special meeting. Honorary or advisory directors shall not be counted to determined the number of directors of the Association or the presence of a quorum in connection with any board action, and shall not be required to own qualifying shares.
FOURTH. There shall be an annual meeting of the shareholders to elect directors and transact whatever other business may be brought before the meeting. It shall be held at the main office or any other convenient place the board of directors may designate, on the day of each year specified therefor in the Bylaws, or if that day falls on a legal holiday in the state in which the
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Association is located, on the next following banking day. If no election is held on the day fixed or in the event of a legal holiday on the following banking day, an election may be held on any subsequent day within 60 days of the day fixed, to be designated by the board of directors, or, if the directors fail to fix the day, by shareholders representing two-thirds of the shares issued and outstanding. In all cases, at least 10 days’ advance notice of the meeting shall be given to the shareholders by first-class mail.
In all elections of directors, the number of votes each common shareholder may cast will be determined by multiplying the number of shares he or she owns by the number of directors to be elected. Those votes may be cumulated and cast for a single candidate or may be distributed among two or more candidates in the manner selected by the shareholder. On all other questions, each common shareholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by him or her.
A director may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the board of directors, its chairperson, or to the Association, which resignation shall be effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later effective date.
A director may be removed by the shareholders at a meeting called to remove him or her, when notice of the meeting stating that the purpose or one of the purposes is to remove him or her is provided, if there is a failure to fulfill one of the affirmative requirements for qualification, or for cause; provided, however, that a director may not be removed if the number of votes sufficient to elect him or her under cumulative voting is voted against his or her removal.
FIFTH. The authorized amount of capital stock of the Association shall be 1,000,000 shares of common stock of the par value of ten dollars ($10) each; but said capital stock may be increased or decreased from time to time, according to the provisions of the laws of the United States. The Association shall have only one class of capital stock.
No holder of shares of the capital stock of any class of the Association shall have any preemptive or preferential right of subscription to any shares of any class of stock of the Association, whether now or hereafter authorized, or to any obligations convertible into stock of the Association, issued, or sold, nor any right of subscription to any thereof other than such, if any, as the board of directors, in its discretion, may from time to time determine and at such price as the board of directors may from time to time fix.
Transfers of the Association's stock are subject to the prior written approval of a federal depository institution regulatory agency. If no other agency approval is required, the approval of the Comptroller of the Currency must be obtained prior to any such transfers.
Unless otherwise specified in the Articles of Association or required by law, (1) all matters requiring shareholder action, including amendments to the Articles of Association must be approved by shareholders owning a majority voting interest in the outstanding voting stock, and
(2) each shareholder shall be entitled to one vote per share.
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Unless otherwise specified in the Articles of Association or required by law, all shares of voting stock shall be voted together as a class, on any matters requiring shareholder approval.
Unless otherwise provided in the Bylaws, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting is the close of business on the day before the first notice is mailed or otherwise sent to the shareholders, provided that in no event may a record date be more than 70 days before the meeting.
The Association, at any time and from time to time, may authorize and issue debt obligations, whether subordinated, without the approval of the shareholders. Obligations classified as debt, whether subordinated, which may be issued by the Association without the approval of shareholders, do not carry voting rights on any issue, including an increase or decrease in the aggregate number of the securities, or the exchange or reclassification of all or part of securities into securities of another class or series.
SIXTH. The board of directors shall appoint one of its members president of this Association and one of its members chairperson of the board and shall have the power to appoint one or more vice presidents, a secretary who shall keep minutes of the directors' and shareholders' meetings and be responsible for authenticating the records of the Association, and such other officers and employees as may be required to transact the business of this Association. A duly appointed officer may appoint one or more officers or assistant officers if authorized by the board of directors in accordance with the Bylaws.
The board of directors shall have the power to:
(1)Define the duties of the officers, employees, and agents of the Association.
(2)Delegate the performance of its duties, but not the responsibility for its duties, to the officers, employees, and agents of the Association.
(3)Fix the compensation and enter employment contracts with its officers and employees upon reasonable terms and conditions consistent with applicable law.
(4)Dismiss officers and employees.
(5)Require bonds from officers and employees and to fix the penalty thereof.
(6)Ratify written policies authorized by the Association's management or committees of the board.
(7)Regulate the manner any increase or decrease of the capital of the Association shall be made; provided that nothing herein shall restrict the power of shareholders to increase or decrease the capital of the Association in accordance with law, and nothing shall raise or lower from two-thirds the percentage required for shareholder approval to increase or reduce the capital.
- 3 -
(8)Manage and administer the business and affairs of the Association.
(9)Adopt initial Bylaws, not inconsistent with law or the Articles of Association, for managing the business and regulating the affairs of the Association.
(10)Amend or repeal Bylaws, except to the extent that the Articles of Association reserve this power in whole or in part to the shareholders.
(11)Make contracts.
(12)Generally perform all acts that are legal for a board of directors to perform.
SEVENTH. The board of directors shall have the power to change the location of the main office to any authorized branch within the limits of the city of Portland, Oregon, without the approval of the shareholders, or with a vote of shareholders owning two-thirds of the stock of the Association for a location outside such limits and upon receipt of a certificate of approval from the Comptroller of the Currency, to any other location within or outside the limits of the city of Portland, Oregon, but not more than thirty miles beyond such limits. The board of directors shall have the power to establish or change the location of any office or offices of the Association to any other location permitted under applicable law, without approval of shareholders, subject to approval by the Comptroller of the Currency.
EIGHTH. The corporate existence of this Association shall continue until termination according to the laws of the United States.
NINTH. The board of directors of the Association, or any shareholder owning, in the aggregate, not less than 25 percent of the stock of the Association, may call a special meeting of shareholders at any time. Unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws or the laws of the United States, or waived by shareholders, a notice of the time, place, and purpose of every annual and special meeting of the shareholders shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed at least 10, and no more than 60, days prior to the date of the meeting to each shareholder of record at his/her address as shown upon the books of the Association. Unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws, any action requiring approval of shareholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting.
TENTH. These Articles of Association may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the shareholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Association, unless the vote of the holders of a greater amount of stock is required by law, and in that case by the vote of the holders of such greater amount; provided, that the scope of the Association's activities and services may not be expanded without the prior written approval of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Association's board of directors may propose one or more amendments to the Articles of Association for submission to the shareholders.
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In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 11th of June, 1997.
Exhibit 2
Exhibit 4
U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
Meetings of Shareholders
Section 1.1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the shareholders, for the election of directors and the transaction of any other proper business, shall be held at a time and place as the Chairman or President may designate. Notice of such meeting shall be given not less than ten (10) days or more than sixty (60) days prior to the date thereof, to each shareholder of the Association, unless the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”) determines that an emergency circumstance exists. In accordance with applicable law, the sole shareholder of the Association is permitted to waive notice of the meeting. If, for any reason, an election of directors is not made on the designated day, the election shall be held on some subsequent day, as soon thereafter as practicable, with prior notice thereof. Failure to hold an annual meeting as required by these Bylaws shall not affect the validity of any corporate action or work a forfeiture or dissolution of the Association.
Section 1.2. Special Meetings. Except as otherwise specially provided by law, special meetings of the shareholders may be called for any purpose, at any time by a majority of the board of directors (the “Board”), or by any shareholder or group of shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding stock.
Every such special meeting, unless otherwise provided by law, shall be called upon not less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days prior notice stating the purpose of the meeting.
Section 1.3. Nominations for Directors. Nominations for election to the Board may be made by the Board or by any shareholder.
Section 1.4. Proxies. Shareholders may vote at any meeting of the shareholders by proxies duly authorized in writing. Proxies shall be valid only for one meeting and any adjournments of such meeting and shall be filed with the records of the meeting.
Section 1.5. Record Date. The record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice and to vote at any meeting will be thirty days before the date of such meeting, unless otherwise determined by the Board.
Section 1.6. Quorum and Voting. A majority of the outstanding capital stock, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any
meeting of shareholders, unless otherwise provided by law, but less than a quorum may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice. A majority of the votes cast shall decide every question or matter submitted to the shareholders at any meeting, unless otherwise provided by law or by the Articles of Association.
Section 1.7. Inspectors. The Board may, and in the event of its failure so to do, the Chairman of the Board may appoint Inspectors of Election who shall determine the presence of quorum, the validity of proxies, and the results of all elections and all other matters voted upon by shareholders at all annual and special meetings of shareholders.
Section 1.8. Waiver and Consent. The shareholders may act without notice or a meeting by a unanimous written consent by all shareholders.
Section 1.9. Remote Meetings. The Board shall have the right to determine that a shareholder meeting not be held at a place, but instead be held solely by means of remote communication in the manner and to the extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE II
Directors
Section 2.1. Board of Directors. The Board shall have the power to manage and administer the business and affairs of the Association. Except as expressly limited by law, all corporate powers of the Association shall be vested in and may be exercised by the Board.
Section 2.2. Term of Office. The directors of this Association shall hold office for one year and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal.
Section 2.3. Powers. In addition to the foregoing, the Board shall have and may exercise all of the powers granted to or conferred upon it by the Articles of Association, the Bylaws and by law.
Section 2.4. Number. As provided in the Articles of Association, the Board of this Association shall consist of no less than five nor more than twenty-five members, unless the OCC has exempted the Association from the twenty-five- member limit. The Board shall consist of a number of members to be fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of the Board or the shareholders at any meeting thereof, in accordance with the Articles of Association. Between meetings of the shareholders held for the purpose of electing directors, the Board
by a majority vote of the full Board may increase the size of the Board but not to more than a total of twenty-five directors, and fill any vacancy so created in the Board; provided that the Board may increase the number of directors only by up to two directors, when the number of directors last elected by shareholders was fifteen or fewer, and by up to four directors, when the number of directors last elected by shareholders was sixteen or more. Each director shall own a qualifying equity interest in the Association or a company that has control of the Association in each case as required by applicable law. Each director shall own such qualifying equity interest in his or her own right and meet any minimum threshold ownership required by applicable law.
Section 2.5. Organization Meeting. The newly elected Board shall meet for the purpose of organizing the new Board and electing and appointing such officers of the Association as may be appropriate. Such meeting shall be held on the day of the election or as soon thereafter as practicable, and, in any event, within thirty days thereafter, at such time and place as the Chairman or President may designate. If, at the time fixed for such meeting, there shall not be a quorum present, the directors present may adjourn the meeting until a quorum is obtained.
Section 2.6. Regular Meetings. The regular meetings of the Board shall be held, without notice, as the Chairman or President may designate and deem suitable.
Section 2.7. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time, at any place and for any purpose by the Chairman of the Board or the President of the Association, or upon the request of a majority of the entire Board. Notice of every special meeting of the Board shall be given to the directors at their usual places of business, or at such other addresses as shall have been furnished by them for the purpose. Such notice shall be given at least twelve hours (three hours if meeting is to be conducted by conference telephone) before the meeting by telephone or by being personally delivered, mailed, or electronically delivered. Such notice need not include a statement of the business to be transacted at, or the purpose of, any such meeting.
Section 2.8. Quorum and Necessary Vote. A majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board, except when otherwise provided by law; but less than a quorum may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice. Unless otherwise provided by law or the Articles or Bylaws of this Association, once a quorum is established, any act by a majority of those directors present and voting shall be the act of the Board.
Section 2.9. Written Consent. Except as otherwise required by applicable laws and regulations, the Board may act without a meeting by a unanimous written consent by all directors, to be filed with the Secretary of the Association as part of the corporate records.
Section 2.10. Remote Meetings. Members of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of conference telephone, video or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 2.11. Vacancies. When any vacancy occurs among the directors, the remaining members of the Board may appoint a director to fill such vacancy at any regular meeting of the Board, or at a special meeting called for that purpose.
ARTICLE III
Committees
Section 3.1. Advisory Board of Directors. The Board may appoint persons, who need not be directors, to serve as advisory directors on an advisory board of directors established with respect to the business affairs of either this Association alone or the business affairs of a group of affiliated organizations of which this Association is one. Advisory directors shall have such powers and duties as may be determined by the Board, provided, that the Board's responsibility for the business and affairs of this Association shall in no respect be delegated or diminished.
Section 3.2. Trust Audit Committee. At least once during each calendar year, the Association shall arrange for a suitable audit (by internal or external auditors) of all significant fiduciary activities under the direction of its trust audit committee, a function that will be fulfilled by the Audit Committee of the financial holding company that is the ultimate parent of this Association. The Association shall note the results of the audit (including significant actions taken as a result of the audit) in the minutes of the Board. In lieu of annual audits, the Association may adopt a continuous audit system in accordance with 12 C.F.R. § 9.9(b).
The Audit Committee of the financial holding company that is the ultimate parent of this Association, fulfilling the function of the trust audit committee:
(1)Must not include any officers of the Association or an affiliate who participate significantly in the administration of the Association’s fiduciary activities; and
(2)Must consist of a majority of members who are not also members of any committee to which the Board has delegated power to manage and control the fiduciary activities of the Association.
Section 3.3. Executive Committee. The Board may appoint an Executive Committee which shall consist of at least three directors and which shall have, and may exercise, to the extent permitted by applicable law, all the powers of the Board between meetings of the Board or otherwise when the Board is not meeting.
Section 3.4. Trust Management Committee. The Board of this Association shall appoint a Trust Management Committee to provide oversight of the fiduciary activities of the Association. The Trust Management Committee shall determine policies governing fiduciary activities. The Trust Management Committee or such sub-committees, officers or others as may be duly designated by the Trust Management Committee shall oversee the processes related to fiduciary activities to assure conformity with fiduciary policies it establishes, including ratifying the acceptance and the closing out or relinquishment of all trusts. The Trust Management Committee will provide regular reports of its activities to the Board.
Section 3.5. Other Committees. The Board may appoint, from time to time, committees of one or more persons who need not be directors, for such purposes and with such powers as the Board may determine; however, the Board will not delegate to any committee any powers or responsibilities that it is prohibited from delegating under any law or regulation. In addition, either the Chairman or the President may appoint, from time to time, committees of one or more officers, employees, agents or other persons, for such purposes and with such powers as either the Chairman or the President deems appropriate and proper. Whether appointed by the Board, the Chairman, or the President, any such committee shall at all times be subject to the direction and control of the Board.
Section 3.6. Meetings, Minutes and Rules. An advisory board of directors and/or committee shall meet as necessary in consideration of the purpose of the advisory board of directors or committee, and shall maintain minutes in sufficient detail to indicate actions taken or recommendations made; unless required by the members, discussions, votes or other specific details need not be reported. An advisory board of directors or a committee may, in consideration of
its purpose, adopt its own rules for the exercise of any of its functions or authority.
ARTICLE IV
Officers
Section 4.1. Chairman of the Board. The Board may appoint one of its members to be Chairman of the Board to serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Chairman shall supervise the carrying out of the policies adopted or approved by the Board; shall have general executive powers, as well as the specific powers conferred by these Bylaws; and shall also have and may exercise such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred upon or assigned by the Board.
Section 4.2. President. The Board may appoint one of its members to be President of the Association. In the absence of the Chairman, the President shall preside at any meeting of the Board. The President shall have general executive powers, and shall have and may exercise any and all other powers and duties pertaining by law, regulation or practice, to the office of President, or imposed by these Bylaws. The President shall also have and may exercise such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred or assigned by the Board.
Section 4.3. Vice President. The Board may appoint one or more Vice Presidents who shall have such powers and duties as may be assigned by the Board and to perform the duties of the President on those occasions when the President is absent, including presiding at any meeting of the Board in the absence of both the Chairman and President.
Section 4.4. Secretary. The Board shall appoint a Secretary, or other designated officer who shall be Secretary of the Board and of the Association, and shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings. The Secretary shall attend to the giving of all notices required by these Bylaws to be given; shall be custodian of the corporate seal, records, documents and papers of the Association; shall provide for the keeping of proper records of all transactions of the Association; shall, upon request, authenticate any records of the Association; shall have and may exercise any and all other powers and duties pertaining by law, regulation or practice, to the Secretary, or imposed by these Bylaws; and shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Board. The Board may appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries with such powers and duties as the Board, the President or the Secretary shall from time to time determine.
Section 4.5. Other Officers. The Board may appoint, and may authorize the Chairman, the President or any other officer to appoint, any officer as from time to time may appear to the Board, the Chairman, the President or such other
officer to be required or desirable to transact the business of the Association. Such officers shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as pertain to their several offices, or as may be conferred upon or assigned to them by these Bylaws, the Board, the Chairman, the President or such other authorized officer. Any person may hold two offices.
Section 4.6. Tenure of Office. The Chairman or the President and all other officers shall hold office until their respective successors are elected and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office, subject to the right of the Board or authorized officer to discharge any officer at any time.
ARTICLE V
Stock
Section 5.1. The Board may authorize the issuance of stock either in certificated or in uncertificated form. Certificates for shares of stock shall be in such form as the Board may from time to time prescribe. If the Board issues certificated stock, the certificate shall be signed by the President, Secretary or any other such officer as the Board so determines. Shares of stock shall be transferable on the books of the Association, and a transfer book shall be kept in which all transfers of stock shall be recorded. Every person becoming a shareholder by such transfer shall, in proportion to such person's shares, succeed to all rights of the prior holder of such shares. Each certificate of stock shall recite on its face that the stock represented thereby is transferable only upon the books of the Association properly endorsed. The Board may impose conditions upon the transfer of the stock reasonably calculated to simplify the work of the Association for stock transfers, voting at shareholder meetings, and related matters, and to protect it against fraudulent transfers.
ARTICLE VI
Corporate Seal
Section 6.1. The Association shall have no corporate seal; provided, however, that if the use of a seal is required by, or is otherwise convenient or advisable pursuant to, the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction, the following seal may be used, and the Chairman, the President, the Secretary and any Assistant Secretary shall have the authority to affix such seal:
ARTICLE VII
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 7.1. Execution of Instruments. All agreements, checks, drafts, orders, indentures, notes, mortgages, deeds, conveyances, transfers, endorsements, assignments, certificates, declarations, receipts, discharges, releases, satisfactions, settlements, petitions, schedules, accounts, affidavits, bonds, undertakings, guarantees, proxies and other instruments or documents may be signed, countersigned, executed, acknowledged, endorsed, verified, delivered or accepted on behalf of the Association, whether in a fiduciary capacity or otherwise, by any officer of the Association, or such employee or agent as may be designated from time to time by the Board by resolution, or by the Chairman or the President by written instrument, which resolution or instrument shall be certified as in effect by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Association. The provisions of this section are supplementary to any other provision of the Articles of Association or Bylaws.
Section 7.2. Records. The Articles of Association, the Bylaws as revised or amended from time to time and the proceedings of all meetings of the shareholders, the Board, and standing committees of the Board, shall be recorded in appropriate minute books provided for the purpose. The minutes of each meeting shall be signed by the Secretary, or other officer appointed to act as Secretary of the meeting.
Section 7.3. Trust Files. There shall be maintained in the Association files all fiduciary records necessary to assure that its fiduciary responsibilities have been properly undertaken and discharged.
Section 7.4. Trust Investments. Funds held in a fiduciary capacity shall be invested according to the instrument establishing the fiduciary relationship and according to law. Where such instrument does not specify the character and class of investments to be made and does not vest in the Association a discretion in the matter, funds held pursuant to such instrument shall be invested in investments in which corporate fiduciaries may invest under law.
Section 7.5. Notice. Whenever notice is required by the Articles of Association, the Bylaws or law, such notice shall be by mail, postage prepaid, e- mail, in person, or by any other means by which such notice can reasonably be expected to be received, using the address of the person to receive such notice, or such other personal data, as may appear on the records of the Association.
Except where specified otherwise in these Bylaws, prior notice shall be proper if given not more than 30 days nor less than 10 days prior to the event for which notice is given.
ARTICLE VIII
Indemnification
Section 8.1. The Association shall indemnify such persons for such liabilities in such manner under such circumstances and to such extent as permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as now enacted or hereafter amended. The Board may authorize the purchase and maintenance of insurance and/or the execution of individual agreements for the purpose of such indemnification, and the Association shall advance all reasonable costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending any action, suit or proceeding to all persons entitled to indemnification under this Section 8.1. Such insurance shall be consistent with the requirements of 12
C.F.R. § 7.2014 and shall exclude coverage of liability for a formal order assessing civil money penalties against an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12
U.S.C. § 1813(u).
Section 8.2. Notwithstanding Section 8.1, however, (a) any indemnification payments to an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12
U.S.C. § 1813(u), for an administrative proceeding or civil action initiated by a federal banking agency, shall be reasonable and consistent with the requirements of 12 U.S.C. § 1828(k) and the implementing regulations thereunder; and (b) any indemnification payments and advancement of costs and expenses to an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12 U.S.C. § 1813(u), in cases involving an administrative proceeding or civil action not initiated by a federal banking agency, shall be in accordance with Delaware General Corporation Law and consistent with safe and sound banking practices.
ARTICLE IX
Bylaws: Interpretation and Amendment
Section 9.1. These Bylaws shall be interpreted in accordance with and subject to appropriate provisions of law, and may be added to, altered, amended, or repealed, at any regular or special meeting of the Board.
Section 9.2. A copy of the Bylaws and all amendments shall at all times be kept in a convenient place at the principal office of the Association, and shall be open for inspection to all shareholders during Association hours.
ARTICLE X
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 10.1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on the first day of January in each year and shall end on the thirty-first day of December following.
Section 10.2. Governing Law. This Association designates the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended from time to time, as the governing law for its corporate governance procedures, to the extent not inconsistent with Federal banking statutes and regulations or bank safety and soundness.
***
(February 8, 2021)
Exhibit 6
CONSENT
In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the undersigned, U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.
Dated: May 28, 2024
| By: | /s/ Michael Judge | ||||
| Michael Judge | |||||
| Vice President | |||||
Exhibit 7
U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association
Statement of Financial Condition
as of 3/31/2024
($000’s)
| 3/31/2024 | ||||||||
| Assets | ||||||||
| Cash and Balances Due From Depository Institutions | $ | 1,429,213 | ||||||
| Securities | 4,389 | |||||||
| Federal Funds | — | |||||||
| Loans & Lease Financing Receivables | — | |||||||
| Fixed Assets | 1,270 | |||||||
| Intangible Assets | 577,915 | |||||||
| Other Assets | 161,425 | |||||||
| Total Assets | $ | 2,174,212 | ||||||
| Liabilities | ||||||||
| Deposits | $ | — | ||||||
| Fed Funds | — | |||||||
| Treasury Demand Notes | — | |||||||
| Trading Liabilities | — | |||||||
| Other Borrowed Money | — | |||||||
| Acceptances | — | |||||||
| Subordinated Notes and Debentures | — | |||||||
| Other Liabilities | 361,240 | |||||||
| Total Liabilities | $ | 361,240 | ||||||
| Equity | ||||||||
| Common and Preferred Stock | 200 | |||||||
| Surplus | 1,171,635 | |||||||
| Undivided Profits | 641,137 | |||||||
| Minority Interest in Subsidiaries | — | |||||||
| Total Equity Capital | $ | 1,812,972 | ||||||
| Total Liabilities and Equity Capital | $ | 2,174,212 | ||||||